Huawei Mate 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 edge: A 2024 Throwback Showdown

The Huawei Mate 8 and Samsung Galaxy S7 edge were titans of their time, boasting impressive specs and features. But how do these older flagships hold up in 2024? We're diving deep into a head-to-head comparison to see which phone still offers the best experience.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge edges out the Mate 8 thanks to its superior display, slightly more refined camera, and overall more polished software experience. While the Mate 8 boasts incredible battery life, the S7 edge's strengths make it the slightly better choice for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names	Huawei Mate 8	Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (optional)	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 - G935FD, G9350
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - NXT-L29, NXT-L09	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - G935F, G935FD, G935W8
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 38, 39, 40 - NXT-L29	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 - G935F, G935FD
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat9 450/50 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE
	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40 - NXT-L09	-

Launch
Announced	2015, November. Released 2015, November	2016, February 21. Released 2016, March 11
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum back, aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), glass back (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum frame
Dimensions	157.1 x 80.6 x 7.9 mm (6.19 x 3.17 x 0.31 in)	150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm (5.94 x 2.86 x 0.30 in)
SIM	· Nano-SIM (NXT-L09)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (NXT-L29)	· Nano-SIM (G935F, G935W8)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (G935FD)
Weight	185 g (6.53 oz)	157 g (5.54 oz)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 3	Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~368 ppi density)	1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~534 ppi density)
Size	6.0 inches, 98.7 cm2 (~78.0% screen-to-body ratio)	5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~76.1% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS-NEO LCD	Super AMOLED

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex-A72 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex A53)	Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) - G9350Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Mongoose & 4x1.6 GHz Cortex-A53) - G935FD, G935F, G935W8
Chipset	Kirin 950 (16 nm)	Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 (14 nm) - G9350Exynos 8890 Octa (14 nm) - G935FD, G935F, G935W8
GPU	Mali-T880 MP4	Adreno 530 - G9350Mali-T880 MP12 - G935FD, G935F, G935W8
OS	Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to 7.0 (Nougat), EMUI 4	Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo), TouchWiz UI

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only
Internal	32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM	32GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single	16 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/2.8", PDAF, OIS	12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
Video	1080p@60fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., OIS

Selfie camera
Features	-	HDR
Single	8 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide)	5 MP, f/1.7, 22mm (wide), 1/4.1", 1.34µm
Video	1080p@30fps	-

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes
	24-bit/192kHz audio	-

Comms
Bluetooth	4.2, A2DP, EDR, LE	4.2, A2DP, LE, aptX
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS
Radio	FM radio	No
USB	microUSB 2.0, OTG	microUSB 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass	Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2

Battery
Charging	18W wired, 37% in 30 min	15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi) (market dependent)
Music play	Up to 98 h	Up to 74 h
Stand-by	Up to 528 h (3G)	-
Talk time	-	Up to 27 h (3G)
Type	Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable	Li-Ion 3600 mAh, non-removable

Misc
Colors	Champagne Gold, Moonlight Silver, Space Gray, Mocha Brown	Black, White, Gold, Silver, Pink Gold, Black Pearl, Coral Blue
Models	NXT-AL10, NXT-CL00, NXT-DL00, NXT-TL00, NXT-L09, NXT-L29	SM-G935F, SM-G935FD, SM-G935W8, SM-G9350, SM-G935S, SC-02H, SM-G935K, SM-G935L, SM-G935R4, SCV33, SM-G935X, SM-G935VC, SM-G935D
Price	About 300 EUR	About 330 EUR
SAR	1.49 W/kg (head) 0.32 W/kg (body)	0.56 W/kg (head) 0.66 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	1.46 W/kg (head) 0.21 W/kg (body)	0.26 W/kg (head) 1.43 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -97.8dB / Crosstalk -97.3dB	Noise -92.5dB / Crosstalk -92.2dB
Battery life	Endurance rating 103h	Endurance rating 92h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: 1361:1 (nominal), 2.949 (sunlight)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.439 (sunlight)
Loudspeaker	Voice 67dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 66dB	Voice 70dB / Noise 69dB / Ring 71dB
Performance	Basemark OS II 2.0: 2017Basemark X: 15593	GFXBench: 8.3fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate 8

Exceptional battery life
Large display
Competitive price (used)
Solid build quality

Outdated software
Less vibrant display compared to S7 edge
Camera not as refined as S7 edge
Kirin chipset performance slightly behind Snapdragon/Exynos

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

Vibrant AMOLED display
Excellent camera performance
More polished software experience (initially)
Wireless charging (market dependent)

Battery life shorter than Mate 8
Older hardware, potential for performance limitations
Software updates discontinued
Fragile design (curved screen prone to damage)

Display Comparison

The Galaxy S7 edge takes the display crown. Its 'Infinite' contrast ratio (though a marketing term) and 4.439 sunlight visibility are noticeably better than the Mate 8's 1361:1 contrast and 2.949 sunlight rating. The S7 edge's AMOLED panel also offers richer colors and deeper blacks, providing a more immersive viewing experience. The Mate 8's display is still good, but lacks the vibrancy of the S7 edge.

Camera Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge consistently delivers better camera performance. Its image processing is more refined, producing more natural-looking photos. While both phones offer Photo/Video capabilities, the S7 edge's low-light performance and overall image quality are superior. The Mate 8's camera is still capable, but lacks the S7 edge's finesse.

Performance

Performance is a mixed bag. The Mate 8's Kirin 950, while powerful for its time, is generally outperformed by the Snapdragon 820 (or Exynos 8890) in the S7 edge, especially in graphics-intensive tasks. The S7 edge's CPU architecture also offers slightly better efficiency. However, both phones handle everyday tasks with ease.

Battery Life

The Huawei Mate 8 absolutely dominates in battery life. Its 103h endurance rating is significantly higher than the S7 edge's 92h. This means the Mate 8 can easily last for multiple days on a single charge, making it a champion for power users.

Buying Guide

The Huawei Mate 8 is ideal for users prioritizing exceptional battery life and a large screen on a budget. The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is a better fit for those who value a vibrant display, a more versatile camera, and a generally smoother user experience, even with its age.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Are software updates still available for either phone?

No, neither phone receives official software updates from their manufacturers. You may find custom ROMs available for both, but use them at your own risk.

❓ Which phone is more likely to have hardware issues due to its age?

Both phones are aging, but the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge's curved screen makes it more susceptible to damage and potential hardware failures.