OnePlus 8 vs Huawei P40 Pro+: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users in 2024, the OnePlus 8 offers a more compelling package. Its Snapdragon 865 chipset delivers consistently strong performance, and the cleaner Android experience avoids the software limitations imposed on the P40 Pro+ due to the US trade ban. While the P40 Pro+ boasts faster charging, the OnePlus 8’s overall balance of speed, software, and value makes it the winner.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | OnePlus 8 | Huawei P40 Pro+ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66 - EU | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 7, 28, 78 SA/NSA - EU | 1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, April 14 | 2020, March 26 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, April 21 | Available. Released 2020, June 06 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front, ceramic back, ceramic frame |
| Dimensions | 160.2 x 72.9 x 8 mm (6.31 x 2.87 x 0.31 in) | 158.2 x 72.6 x 9 mm (6.23 x 2.86 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 180 g (6.35 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | - |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density) | 1200 x 2640 pixels (~441 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.58 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~91.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ | OLED, 90Hz, HDR10 |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Kirin 990 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Mali-G76 MP16 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13 | Android 10, EMUI 10.1, no Google Play Services |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0, 2-LANE | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Leica optics, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Quad | - | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/4.4, 240mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 40 MP, f/1.8, 18mm (ultrawide), 1/1.54", PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm 2 MP (macro) | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720@7680fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, AF IR TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.1, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | 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 | Infrared Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, 50% in 22 min | 40W wired 40W wireless 27W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4300 mAh | Li-Po 4200 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Onyx Black, Glacial Green, Interstellar Glow, Polar Silver | White Ceramic, Black Ceramic |
| Models | IN2013, IN2017, IN2010, IN2019, IN2011 | ELS-N39, ELS-AN10 |
| Price | About 840 EUR | About 1000 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 108h | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -22.5 LUFS (Excellent) | -27.4 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 564708 (v8) GeekBench: 13291 (v4.4), 3399 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 529687 (v8) GeekBench: 3203 (v5.1) GFXBench: 31fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
OnePlus 8
- Faster overall performance with Snapdragon 865
- Cleaner Android experience with full Google services
- Better value for money in 2024
- Slightly better battery endurance
- Lacks wireless charging
- Camera processing can be less 'exciting' than Huawei
Huawei P40 Pro+
- Faster charging speeds (wired and wireless)
- More versatile camera system with greater zoom range
- Premium build quality and design
- Reverse wireless charging
- Kirin 990 5G performance lags behind Snapdragon 865
- Software limitations due to US trade restrictions
- Image processing can be over-saturated
Display Comparison
Both the OnePlus 8 and Huawei P40 Pro+ feature 'Infinite' contrast ratio displays, typical of OLED panels. However, the OnePlus 8 edges out the P40 Pro+ in peak brightness, achieving 803 nits compared to the P40 Pro+'s 760 nits. This translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. While both offer excellent color reproduction, the OnePlus 8’s display is generally considered more color-accurate by reviewers. The P40 Pro+’s curved display, while aesthetically pleasing, can introduce accidental touches, a potential drawback for precision tasks.
Camera Comparison
The Huawei P40 Pro+ undoubtedly boasts a more ambitious camera system, but raw hardware isn't everything. Both phones offer versatile photo and video capabilities. The P40 Pro+’s camera system is built around a larger sensor, enabling better low-light performance and detail capture. However, Huawei’s image processing tends towards over-saturation and aggressive sharpening, which may not appeal to all users. The OnePlus 8’s camera delivers more natural-looking images, prioritizing accuracy over dramatic effects. While the P40 Pro+ offers more zoom range, the OnePlus 8’s image stabilization is highly effective for video recording.
Performance
The OnePlus 8’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G chipset, built on a 7nm+ process, provides a significant performance advantage over the Huawei P40 Pro+'s Kirin 990 5G. The Snapdragon 865’s CPU configuration – an octa-core setup with a prime Cortex-A77 core clocked at 2.84 GHz – delivers faster single-core performance, crucial for everyday tasks. While the Kirin 990 5G features a similar octa-core design, its Cortex-A76 cores are clocked slightly lower. More importantly, the Snapdragon 865’s Adreno 650 GPU offers superior graphics performance, making the OnePlus 8 the better choice for demanding mobile games. The Snapdragon 865 also benefits from better thermal management, reducing the likelihood of performance throttling during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 8 offers an endurance rating of 108 hours, slightly surpassing the Huawei P40 Pro+'s 95 hours. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story. The P40 Pro+ compensates with significantly faster charging: 40W wired, 40W wireless, and even 27W reverse wireless charging. The OnePlus 8 supports 30W wired charging, reaching 50% charge in 22 minutes, but lacks wireless charging capabilities. The P40 Pro+'s faster charging is a significant advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly.
Buying Guide
Buy the OnePlus 8 if you prioritize a smooth, fast Android experience, consistent gaming performance, and access to the latest Google services. It’s ideal for users who value simplicity and a responsive user interface. Buy the Huawei P40 Pro+ if you are a photography enthusiast willing to navigate the complexities of the Huawei ecosystem and prioritize camera versatility above all else, and are comfortable with the limitations of the HarmonyOS-based software.