Huawei Mate 30 Pro vs. Sony Xperia 1 III: A Deep Dive into Battery, Performance, and Camera

Released in different eras, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and Sony Xperia 1 III represent distinct philosophies in flagship smartphone design. The Mate 30 Pro, launched in 2019, focused on maximizing battery life and camera capabilities, while the 2021 Xperia 1 III prioritized performance and a creator-focused experience. This comparison revisits these devices to determine which holds up better today.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing longevity and consistent performance, the Huawei Mate 30 Pro remains a compelling choice thanks to its exceptional 103-hour endurance rating. However, power users and content creators will find the Sony Xperia 1 III’s Snapdragon 888 chipset and refined feature set more appealing.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 30 Pro Sony Xperia 1 III
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) / 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, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe
5G bands-1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific)
Launch
Announced2019, September 19. Released 2019, September 262021, April 14
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2021, August 25
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame
Dimensions158.1 x 73.1 x 8.8 mm (6.22 x 2.88 x 0.35 in)165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight198 g (6.98 oz)186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 min)IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 6Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1176 x 2400 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~409 ppi density)1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density)
Size6.53 inches, 108.7 cm2 (~94.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, HDR10OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020
 -Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases
Platform
CPUOcta-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.09 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.86 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetKirin 990 (7 nm)Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
GPUMali-G76 MP16Adreno 660
OSAndroid 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play ServicesAndroid 11, upgradable to Android 13
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.0UFS 3.X
Main Camera
FeaturesLeica optics, dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDRZeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking
Single-8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm
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)12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 1080p@960fps, 720p@7680fps, gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoYes
35mm jackNoYes
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
 32-bit/384kHz audio 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, aptX HD, LE5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output
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 (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass
 -Native Sony Alpha camera support
Battery
Charging40W wired 27W wireless Reverse wireless30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAh, non-removableLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Space Silver, Cosmic Purple, Emerald GreenFrosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple
ModelsLIO-L09, LIO-L29, LIO-AL00, LIO-TL00XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72
PriceAbout 1290 EUR€ 505.26 / $ 903.43
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 103h Endurance rating 82h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -29.3 LUFS (Average) -26.5 LUFS (Good)
Performance AnTuTu: 378950 (v7), 484529 (v8) GeekBench: 11936 (v4.4), 3038 (v5.1) GFXBench: 34fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate 30 Pro

  • Exceptional battery life (103h endurance)
  • Faster 40W wired charging
  • Strong low-light camera performance (likely)

  • Older chipset (Kirin 990)
  • Potentially limited software support

Sony Xperia 1 III

  • Powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset
  • Professional-grade camera features
  • 21:9 display for content creation

  • Shorter battery life (82h endurance)
  • Slower 30W wired charging

Display Comparison

The Huawei Mate 30 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 686 nits, while the Sony Xperia 1 III reaches 620 nits. While the Mate 30 Pro is brighter, both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. The Xperia 1 III’s 6.1-inch display, however, is geared towards content creators with its 21:9 aspect ratio, offering a wider canvas for video editing and viewing. The lack of detailed refresh rate information for the Mate 30 Pro means the Xperia 1 III likely offers a smoother experience, assuming it supports a higher refresh rate (which is standard for the Xperia 1 III series).

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but their approaches differ. While both are capable of photo and video, detailed sensor information is missing. The Xperia 1 III’s camera system is geared towards professional photographers, offering extensive manual controls and real-time tracking autofocus. The Mate 30 Pro, known for its low-light performance, likely relies heavily on software processing to enhance image quality. Without specific sensor size data, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the Xperia 1 III’s focus on manual control and advanced features gives it an edge for experienced photographers.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets: Huawei’s Kirin 990 (7nm) versus Sony’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The Snapdragon 888, built on a smaller 5nm process, inherently offers better power efficiency and thermal performance compared to the 7nm Kirin 990. The Xperia 1 III’s CPU configuration – a Cortex-X1 prime core alongside Cortex-A78 performance cores – provides a noticeable performance advantage in CPU-intensive tasks. While the Mate 30 Pro’s octa-core CPU is capable, the Snapdragon 888’s Adreno 660 GPU significantly outperforms the Mali-G76 MP16 in the Mate 30 Pro, making the Xperia 1 III the clear winner for gaming.

Battery Life

The Huawei Mate 30 Pro’s 103-hour endurance rating is a standout feature, significantly exceeding the Sony Xperia 1 III’s 82-hour rating. This translates to considerably longer battery life in real-world usage. The Mate 30 Pro also supports faster wired charging at 40W, compared to the Xperia 1 III’s 30W with PD and 50% charge in 30 minutes. Both support wireless and reverse wireless charging, but the Mate 30 Pro’s superior endurance and faster wired charging make it the clear winner in this category.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 30 Pro if you need a phone that can reliably last through two full days of moderate use, and if camera versatility is paramount. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prefer a phone with top-tier processing power for gaming and demanding applications, and if you value a more professional-grade camera experience with manual controls.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 990 in the Mate 30 Pro experience significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
The Kirin 990, being a 7nm chip, is prone to more thermal throttling than the 5nm Snapdragon 888 in the Xperia 1 III, especially during prolonged, graphically intensive gaming. While it can handle casual gaming, expect performance dips over longer sessions.
❓ How does the 21:9 aspect ratio of the Xperia 1 III affect everyday use, beyond content creation?
The 21:9 aspect ratio on the Xperia 1 III can result in letterboxing (black bars) when viewing content not optimized for this format, such as many YouTube videos or older movies. However, it provides a more immersive experience for compatible content and allows for multi-tasking with two apps side-by-side more effectively.
❓ Is the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro a major limitation in 2024?
The absence of GMS remains a significant hurdle for some users. While Huawei has developed its own ecosystem (HMS) and AppGallery, it still lacks the breadth of applications available on the Google Play Store. Workarounds exist, but they can be complex and may not be suitable for all users.