Huawei P40 Pro vs. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: A Battle of Endurance and Ecosystems

Released in 2020, the Huawei P40 Pro remains a compelling option due to its aggressive pricing and feature set. However, it faces stiff competition from Apple’s 2021 flagship, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which continues to be a benchmark for smartphone performance and longevity. This comparison dissects the key differences between these two devices, focusing on areas where each excels.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing long-term performance, software support, and battery life, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is the clear winner. Its A15 Bionic chip and 121-hour endurance rating significantly outperform the Huawei P40 Pro, despite the latter’s faster charging capabilities.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei P40 Pro Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - ELS-NX91, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2643, A2644, A2645
5G bands1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - ELS-NX91, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2643, A2644
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 -1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2641
Launch
Announced2020, March 262021, September 14
StatusAvailable. Released 2020, April 07Available. Released 2021, September 24
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back, aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions158.2 x 72.6 x 9 mm (6.23 x 2.86 x 0.35 in)160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.30 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight209 g (7.37 oz)240 g (8.47 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
Protection-Ceramic Shield glass
Resolution1200 x 2640 pixels (~441 ppi density)1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.58 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~91.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 90Hz, HDR10Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55)Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
ChipsetKirin 990 5G (7 nm+)Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUMali-G76 MP16Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSAndroid 10, EMUI 12, no Google Play ServicesiOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 -NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesLeica optics, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDRDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single-12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 40 MP, f/1.8, 18mm (ultrawide), 1/1.54", PDAF TOF 3D, (depth)12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720@7680fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR; gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, AF IR TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavICGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGLightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsInfrared Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging40W wired 27W wireless 27W reverse wirelessWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 4200 mAhLi-Ion 4352 mAh (16.75 Wh)
Misc
ColorsSilver Frost, Blush Gold, Deep Sea Blue, Ice White, BlackGraphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green
ModelsELS-NX9, ELS-N04, ELS-AN00, ELS-TN00A2643, A2484, A2641, A2644, A2645, iphone14,3
Price€ 360.00 / £ 335.00€ 423.38 / $ 394.86 / £ 355.00
SAR-1.18 W/kg (head)     1.20 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.99 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
Pricing
256GB 8GB RAM$ 714.88-
RENEWED$ 680.00-
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 94h Endurance rating 121h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -27.5 LUFS (Good) -24.0 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 496356 (v8) GeekBench: 12848 (v4.4), 3197 (v5.1) GFXBench: 31fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 801691 (v9) GeekBench: 4706 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei P40 Pro

  • Faster wired and wireless charging speeds
  • Potentially lower price point
  • Reverse wireless charging capability

  • Inferior chipset performance
  • Shorter battery life
  • Limited software support compared to iPhone

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

  • Industry-leading performance with A15 Bionic
  • Exceptional battery life (121h endurance)
  • Superior software support and ecosystem integration

  • Slower wired charging compared to P40 Pro
  • Higher price point
  • Lacks reverse wireless charging

Display Comparison

Both the Huawei P40 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max boast 'Infinite' contrast ratios, indicating excellent black levels. However, the iPhone 13 Pro Max pulls ahead with a measured peak brightness of 1050 nits, offering superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize OLED technology, the iPhone’s display is likely to benefit from Apple’s calibration and color accuracy, though specific Delta-E values aren’t provided. The P40 Pro’s display, while excellent, lacks the brightness advantage for outdoor use.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are capable of capturing excellent photos and videos, but their approaches differ. Without detailed sensor size information for the P40 Pro, it’s difficult to make a definitive statement. However, Apple’s computational photography and image processing are renowned for their natural-looking results and consistent performance across various lighting conditions. The iPhone 13 Pro Max likely benefits from larger sensors and improved image stabilization compared to the P40 Pro, resulting in better low-light performance and sharper details. The P40 Pro’s camera system is still very capable, but the iPhone’s consistently delivers a more refined and reliable experience.

Performance

The chipset battle pits the Huawei P40 Pro’s Kirin 990 5G (7nm+) against the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max’s A15 Bionic (5nm). The A15 Bionic, built on a smaller 5nm process, delivers significantly higher performance and efficiency. The hexa-core CPU configuration (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) in the iPhone outperforms the octa-core Kirin 990 (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) in both single-core and multi-core benchmarks. This translates to faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and superior gaming performance on the iPhone. The 8GB of RAM in the P40 Pro is adequate, but the A15 Bionic’s optimized memory management further enhances the iPhone’s responsiveness.

Battery Life

The iPhone 13 Pro Max dominates in battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 121 hours compared to the P40 Pro’s 94 hours. This 27-hour difference is substantial and translates to a full day of extra usage for the iPhone. While the P40 Pro offers significantly faster wired charging (40W vs. iPhone’s 50% in 30 min via PD2.0) and wireless charging (27W vs. 15W MagSafe/Qi2), the iPhone’s superior battery capacity and efficiency negate this advantage for most users. The P40 Pro’s reverse wireless charging is a niche feature, while the iPhone lacks this capability.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei P40 Pro if you prioritize fast charging speeds (40W wired, 27W wireless) and are comfortable with the EMUI software experience, potentially at a lower price point. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if you value a seamless user experience, industry-leading performance from the A15 Bionic, superior battery life, and long-term software support within the Apple ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 990 5G chipset in the Huawei P40 Pro experience significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
The Kirin 990 5G, while a capable chip, is known to generate more heat than the A15 Bionic. This can lead to thermal throttling during prolonged gaming or demanding tasks, resulting in reduced performance. The iPhone 13 Pro Max’s A15 Bionic, built on a more efficient 5nm process, manages heat more effectively, maintaining higher sustained performance.
❓ How does the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) affect the user experience on the Huawei P40 Pro?
The Huawei P40 Pro lacks Google Mobile Services (GMS), meaning users cannot directly access apps like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Maps. While Huawei’s AppGallery offers alternatives, the app selection is limited, and some popular apps may not be available or require workarounds to install. This is a significant drawback for users heavily reliant on the Google ecosystem.
❓ Is the 27W wireless charging on the P40 Pro significantly faster in real-world use than the 15W MagSafe on the iPhone 13 Pro Max?
While 27W is numerically higher, the real-world difference isn't as dramatic. The iPhone 13 Pro Max's MagSafe system offers a consistent and efficient wireless charging experience. The P40 Pro's 27W requires optimal conditions and a compatible charger to reach its peak speed, and heat buildup can reduce charging rates. The iPhone's overall battery capacity also means it takes longer to fully charge regardless of wattage.