Huawei Mate 40 vs. Sony Xperia 1 III: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing consistent performance and a more streamlined software experience, the Sony Xperia 1 III emerges as the stronger choice. While the Mate 40 offers competitive specs, the Snapdragon 888’s efficiency and Sony’s focus on multimedia creation give the Xperia 1 III a decisive edge.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40 | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| 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) / 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, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 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 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, October 22 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, December 21 | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 72.5 x 8.8 mm (Glass) / 9.2mm (Leather) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 188 g (Glass) / 184 g (Leather) (6.49 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| IP53, dust and splash resistant | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Asahi Dragontrail Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2376 pixels (~402 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 102.7 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| - | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| 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 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 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0, 1/3.1", 1.12µm, AF | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| 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) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 1080p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| 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, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| 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 | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired 40W wireless 5W reverse wired | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, White, Black, Green, Yellow | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | OCE-AN10 | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | About 630 EUR | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| SAR EU | 0.49 W/kg (head) 0.76 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei Mate 40
- Faster Wireless Charging (40W)
- Reverse Wired Charging
- Competitive Battery Endurance
- Software Ecosystem Concerns
- Potentially Less Efficient CPU Architecture
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Superior Video Recording Capabilities
- Brighter Display
- More Efficient Snapdragon 888 Chipset
- Slower Wireless Charging
- Less Aggressive Charging Speed
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 III boasts a 620 nit peak brightness, providing excellent visibility in outdoor conditions. While the Mate 40’s brightness isn’t specified, the Xperia 1 III’s higher measured value is a clear advantage. Both feature an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. However, the Xperia 1 III’s focus on professional content creation suggests a more accurate color calibration, crucial for photo and video editing. The Xperia 1 III’s 21:9 aspect ratio caters to multimedia consumption, while the Mate 40’s display is more conventional.
Camera Comparison
Both devices excel in camera capabilities, but approach it differently. The Xperia 1 III emphasizes video recording, offering advanced features for professional filmmakers. While both are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, the Xperia 1 III’s dedicated shutter button and real-time tracking autofocus are significant advantages. The Mate 40’s camera system is known for its strong computational photography, but details on sensor sizes and apertures are missing. The Xperia 1 III’s focus on manual controls and image quality makes it the preferred choice for serious photographers and videographers. Ignoring the likely inclusion of low-resolution auxiliary cameras on both devices, the core imaging experience is where the Xperia 1 III shines.
Performance
The Xperia 1 III’s Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) and its Cortex-X1 prime core (2.84 GHz) offer a performance advantage over the Mate 40’s Kirin 9000E (5nm). The Snapdragon’s architecture, with three Cortex-A78 cores at 2.42 GHz, provides a more balanced performance profile for sustained workloads. While both chipsets are fabricated on a 5nm process, the Snapdragon 888 generally exhibits better thermal management, reducing the likelihood of throttling during extended gaming sessions. The Mate 40’s CPU configuration, with a mix of Cortex-A77 and A55 cores, is slightly less efficient. Both devices utilize 5G connectivity, but the Snapdragon 888’s modem is generally considered more robust.
Battery Life
Both the Huawei Mate 40 and Sony Xperia 1 III achieve an endurance rating of 82 hours, suggesting comparable battery life in typical usage scenarios. However, the Mate 40 offers significantly faster charging with 40W wired and 40W wireless capabilities, compared to the Xperia 1 III’s 30W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes) and wireless charging. The Mate 40 also includes 5W reverse wired charging. While the Xperia 1 III’s battery life is respectable, the Mate 40’s faster charging speeds provide a more convenient user experience, especially for users who frequently need to top up their battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40 if you need a phone with fast 40W wireless charging and are comfortable navigating the Huawei ecosystem. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prioritize video recording capabilities, a bright and color-accurate display, and a more open Android experience with guaranteed updates.