Huawei Mate 40 Pro vs OnePlus 9 Pro: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing consistent performance and a smoother software experience, the OnePlus 9 Pro emerges as the better choice. While the Mate 40 Pro’s battery endurance is superior, the Snapdragon 888’s optimization and wider app compatibility outweigh the Kirin 9000’s raw power, especially considering the ongoing software limitations on Huawei devices.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40 Pro | OnePlus 9 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79, 80, 84 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 22 | 2021, March 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, November 01 | Available. Released 2021, March 30 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm (Glass) / 9.5mm (Leather) | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 212 g (7.48 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density) | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 |
| Chipset | Kirin 9000 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP24 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play Services | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, OxygenOS 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome) |
| Single | - | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| 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 | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR, gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps | 1080p@30fps, 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 | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| 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 (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| 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, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless | 65W wired, PD, 100% in 29 min 50W wireless, 100% in 43 min 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4400 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mystic Silver, White, Black, Green, Yellow | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black |
| Models | NOH-NX9, NOH-AN00, NOH-AN01 | LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127 |
| Price | About 790 EUR | € 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 97h | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -24.9 LUFS (Very good) | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 686835 (v8) GeekBench: 3704 (v5.1) GFXBench: 43fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Huawei Mate 40 Pro
- Exceptional battery life (97h endurance)
- Faster wired charging (66W)
- Potentially superior computational photography
- Software limitations due to US sanctions
- App compatibility concerns
- Older chipset architecture
OnePlus 9 Pro
- Smoother software experience with OxygenOS
- Access to the latest Android updates
- Stronger GPU performance for gaming
- Shorter battery life (86h endurance)
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
- Reliance on software optimization for camera quality
Display Comparison
Both the Huawei Mate 40 Pro and OnePlus 9 Pro feature excellent displays, with measured peak brightnesses of 807 nits and 859 nits respectively. While the OnePlus 9 Pro edges out the Mate 40 Pro in peak brightness, the difference is minimal in real-world usage. Both displays offer an 'infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. However, the OnePlus 9 Pro’s display technology is likely to be more advanced, potentially incorporating LTPO for variable refresh rate capabilities, leading to improved power efficiency. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s slightly brighter display benefits users consuming content outdoors in direct sunlight.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are capable of capturing excellent photos and videos, but their approaches differ. Without detailed sensor information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment. However, the Mate 40 Pro’s camera system, historically, has focused on computational photography and dynamic range. The OnePlus 9 Pro, developed in partnership with Hasselblad, emphasizes color accuracy and natural-looking images. The Snapdragon 888’s image signal processor (ISP) is also highly capable. The absence of detailed sensor specs makes a direct comparison challenging, but the OnePlus 9 Pro’s Hasselblad partnership suggests a focus on image quality that appeals to photography enthusiasts.
Performance
The core of the performance difference lies in the chipsets: Huawei’s Kirin 9000 5G (5nm) versus Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm). While both are built on a 5nm process, the Snapdragon 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core (2.84 GHz) offers a significant architectural advantage over the Mate 40 Pro’s Cortex-A77 (3.13 GHz). The Snapdragon 888’s Adreno 660 GPU also provides superior graphics performance. However, the Kirin 9000’s multi-core performance is competitive. The Snapdragon 888 is known to have thermal throttling issues under sustained load, but OnePlus’s cooling solutions mitigate this better than some other implementations. Users heavily invested in gaming will likely see a more consistent experience on the OnePlus 9 Pro.
Battery Life
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro’s endurance rating of 97 hours significantly surpasses the OnePlus 9 Pro’s 86 hours. This translates to a noticeable difference in real-world battery life, particularly for users with heavy usage patterns. The Mate 40 Pro also supports 66W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging, offering greater flexibility. The OnePlus 9 Pro counters with 65W wired charging (100% in 29 minutes) and 50W wireless charging (100% in 43 minutes), which are still incredibly fast. While the OnePlus 9 Pro’s charging speeds are competitive, the Mate 40 Pro’s superior endurance provides a clear advantage for users who prioritize longevity.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40 Pro if you absolutely need the longest possible battery life and are comfortable navigating the limitations of Huawei’s ecosystem, including potential app compatibility issues. Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you prioritize a fluid user experience, access to the latest Android updates, and a consistently high level of performance across a wider range of applications and games.