OnePlus 9 Pro vs Huawei Mate 40E: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the OnePlus 9 Pro emerges as the stronger choice. Its Snapdragon 888 chipset delivers superior processing power, and its 65W wired and 50W wireless charging significantly outperform the Mate 40E's 40W offerings. While the Mate 40E remains a capable device, the 9 Pro’s overall package provides a more compelling experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 40E | OnePlus 9 Pro |
| 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 |
| 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, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 10 | 2021, March 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 18 | Available. Released 2021, March 30 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 72.5 x 8.8 mm (6.24 x 2.85 x 0.35 in) | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| IP53, dust and splash resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2376 pixels (~402 ppi density) | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 102.7 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR10, 90Hz | LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 |
| Chipset | Kirin 990E 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP14 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play Services | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, OxygenOS 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome) |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| 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) | - |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 4K, 720p@240fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| 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 (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| 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, PD, 100% in 29 min 50W wireless, 100% in 43 min 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, White, Black | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black |
| Models | OCE-AN50 | LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127 |
| Price | About 600 EUR | € 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
Huawei Mate 40E
- Efficient Kirin 990E 5G chipset
- Competitive 40W wired and wireless charging
- Refined Huawei user experience
- Limited access to Google Mobile Services in some regions
- Less powerful processor compared to Snapdragon 888
OnePlus 9 Pro
- Powerful Snapdragon 888 processor
- Ultra-fast 65W wired and 50W wireless charging
- Versatile camera system with Hasselblad color calibration
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
- OxygenOS can be divisive among Android purists
Display Comparison
The OnePlus 9 Pro boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured peak of 859 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the Mate 40E. While both likely utilize OLED panels, the 9 Pro’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s display technology is likely LTPO, enabling variable refresh rates for improved efficiency, a feature not confirmed for the Mate 40E. Bezels are similarly minimal on both devices, but the 9 Pro’s display is generally considered more color accurate based on professional reviews.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but the OnePlus 9 Pro’s collaboration with Hasselblad gives it an edge in color science and image processing. While both phones feature photo and video capabilities, the OnePlus 9 Pro likely has a larger main sensor, enabling better low-light performance. The Mate 40E’s camera system is solid, but the 9 Pro’s wider range of features and superior image processing algorithms provide more creative control and consistently higher-quality results. We can assume the OnePlus 9 Pro has more advanced video recording capabilities, including 8K recording, which is unlikely on the Mate 40E.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm) significantly outperforms the Huawei Mate 40E’s Kirin 990E 5G (7nm+). The Snapdragon 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core (2.84 GHz) provides a substantial performance boost over the Mate 40E’s Cortex-A76 cores (2.86 GHz). While both utilize Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, the Snapdragon 888’s more advanced 5nm process yields better thermal efficiency, reducing throttling during sustained workloads. The OnePlus 9 Pro benefits from faster LPDDR5 RAM, further enhancing performance.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 86 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite the differing chipsets. However, the charging speeds are drastically different. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s 65W wired charging can fully charge the battery in just 29 minutes, while the Mate 40E’s 40W wired charging is considerably slower. The 9 Pro also offers 50W wireless charging (43 minutes to full), while the Mate 40E tops out at 40W wireless. Both offer 5W reverse wireless charging, useful for topping up accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 40E if you prioritize a balanced experience with a focus on efficient power management and are comfortable operating within the Huawei ecosystem, potentially without full Google Mobile Services. Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you demand top-tier performance for gaming and demanding applications, value incredibly fast charging speeds, and require a versatile camera system with extensive software features.