Huawei Mate 70 Pro+ vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: A Clash of Silicon and Software

The Huawei Mate 70 Pro+ marks a significant return for the Chinese giant, boasting a new Kirin chipset and impressive charging capabilities. This puts it directly in competition with Google’s Pixel 8 Pro, a phone lauded for its AI-powered features and excellent camera. We’re dissecting these two flagships to determine which one delivers the best overall experience, especially considering Huawei’s ongoing geopolitical challenges.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing a consistently smooth software experience and a top-tier camera with AI enhancements, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is the better choice. However, the Huawei Mate 70 Pro+ offers significantly faster charging and a potentially compelling performance profile for those willing to navigate the ecosystem limitations.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 70 Pro+ 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 bandsSA/NSA1, 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, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
Launch
Announced2024, November 262023, October 04
StatusAvailable. Released 2024, November 26Available. Released 2023, October 12
Body
BuildGlass front, titanium alloy frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
Dimensions164.6 x 79.5 x 8.3 mm (6.48 x 3.13 x 0.33 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
Weight226 g (7.97 oz)213 g (7.51 oz)
Display
ProtectionHuawei Kunlun Glass 2Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Resolution1316 x 2832 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~453 ppi density)1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~489 ppi density)
Size6.9 inches, 117.4 cm2 (~89.7% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 108.7 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2500 nits (peak)LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.5 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 9020 (7 nm)Google Tensor G3 (4 nm)
GPUMaleoon 920Immortalis-G715s MC10
OSHarmonyOS 4.3Android 14, upgradable to Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB 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 48 MP, f/2.1, 93mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 40 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, 1080p, HDR, gyro-EIS, OIS4K@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) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)10.5 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm, PDAF
Video4K, 1080p, HDR, gyro-EIS4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Sound
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, L2HC5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavICGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG, DisplayPort 1.2USB Type-C 3.2
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFace ID, fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature)
Battery
Charging100W wired 80W wireless 20W reverse wireless 18W reverse wired30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless Bypass charging
TypeSi/C Li-Ion 5700 mAhLi-Ion 5050 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Gray, White, GreenObsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Mint
ModelsPLA-AL10GC3VE, G1MNW
PriceAbout 1120 EUR€ 362.00 / $ 289.97 / £ 329.95 / ₹ 54,999

Huawei Mate 70 Pro+

  • Incredibly fast 100W wired charging
  • Potentially powerful Kirin 9020 chipset
  • High reverse wireless charging speeds (20W)

  • Limited access to Google services
  • Uncertainty regarding long-term software support
  • Lack of detailed display specifications

Google Pixel 8 Pro

  • Excellent camera with AI-powered features
  • Seamless Android experience and guaranteed updates
  • Bright and adaptive LTPO display

  • Slower charging speeds (30W wired)
  • Tensor G3 may throttle under sustained load
  • Relatively high price point

Display Comparison

The Google Pixel 8 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 1600 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Mate 70 Pro+’s display specs are currently unavailable, Huawei typically employs high-quality OLED panels. The Pixel 8 Pro’s LTPO technology allows for a variable refresh rate, optimizing battery life. The absence of detailed display information for the Mate 70 Pro+ makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Pixel 8 Pro currently holds an advantage in confirmed brightness and adaptive refresh rate technology.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are expected to deliver excellent camera performance, but their approaches differ. The Pixel 8 Pro leverages Google’s computational photography prowess, focusing on AI-powered image processing. While specific sensor details for the Mate 70 Pro+ are missing, Huawei has a history of utilizing large sensors and advanced optics. The Pixel 8 Pro’s strength lies in its software – features like Magic Eraser and Best Take are deeply integrated. Without knowing the Mate 70 Pro+'s sensor sizes and lens apertures, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the Pixel 8 Pro’s established image processing pipeline provides a strong foundation.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets: Huawei’s Kirin 9020 (7nm) versus Google’s Tensor G3 (4nm). The Tensor G3’s 4nm process offers inherent thermal efficiency advantages over the Kirin 9020’s 7nm node, suggesting less throttling under sustained load. The Pixel 8 Pro’s nona-core CPU, featuring a Cortex-X3 prime core, is designed for peak performance, while the Mate 70 Pro+ utilizes Huawei’s Taishan architecture. The Kirin 9020’s octa-core configuration, while potentially powerful, may not match the Tensor G3’s sustained performance due to thermal constraints. Both utilize Cortex-A510 cores for efficiency, but the Pixel 8 Pro’s more advanced CPU architecture gives it an edge.

Battery Life

The Pixel 8 Pro achieves an impressive 11:14h of active use and an endurance rating of 90 hours, demonstrating excellent battery life. The Mate 70 Pro+ compensates for potentially lower battery capacity with incredibly fast charging: 100W wired, 80W wireless, and even 20W reverse wireless. The Pixel 8 Pro offers 30W wired charging (with PD3.0/PPS) and 23W wireless charging. While the Pixel 8 Pro excels in longevity, the Mate 70 Pro+ can top up significantly faster, potentially mitigating any capacity differences. The Mate 70 Pro+'s reverse wireless charging at 18W also exceeds the Pixel 8 Pro's capabilities.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 70 Pro+ if you need blazing-fast 100W charging, prioritize raw processing power (potentially), and are comfortable with a less Google-integrated ecosystem. Buy the Google Pixel 8 Pro if you prefer a seamless Android experience, exceptional computational photography, and long-term software support with guaranteed updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Huawei Mate 70 Pro+ fully support 5G, given the ongoing restrictions?
Huawei has been navigating 5G restrictions creatively. The Mate 70 Pro+ likely utilizes a workaround, potentially relying on satellite connectivity or alternative 5G solutions. However, performance may not match native 5G implementations found in other flagships, and availability may vary by region.
❓ How does the Google Tensor G3 handle demanding games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile?
The Tensor G3 is capable of running demanding games, but it's not primarily designed for raw graphical horsepower. Expect playable frame rates at medium to high settings. However, the 4nm process and optimized thermal design help mitigate throttling, but sustained performance may not match devices with dedicated gaming chipsets.
❓ Is the 20W reverse wireless charging on the Mate 70 Pro+ powerful enough to charge other devices quickly?
20W reverse wireless charging is relatively fast and can comfortably charge earbuds, smartwatches, and even other smartphones, albeit at a slower rate than wired charging. It's a convenient feature for topping up accessories on the go.
❓ What kind of software updates can I expect on the Huawei Mate 70 Pro+?
Huawei's software update schedule has been less predictable than Google's. While the Mate 70 Pro+ will receive updates based on HarmonyOS, the frequency and duration of support may be shorter compared to the Pixel 8 Pro's guaranteed 7 years of OS and security updates.