Huawei Mate 40E vs. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing long-term software support, a superior camera experience, and consistently high performance, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is the better choice. However, the Huawei Mate 40E offers competitive performance and faster wired *and* wireless charging at a potentially lower price point, appealing to users within the Huawei ecosystem.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40E | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2643, A2644, A2645 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2643, A2644 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2641 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 10 | 2021, September 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 18 | Available. Released 2021, September 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 72.5 x 8.8 mm (6.24 x 2.85 x 0.35 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 240 g (8.47 oz) |
| IP53, dust and splash resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2376 pixels (~402 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 102.7 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| Chipset | Kirin 990E 5G (7 nm+) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP14 | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play Services | iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.9, 27mm (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 85mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide) | 12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K, 720p@240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, 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, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| 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, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired 40W wireless 5W reverse wired | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh | Li-Ion 4352 mAh (16.75 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, White, Black | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green |
| Models | OCE-AN50 | A2643, A2484, A2641, A2644, A2645, iphone14,3 |
| Price | About 600 EUR | € 423.38 / $ 394.86 / £ 355.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.18 W/kg (head) 1.20 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 121h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.0 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 801691 (v9) GeekBench: 4706 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei Mate 40E
- Faster wired and wireless charging (40W vs 15W)
- Reverse wireless charging capability
- Potentially lower price point
- 5G connectivity
- Limited app availability due to geopolitical restrictions
- Shorter software update support compared to iPhone
- Less powerful processor than A15 Bionic
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Superior processor performance (A15 Bionic)
- Best-in-class camera system
- Long-term software support and updates
- Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
- Slower wireless charging (15W)
- No reverse wireless charging
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1050 nits, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the Mate 40E. While the Mate 40E’s display quality is likely very good, the iPhone’s higher brightness translates to better outdoor visibility. The iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, provides deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. Both utilize OLED technology, but the iPhone benefits from Apple’s calibration and potentially a more advanced panel with features like ProMotion (adaptive refresh rate, though not confirmed in the provided data).
Camera Comparison
Both devices are equipped with sophisticated camera systems, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max likely holds an edge. While both are described as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, Apple’s computational photography and image processing are renowned. The iPhone’s larger sensor (though size is not specified) and advanced image stabilization (OIS) contribute to superior low-light performance and video quality. The Mate 40E’s camera is undoubtedly capable, but Apple’s consistent software optimizations and hardware integration give it a distinct advantage. We can assume the iPhone's video recording capabilities are more advanced, offering features like ProRes video recording.
Performance
Apple’s A15 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, demonstrably outperforms the Huawei Mate 40E’s Kirin 990E 5G (7nm+). The A15’s hexa-core architecture, with its 3.23 GHz Avalanche cores, is designed for peak performance, while the Kirin 990E’s octa-core setup balances power and efficiency. The 5nm node of the A15 provides superior transistor density and thermal efficiency, meaning less throttling during sustained workloads like gaming. While the Kirin 990E is a capable chip, the A15 offers a significant advantage in CPU and GPU performance, impacting everything from app launch speeds to demanding games.
Battery Life
Interestingly, both phones share an endurance rating of 121 hours, suggesting comparable real-world battery life despite potentially different battery capacities. However, the charging speeds differ dramatically. The Huawei Mate 40E supports 40W wired and 40W wireless charging, significantly faster than the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 15W wireless charging (via MagSafe/Qi2). The iPhone offers faster wired charging with PD2.0, reaching 50% in 30 minutes, but the Mate 40E’s 40W wired charging is likely faster to a full charge. The Mate 40E also offers 5W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the iPhone.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40E if you need a powerful Android phone with exceptionally fast charging capabilities (both wired and wireless) and are comfortable with the Huawei ecosystem, understanding potential limitations in app availability and long-term software updates. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if you prioritize a seamless user experience, a best-in-class camera system, guaranteed software updates for years to come, and integration with the broader Apple ecosystem.