Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G vs vivo X70 Pro+: A Head-to-Head Flagship Showdown

Both the Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G and the vivo X70 Pro+ represent compelling flagship experiences, but cater to different priorities. The nova 8 Pro 5G, leveraging Huawei’s Kirin 985 5G chipset, aims for a balance of features and affordability. Conversely, the X70 Pro+ packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888+ 5G, targeting performance enthusiasts and photography lovers. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device reigns supreme.

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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing raw performance and camera capabilities, the vivo X70 Pro+ is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 888+ chipset and superior camera system offer a more refined and powerful experience, despite the Huawei’s faster wired charging.

PHONES
Phone Names	Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G	vivo X70 Pro+

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66
5G bands	1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79, 80, 83, 84 SA/NSA	1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International
EDGE	Yes	-
GPRS	Yes	-
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE-A, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	-	1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China

Launch
Announced	2020, December 23. Released 2021, January 08	2021, September 09
Status	Discontinued	Available. Released 2021, September 17

Body
Dimensions	163.3 x 74.1 x 7.9 mm (6.43 x 2.92 x 0.31 in)	164.5 x 75.2 x 8.9 mm (6.48 x 2.96 x 0.35 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
Weight	184 g (6.49 oz)	209 g / 213 g (7.37 oz)
	-	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)

Display
Resolution	1236 x 2676 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~439 ppi density)	1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~517 ppi density)
Size	6.72 inches, 110.9 cm2 (~91.7% screen-to-body ratio)	6.78 inches, 111.4 cm2 (~90.1% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	OLED, 1B colors, HDR10, 120Hz	LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x2.58 GHz Cortex-A76 & 3x2.40 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.84 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Kirin 985 5G (7 nm)	Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm)
GPU	Mali-G77 (8-core)	Adreno 660
OS	Android 10, EMUI 11, no Google Play Services	Android 11, Funtouch OS 12 (International), OriginOS 1.0 (China)

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
	-	UFS 3.1

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, panorama, HDR	Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Pixel Shift, dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Quad	64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 17mm (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens	50 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 8 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), 1/4.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.6, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, AF, gimbal OIS
Single	3.15 MP	32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video	4K, 1080p, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS	8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+

Selfie camera
Dual	16 MP, f/2.0, (wide) 32 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)	-
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	VGA	32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	No
35mm jack	No	-
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers
	-	32-bit/192kHz audio

Comms
Bluetooth	5.2, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared port	-	Yes
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C 3.1, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/a/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, color spectrum

Battery
Charging	66W wired, 60% in 15 min, 100% in 35 min 5W reverse wired	55W wired 50W wireless Reverse wireless 5W reverse wired
Type	Li-Po 4000 mAh	Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable

Misc
Colors	Black, Blue, Green, White	Black, Blue, Orange
Models	BRQ-AN00, BRQ-AL00	V2145A, V2114
Price	About 600 EUR	About 720 EUR
SAR	1.25 W/kg (head) 1.04 W/kg (body)	-

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 84h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-24.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 837833 (v9) GeekBench: 3469 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G

Extremely fast 66W wired charging
Stylish design and build quality
Reverse wired charging capability

Less powerful Kirin 985 5G chipset
Potentially limited software ecosystem
Camera likely less advanced than the X70 Pro+

vivo X70 Pro+

Powerful Snapdragon 888+ 5G chipset
Excellent battery endurance (84h rating)
Versatile camera system (likely high-end)

Slower 55W wired charging compared to Huawei
No reverse wired charging
Potentially higher price point

Display Comparison

While both phones likely feature high-quality OLED panels, the provided data only highlights the vivo X70 Pro+'s 'Infinite' contrast ratio. This suggests a focus on deep blacks and vibrant colors. The absence of display specs for the nova 8 Pro 5G implies a more standard OLED implementation. Users prioritizing peak brightness and color accuracy will likely find the X70 Pro+ more appealing, though independent testing would be needed to confirm.

Camera Comparison

The context data lacks detailed camera specifications for both devices, making a definitive comparison challenging. However, the vivo X70 Pro+ is known for its exceptional camera system, often featuring a large 1-inch sensor and advanced image processing. The absence of similar details for the nova 8 Pro 5G suggests a less sophisticated camera setup. Users prioritizing photography and videography will almost certainly benefit from the X70 Pro+'s capabilities, assuming it carries its typical high-end camera hardware.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm) in the vivo X70 Pro+ boasts a Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 3.0 GHz, offering a significant performance advantage over the Kirin 985 5G (7nm) in the Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G. The Snapdragon’s architecture, with its Cortex-A78 performance cores, is demonstrably faster than the Kirin’s Cortex-A76 cores. While both utilize Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, the 5nm fabrication process of the Snapdragon 888+ provides superior thermal efficiency, potentially mitigating throttling during sustained workloads like gaming. The X70 Pro+ is the clear choice for demanding users.

Battery Life

The vivo X70 Pro+ claims an endurance rating of 84 hours, indicating excellent battery life. While the Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G’s battery capacity is unknown, its 66W wired charging is significantly faster than the X70 Pro+'s 55W wired charging, achieving 60% charge in 15 minutes and 100% in 35 minutes. The X70 Pro+ compensates with 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent in the nova 8 Pro 5G. Users prioritizing rapid wired charging will favor the Huawei, while those valuing wireless convenience and overall endurance will lean towards the vivo.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G if you need a stylish phone with exceptionally fast 66W wired charging and are comfortable navigating the limitations of the Huawei ecosystem. Buy the vivo X70 Pro+ if you prioritize top-tier performance, a versatile and high-quality camera system, and a more open Android experience, even if it means slightly slower wired charging.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 985 5G in the Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G struggle with demanding games like Genshin Impact?

The Kirin 985 5G is a capable chipset, but it's outmatched by the Snapdragon 888+ in terms of raw graphical power. While Genshin Impact is playable, users should expect to lower graphics settings and potentially experience some frame drops during intense scenes. The Snapdragon 888+ in the X70 Pro+ will deliver a smoother, more consistent gaming experience.

❓ How does the 50W wireless charging on the vivo X70 Pro+ compare to the 66W wired charging on the Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G in terms of real-world speed?

While 50W wireless charging is fast, it's still slower than 66W wired charging. The Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G can achieve a significant charge in just 15 minutes. The X70 Pro+'s wireless charging will take considerably longer to reach a full charge, but offers the convenience of not needing a cable.

❓ Is the Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G still a viable option if Google Mobile Services (GMS) are essential for my apps?

The Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G does not natively support Google Mobile Services (GMS). While Huawei offers its AppGallery and workarounds to install some GMS-dependent apps, compatibility isn't guaranteed, and the experience can be less seamless. If GMS are crucial for your daily usage, the vivo X70 Pro+ is the better choice.