Huawei Mate 30 5G vs. OnePlus 8 Pro: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle

Launched within months of each other, the Huawei Mate 30 5G and OnePlus 8 Pro represent distinct approaches to the flagship smartphone experience. The Mate 30 5G, leveraging Huawei’s in-house Kirin 990 5G chipset, aimed for camera innovation and a refined user experience. The OnePlus 8 Pro, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, prioritized raw performance and a fluid, near-stock Android experience. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device delivers the best value in today’s market.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing raw performance and a clean software experience, the OnePlus 8 Pro emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 865 chipset and 120Hz display offer a smoother, more responsive experience, while the wider availability of Google services is a significant advantage. However, the Mate 30 5G’s camera system remains competitive and its charging speeds are impressive.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 30 5G OnePlus 8 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66 - EU
5G bands41, 77, 78, 79 NSA/Sub61, 3, 7, 28, 78 SA/NSA - EU
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL)HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 -78 SA/NSA - IN
Launch
Announced2019, September. Released 2019, October2020, April 14
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2020, April 21
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions160.8 x 76.1 x 8.4 mm (6.33 x 3.00 x 0.33 in)165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm (6.51 x 2.93 x 0.33 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight196 g (6.91 oz)199 g (7.02 oz)
 IP53, dust and splash resistantIP68 dust/water resistant
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~389 ppi density)1440 x 3168 pixels (~513 ppi density)
Size6.62 inches, 107.6 cm2 (~87.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.78 inches, 111.7 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, HDR10Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+
Platform
CPUOcta-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetKirin 990 5G (7 nm+)Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)
GPUMali-G76 MP16Adreno 650
OSAndroid 10, EMUI 10, no Google Play ServicesAndroid 10, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.0UFS 3.0
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, Leica optics, dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDRLaser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
Quad-48 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 1/1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 5 MP, f/2.4, (Color filter camera)
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)-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single24 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.9µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS
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, LE5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
Features
SensorsFace ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging40W wired 27W wireless Reverse wireless30W wired, 50% in 23 min 30W wireless, 50% in 30 min 3W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4200 mAh, non-removableLi-Po 4510 mAh, non-removable
Misc
ColorsBlack, Space Silver, Cosmic Purple, Emerald Green, Orange, Forest GreenGlacial Green, Ultramarine Blue, Onyx Black
ModelsTAS-AN00, TAS-TN00IN2023, IN2020, IN2021, IN2025
PriceAbout 650 EURAbout 310 EUR
Pricing
128GB 8GB RAM-$ 428.39
256GB 12GB RAM-$ 853.51
RENEWED-$ 486.00
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 103h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -23.5 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 573276 (v8) GeekBench: 3374 (v5.1) GFXBench: 24fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate 30 5G

  • Faster wired and wireless charging speeds
  • Potentially superior low-light camera performance
  • Innovative camera features (SuperSlow-Motion)

  • Lack of full Google Mobile Services
  • Customized Android experience may not appeal to all

OnePlus 8 Pro

  • Faster overall performance with Snapdragon 865
  • 120Hz display for smoother visuals
  • Clean, near-stock Android experience

  • Slightly slower charging speeds
  • Can be prone to thermal throttling under heavy load

Display Comparison

Both the Huawei Mate 30 5G and OnePlus 8 Pro boast 'Infinite' contrast ratios, indicating excellent OLED panel quality. However, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s 120Hz refresh rate, while not explicitly stated in the provided data, is a significant advantage over the Mate 30 5G’s standard 60Hz display, resulting in noticeably smoother scrolling and animations. While both offer excellent color accuracy, the OnePlus 8 Pro’s higher refresh rate caters to users who demand the most responsive visual experience, particularly gamers and those who consume a lot of video content.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are marketed as camera powerhouses, but their approaches differ. The provided data doesn’t detail sensor sizes, but the Mate 30 5G is known for its innovative camera system, particularly its low-light performance. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s camera system, while excellent, leans towards a more natural color profile. The absence of detailed sensor information makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Mate 30 5G’s reputation for computational photography and dynamic range gives it a slight edge in challenging lighting conditions. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s video capabilities are strong, but the Mate 30 5G’s SuperSlow-Motion features offer unique creative possibilities.

Performance

The core of the performance difference lies in the chipsets. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s Snapdragon 865 (7nm+) features a Cortex-A77 prime core clocked at 2.84 GHz, while the Mate 30 5G’s Kirin 990 5G (7nm+) utilizes two Cortex-A76 cores at 2.86 GHz. While clock speeds are similar, the Cortex-A77 architecture generally offers a performance edge. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s availability with up to 12GB of RAM, paired with LPDDR5, further enhances multitasking capabilities. While the Kirin 990 5G is a capable chip, the Snapdragon 865’s superior GPU performance makes the OnePlus 8 Pro the better choice for demanding games and graphically intensive applications. Thermal management is also a factor; the Snapdragon 865, while powerful, can be prone to throttling under sustained load, but the OnePlus 8 Pro’s cooling system mitigates this.

Battery Life

Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 103 hours, suggesting comparable real-world battery life despite differing battery capacities (not provided in the data). However, the charging speeds are where the Mate 30 5G shines with its 40W wired charging and 27W wireless charging. The OnePlus 8 Pro offers 30W wired charging (50% in 23 minutes) and 30W wireless charging (50% in 30 minutes), making it competitive, but slightly slower than the Huawei. The Mate 30 5G also includes reverse wireless charging, a feature the OnePlus 8 Pro offers at a slower 3W.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 30 5G if you prioritize camera versatility, particularly in low-light conditions, and are comfortable navigating a customized Android experience without full Google Mobile Services. Buy the OnePlus 8 Pro if you value a consistently fast and fluid user experience, a clean Android interface, and access to the full Google ecosystem. Gamers and power users will find the Snapdragon 865’s performance more appealing.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 990 5G chipset in the Mate 30 5G overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
While the Kirin 990 5G is a powerful chip, it can experience some thermal throttling during extended gaming. Huawei implemented cooling solutions, but the Snapdragon 865 in the OnePlus 8 Pro generally handles sustained loads more effectively, though it too can throttle.
❓ How significant is the lack of Google Mobile Services on the Huawei Mate 30 5G?
The absence of Google Mobile Services (GMS) means no pre-installed Google apps like Gmail, YouTube, or the Play Store. Huawei’s AppGallery and Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) are alternatives, but app availability is limited, and some users may find workarounds necessary to access their favorite apps.
❓ Is the 3W reverse wireless charging on the OnePlus 8 Pro useful for charging accessories?
The 3W reverse wireless charging on the OnePlus 8 Pro is primarily intended for charging small accessories like wireless earbuds or smartwatches. It's not powerful enough to significantly charge a smartphone.
❓ What kind of user would benefit most from the 120Hz display on the OnePlus 8 Pro?
Gamers, social media scrollers, and anyone who frequently consumes video content will notice a significant improvement in smoothness and responsiveness with the OnePlus 8 Pro’s 120Hz display. It makes everyday tasks feel more fluid and enjoyable.