vivo iQOO Neo3 5G vs Huawei P40 Pro+: A Deep Dive into Performance and Photography

The vivo iQOO Neo3 5G and Huawei P40 Pro+ represent distinct approaches to the flagship smartphone experience. The iQOO Neo3 5G, leveraging the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, prioritizes raw performance and gaming capabilities, while the P40 Pro+ focuses on a premium camera system and refined user experience, powered by Huawei’s Kirin 990 5G. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device best suits your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing gaming and value, the vivo iQOO Neo3 5G emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 865 delivers superior sustained performance, and its 44W charging is competitive. While the P40 Pro+ boasts a more sophisticated camera and wireless charging, its higher price point doesn't justify the gains for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names vivo iQOO Neo3 5G Huawei P40 Pro+
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18, 19, 25, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41
5G bands1, 3, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5G (3.3 Gbps DL)HSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMA-
Launch
Announced2020, April 23. Released 2020, April 292020, March 26
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2020, June 06
Body
Build-Glass front, ceramic back, ceramic frame
Dimensions163.7 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm (6.44 x 2.98 x 0.35 in)158.2 x 72.6 x 9 mm (6.23 x 2.86 x 0.35 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight198.1 g (6.98 oz)226 g (7.97 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
Display
Resolution1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density)1200 x 2640 pixels (~441 ppi density)
Size6.57 inches, 104.0 cm2 (~84.0% screen-to-body ratio)6.58 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~91.6% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCD, 144Hz, HDR10OLED, 90Hz, HDR10
Platform
CPUOcta-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)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)Kirin 990 5G (7 nm+)
GPUAdreno 650Mali-G76 MP16
OSAndroid 10, iQOO UI 1.0Android 10, EMUI 10.1, no Google Play Services
Memory
Card slotNoNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.0
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLeica 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)
Triple48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro)-
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps; gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720@7680fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR; gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single16 MP, f/2.0, (wide)32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, AF IR TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker YesYes
 24-bit/192kHz audio32-bit/384kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.1, A2DP, LE
Infrared port-Yes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), 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, proximity, compassInfrared Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging44W wired, 50% in 20 min, 100% in 58 min40W wired 40W wireless 27W reverse wireless
Type4500 mAhLi-Po 4200 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlue, Black/Dark BlueWhite Ceramic, Black Ceramic
ModelsV1981AELS-N39, ELS-AN10
PriceAbout 350 EURAbout 1000 EUR
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 95h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -27.4 LUFS (Good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 529687 (v8) GeekBench: 3203 (v5.1) GFXBench: 31fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo iQOO Neo3 5G

  • Superior gaming performance with Snapdragon 865
  • Faster wired charging (44W)
  • More affordable price point

  • Camera system less sophisticated than P40 Pro+
  • Lacks wireless charging

Huawei P40 Pro+

  • Excellent camera system with advanced image processing
  • Wireless and reverse wireless charging
  • High peak display brightness

  • Kirin 990 5G performance trails Snapdragon 865 in gaming
  • Higher price

Display Comparison

The Huawei P40 Pro+ boasts a measured peak brightness of 760 nits, suggesting a vibrant viewing experience in direct sunlight. While the iQOO Neo3 5G’s display specifications aren’t provided, its focus on gaming suggests a high refresh rate panel, potentially offering smoother visuals. The P40 Pro+'s 'Infinite' contrast ratio indicates a strong OLED panel, but without detailed color accuracy data, it’s difficult to definitively declare a display winner. The absence of refresh rate information for the iQOO Neo3 is a key omission.

Camera Comparison

The Huawei P40 Pro+ is clearly positioned as a photography powerhouse, though specific sensor details are missing. Its strength lies in Huawei’s image processing algorithms and likely a large main sensor. The iQOO Neo3 5G, while capable, doesn’t emphasize camera performance to the same degree. The P40 Pro+'s focus on 'Photo / Video' suggests a versatile camera system optimized for both stills and video recording. Without detailed sensor size and aperture information for both devices, a direct comparison is limited, but the P40 Pro+ likely holds an advantage in image quality and versatility.

Performance

The iQOO Neo3 5G’s Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+) chipset, with its octa-core configuration featuring a prime Cortex-A77 clocked at 2.84 GHz, is geared towards sustained performance. The Kirin 990 5G (7nm+) in the P40 Pro+ utilizes a different core arrangement – two Cortex-A76 cores at 2.86 GHz and two more at 2.36 GHz – which, while powerful, generally trails the Snapdragon 865 in GPU-intensive tasks. The iQOO Neo3’s focus on gaming benefits from Qualcomm’s Adreno 650 GPU, offering a performance edge over the Mali-G76 MP16 in the P40 Pro+. Thermal management will be crucial; the Snapdragon 865 is known to generate heat, but the iQOO Neo3’s gaming-centric design likely incorporates robust cooling solutions.

Battery Life

Both devices achieve an impressive endurance rating of 95 hours, indicating similar overall battery life. However, their charging approaches differ significantly. The iQOO Neo3 5G’s 44W wired charging can replenish 50% of the battery in just 20 minutes and reach 100% in 58 minutes. The P40 Pro+ offers 40W wired charging, but also includes 40W wireless charging and 27W reverse wireless charging, providing greater flexibility. While the iQOO Neo3 5G charges slightly faster via wired connection, the P40 Pro+'s wireless charging capabilities are a significant convenience factor.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo iQOO Neo3 5G if you need a powerful gaming phone with fast charging and excellent value for money. It’s ideal for users who prioritize performance and don’t want to break the bank. Buy the Huawei P40 Pro+ if you prefer a top-tier camera system, wireless charging convenience, and a more polished software experience, and are willing to pay a premium for these features.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 990 5G in the P40 Pro+ experience significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Kirin 990 5G is a capable chipset, it is known to be more susceptible to thermal throttling compared to the Snapdragon 865, particularly during prolonged, demanding gaming. This means performance may decrease over time as the phone heats up, potentially impacting frame rates and smoothness.
❓ Is the 44W charging on the iQOO Neo3 5G compatible with Power Delivery (PD) chargers?
The iQOO Neo3 5G utilizes vivo’s proprietary FlashCharge technology. While it may work with some PD chargers, it’s best to use the included charger or a charger specifically designed for vivo FlashCharge to ensure optimal charging speeds and safety.
❓ How does the image processing differ between the iQOO Neo3 5G and the Huawei P40 Pro+?
Huawei’s P40 Pro+ is renowned for its sophisticated image processing, often prioritizing vibrant colors and enhanced detail. The iQOO Neo3 5G likely adopts a more natural image processing approach, aiming for accurate color reproduction. This difference caters to different user preferences – some prefer the punchy look of Huawei’s images, while others value realism.