Honor V30 vs. Google Pixel 5a 5G: A Detailed Comparison of Chipsets, Cameras, and Battery Life
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a consistently smooth experience and exceptional camera quality, the Google Pixel 5a 5G is the better choice. While the Honor V30 boasts a more powerful chipset on paper, the Pixel 5a 5G’s software and optimized performance provide a more refined and reliable daily driver.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor V30 | Google Pixel 5a 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 5, 12, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, November. Released 2019, December | 2021, August 17 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, aluminum back |
| Dimensions | 162.7 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm (6.41 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) | 156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8 mm (6.15 x 2.88 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 213 g (7.51 oz) | 183 g (6.46 oz) |
| - | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Yes | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~415 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.57 inches, 104.7 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.34 inches, 97.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | OLED, HDR |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.09 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.86 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) |
| Chipset | Kirin 990 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP16 | Adreno 620 |
| OS | Android 10, Magic UI 3 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm |
| Features | Laser AF, LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Triple | 40 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/1.7", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.4, 16mm (ultrawide) | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@960fps, (gyro-EIS) | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm 8 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired, 70% in 30 min | 18W wired, PD2.0 |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4680 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Ocean Blue, Galaxy Black, Icelandic frost, Sunrise Orange | Mostly Black |
| Models | OXF-AN00 | G1F8F, G4S1M |
| Price | About 430 EUR | $ 189.00 / C$ 249.99 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 122h |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 291303 (v8) GeekBench: 1337 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor V30
- Faster 40W charging significantly reduces downtime.
- Potentially higher peak CPU performance with the Kirin 990.
- Likely more versatile camera system with multiple lenses (spec dependent).
- Software support and updates may be limited.
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load.
Google Pixel 5a 5G
- Exceptional camera quality thanks to Google’s software.
- Clean Android experience with guaranteed software updates.
- Optimized performance and power efficiency with Snapdragon 765G.
- Slower 18W charging.
- Less raw processing power compared to the Kirin 990.
Display Comparison
The Pixel 5a 5G’s display achieves a measured peak brightness of 861 nits, significantly brighter than what’s typically found in this price bracket, ensuring excellent visibility outdoors. While the Honor V30’s display specifications aren’t provided, its market positioning suggests a comparable, though potentially less bright, OLED panel. The Pixel 5a 5G’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED technology, delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The lack of high refresh rate on either device is notable, focusing instead on color accuracy and power efficiency.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 5a 5G is renowned for its computational photography prowess, leveraging Google’s image processing algorithms to deliver consistently excellent results, even in challenging lighting conditions. While the Honor V30’s camera specifications are not detailed, the Pixel 5a 5G’s focus on software optimization and image quality gives it a distinct advantage. The absence of a dedicated telephoto lens on the Pixel 5a 5G is mitigated by its Super Res Zoom feature, which utilizes software to enhance detail in zoomed-in shots. The Honor V30 likely includes a wider range of lenses, but without detailed sensor information, it’s difficult to assess their quality relative to the Pixel’s computational photography.
Performance
The Honor V30’s Kirin 990 (7nm) features a complex CPU configuration – two high-performance Cortex-A76 cores at 2.86 GHz, two more Cortex-A76 cores at 2.09 GHz, and four efficiency-focused Cortex-A55 cores at 1.86 GHz. This contrasts with the Pixel 5a 5G’s Snapdragon 765G (7nm) which employs a more streamlined octa-core setup: one Kryo 475 Prime core at 2.4 GHz, one Kryo 475 Gold core at 2.2 GHz, and six Kryo 475 Silver cores at 1.8 GHz. While the Kirin 990 theoretically offers higher peak performance, the Snapdragon 765G’s architecture is optimized for sustained performance and power efficiency, potentially leading to less thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. The Pixel 5a 5G benefits from Google’s software optimizations, further enhancing its real-world responsiveness.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 122 hours, indicating similar overall battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for the V30). However, the Honor V30’s 40W wired charging capability, capable of reaching 70% charge in just 30 minutes, significantly outperforms the Pixel 5a 5G’s 18W charging with PD2.0. This faster charging speed is a major convenience factor for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly. The Pixel 5a 5G’s efficiency, however, helps offset the slower charging, providing a full day of use on a single charge.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor V30 if you need maximum raw processing power for demanding tasks like video editing or emulation, and are comfortable with potential software limitations. Buy the Google Pixel 5a 5G if you prioritize a clean Android experience, outstanding camera performance, and long-term software support, even if it means sacrificing some peak performance.