Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G emerges as the more practical choice. Its wider availability, established software support, and excellent display are significant advantages. However, the Mate 40 Pro+ excels in charging speed and offers a unique camera experience for photography enthusiasts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G |
| 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, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G998U1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79, 80, 84 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G998U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G998B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 22 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, November 01 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, ceramic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 75.5 x 8.8 mm (6.41 x 2.97 x 0.35 in) | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm (6.5 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 230 g (8.11 oz) | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 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 (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - InternationalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Kirin 9000 5G (5 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP24 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play Services | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| SFS 1.0 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 8 MP, f/4.4, 240mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 20 MP, f/2.4, 14mm (ultrawide), PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) | 108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 72mm (telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, 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, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4400 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Ceramic White, Ceramic Black | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | NOP-AN00 | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 1400 EUR | $ 240.01 / C$ 353.20 / £ 202.99 / € 264.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.71 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 384.99 |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 998.00 |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 1,179.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 459.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei Mate 40 Pro+
- Blazing-fast 66W wired charging
- Exceptional 50W wireless charging
- Potentially superior low-light camera performance
- Limited software support and ecosystem
- Availability issues in some regions
- Uncertain long-term software updates
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Brighter and more versatile display
- Wider software support and ecosystem
- Strong video recording capabilities
- Slower charging speeds (25W wired)
- Exynos variant may exhibit thermal throttling
- Less aggressive camera processing
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a brighter display, peaking at 1023 nits measured, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the Mate 40 Pro+. While the Mate 40 Pro+ likely offers excellent color accuracy, the S21 Ultra’s higher brightness translates to better outdoor visibility. Both devices feature dynamic refresh rates, but Samsung’s implementation with LTPO technology allows for more granular control, potentially improving battery efficiency. The S21 Ultra’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio, while a marketing term, suggests deep blacks typical of AMOLED panels.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. While detailed sensor specs are missing for the Mate 40 Pro+, Huawei is known for its computational photography prowess and large sensor sizes. The S21 Ultra’s camera system is incredibly versatile, offering multiple lenses and advanced features. The S21 Ultra’s video capabilities are particularly strong, benefiting from Samsung’s image processing algorithms. The Mate 40 Pro+ likely excels in low-light photography due to Huawei’s RYYB sensor technology, while the S21 Ultra provides more consistent results across various lighting conditions. Ignoring the 2MP macro sensors on both devices, the core camera systems are highly competitive.
Performance
The chipset battle is complex. The Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ utilizes the Kirin 9000 5G (5nm), featuring a Cortex-A77 based CPU. The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes in two variants: the Exynos 2100 (5nm) for international markets and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) for USA/China. The Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100 both employ the newer Cortex-X1 prime core, offering a potential performance edge over the Kirin 9000’s A77. However, the Kirin 9000’s larger cache and optimized architecture could mitigate this difference. Real-world performance will vary based on software optimization and thermal management, but the Snapdragon 888 generally exhibits better sustained performance due to its more efficient 5nm process.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra achieves an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating solid battery life. The Mate 40 Pro+’s battery capacity is unspecified, but its 66W wired charging is a significant advantage, allowing for a full charge in under an hour. The S21 Ultra’s 25W charging is comparatively slow. The Mate 40 Pro+ also offers 50W wireless charging, dwarfing the S21 Ultra’s 15W Qi wireless charging. While the S21 Ultra’s battery life is respectable, the Mate 40 Pro+’s charging speed offers a more convenient user experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ if you prioritize exceptionally fast 66W wired and 50W wireless charging, and are a dedicated mobile photographer willing to navigate the limitations of Huawei’s ecosystem. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you value a vibrant, high-brightness display, a more mainstream software experience, and a versatile camera system with strong video capabilities, alongside broader 5G band support.