Huawei Mate 70 vs. Xiaomi 14 Pro: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle

The Huawei Mate 70 and Xiaomi 14 Pro represent two distinct approaches to the modern flagship smartphone. The Mate 70, powered by Huawei’s Kirin 9020, aims to deliver a refined experience despite ongoing geopolitical constraints. The Xiaomi 14 Pro, leveraging the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, focuses on raw performance and rapid charging. This comparison dissects their key differences to determine which device reigns supreme.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing peak performance and charging speed, the Xiaomi 14 Pro is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and 120W charging significantly outperform the Mate 70’s Kirin 9020 and 66W charging. However, the Mate 70 may appeal to users within the Huawei ecosystem or those seeking a potentially more unique software experience.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate 70 Xiaomi 14 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, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66
5G bandsSA/NSA1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G
Launch
Announced2024, November 262023, October 26
StatusAvailable. Released 2024, November 26Available. Released 2023, November 01
Body
BuildGlass front, aluminum alloy frameGlass front, aluminum frame or titanium frame, glass back
Dimensions160.9 x 75.9 x 7.8 mm (6.33 x 2.99 x 0.31 in)161.4 x 75.3 x 8.5 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight203 g (7.16 oz)223 g or 230 g (7.87 oz)
Display
ProtectionHuawei Kunlun Glass 2Shatterproof glass
Resolution1216 x 2688 pixels (~440 ppi density)1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density)
Size6.7 inches, 108.8 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 2500 nits (peak)LTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 3000 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.5 GHz & 3x2.15 GHz & 4x1.6 GHz)Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520)
ChipsetKirin 9020 (7 nm)Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)
GPUMaleoon 920Adreno 750
OSHarmonyOS 4.3Android 14, HyperOS
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDRLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lens, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
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 40 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), PDAF50 MP, f/1.4-f/4.0, 23mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 75mm (telephoto), PDAF (10cm - ∞), OIS, 3.2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 115˚ (ultrawide), AF
Video4K, 1080p, HDR, gyro-EIS, OIS8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@24/30/60fps (HDR10+, 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR, 10-bit LOG), 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR, panorama
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide)32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 0.7µm
Video4K, 1080p4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, L2HC5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared portYesYes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavICGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG, DisplayPort 1.2USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, OTG
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, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer
Battery
Charging66W wired 50W wireless 7.5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 18 min 50W wireless, 100% in 40 min 10W reverse wireless
Type5300 mAhLi-Po 4880 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Purple, White, GreenBlack, Silver, Titanium, Green
ModelsCLS-AL0023116PN5BC
PriceAbout 720 EURAbout 650 EUR

Huawei Mate 70

  • Potentially unique software experience within the Huawei ecosystem.
  • Good balance of performance and battery life.
  • 50W wireless charging and reverse charging options.

  • Older 7nm chipset compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
  • Slower 66W wired charging.
  • Potential app compatibility issues due to geopolitical restrictions.

Xiaomi 14 Pro

  • Industry-leading Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance.
  • Ultra-fast 120W wired charging (18 minutes to full).
  • More open Android experience with wider app compatibility.

  • May experience more thermal throttling under sustained load (requires further testing).
  • Potentially less refined software experience compared to Huawei.
  • Higher price point (likely).

Display Comparison

While both devices are expected to feature high-quality OLED displays, specific details like peak brightness and refresh rates are not provided. However, the Xiaomi 14 Pro, being a newer device, likely benefits from advancements in panel technology. The absence of LTPO information for the Mate 70 suggests it may not offer the same adaptive refresh rate efficiency as the Xiaomi 14 Pro, potentially impacting battery life during dynamic content viewing. Bezels are expected to be minimal on both, but Xiaomi typically prioritizes maximizing screen-to-body ratio.

Camera Comparison

Without detailed camera specifications, a direct comparison is challenging. However, Xiaomi’s flagship phones consistently prioritize camera innovation, often featuring large sensors and advanced image processing algorithms. The Xiaomi 14 Pro is likely to feature a larger main sensor and more sophisticated optical image stabilization (OIS) than the Mate 70. While Huawei is known for its computational photography prowess, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s ISP (Image Signal Processor) offers significant improvements in image processing speed and quality. The absence of information regarding the Mate 70’s camera sensor size and aperture makes it difficult to assess its low-light performance relative to the Xiaomi 14 Pro.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Xiaomi 14 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) boasts a significantly higher peak CPU clock speed (3.3 GHz Cortex-X4) compared to the Huawei Mate 70’s Kirin 9020 (7nm). This, combined with the more efficient 4nm process node, translates to superior performance and thermal efficiency for the Xiaomi device. The Snapdragon’s architecture – featuring Cortex-A720 and A520 cores – is also more modern, offering improvements in both single-core and multi-core tasks. The Mate 70’s Kirin 9020, while capable, will likely struggle to match the raw processing power of the Snapdragon, especially in demanding applications like gaming and video editing. The Xiaomi 14 Pro’s LPDDR5x RAM further enhances its performance advantage.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 14 Pro’s 120W wired charging is a game-changer, promising a full charge in just 18 minutes. This is significantly faster than the Mate 70’s 66W charging. While the Mate 70 offers 50W wireless charging, matching the Xiaomi 14 Pro, the faster wired charging is a major advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly. The 10W reverse wired charging on the Mate 70 is slower than the Xiaomi 14 Pro’s, but both offer convenient reverse wireless charging capabilities. The actual battery life will depend on the mAh capacity of each device, which is currently unknown, but the Xiaomi 14 Pro’s more efficient chipset could offset a potentially smaller battery.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate 70 if you prioritize a potentially more refined software experience within the Huawei ecosystem and value a balanced approach to performance and battery life. Buy the Xiaomi 14 Pro if you demand the absolute fastest performance, the quickest charging speeds, and a more open Android experience with broader app compatibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 9020 in the Mate 70 struggle with graphically intensive games like Genshin Impact?
While the Kirin 9020 is a capable chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the Xiaomi 14 Pro offers significantly more GPU power. Expect the Mate 70 to require lower graphics settings or experience more frame drops in demanding games like Genshin Impact compared to the Xiaomi 14 Pro.
❓ How much faster is the 120W charging on the Xiaomi 14 Pro compared to the 66W charging on the Mate 70 in real-world use?
The Xiaomi 14 Pro’s 120W charging can take a phone from 0% to 100% in approximately 18 minutes, while the Mate 70’s 66W charging takes considerably longer. This means you can add several hours of usage to the Xiaomi 14 Pro with just a quick 10-15 minute charge, a significant convenience factor.
❓ Will I encounter app compatibility issues on the Huawei Mate 70 due to the lack of full Google Mobile Services?
Yes, the Huawei Mate 70 continues to operate without full Google Mobile Services (GMS). While Huawei has developed its own ecosystem (HMS) and AppGallery, some popular apps may not be natively available or require workarounds to install. This is a key consideration for users heavily reliant on Google apps.