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

Released within months of each other in 2019, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and OnePlus 8 Pro represented the pinnacle of Android smartphone technology. While both aimed for the high-end market, they took different approaches – Huawei focusing on camera innovation and battery endurance, and OnePlus prioritizing raw performance and a clean software experience. This comparison revisits these titans to determine which still holds up today, and for whom.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user in 2024, the OnePlus 8 Pro emerges as the slightly better choice. While both offer comparable battery life, the Snapdragon 865’s superior GPU performance and wider software compatibility, coupled with faster wired and wireless charging, give it a slight edge. However, the Mate 30 Pro remains a compelling option for camera enthusiasts.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 30 Pro 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, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - Global1, 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 bands-1, 3, 7, 28, 78 SA/NSA - EU
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China78 SA/NSA - IN
Launch
Announced2019, September 19. Released 2019, September 262020, April 14
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2020, April 21
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions158.1 x 73.1 x 8.8 mm (6.22 x 2.88 x 0.35 in)165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm (6.51 x 2.93 x 0.33 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight198 g (6.98 oz)199 g (7.02 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 min)IP68 dust/water resistant
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 6Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1176 x 2400 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~409 ppi density)1440 x 3168 pixels (~513 ppi density)
Size6.53 inches, 108.7 cm2 (~94.1% 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 & 2x2.09 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.86 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetKirin 990 (7 nm)Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)
GPUMali-G76 MP16Adreno 650
OSAndroid 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play ServicesAndroid 10, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.0UFS 3.0
Main Camera
FeaturesLeica 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/1.6, 27mm (wide), 1/1.7", PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 40 MP, f/1.8, 18mm (ultrawide), 1/1.54", PDAF TOF 3D, (depth)-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 1080p@960fps, 720p@7680fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm 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 NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, 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 4500 mAh, non-removableLi-Po 4510 mAh, non-removable
Misc
ColorsBlack, Space Silver, Cosmic Purple, Emerald GreenGlacial Green, Ultramarine Blue, Onyx Black
ModelsLIO-L09, LIO-L29, LIO-AL00, LIO-TL00IN2023, IN2020, IN2021, IN2025
PriceAbout 1290 EURAbout 310 EUR
Pricing
128GB 8GB RAM-$ 428.39
256GB 12GB RAM-$ 853.51
RENEWED-$ 486.00
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 103h Endurance rating 103h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -29.3 LUFS (Average) -23.5 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 378950 (v7), 484529 (v8) GeekBench: 11936 (v4.4), 3038 (v5.1) GFXBench: 34fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 573276 (v8) GeekBench: 3374 (v5.1) GFXBench: 24fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate 30 Pro

  • Exceptional camera performance, especially in low light
  • Long battery life with excellent endurance
  • Fast 40W wired charging
  • Innovative camera features

  • Limited software support and ecosystem restrictions
  • Potential compatibility issues with Google services

OnePlus 8 Pro

  • Superior GPU performance for gaming
  • Cleaner Android experience with OxygenOS
  • Faster wireless charging (30W)
  • Wider app compatibility

  • Camera performance slightly behind the Mate 30 Pro
  • Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load

Display Comparison

Both the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and OnePlus 8 Pro feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, indicating excellent black levels. The Mate 30 Pro achieves a measured peak brightness of 686 nits, a respectable figure, but the OnePlus 8 Pro likely surpasses this (specific data unavailable) given OnePlus’s history of display calibration. Both utilize OLED technology, but the OnePlus 8 Pro’s 120Hz refresh rate (not specified for the Mate 30 Pro) would provide a smoother visual experience, particularly during scrolling and gaming. The lack of detailed PWM dimming information for either device makes it difficult to assess suitability for users sensitive to flicker.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are equipped with versatile camera systems, but Huawei traditionally excels in computational photography. While both are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the Mate 30 Pro’s camera system, known for its 40MP main sensor and innovative image processing, likely delivers superior dynamic range and low-light performance. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s camera, while capable, leans towards a more natural color profile. The absence of specific sensor size and aperture details for both devices hinders a precise comparison, but the Mate 30 Pro’s reputation for camera innovation gives it an edge. The 2MP macro cameras found on many phones of this era, including potentially these, offer limited practical benefit.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Huawei Mate 30 Pro is powered by the Kirin 990 (7nm), while the OnePlus 8 Pro boasts the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+). While both are 7nm processes, the Snapdragon 865’s newer architecture, specifically the Cortex-A77 cores (vs. the Mate 30 Pro’s A76), provides a performance advantage, particularly in GPU-intensive tasks. The Snapdragon 865 also benefits from Qualcomm’s optimizations and wider software support. The OnePlus 8 Pro’s availability with up to 12GB of RAM (compared to the Mate 30 Pro’s unspecified RAM configuration) further enhances multitasking capabilities. Thermal management is a potential concern for both, but the Snapdragon 865’s slightly more efficient process node may offer a marginal advantage in sustained performance.

Battery Life

Interestingly, both the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and OnePlus 8 Pro achieve an identical endurance rating of 103 hours. The Mate 30 Pro offers 40W wired charging, while the OnePlus 8 Pro provides 30W wired charging (reaching 50% in 23 minutes). The OnePlus 8 Pro also supports 30W wireless charging (50% in 30 minutes), significantly faster than the Mate 30 Pro’s 27W wireless charging. Both offer reverse wireless charging, but the OnePlus 8 Pro’s 3W output is lower than the Mate 30 Pro’s unspecified wattage. Despite the Mate 30 Pro’s higher wired charging speed, the comparable endurance ratings suggest efficient power management on both devices.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 30 Pro if you prioritize exceptional camera capabilities, particularly in low-light scenarios, and long battery life are paramount, and you are comfortable with the limitations of the Huawei ecosystem. Buy the OnePlus 8 Pro if you value raw performance for gaming and demanding applications, a cleaner Android experience, and faster charging speeds, and require broader app compatibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 990 in the Mate 30 Pro suffer from significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Kirin 990 is a capable chipset, it is known to be more prone to thermal throttling compared to the Snapdragon 865, especially under sustained heavy loads like prolonged gaming. This can lead to reduced performance over time. The OnePlus 8 Pro, with its Snapdragon 865 and potentially better thermal management, is likely to maintain higher sustained performance.
❓ Is the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro a major issue in 2024?
Yes, the absence of GMS remains a significant drawback for the Mate 30 Pro. While Huawei has developed its own ecosystem (HMS), it lacks the breadth and compatibility of Google’s services. This means users may encounter difficulties with popular apps that rely on GMS, requiring workarounds or alternative solutions.
❓ How does the OnePlus 8 Pro's 30W wireless charging compare to other wireless charging solutions available today?
30W wireless charging was relatively fast for its time, and still respectable today. However, newer phones now offer 50W or even 65W wireless charging, significantly reducing charging times. The OnePlus 8 Pro's wireless charging is still faster than many competitors, but it's no longer at the cutting edge.