Motorola Edge+ (2023) vs Huawei Mate 30 5G: A Deep Dive into Performance and Value

The Huawei Mate 30 5G, released in 2019, was a flagship contender hampered by geopolitical constraints. Now, with the Motorola Edge+ (2023) offering a modern Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, we revisit the Mate 30 5G to see if its legacy still holds up, or if Motorola’s latest delivers a decisive performance advantage.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, built on a 4nm process, provides significantly improved performance and efficiency compared to the Huawei Mate 30 5G’s Kirin 990 5G. While the Mate 30 5G still offers capable performance, the Edge+’s faster charging and modern features justify the upgrade.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 30 5G Motorola Edge+ (2023)
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, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71
5G bands41, 77, 78, 79 NSA/Sub61, 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL)HSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
Launch
Announced2019, September. Released 2019, October2023, May 02
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2023, May 19
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions160.8 x 76.1 x 8.4 mm (6.33 x 3.00 x 0.33 in)161.2 x 74 x 8.6 mm (6.35 x 2.91 x 0.34 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight196 g (6.91 oz)203 g (7.16 oz)
 IP53, dust and splash resistantIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~389 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)
Size6.62 inches, 107.6 cm2 (~87.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, HDR10OLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1300 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetKirin 990 5G (7 nm+)Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUMali-G76 MP16Adreno 740
OSAndroid 10, EMUI 10, no Google Play ServicesAndroid 13, upgradable to Android 14
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM512GB 8GB RAM
 UFS 3.0UFS 4.0
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, Leica optics, dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDRDual-LED flash, panorama, HDR
Triple40 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/1.54", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide)50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.55", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/1.6, (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 10-bit HDR10+, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single24 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.9µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)60 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.61µm
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 32-bit/384kHz audio -
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, aptX HD, LE5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort 1.4
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFace ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ready For 3.5 support
Battery
Charging40W wired 27W wireless Reverse wireless68W wired 15W wireless 5W reverse wired 5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4200 mAh, non-removableLi-Po 5100 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Space Silver, Cosmic Purple, Emerald Green, Orange, Forest GreenInterstellar Black
ModelsTAS-AN00, TAS-TN00-
PriceAbout 650 EUR$ 298.99

Huawei Mate 30 5G

  • Familiar Huawei ecosystem (for existing users)
  • Potentially more compact design (based on historical Mate series)
  • Established camera reputation at launch

  • Older Kirin 990 5G chipset
  • Limited software updates and app availability
  • Slower charging speeds

Motorola Edge+ (2023)

  • Significantly faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 performance
  • 68W fast charging for rapid replenishment
  • Modern Android experience with guaranteed updates
  • Improved power efficiency

  • Motorola’s software skin may not appeal to all users
  • Potentially larger size and weight
  • May lack some of Huawei’s unique software features

Display Comparison

While specific display specs for the Mate 30 5G aren't provided, it was known for its OLED panel and curved design. The Motorola Edge+ (2023) likely boasts a higher peak brightness and potentially a higher refresh rate, benefiting from advancements in display technology. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s ISP also supports more advanced display processing, potentially leading to more accurate color reproduction on the Motorola device. The 4nm process allows for more efficient power delivery to the display, potentially extending battery life during video playback.

Camera Comparison

Without detailed camera specs for the Mate 30 5G, a direct comparison is limited. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s ISP in the Motorola Edge+ (2023) offers advanced image processing capabilities, including improved noise reduction and dynamic range. The Edge+ likely benefits from more sophisticated computational photography algorithms. While the Mate 30 5G was known for its camera prowess at launch, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) likely surpasses it in low-light performance and overall image quality due to the newer ISP and potentially larger sensor sizes.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) in the Motorola Edge+ (2023) represents a substantial leap over the Huawei Mate 30 5G’s Kirin 990 5G (7nm+). The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s Cortex-X3 prime core, clocked at 3.2 GHz, offers significantly higher single-core performance. Furthermore, the newer Cortex-A715 and A710 cores are more efficient than the A76 cores found in the Kirin 990 5G. This translates to faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and improved gaming performance on the Motorola device. The 4nm process also contributes to better thermal management, reducing throttling during sustained workloads.

Battery Life

The Motorola Edge+ (2023) features 68W wired charging, a significant upgrade over the Huawei Mate 30 5G’s 40W charging. This allows for a much faster 0-100% charge time. While the Mate 30 5G offers 27W wireless charging, the Edge+ provides 15W wireless charging. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s improved power efficiency also contributes to longer battery life, despite potentially similar battery capacities. The Edge+ also offers both 5W wired and wireless reverse charging, a feature not explicitly mentioned for the Mate 30 5G.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 30 5G if you prioritize a familiar Huawei ecosystem and can live with the limitations of its older chipset and software. Buy the Motorola Edge+ (2023) if you demand the latest performance, faster charging speeds, and a more future-proof Android experience. The Edge+ is ideal for gamers, power users, and those seeking a long-lasting device.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 990 5G in the Mate 30 5G still struggle with sustained performance under heavy load?
Yes, the Kirin 990 5G, built on a 7nm+ process, is prone to thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions or demanding tasks. The Motorola Edge+ (2023)'s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with its 4nm process and improved thermal design, handles sustained workloads much more effectively.
❓ How does the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) on the Huawei Mate 30 5G impact the user experience in 2024?
The absence of GMS remains a significant drawback for the Mate 30 5G. Users rely on Huawei’s AppGallery and workarounds to access popular apps like Google Maps and YouTube, which can be inconvenient and may not always function optimally. The Motorola Edge+ (2023) has full GMS support, providing seamless access to the Google ecosystem.
❓ Is the 40W charging on the Mate 30 5G still considered fast charging in today's market?
While 40W was considered fast charging at its release, it's significantly slower than the 68W charging offered by the Motorola Edge+ (2023). The Edge+ can fully charge its battery in a much shorter timeframe, making it more convenient for users on the go.