Honor V40 5G vs Huawei P50 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Choices

The Honor V40 5G and Huawei P50 Pro represent distinct approaches to the flagship smartphone experience. The V40, leveraging MediaTek's Dimensity 1000+ chipset, prioritizes raw performance and rapid charging. Conversely, the P50 Pro, with its Kirin 9000 (and Snapdragon 888 4G variant), focuses on refined camera capabilities and a more established software ecosystem, despite the limitations imposed by ongoing restrictions. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device best suits your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing speed and value, the Honor V40 5G emerges as the stronger contender. Its Dimensity 1000+ delivers excellent performance, coupled with incredibly fast 66W wired and 50W wireless charging. While the P50 Pro boasts a potentially superior camera system, the chipset variations and software constraints make the V40 a more consistently reliable choice.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor V40 5G Huawei P50 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China
5G bands1, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA-
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE
 CDMA2000 1x 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
Launch
Announced2021, January 222021, July 29
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, January 22Available. Released 2021, August 12
Body
Build-Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions163.1 x 74.3 x 8 mm (6.42 x 2.93 x 0.31 in)158.8 x 72.8 x 8.5 mm (6.25 x 2.87 x 0.33 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight189 g (6.67 oz)195 g (6.88 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Resolution1236 x 2676 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~440 ppi density)1228 x 2700 pixels (~450 ppi density)
Size6.72 inches, 110.4 cm2 (~91.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.6 inches, 105.4 cm2 (~91.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 1B colors, HDR10, 120Hz, 800 nits (peak)OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz
 Always-on display-
Platform
CPUOcta-core (4x2.6 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetMediatek Dimensity 1000+ (7 nm)Kirin 9000 (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm)
GPUMali-G77 MC9Mali-G78 MP24Adreno 660
OSAndroid 10, Magic UI 4.0, no Google Play ServicesHarmonyOS 2.0 (China), EMUI 14.2 (Europe), no Google Play Services
Memory
Card slotNoNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 2.1-
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, LED flash, panorama, HDRLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad-50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom, 7x lossless zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), AF 40 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (B/W), AF
Single-13 MP, f/2.4, (wide), AF
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 17mm (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro)-
Video4K, 1080p, 720p@1920fps, HDR, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@960fps; gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
Dual16 MP, f/2.0, (wide) Color spectrum sensor-
FeaturesHDRPanorama, HDR
Single-13 MP, f/2.4, (wide), AF
Video1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE5.2, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYesYes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery
Charging66W wired, 60% in 15 min, 100% in 35 min 50W wireless, 50% in 35 min 5W reverse wired66W wired 50W wireless Reverse wireless charging
TypeLi-Po 4000 mAhLi-Po 4360 mAh
Misc
ColorsMidnight Black, Rose Gold, Titanium SilverGolden Black, Cocoa Gold, Pearl White, Charm Pink
ModelsYOK-AN10JAD-AL50, JAD-LX9, JAD-AL00
PriceAbout 460 EUR$ 196.62 / £ 329.00 / € 473.13
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 76h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 793876 (v8), 786215 (v9) GeekBench: 3145 (v5.1) GFXBench: 44fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor V40 5G

  • Faster charging speeds (66W wired, 50W wireless)
  • Potentially lower price point
  • Strong performance from Dimensity 1000+

  • 7nm chipset may run hotter than 5nm alternatives
  • Limited information on display specifications

Huawei P50 Pro

  • Potentially superior camera system
  • High display brightness (754 nits)
  • Kirin 9000 or Snapdragon 888 4G chipset options

  • Snapdragon 888 4G variant lacks 5G connectivity
  • Software limitations due to ongoing restrictions
  • Chipset variability (Kirin vs Snapdragon)

Display Comparison

The Huawei P50 Pro’s display achieves a measured peak brightness of 754 nits, providing excellent visibility in outdoor conditions. While the Honor V40 5G’s display specifications aren’t provided, it’s reasonable to expect a comparable brightness level given its flagship status. Both devices offer an 'infinite' contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. The P50 Pro’s display quality is likely to be a strong point, but without detailed specs for the V40, a definitive advantage is difficult to ascertain. The absence of refresh rate information for the V40 is a notable omission.

Camera Comparison

Both the Honor V40 5G and Huawei P50 Pro are marketed as having exceptional camera systems, but specifics are limited. The P50 Pro’s strength likely resides in its image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor size, though details are absent. Huawei has a long history of computational photography excellence. The V40 5G’s camera capabilities are less defined, but it’s reasonable to assume it offers a versatile set of lenses. Without detailed sensor specifications or sample images, it’s impossible to definitively declare a winner. The P50 Pro’s focus on 'Photo/Video' suggests a broader feature set and potentially superior video recording capabilities.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Huawei P50 Pro offers two options: the Kirin 9000 (5nm) and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G (also 5nm). The Kirin 9000 features a more complex CPU configuration with a 3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 prime core, alongside additional A77 cores, while the Snapdragon 888 4G utilizes a Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 2.84 GHz. The Honor V40 5G’s Dimensity 1000+ (7nm) employs a more traditional quad-core A77/A55 setup. The 5nm process of both P50 Pro chipsets theoretically offers better power efficiency and thermal performance compared to the V40’s 7nm Dimensity chip. However, the Dimensity 1000+ is still a very capable performer, and the 4G limitation of the Snapdragon variant on the P50 Pro is a significant drawback for users requiring 5G connectivity.

Battery Life

Both phones share a 66W wired charging capability, promising rapid replenishment. The Honor V40 5G boasts 66W wired charging, reaching 60% in 15 minutes and 100% in 35 minutes, alongside 50W wireless charging (50% in 35 minutes). The P50 Pro mirrors the 66W wired and 50W wireless charging speeds, with reverse wireless charging also available. Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 76 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite potential differences in battery capacity (not specified for the V40). The faster charging speeds of both devices are a significant advantage over slower-charging competitors.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor V40 5G if you need a phone that excels in everyday tasks, gaming, and benefits from incredibly fast charging speeds, all at a potentially lower price point. Buy the Huawei P50 Pro if you prioritize camera versatility and are willing to accept potential software limitations and the variability of chipset options (Kirin 9000 or Snapdragon 888 4G) in exchange for a potentially more polished photographic experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 888 4G variant of the P50 Pro significantly impact its performance compared to the Kirin 9000 version?
While the Snapdragon 888 4G is a powerful chip, the Kirin 9000 generally offers slightly better performance in specific tasks, particularly in AI processing. However, the biggest drawback of the Snapdragon variant is the lack of 5G connectivity, which may be a dealbreaker for users in areas with 5G coverage.
❓ How do the software experiences differ between the Honor V40 5G and the Huawei P50 Pro?
The Honor V40 5G runs on Magic UI, which is based on Android and offers a more open software experience with access to Google Mobile Services. The Huawei P50 Pro, due to ongoing restrictions, runs on HarmonyOS and lacks native Google apps. Users will need to rely on workarounds to access Google services, which can be cumbersome.
❓ Is the 66W charging on both phones compatible with Power Delivery (PD) chargers?
While both phones support 66W fast charging, they utilize Huawei's proprietary SuperCharge protocol. While some PD chargers may work at lower wattages, achieving the full 66W charging speed requires a compatible Huawei SuperCharge charger.