Huawei nova 6 5G vs Sony Xperia 1 III: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Features
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing value and fast charging, the Huawei nova 6 5G offers a compelling package. However, the Sony Xperia 1 III’s superior chipset, display brightness, and endurance rating make it the better choice for power users and those demanding top-tier performance and longevity.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei nova 6 5G | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| 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 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, December. Released 2019, December | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.7 x 75.8 x 9 mm (6.41 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 212 g (7.48 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| - | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.57 inches, 104.2 cm2 (~84.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| - | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.09 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.86 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Kirin 990 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP16 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 10 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Panorama, HDR, LED flash | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| Triple | 40 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/1.7", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.4, 16mm (ultrawide) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@960fps, (gyro-EIS) | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired, 70% in 30 min | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Red, Provence | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | WLZ-AN00, WLZ-TN00 | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | - | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei nova 6 5G
- Faster 40W wired charging
- Potentially more affordable price
- 5G connectivity
- Less powerful chipset (Kirin 990)
- Limited battery endurance data
- No wireless charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- More powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Brighter and higher-quality display
- Excellent 82-hour battery endurance
- Slower 30W wired charging
- Higher price point
- May require more frequent charging despite endurance
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 III boasts a significantly brighter display at 620 nits, crucial for outdoor visibility, compared to the nova 6 5G (brightness data unavailable). While both offer infinite contrast ratios (nominal), the Xperia 1 III’s panel likely benefits from more advanced color calibration and potentially a higher refresh rate (based on Sony’s flagship history), enhancing the viewing experience for media consumption. The Xperia 1 III’s display is geared towards professional content consumption and creation, while the nova 6 5G’s display is likely optimized for general use.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature capable camera systems, but details are limited. The Xperia 1 III, consistent with Sony’s Alpha camera expertise, likely prioritizes image quality and video capabilities, offering advanced features like real-time tracking and cinematic video recording. The nova 6 5G likely focuses on versatile camera modes and AI-powered scene optimization. Without specific sensor size or aperture data for the nova 6 5G, it’s difficult to assess its low-light performance relative to the Xperia 1 III. The Xperia 1 III’s video capabilities are likely a significant differentiator.
Performance
The Xperia 1 III’s Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) represents a clear architectural advantage over the nova 6 5G’s Kirin 990 (7nm). The Snapdragon 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core at 2.84 GHz provides a substantial performance boost over the Kirin 990’s Cortex-A76 cores (2.86 GHz). Furthermore, the 5nm fabrication process of the Snapdragon 888 translates to improved thermal efficiency, reducing the likelihood of throttling during sustained workloads. The Xperia 1 III is the clear winner for gaming and demanding applications.
Battery Life
The Xperia 1 III achieves an impressive endurance rating of 82 hours, indicating excellent battery life. While the nova 6 5G’s battery capacity is unknown, its 40W wired charging significantly outperforms the Xperia 1 III’s 30W charging, achieving 70% charge in 30 minutes versus the Xperia 1 III’s 50%. The Xperia 1 III’s endurance rating suggests better overall efficiency, but the nova 6 5G offers faster top-ups. The Xperia 1 III’s wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities are also absent on the nova 6 5G.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei nova 6 5G if you need a capable 5G phone with exceptionally fast 40W charging and a decent camera system at a more accessible price point. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prioritize a brighter, higher-quality display, a more powerful processor for demanding tasks like video editing, and extended battery life, even if it comes at a higher cost.