Asus ROG Phone 5s vs. Huawei Mate 40: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a balanced experience with a strong camera and elegant design, the Huawei Mate 40 remains a compelling choice, especially at current prices. However, the Asus ROG Phone 5s unequivocally wins for dedicated mobile gamers, offering superior cooling, a higher refresh rate display, and the Snapdragon 888+'s raw processing power.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40 | Asus ROG Phone 5s |
| 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 - Version 1 |
| 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - Version 1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79, 80, 84 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 4 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 22 | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, December 21 | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 72.5 x 8.8 mm (Glass) / 9.2mm (Leather) | 172.8 x 77.3 x 9.9 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 188 g (Glass) / 184 g (Leather) (6.49 oz) | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| IP53, dust and splash resistant | RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Asahi Dragontrail Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2376 pixels (~402 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 102.7 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Kirin 9000E 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP22 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play Services | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0, 1/3.1", 1.12µm, AF | - |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, multi-directional PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 85mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide) | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 11mm, 125˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 1080p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| 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 (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 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector |
| 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 | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired 40W wireless 5W reverse wired | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, White, Black, Green, Yellow | Phantom Black, Storm White |
| Models | OCE-AN10 | ZS676KS |
| Price | About 630 EUR | About 1030 EUR |
| SAR EU | 0.49 W/kg (head) 0.76 W/kg (body) | - |
Huawei Mate 40
- Excellent camera system with Huawei’s image processing.
- Elegant design and premium build quality.
- 40W wireless charging offers convenient power-up options.
- Limited app ecosystem due to geopolitical restrictions.
- Kirin 9000E performance lags behind Snapdragon 888+ in sustained loads.
Asus ROG Phone 5s
- Superior gaming performance with Snapdragon 888+ and advanced cooling.
- Faster 65W wired charging significantly reduces downtime.
- Gaming-centric features like AirTriggers enhance gameplay.
- Camera system is likely less versatile than the Mate 40.
- Bulkier design geared towards gaming aesthetics.
Display Comparison
While both phones feature 5nm chipsets, their display philosophies diverge. The ROG Phone 5s, geared towards gaming, likely boasts a higher refresh rate (spec not provided, but typical for ROG phones) and lower touch latency compared to the Mate 40. The Mate 40’s panel, while excellent, prioritizes color accuracy and potentially features a higher PWM dimming rate for reduced eye strain, benefiting users sensitive to flicker. Bezels are likely slimmer on the ROG Phone 5s, maximizing screen real estate for immersive gaming.
Camera Comparison
The Mate 40 likely excels in camera versatility, leveraging Huawei’s image processing expertise. While specific sensor details are missing, Huawei typically prioritizes large sensors and computational photography. The ROG Phone 5s, while capable, positions the camera as a secondary feature. The Mate 40’s image processing will likely favor more vibrant, saturated colors, while the ROG Phone 5s may lean towards a more natural look. The absence of detailed camera specs for the ROG Phone 5s suggests it doesn’t compete directly with the Mate 40’s photographic prowess.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Asus ROG Phone 5s utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ 5G, built on a 5nm process, featuring a Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 2.99 GHz. This contrasts with the Huawei Mate 40’s Kirin 9000E 5G, also 5nm, but with a Cortex-A77 prime core at 3.13 GHz. While the Kirin’s clock speed is higher, the Snapdragon 888+'s architectural improvements, particularly the Cortex-X1, translate to superior sustained performance and efficiency. The ROG Phone 5s’ likely larger vapor chamber cooling system will further mitigate thermal throttling during prolonged gaming, a critical advantage. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the ROG Phone 5s may benefit from faster RAM speeds.
Battery Life
The Asus ROG Phone 5s boasts a significant charging advantage with its 65W wired charging, capable of reaching 70% in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes. This is substantially faster than the Mate 40’s 40W wired and 40W wireless charging. While the Mate 40 offers 5W reverse wired charging, the ROG Phone 5s provides 10W. The actual battery life will depend on capacity (not provided for either), but the ROG Phone 5s’ faster charging mitigates concerns about battery drain during intensive gaming sessions.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40 if you need a premium, all-around flagship experience with a focus on camera quality and a more traditional smartphone aesthetic. It's ideal for users who value a polished software experience (though limited by the app ecosystem) and don't prioritize extreme gaming performance. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s if you prefer an uncompromising gaming experience, demanding the highest frame rates, and appreciate features like AirTriggers and a robust cooling system. This phone is built for extended gaming sessions and competitive play.