Huawei Mate 70 Air vs. Honor Magic6 Pro: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing peak performance and a brighter, more vibrant display, the Honor Magic6 Pro is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and 1578 nits peak brightness offer a noticeable advantage. However, the Mate 70 Air presents a compelling alternative for those invested in the Huawei ecosystem and seeking a potentially more efficient chipset.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate 70 Air | Honor Magic6 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) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | LTE |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, November 06 | 2024, January 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, November 06 | Available. Released 2024, January 18 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (NanoCrystal Shield), glass back or silicone polymer back (eco leather) |
| Dimensions | 165 x 81.5 x 6.6 mm (6.50 x 3.21 x 0.26 in) | 162.5 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm (6.40 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 208 g (7.34 oz) | 225 g or 229 g (7.94 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Kunlun Glass | NanoCrystal Shield |
| Resolution | 1320 x 2760 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~437 ppi density) | 1280 x 2800 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~453 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.0 inches, 123.0 cm2 (~91.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.8 cm2 (~91.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM, HDR Vivid, 4000 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR, 1600 nits (HBM), 5000 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) |
| Chipset | Kirin 9020A (7 nm) - 12GB RAMKirin 9020B (7 nm) - 16GB RAM | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | - | Adreno 750 |
| OS | HarmonyOS 5.1 | Android 14, up to 4 major Android upgrades, MagicOS 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 69mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide) | 50 MP, f/1.4-2.0, 23mm (wide), 1/1.3", 1.2µm, PDAF, OIS 180 MP, f/2.6, (periscope telephoto), 1/1.49", 0.56µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.88", 0.61µm, AF |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, HDR, gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS, OIS, HDR, 10-bit video |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | - |
| Single | 10.7 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | 50 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/2.93", 0.6µm, AF TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K, 1080p | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, L2HC | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | 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, BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 5W reverse wired | 80W wired 66W wireless Reverse wireless 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Si/C Li-Ion 6500 mAh | Si/C Li-Ion 5600 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Silver | Black, Green, Blue, Purple, White |
| Models | SUP-AL90 | BVL-AN16, BVL-N49 |
| Price | About 510 EUR | € 455.54 / $ 899.00 / £ 598.99 |
Huawei Mate 70 Air
- Potentially better thermal efficiency due to Kirin chipset
- Huawei ecosystem integration
- Reverse wireless charging
- Less powerful chipset compared to Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Limited information on display specifications
- Slower charging speeds
Honor Magic6 Pro
- Superior performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Significantly brighter display (1578 nits)
- Faster wired and wireless charging
- Potential for higher thermal throttling under sustained load
- Less established software ecosystem compared to Huawei
- May be more expensive
Display Comparison
The Honor Magic6 Pro boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1578 nits, compared to an unstated peak brightness for the Mate 70 Air. This difference translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both likely employ high refresh rate OLED panels, the Magic6 Pro’s brightness advantage is a key differentiator. The absence of detailed display specs for the Mate 70 Air leaves questions about its color accuracy and potential use of LTPO technology for variable refresh rates, features likely present in the Magic6 Pro to optimize battery life.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specifications for either device, a direct comparison is limited. However, given Huawei’s historical strength in mobile photography, the Mate 70 Air likely prioritizes computational photography and image processing. The Magic6 Pro, benefiting from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s image signal processor (ISP), should offer excellent image quality and video recording capabilities. The absence of information regarding sensor sizes and lens apertures makes a definitive assessment impossible, but the Magic6 Pro’s chipset suggests a more robust video processing pipeline.
Performance
The core performance disparity lies in the chipsets. The Honor Magic6 Pro’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) is built on a more advanced process node than the Huawei Mate 70 Air’s Kirin 9020A/9020B (7nm). This 4nm process generally translates to improved power efficiency and thermal management, potentially reducing throttling during sustained workloads. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s octa-core configuration (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4, 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720, 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720, 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) is also architecturally more modern, offering a performance edge over the Kirin’s unspecified octa-core setup. The Mate 70 Air offers 12GB or 16GB of RAM, while the Magic6 Pro’s RAM capacity is not specified, but is likely comparable.
Battery Life
The Honor Magic6 Pro demonstrates a clear advantage in battery performance, achieving an active use score of 14:06 hours. While the Mate 70 Air’s battery capacity is not specified, the Magic6 Pro’s endurance is significant. Charging speeds also favor the Honor device, with 80W wired charging and 66W wireless charging, compared to the Mate 70 Air’s 66W wired and 5W reverse wired. The Magic6 Pro also supports reverse wireless charging, a feature shared with the Mate 70 Air at 5W, but the faster overall charging speeds of the Magic6 Pro are a substantial benefit.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Mate 70 Air if you prioritize a potentially more thermally efficient chipset and are deeply integrated into the Huawei ecosystem, valuing its software features and services. Buy the Honor Magic6 Pro if you demand the absolute best performance for gaming and demanding tasks, coupled with a class-leading display and faster charging speeds, and prefer a more open software experience.