Huawei P50 Pocket vs P50 Pro: A Clash of Flagship Foldables

Huawei's P50 series brought stunning design and impressive camera capabilities to the forefront. But choosing between the P50 Pocket, a stylish foldable, and the P50 Pro, a premium flagship, can be tricky. This comprehensive comparison breaks down the key differences to help you decide.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The P50 Pro generally edges out the P50 Pocket thanks to its superior battery life, faster charging, and the Kirin 9000 chipset (depending on region). However, the P50 Pocket's unique foldable design and compact form factor make it a compelling choice for those prioritizing style and portability.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei P50 Pocket Huawei P50 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - International1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA, LTE
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
Launch
Announced2021, December 232021, July 29
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, December 23Available. Released 2021, August 12
Body
Build-Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame
DimensionsUnfolded: 170 x 75.5 x 7.2 mm Folded: 87.3 x 75.5 x 15.2 mm158.8 x 72.8 x 8.5 mm (6.25 x 2.87 x 0.33 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight190 g (6.70 oz)195 g (6.88 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Resolution1188 x 2790 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~442 ppi density)1228 x 2700 pixels (~450 ppi density)
Size6.9 inches, 109.2 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.6 inches, 105.4 cm2 (~91.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeFoldable OLED, 1B colors, 120HzOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz
 Cover display: OLED, 1.04 inch, 340 x 340 pixels, 328 ppi-
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm)Kirin 9000 (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 660Mali-G78 MP24Adreno 660
OSHarmonyOS 2.0 (China), EMUI 12 (Europe), no Google Play ServicesHarmonyOS 2.0 (China), EMUI 14.2 (Europe), no Google Play Services
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad-50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom, 7x lossless zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), AF 40 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (B/W), AF
Single10.7 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide)13 MP, f/2.4, (wide), AF
Triple40 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), AF 32 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm, AF-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/120/240fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@960fps; gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaPanorama, HDR
Single10.7 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide)13 MP, f/2.4, (wide), AF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.2, A2DP, LE
Infrared port-Yes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG
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, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 UV illuminator-
Battery
Charging40W wired 5W reverse wired66W wired 50W wireless Reverse wireless charging
TypeLi-Po 4000 mAhLi-Po 4360 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Gold, SilverGolden Black, Cocoa Gold, Pearl White, Charm Pink
ModelsBAL-AL00, BAL-L49JAD-AL50, JAD-LX9, JAD-AL00
PriceAbout 870 EUR$ 196.62 / £ 329.00 / € 473.13
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 66h Endurance rating 76h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -30.1 LUFS (Below average) -27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance AnTuTu: 768513 (v9) GeekBench: 3077 (v5.1) GFXBench: 40fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 793876 (v8), 786215 (v9) GeekBench: 3145 (v5.1) GFXBench: 44fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei P50 Pocket

  • Unique foldable design
  • Compact and portable
  • Vibrant display
  • Stylish aesthetic

  • Slightly less powerful chipset
  • Shorter battery life
  • Slower charging speeds
  • Potentially less durable due to folding mechanism

Huawei P50 Pro

  • Excellent battery life
  • Faster charging (wired & wireless)
  • Potentially more powerful Kirin 9000 chipset (region dependent)
  • Versatile camera system
  • More durable design

  • Less unique design
  • Larger form factor
  • Can be more expensive

Display Comparison

The P50 Pocket boasts a vibrant, foldable display, offering a novel user experience. While its peak brightness is 803 nits, the P50 Pro's 754 nits is still excellent. Both offer infinite contrast ratios. The P50 Pocket's foldable nature is its key differentiator, while the P50 Pro provides a more traditional, potentially more durable, flagship display.

Camera Comparison

Both phones feature excellent camera systems, but the P50 Pro generally has the edge. While specific camera specs are not detailed, the P50 Pro typically offers more versatile lens options and potentially better image processing due to its more powerful chipset. Both are capable of producing stunning photos and videos.

Performance

Here's where things get interesting. The P50 Pro, depending on the region, can feature the Kirin 9000 chipset, offering a significant performance boost over the P50 Pocket's Snapdragon 888. Both phones handle everyday tasks with ease, but the P50 Pro will excel in demanding games and multitasking. The Snapdragon 888 in the P50 Pocket is still a capable processor, but not as powerful.

Battery Life

The P50 Pro clearly wins in the battery department, with an endurance rating of 76 hours compared to the P50 Pocket's 66 hours. The P50 Pro also supports faster 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, while the P50 Pocket offers 40W wired and 5W reverse wired charging. This translates to significantly quicker charging times and longer usage between charges for the P50 Pro.

Buying Guide

The Huawei P50 Pocket is ideal for fashion-conscious users who want a compact, foldable phone with a unique aesthetic. It's great for those who value portability and don't need the absolute best performance. The Huawei P50 Pro is better suited for power users and photography enthusiasts who demand top-tier performance, longer battery life, and a more versatile camera system.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Huawei P50 Pocket worth the extra cost for the foldable design?
If you prioritize a unique design and portability, the P50 Pocket is worth considering. However, be aware of the trade-offs in performance and battery life compared to the P50 Pro.
❓ Which phone is better for gaming?
The Huawei P50 Pro, especially with the Kirin 9000 chipset, is the better choice for gaming due to its superior processing power and thermal management.