Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra: A Deep Dive into 2021's Flagship Titans
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing raw performance and readily available software, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 888 offers a more consistent experience, coupled with faster charging speeds and a brighter display. However, the Mate 40 Pro+ remains a compelling option for those invested in the Huawei ecosystem.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ | Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra |
| 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, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79, 80, 84 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 22 | 2021, March 29 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, November 01 | Available. Released 2021, April 02 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, ceramic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), ceramic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 75.5 x 8.8 mm (6.41 x 2.97 x 0.35 in) | 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.4 mm (6.47 x 2.94 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 230 g (8.11 oz) | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| 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) | 6.81 inches, 112.0 cm2 (~91.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 900 nits (HBM), 1700 nits (peak) |
| 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 13, MIUI 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| SFS 1.0 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 1.1” AMOLED selfie display |
| 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) | - |
| Single | - | 20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/1.12", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 128˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@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 | 24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | Yes | 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 (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, 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, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 36 min 67W wireless, 100% in 39 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4400 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Ceramic White, Ceramic Black | Ceramic White (Cosmic White), Ceramic Black (Cosmic Black) |
| Models | NOP-AN00 | M2102K1G, M2102K1C |
| Price | About 1400 EUR | About 1500 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.08 W/kg (head) 0.81 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.55 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.3 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 688720 (v8) GeekBench: 3191 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei Mate 40 Pro+
- Potentially better sustained performance due to Kirin 9000’s thermal characteristics.
- Unique Huawei camera aesthetic and processing.
- Strong brand loyalty within the Huawei ecosystem.
- Limited app availability due to the lack of Google Mobile Services.
- Potentially lower peak display brightness.
- Slower wireless charging compared to the Mi 11 Ultra.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
- Superior single-core performance with the Snapdragon 888.
- Brighter display for better outdoor visibility.
- Significantly faster wired and wireless charging.
- Snapdragon 888 can be prone to thermal throttling.
- Xiaomi’s MIUI software can be polarizing.
- Larger and heavier design.
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, peaking at 943 nits measured, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the Mate 40 Pro+. While both likely utilize high-quality OLED panels, the Mi 11 Ultra’s higher brightness translates to better outdoor visibility. Both feature an 'infinite' contrast ratio, typical of OLED technology. The absence of refresh rate data for the Mate 40 Pro+ suggests it may not match the Mi 11 Ultra’s potential for smoother scrolling and animations, a key benefit for gaming and media consumption.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are camera-focused, but their approaches differ. While detailed sensor information is missing, the Mi 11 Ultra’s camera system is renowned for its versatility and image quality. The Mate 40 Pro+’s camera system is also highly regarded, but its strengths lie in its unique color science and computational photography. The absence of details on lens apertures and OIS systems makes a precise comparison challenging, but the Mi 11 Ultra’s reputation suggests a more consistent and versatile camera experience. Ignoring the typical 2MP macro lenses found on both devices, the primary sensor capabilities will be the deciding factor for most users.
Performance
Both phones utilize a 5nm fabrication process, but the chipsets differ significantly. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s Snapdragon 888, with its Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 2.84 GHz, generally delivers superior single-core performance compared to the Mate 40 Pro+'s Kirin 9000 (3.13 GHz Cortex-A77). However, the Kirin 9000’s octa-core configuration, with more Cortex-A77 cores, could offer competitive multi-core performance. Real-world performance will depend on thermal management; the Snapdragon 888 is known to throttle under sustained load, a potential area where the Kirin 9000 might excel. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but specific speeds aren't provided, making a direct comparison difficult.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 95 hours, indicating comparable battery life despite differing charging capabilities. The Mi 11 Ultra offers significantly faster charging: 67W wired (0-100% in 36 minutes) and 67W wireless (0-100% in 39 minutes) compared to the Mate 40 Pro+'s 66W wired, 50W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless. This faster charging is a significant advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly. The Mi 11 Ultra also includes PD3.0 and QC4 support, offering broader compatibility with charging accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40 Pro+ if you prioritize a unique camera system with a distinct aesthetic and are comfortable within the Huawei ecosystem, potentially navigating app availability challenges. Buy the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra if you demand top-tier performance, a vibrant display, incredibly fast charging, and a more open Android experience with wider app compatibility.