Honor View30 vs. Google Pixel 5a 5G: A Detailed Comparison of Mid-Range Powerhouses

The Honor View30 and Google Pixel 5a 5G represent distinct approaches to the mid-range 5G market. The View30, released with Huawei’s Kirin 990, aimed for near-flagship performance, while the Pixel 5a 5G prioritizes Google’s computational photography and software experience with the Snapdragon 765G. This comparison dissects their key differences to determine which device best suits your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing camera quality and software support, the Google Pixel 5a 5G is the better choice. However, the Honor View30 offers significantly faster 40W charging and a potentially higher peak performance ceiling for demanding tasks, making it ideal for power users.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor View30 Google Pixel 5a 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 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 bands1, 3, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA1, 2, 5, 12, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL)HSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 -CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
Launch
Announced2020, February 24. Released 2020, April 272021, August 17
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2021, August 26
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, aluminum back
Dimensions162.7 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)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight213 g (7.51 oz)183 g (6.46 oz)
 -IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionYesCorning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~415 ppi density)
Size6.57 inches, 104.2 cm2 (~84.5% screen-to-body ratio)6.34 inches, 97.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCDOLED, HDR
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-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)
ChipsetKirin 990 (7 nm)Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm)
GPUMali-G76 MP16Adreno 620
OSAndroid 10, Magic UI 3, no Google Play ServicesAndroid 11, upgradable to Android 14
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM128GB 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
FeaturesLaser AF, LED flash, HDR, panoramaLED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
Single-8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm
Triple40 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)-
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@960fps, (gyro-EIS)4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
Dual32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm 8 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide)-
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single-8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoYes
35mm jackNoYes
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery
Charging40W wired, 70% in 30 min18W wired, PD2.0
TypeLi-Po 4200 mAhLi-Po 4680 mAh
Misc
ColorsOcean Blue, Midnight Black, Icelandic Frost, Sunrise OrangeMostly Black
Models-G1F8F, G4S1M
Price-$ 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 View30

  • Significantly faster 40W charging
  • Potentially higher peak CPU and GPU performance
  • May offer more RAM options (depending on variant)

  • EMUI software may not appeal to all users
  • Software update support is less certain

Google Pixel 5a 5G

  • Clean Android experience with guaranteed updates
  • Exceptional camera performance and image processing
  • Brighter display for outdoor visibility

  • Slower 18W charging
  • Less powerful chipset compared to Kirin 990

Display Comparison

The Pixel 5a 5G boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured 861 nits, compared to the Honor View30’s unspecified peak brightness. This translates to better outdoor visibility for the Pixel. While the Honor View30’s panel technology isn’t detailed, the Pixel 5a 5G’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a typical OLED experience with perfect blacks. Both devices likely utilize similar OLED panels, but the Pixel’s higher brightness gives it a clear advantage in direct sunlight.

Camera Comparison

The Pixel 5a 5G’s strength lies in its computational photography, leveraging Google’s image processing algorithms. While sensor sizes aren’t specified, the Pixel’s reputation for excellent dynamic range and low-light performance suggests a well-tuned camera system. The Honor View30’s camera specs are missing, making a direct comparison difficult. However, the Pixel 5a 5G’s consistent image quality and software features provide a more reliable photographic experience. Ignoring potential 2MP macro lenses on either device, the Pixel’s image processing is the key differentiator.

Performance

The Honor View30’s Kirin 990, built on a 7nm process, features a more complex CPU configuration with two high-performance Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.86 GHz, potentially offering higher single-core performance than the Pixel 5a 5G’s Snapdragon 765G. However, the Snapdragon 765G’s Kryo 475 Prime core at 2.4 GHz is optimized for efficiency. The Kirin 990’s GPU is likely more powerful, but the Snapdragon 765G benefits from Qualcomm’s optimized software and thermal management, potentially mitigating throttling during sustained loads. The Honor View30’s performance advantage is likely most noticeable in graphically intensive tasks.

Battery Life

Both the Honor View30 and Google Pixel 5a 5G achieve an endurance rating of 122 hours, indicating similar overall battery life despite potentially different battery capacities. However, the Honor View30’s 40W wired charging significantly outperforms the Pixel 5a 5G’s 18W PD2.0 charging. The Honor View30 can reach 70% charge in just 30 minutes, while the Pixel 5a 5G will take considerably longer. This charging speed difference is a major advantage for the Honor View30, especially for users who need quick top-ups.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor View30 if you need rapid charging, are comfortable with EMUI (or a custom ROM), and prioritize raw processing power for gaming or video editing. Buy the Google Pixel 5a 5G if you value a clean Android experience, exceptional camera performance, and guaranteed software updates, even if it means sacrificing some charging speed and peak CPU performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 990 in the Honor View30 suffer from significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Kirin 990 is a powerful chipset, it's known to generate more heat than some Snapdragon alternatives. The Honor View30's thermal management may limit sustained performance during prolonged gaming, potentially leading to frame rate drops. The Snapdragon 765G in the Pixel 5a 5G is generally more efficient and less prone to throttling.
❓ How does the software support compare between the Honor View30 and the Google Pixel 5a 5G?
The Google Pixel 5a 5G is guaranteed to receive Android updates and security patches directly from Google for at least three years. The Honor View30, originally running EMUI, faces uncertainty regarding long-term software support, especially given the geopolitical situation. Users may need to rely on custom ROMs for continued updates.
❓ Is the 18W charging on the Pixel 5a 5G slow enough to be a major inconvenience?
Compared to the Honor View30's 40W charging, 18W is considerably slower. A full charge will take significantly longer. However, the Pixel 5a 5G's battery efficiency and endurance rating mean you may not need to charge it as frequently. Overnight charging is a viable option, but users accustomed to fast charging will notice the difference.