Huawei Mate 40 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Powerhouses

The Huawei Mate 40 Pro, released in late 2020, represented a peak in Huawei's smartphone engineering before significant geopolitical constraints. Now, we revisit it against the Google Pixel 6 Pro, launched in 2021, which showcases Google’s first in-house Tensor chip and a renewed focus on computational photography. This comparison isn't about current availability, but about contrasting two distinct approaches to the high-end smartphone experience.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing longevity and consistently fast charging, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro emerges as the winner. Its 97-hour endurance rating and 66W wired charging significantly outperform the Pixel 6 Pro’s 84-hour rating and 23W charging. However, the Pixel 6 Pro’s Tensor chip and software experience offer a compelling alternative for those deeply invested in the Google ecosystem.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 40 Pro Google Pixel 6 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) / 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, 421, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GLUOG, G8VOU
5G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79, 80, 84 SA/NSA/Sub61, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G8VOU
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GLUOG
Launch
Announced2020, October 222021, October 19
StatusAvailable. Released 2020, November 01Available. Released 2021, October 28
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm (Glass) / 9.5mm (Leather)163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight212 g (7.48 oz)210 g (7.41 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistantIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density)1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density)
Size6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, HDR10, 90HzLTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetKirin 9000 5G (5 nm)Google Tensor (5 nm)
GPUMali-G78 MP24Mali-G78 MP20
OSAndroid 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play ServicesAndroid 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDRLaser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
Single-11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm
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), PDAF50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 104mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR, panorama
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 32-bit/384kHz audio -
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavICGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFace ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging66W wired 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4400 mAhLi-Ion 5003 mAh
Misc
ColorsMystic Silver, White, Black, Green, YellowCloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black
ModelsNOH-NX9, NOH-AN00, NOH-AN01GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ
PriceAbout 790 EUR€ 199.99 / $ 204.99 / £ 275.00 / ₹ 29,699
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 97h Endurance rating 84h
Camera Photo / Video-
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -24.9 LUFS (Very good) -
Performance AnTuTu: 686835 (v8) GeekBench: 3704 (v5.1) GFXBench: 43fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 585485 (v8), 719815 (v9) GeekBench: 2831 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39 fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate 40 Pro

  • Exceptional battery life (97h endurance)
  • Ultra-fast 66W wired charging
  • Powerful Kirin 9000 5G chipset
  • Unique waterfall display design

  • Limited software support due to geopolitical factors
  • Availability may be restricted

Google Pixel 6 Pro

  • Clean and updated Android experience
  • Google Tensor chip with AI capabilities
  • Excellent computational photography
  • Guaranteed software updates

  • Shorter battery life (84h endurance)
  • Slower 23W wired charging
  • Potential for software bugs in early Tensor iterations

Display Comparison

Both the Mate 40 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro feature displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. However, the Pixel 6 Pro edges out the Mate 40 Pro in peak brightness, reaching 846 nits compared to the Mate 40 Pro’s 807 nits. This difference, while not massive, will be noticeable in direct sunlight. Both phones likely employ PWM dimming for low-brightness control, but specific frequencies weren’t provided; users sensitive to flicker should investigate further. The Pixel 6 Pro’s larger display size and curved edges offer a more immersive experience, while the Mate 40 Pro’s waterfall display provides a unique aesthetic.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are capable of excellent photography, but approach it differently. The context data doesn’t provide enough detail to compare specific camera sensors, but the Pixel 6 Pro’s Tensor chip excels in computational photography, leveraging its machine learning capabilities for features like Magic Eraser and improved low-light performance. Huawei historically focused on hardware, and the Mate 40 Pro likely boasts a sophisticated multi-camera system with strong optical image stabilization. The Pixel 6 Pro’s software processing tends towards a more natural look, while Huawei’s often employs more aggressive sharpening and color boosting. Without detailed sensor specs, a definitive camera winner is difficult to declare, but the Pixel 6 Pro’s software advantages are significant.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Huawei Mate 40 Pro utilizes the Kirin 9000 5G, a 5nm chip with a tri-cluster CPU configuration featuring a high-clocked Cortex-A77 core at 3.13 GHz. The Google Pixel 6 Pro, conversely, is powered by Google’s own Tensor chip, also built on a 5nm process. While the Tensor features newer Cortex-X1 cores clocked at 2.80 GHz, the Kirin 9000’s more aggressive core configuration and mature architecture likely provide a slight edge in sustained CPU performance. The Tensor chip’s strength lies in its dedicated machine learning cores, enhancing features like voice recognition and image processing. Both phones utilize ample RAM, though specific speeds weren’t provided, and both benefit from 5G connectivity.

Battery Life

The Huawei Mate 40 Pro’s 97-hour endurance rating is a standout feature, significantly surpassing the Pixel 6 Pro’s 84-hour rating. This translates to a tangible difference in real-world usage, allowing the Mate 40 Pro to comfortably last through a full day of heavy use, and potentially two days for moderate users. Furthermore, the Mate 40 Pro’s 66W wired charging is dramatically faster than the Pixel 6 Pro’s 23W charging, enabling a full charge in under an hour. The Mate 40 Pro also supports 50W wireless charging, while the Pixel 6 Pro offers 23W wireless charging. The Mate 40 Pro’s charging ecosystem is clearly superior.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 40 Pro if you need exceptional battery life, incredibly fast wired and wireless charging, and a proven track record of reliable performance. It’s ideal for power users and travelers who can’t always rely on convenient charging access. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you prioritize a clean Android experience, cutting-edge computational photography, and seamless integration with Google’s services, even if it means sacrificing some battery endurance and charging speed.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 9000 chipset still hold up against the Google Tensor in terms of raw gaming performance?
While the Google Tensor benefits from newer core designs, the Kirin 9000’s aggressive CPU configuration and mature architecture likely provide comparable, and potentially slightly better, sustained gaming performance. However, the Tensor’s dedicated machine learning cores may offer advantages in games optimized for AI features.
❓ How does the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) on the Huawei Mate 40 Pro affect the user experience?
The absence of GMS means no direct access to Google Play Store, requiring users to sideload apps or use Huawei’s AppGallery. While AppGallery has grown, it still lacks some popular apps. Huawei’s HMS Core provides alternatives for many Google services, but compatibility can vary.
❓ Is the 23W wireless charging on the Pixel 6 Pro fast enough for daily use?
23W wireless charging is adequate, but significantly slower than the Mate 40 Pro’s 50W wireless charging. Expect a full wireless charge to take considerably longer on the Pixel 6 Pro, making it less convenient for users who frequently rely on wireless charging.
❓ What are the long-term software support implications for the Huawei Mate 40 Pro?
Due to geopolitical restrictions, the Mate 40 Pro’s software updates are limited and may not receive the same level of security patches or feature updates as the Pixel 6 Pro, which benefits from Google’s direct software support.