Huawei Mate 40 Pro vs Oppo Find X3 Pro: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?

Launched in late 2020, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro and Oppo Find X3 Pro represented the pinnacle of Android smartphone technology. While both aimed for a premium experience, they took different paths – Huawei relying on its in-house Kirin chipset and camera prowess, while Oppo opted for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 and a focus on display technology. This comparison revisits these titans to determine which holds up better today.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing all-around performance and a more readily available software experience, the Oppo Find X3 Pro emerges as the slightly better choice. Its Snapdragon 888 offers broader compatibility and generally more consistent performance, while the Mate 40 Pro’s strength lies in its exceptional battery endurance.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 40 Pro Oppo Find X3 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International
5G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79, 80, 84 SA/NSA/Sub61, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China
Launch
Announced2020, October 222021, March 11
StatusAvailable. Released 2020, November 01Available. Released 2021, March 19
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm (Glass) / 9.5mm (Leather)163.6 x 74 x 8.3 mm (6.44 x 2.91 x 0.33 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight212 g (7.48 oz)193 g (6.81 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistantIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density)1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density)
Size6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, HDR10, 90HzLTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, BT.2020, 500 nits (typ), 1300 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-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)
ChipsetKirin 9000 5G (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
GPUMali-G78 MP24Adreno 660
OSAndroid 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play ServicesAndroid 11, upgradable to Android 14, ColorOS 14
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDRColor spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama
Quad-50 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom, PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 110˚ (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 3 MP, f/3.0, (microscope), AF, ring flash, 60x magnification
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), PDAF-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS; HDR, 10‑bit video
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaPanorama
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)32 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps1080p@30fps
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 (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG
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, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFace ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging66W wired 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless65W wired, PD, 40% in 10 min 30W wireless, 100% in 80 min 10W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4400 mAhLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsMystic Silver, White, Black, Green, YellowGloss Black, Blue, White, Cosmic Mocha, Mars Edition, Photographer Edition
ModelsNOH-NX9, NOH-AN00, NOH-AN01CPH2173, PEEM00, OPG03
PriceAbout 790 EURAbout 200 EUR
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 97h Endurance rating 81h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -24.9 LUFS (Very good) -25.4 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 686835 (v8) GeekBench: 3704 (v5.1) GFXBench: 43fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 656467 (v8) GeekBench: 3316 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate 40 Pro

  • Exceptional battery life (97h endurance)
  • Faster wireless charging (50W)
  • Potentially superior low-light camera performance
  • Slightly brighter display (807 nits)

  • Software limitations due to Huawei’s restrictions
  • Potential compatibility issues with certain apps

Oppo Find X3 Pro

  • Smoother, more universally compatible Android experience
  • Snapdragon 888 offers strong all-around performance
  • Faster wired charging (65W with PD)
  • Excellent display color accuracy

  • Shorter battery life (81h endurance)
  • Snapdragon 888 prone to thermal throttling

Display Comparison

Both the Huawei Mate 40 Pro and Oppo Find X3 Pro feature curved OLED displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, but key differences exist. The Mate 40 Pro achieves a measured peak brightness of 807 nits, while the Find X3 Pro reaches 774 nits. While the difference isn’t massive, the Mate 40 Pro is marginally brighter, potentially offering better visibility in direct sunlight. Both utilize high refresh rates, though the specific rate isn't specified in the provided data. The Find X3 Pro’s display is notable for its color calibration, aiming for a more natural and accurate representation, while Huawei typically leans towards more saturated colors. The lack of LTPO technology in either device means refresh rate scaling isn't as dynamic as on newer flagships.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are equipped with sophisticated camera systems, but their approaches differ. While both are described as capable in 'Photo / Video', the provided data lacks specifics on sensor sizes or megapixel counts. Historically, Huawei has prioritized computational photography and large sensor sizes, often resulting in excellent low-light performance. Oppo, on the other hand, tends to focus on color science and natural-looking images. The absence of details on optical image stabilization (OIS) or lens apertures makes a precise comparison difficult. It’s safe to assume both offer versatile camera setups, but the Mate 40 Pro likely holds an edge in challenging lighting conditions due to Huawei’s established expertise in image processing.

Performance

The core of the performance difference lies in the chipsets. The Huawei Mate 40 Pro is powered by the Kirin 9000 5G, a 5nm chip with a complex CPU configuration – a 3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 prime core, three 2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 cores, and four 2.05 GHz Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. The Oppo Find X3 Pro, conversely, utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, also a 5nm chip, but with a more streamlined octa-core setup: a 2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 prime core, three 2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 cores, and four 1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 cores. The Cortex-X1 in the Snapdragon 888 generally provides a performance edge in single-core tasks, while the Kirin 9000’s more numerous A77 cores could offer advantages in multi-threaded workloads. However, the Snapdragon 888 is known to be more prone to thermal throttling under sustained load, a potential drawback for heavy gamers. The Find X3 Pro benefits from Qualcomm’s optimizations and wider software support.

Battery Life

Battery life is a clear win for the Huawei Mate 40 Pro, boasting an impressive endurance rating of 97 hours compared to the Oppo Find X3 Pro’s 81 hours. This translates to nearly a full day of additional usage for the Mate 40 Pro. While the Find X3 Pro offers competitive charging speeds – 65W wired (0-40% in 10 minutes) and 30W wireless (100% in 80 minutes) – the Mate 40 Pro counters with 66W wired, 50W wireless, and even 5W reverse wireless charging. The faster wireless charging and superior endurance of the Mate 40 Pro make it the better choice for users who prioritize minimizing time spent tethered to a charger.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 40 Pro if you prioritize exceptional battery life and are comfortable with the Huawei ecosystem, potentially navigating the limitations of the AppGallery. Buy the Oppo Find X3 Pro if you value a smoother, more universally compatible Android experience, a vibrant display, and consistently strong performance across a wider range of applications and games.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 9000 in the Mate 40 Pro suffer from significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Kirin 9000 is a powerful chip, it doesn't have the same level of thermal management optimization as the Snapdragon 888. Reports suggest it can experience throttling under sustained heavy load, potentially leading to frame rate drops in demanding games. However, the Mate 40 Pro’s larger chassis may mitigate this somewhat.
❓ Is the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) on the Huawei Mate 40 Pro a major inconvenience for most users?
The absence of GMS is a significant drawback for many users. It means no direct access to the Google Play Store and requires sideloading apps or relying on Huawei’s AppGallery, which has a smaller selection. While workarounds exist, it adds complexity and may limit access to certain apps and services.
❓ How does the 65W SuperVOOC charging on the Oppo Find X3 Pro compare to the 66W Huawei SuperCharge in real-world usage?
Both charging technologies are incredibly fast, and the difference between 65W and 66W is negligible in practical terms. Both phones can achieve a substantial charge in a short amount of time, typically reaching full charge in under an hour. The Oppo Find X3 Pro also supports PD charging, offering broader compatibility with various chargers.