Choosing a new smartphone can be overwhelming, especially with so many options available. Today, we're pitting two popular contenders against each other: the Huawei Nova 5 Pro and the Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro. Both offer compelling features at competitive prices, but which one comes out on top?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro takes the crown thanks to its significantly more powerful Snapdragon 860 chipset and longer battery life. While the Nova 5 Pro boasts a slightly better display contrast in sunlight, the Poco X3 Pro's overall performance and endurance make it the better value.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 19, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 38, 40, 41 - India |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2019, June. Released 2019, June | 2021, March 22 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, March 24 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), plastic back |
| Dimensions | 157.4 x 74.8 x 7.3 mm (6.20 x 2.94 x 0.29 in) | 165.3 x 76.8 x 9.4 mm (6.51 x 3.02 x 0.37 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 171 g (6.03 oz) | 215 g (7.58 oz) |
| | - | IP53, dust and splash resistant |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.39 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED | IPS LCD, 120Hz, 2404Hz PWM, HDR10, 450 nits (typ) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.6 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x1.92 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 Gold & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 Gold & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485 Silver) |
| Chipset | Kirin 980 (7 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 (7 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP10 | Adreno 640 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), EMUI 9.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 12, MIUI 13 for POCO |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | UFS 2.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
16 MP, f/2.2, (wide)
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens | 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens |
| Single | 19 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/2.3", predictive PDAF, Laser AF | 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 1080p@960fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | FM radio, recording |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 40W wired, 85% in 30 min | 33W wired, 59% in 30 min, 100% in 59 min |
| Type | Li-Po 3500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5160 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, Purple, Green, Orange | Phantom Black, Frost Blue, Metal Bronze |
| Models | SEA-AL10, SEA-TL10 | M2102J20SG, M2102J20SI |
| Price | About 390 EUR | $ 128.04 / £ 249.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.67 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.57 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -93.5dB / Crosstalk -92.7dB | - |
| Battery life |
Endurance rating 73h
|
Endurance rating 112h
|
| Camera |
Photo / Video |
Photo / Video |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: 1223:1 (nominal), 3.818 (sunlight) |
Contrast ratio: 1401:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 62dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 73dB
|
-26.1 LUFS (Good)
|
| Performance |
AnTuTu: 170766 (v8)
GeekBench: 808 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 21fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
AnTuTu: 453223 (v8)
GeekBench: 2574 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei nova 5 Pro
- Excellent sunlight display contrast
- Fast 40W charging
- Sleek design
- Good color reproduction
- Weaker chipset compared to Poco X3 Pro
- Shorter battery life
- No OIS
- Limited availability in some regions
Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro
- Powerful Snapdragon 860 chipset
- Exceptional battery life
- Good value for money
- Fast charging (33W)
- Design less premium than Nova 5 Pro
- Camera performance slightly behind the Nova 5 Pro in some scenarios
- Software experience can be polarizing
Display Comparison
Both phones feature vibrant displays with excellent contrast ratios (1223:1 for Nova 5 Pro, 1401:1 for Poco X3 Pro). The Nova 5 Pro's contrast ratio in sunlight is notably better, making it easier to view in bright conditions. However, the Poco X3 Pro's display is generally considered slightly more color accurate. Both have similar resolutions and refresh rates.
Camera Comparison
Camera performance is comparable, with both phones offering decent photo and video capabilities. The Nova 5 Pro might have a slight edge in color reproduction in certain lighting conditions. Both phones lack advanced camera features like optical image stabilization (OIS).
Performance
This is where the Poco X3 Pro truly shines. The Snapdragon 860 offers a substantial performance advantage over the Kirin 980. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and significantly better gaming performance on the Poco X3 Pro. The Nova 5 Pro is still capable, but it struggles with more demanding tasks.
Battery Life
The Poco X3 Pro dominates in battery life, offering an endurance rating of 112h compared to the Nova 5 Pro's 73h. This translates to significantly longer usage between charges. The Poco X3 Pro also charges faster, although the Nova 5 Pro's 40W charging is still quite quick.
Buying Guide
The Huawei Nova 5 Pro is ideal for users prioritizing a vibrant display and fast charging, and who don't heavily rely on demanding gaming or intensive multitasking. The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro is perfect for gamers, power users, and anyone needing exceptional battery life and robust performance on a budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Which phone is better for gaming?
The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro is significantly better for gaming due to its more powerful Snapdragon 860 chipset.
❓ Does the Huawei Nova 5 Pro have 5G?
No, the Huawei Nova 5 Pro does not support 5G connectivity.
❓ Which phone has better software support?
Xiaomi generally provides more frequent software updates, although both brands have their own quirks. Huawei's software support can be impacted by geopolitical factors.
