Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: The Ultimate Showdown

The Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G and Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max represent the pinnacle of smartphone technology, each boasting impressive features and capabilities. But which one truly deserves your money? This comprehensive comparison dives deep into their design, performance, camera prowess, and battery life to help you decide.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 13 Pro Max wins overall due to its superior software ecosystem, consistently excellent camera performance, and longer software support. While the Mate 40 Pro 4G offers impressive hardware and fast charging, its software limitations and lack of Google services hold it back.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2643, A2644, A2645
5G bands-1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2643, A2644
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2641
Launch
Announced2021, June 282021, September 14
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, July 09Available. Released 2021, September 24
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm (Glass) / 9.5mm (Leather)160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.30 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight212 g (7.48 oz)240 g (8.47 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistantIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
Protection-Ceramic Shield glass
Resolution1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density)1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, HDR10, 90HzSuper Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55)Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
ChipsetKirin 9000 (5 nm)Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUMali-G78 MP24Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSHarmonyOS 2.0iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 UFS 3.1NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDRDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, multi-directional PDAF 12 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 20 MP, f/1.8, 18mm (ultrawide), PDAF12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR, gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 32-bit/384kHz audio -
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavICGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGLightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFace ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging66W wired 50W wireless 5W reverse wirelessWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 4400 mAhLi-Ion 4352 mAh (16.75 Wh)
Misc
ColorsMystic Silver, White, Black, Green, YellowGraphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green
ModelsNOH-AL00, NOH-AL10A2643, A2484, A2641, A2644, A2645, iphone14,3
PriceAbout 800 EUR€ 423.38 / $ 394.86 / £ 355.00
SAR-1.18 W/kg (head)     1.20 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.99 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 121h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -24.0 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 801691 (v9) GeekBench: 4706 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G

  • Fast 66W wired charging
  • Impressive zoom capabilities
  • Unique design
  • Powerful Kirin 9000 chipset

  • Lack of Google services
  • Limited software updates
  • Less polished software experience
  • No 5G

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

  • Exceptional performance (A15 Bionic)
  • Top-tier camera quality (especially video)
  • Long-term software support
  • Seamless iOS ecosystem
  • Excellent battery life

  • Slower charging speeds compared to Mate 40 Pro
  • MagSafe charging requires accessories
  • Higher price point

Display Comparison

Both phones feature stunning displays. The iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a peak brightness of 1050 nits and an infinite contrast ratio, delivering exceptional visibility and vibrant colors. The Mate 40 Pro 4G has a slightly smaller OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, offering smooth scrolling. While the iPhone's brightness is a clear advantage, the Mate 40 Pro's higher refresh rate provides a more fluid experience.

Camera Comparison

Both phones have exceptional camera systems. The iPhone 13 Pro Max excels in video recording and consistently delivers natural-looking photos. The Mate 40 Pro 4G offers impressive zoom capabilities and unique color science, sometimes producing more saturated images. Low-light performance is excellent on both, but the iPhone often edges out the Mate 40 Pro in challenging conditions.

Performance

The iPhone 13 Pro Max's A15 Bionic chip is undeniably faster than the Kirin 9000. While the Kirin 9000 is a powerful chip in its own right, the A15 consistently outperforms it in benchmarks and real-world usage, especially in demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. iOS optimization also contributes to the iPhone's smoother performance.

Battery Life

The iPhone 13 Pro Max demonstrates exceptional battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 121 hours. The Mate 40 Pro 4G also offers good battery life, but falls short of the iPhone's longevity. Both support fast charging, with the Mate 40 Pro 4G having a slight edge with its 66W wired charging compared to the iPhone's 20W (PD 2.0). The iPhone also has MagSafe wireless charging.

Buying Guide

The Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G is ideal for users prioritizing hardware performance, fast charging, and a unique design, who are comfortable with a less integrated software experience. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is best for those deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, seeking top-tier camera quality, and valuing long-term software updates and support.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G have Google Play Services?
No, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G does not have Google Play Services. It uses Huawei's AppGallery instead, which has a growing selection of apps, but lacks some popular services.
❓ Is the iPhone 13 Pro Max worth the price?
For users invested in the Apple ecosystem and prioritizing performance, camera quality, and long-term software support, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a worthwhile investment. However, its high price point may be a barrier for some.