Huawei Mate 40 Pro vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a seamless software experience and strong resale value, the iPhone 12 Pro Max emerges as the winner. However, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro’s significantly faster 66W wired and 50W wireless charging, coupled with its excellent 97-hour endurance rating, makes it a strong contender for power users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40 Pro | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2342 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79, 80, 84 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2342 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 22 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, November 01 | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm (Glass) / 9.5mm (Leather) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 212 g (7.48 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Kirin 9000 5G (5 nm) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP24 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play Services | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 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), PDAF | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 65mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 13 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) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | Li-Po 4400 mAh | Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mystic Silver, White, Black, Green, Yellow | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Models | NOH-NX9, NOH-AN00, NOH-AN01 | A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4 |
| Price | About 790 EUR | $ 328.00 / C$ 549.75 / £ 270.67 / € 339.00 |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 599.99 |
| 256GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 728.45 |
| 512GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 886.67 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 627.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 97h | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.9 LUFS (Very good) | -23.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 686835 (v8) GeekBench: 3704 (v5.1) GFXBench: 43fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei Mate 40 Pro
- Significantly faster wired and wireless charging (66W/50W)
- Excellent battery endurance (97h rating)
- Strong low-light camera performance
- Kirin 9000 offers competitive performance
- Limited access to Google services
- Software updates may be less frequent
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Seamless iOS ecosystem and software support
- Strong resale value
- Excellent video recording capabilities
- Optimized performance with the A14 Bionic
- Slower charging speeds (15W wireless)
- Slightly lower battery endurance (95h rating)
Display Comparison
Both the Huawei Mate 40 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max boast 'Infinite' contrast ratios, typical of OLED panels. However, the iPhone 12 Pro Max edges out the Mate 40 Pro in peak brightness, achieving 822 nits compared to the Mate 40 Pro’s 807 nits. While the difference is subtle, it translates to slightly better visibility under direct sunlight. Neither device specifies refresh rates beyond the standard 60Hz, meaning users seeking smoother scrolling will need to look elsewhere. Both displays offer excellent color accuracy, though independent testing would be needed to determine which is superior in this regard.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are capable of capturing excellent photos and videos, but approach image processing differently. While detailed sensor specs are not provided, both devices offer robust camera systems. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is known for its cinematic mode and excellent video stabilization, leveraging Apple’s computational photography expertise. The Mate 40 Pro excels in low-light photography, often producing brighter and more detailed images. The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens specification for the Mate 40 Pro is a potential drawback compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which offers a more versatile zoom range. Both phones offer video recording capabilities, but the iPhone’s ProRes video format (available on later models) is a significant advantage for professional videographers.
Performance
The core of the performance difference lies in the chipsets. The Apple A14 Bionic, a 5nm chip with a hexa-core CPU (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm), is renowned for its single-core performance. The Huawei Mate 40 Pro’s Kirin 9000 5G, also a 5nm chip, employs an octa-core configuration (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55). While the Kirin 9000 has more cores, Apple’s chip architecture and software optimization generally result in superior real-world responsiveness. The iPhone 12 Pro Max benefits from 6GB of RAM across all storage configurations, while the Mate 40 Pro’s RAM capacity isn’t specified, but is likely similar. The A14’s integrated GPU also provides a performance advantage in graphically demanding tasks.
Battery Life
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro boasts an endurance rating of 97 hours, slightly surpassing the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 95 hours. This difference, while seemingly small, is amplified by the Mate 40 Pro’s significantly faster charging capabilities. The 66W wired charging can replenish the battery from 0-100% in under 40 minutes, while the 50W wireless charging is also considerably faster than the iPhone’s 15W MagSafe/Qi2 charging. The iPhone 12 Pro Max offers a respectable 50% charge in 30 minutes with wired PD2.0, but it pales in comparison to the Mate 40 Pro’s speed. The Mate 40 Pro also includes 5W reverse wireless charging, a feature absent on the iPhone.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40 Pro if you prioritize exceptionally fast charging, long battery life, and don't rely heavily on the Google ecosystem. Its Kirin 9000 offers strong performance, and the camera system is highly capable. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you value a polished iOS experience, strong app support, and a device that holds its value well. The A14 Bionic provides consistent performance, and the camera excels in video recording.