Huawei Mate 60 Pro vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: A Clash of Chipset Philosophies

The Huawei Mate 60 Pro represents a significant moment – a return to the high-end smartphone market for a company hampered by restrictions. It’s a compelling story, but can its Kirin 9000S chipset truly compete with Google’s latest, the Tensor G3, found in the Pixel 8 Pro? This comparison dives deep into the core differences, focusing on performance, camera capabilities, and the overall user experience.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing a polished software experience and exceptional computational photography, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is the stronger choice. However, the Huawei Mate 60 Pro offers a unique proposition with its domestically produced chipset and impressive 66W charging, appealing to users seeking independence and speed.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 60 Google Pixel 8 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bandsLTE1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - G1MNW
5G bands-1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G1MNW
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTEGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
Launch
Announced2023, August 292023, October 04
StatusAvailable. Released 2023, September 10Available. Released 2023, October 12
Body
BuildGlass front, aluminum frame, glass backGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
Dimensions161.4 x 76 x 8 mm (6.35 x 2.99 x 0.31 in)162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm (6.40 x 3.01 x 0.35 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight209 g (7.37 oz)213 g (7.51 oz)
Display
ProtectionHuawei Kunlun Glass 2Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Resolution1216 x 2688 pixels (~441 ppi density)1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~489 ppi density)
Size6.69 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~88.4% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 108.7 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120HzLTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.62 GHz Taishan Big & 3x2.15 GHz Taishan Mid & 4x1.53GHz Cortex-A510)Nona-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetKirin 9000S (7 nm)Google Tensor G3 (4 nm)
GPUMaleoon 910 MP4Immortalis-G715s MC10
OSHarmonyOS 4.0Android 14, upgradable to Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDRMulti-zone Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra-HDR, panorama, Best Take, Zoom Enhance
Triple50 MP, f/1.4-f/4.0, 24mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), PDAF50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.0, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR Vivid, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR, panorama
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide)10.5 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm, PDAF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, HDR Vivid4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Sound
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG, Display Port 1.2USB Type-C 3.2
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature)
Battery
Charging66W wired, 100% in 30 min 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless Bypass charging
TypeLi-Po 4750 mAhLi-Ion 5050 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, White, Green, PurpleObsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Mint
ModelsALN-AL00, BRA-AL00GC3VE, G1MNW
PriceAbout 750 EUR€ 362.00 / $ 289.97 / £ 329.95 / ₹ 54,999

Huawei Mate 60

  • Blazing-fast 66W wired charging
  • 50W wireless charging
  • Domestically produced Kirin 9000S chipset
  • Potential for unique software features

  • Software experience may be less polished
  • Limited global availability

Google Pixel 8 Pro

  • Exceptional camera software and computational photography
  • Seamless Android experience with long-term support
  • Bright and efficient LTPO display
  • Powerful Tensor G3 chipset

  • Slower charging speeds (30W wired, 23W wireless)
  • Price premium

Display Comparison

The Pixel 8 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 1600 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Mate 60 Pro’s display specs aren’t detailed, Huawei typically employs high-quality OLED panels. The Pixel 8 Pro’s LTPO technology allows for a variable refresh rate, dynamically adjusting between 1Hz and 120Hz to conserve battery life – a feature absent in the provided Mate 60 Pro specs. This impacts battery efficiency during static content viewing. Bezels appear comparable based on available imagery, but color accuracy and calibration are areas where Google’s expertise typically shines.

Camera Comparison

The Pixel 8 Pro is renowned for its computational photography prowess, leveraging Google’s advanced image processing algorithms. While specific sensor details are missing for both phones, the Pixel 8 Pro’s camera system is expected to feature a large main sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS). Huawei has historically excelled in camera hardware, and the Mate 60 Pro likely incorporates a high-resolution sensor. However, the Pixel 8 Pro’s strength lies in its software – features like Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and Best Take are significant differentiators. The absence of details regarding the Mate 60 Pro’s camera features suggests a greater reliance on hardware capabilities, potentially lacking the same level of software refinement.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipset fabrication process: the Kirin 9000S is built on a 7nm process, while the Tensor G3 utilizes a more advanced 4nm node. This 4nm process generally translates to improved thermal efficiency and power consumption for the Pixel 8 Pro, potentially reducing throttling during sustained workloads. The Tensor G3’s nona-core CPU, featuring a Cortex-X3 prime core, is designed for peak performance, while the Kirin 9000S employs a Taishan architecture for its big cores. The Pixel 8 Pro’s CPU configuration (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3, 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715, 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510) suggests a focus on both single-core and multi-core performance. The Mate 60 Pro’s mix of Taishan and Cortex-A510 cores is less conventional, and real-world performance will depend heavily on software optimization. Both devices likely utilize LPDDR5X RAM, but the speed and capacity aren’t specified.

Battery Life

The Pixel 8 Pro achieves an impressive 11:14h of active use, and an endurance rating of 90 hours, indicating excellent battery life. The Mate 60 Pro compensates with significantly faster charging: 66W wired, capable of a full charge in 30 minutes, and 50W wireless. The Pixel 8 Pro’s 30W wired charging (with PD3.0 and PPS support) and 23W wireless charging are considerably slower. The Mate 60 Pro also offers 5W reverse wireless charging. While the Pixel 8 Pro’s larger battery capacity contributes to its endurance, the Mate 60 Pro prioritizes charging speed, offering a quick top-up for users on the go. The Pixel 8 Pro also features 'bypass charging' which reduces battery degradation.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 60 Pro if you need blazing-fast 66W wired and 50W wireless charging, and are comfortable with a potentially less refined software experience. You'll also be supporting a company pushing boundaries in chip manufacturing under challenging circumstances. Buy the Google Pixel 8 Pro if you prioritize a seamless Android experience, industry-leading camera software, and long-term software support, even if it means slower charging speeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 9000S chipset suffer from significant thermal throttling under sustained load?
Given the 7nm fabrication process, the Kirin 9000S is more susceptible to thermal throttling compared to the Pixel 8 Pro’s 4nm Tensor G3. While Huawei has implemented cooling solutions, prolonged gaming or video recording may result in performance drops. Independent testing is needed to quantify the extent of throttling.
❓ How does Huawei’s software ecosystem compare to Google’s Pixel experience?
Huawei’s HarmonyOS, while evolving, lacks the breadth of apps and services available on Google’s Android ecosystem. The Pixel 8 Pro benefits from direct access to Google’s latest features and updates, ensuring a seamless and consistent user experience. Huawei users may encounter compatibility issues with certain apps and services.
❓ Is the 5W reverse wireless charging on the Mate 60 Pro useful for charging accessories?
While 5W reverse wireless charging is present, it's primarily for emergency top-ups of small accessories like earbuds or smartwatches. It's too slow to effectively charge a smartphone.
❓ What are the implications of the Kirin 9000S being a domestically produced chipset for Huawei?
The Kirin 9000S represents a significant achievement for Huawei, demonstrating its ability to design and manufacture high-end chipsets despite US sanctions. This reduces its reliance on foreign suppliers and strengthens its position in the smartphone market.