The vivo X Note and Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ represent distinct approaches to the high-end smartphone market. The X Note, leveraging Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, aims for broad compatibility and established performance. Conversely, the Mate 60 Pro+ showcases Huawei’s resilience with its domestically-produced Kirin 9000S chipset, navigating geopolitical constraints while pushing forward with innovation. This comparison dissects their core differences to determine which device delivers the best experience.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing consistent performance and established software ecosystems, the vivo X Note offers a more predictable experience. However, the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ presents a compelling alternative for those interested in supporting Huawei’s technological independence and potentially benefiting from optimized software for its Kirin chipset.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 | LTE |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| | CDMA2000 1x | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2022, April 11 | 2023, September 08 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 15 | Available. Released 2023, September 27 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back |
| Dimensions | 168.8 x 80.3 x 8.4 mm (6.65 x 3.16 x 0.33 in) | 163.7 x 79 x 8.1 mm (6.44 x 3.11 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 216 / 221 g (7.62 oz) | 225 g (7.94 oz) |
| | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | - |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Huawei Kunlun Glass 2 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3080 pixels (~486 ppi density) | 1260 x 2720 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~440 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.0 inches, 121.3 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.82 inches, 114.4 cm2 (~88.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x2.62 GHz Taishan Big & 3x2.15 GHz Taishan Mid & 4x1.53GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Kirin 9000S (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Maleoon 910 MP4 |
| OS | Android 12, OriginOS Ocean | HarmonyOS 4.0 (China) |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | No | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| | UFS 3.1 | - |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Dual-LED flash, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, PDAF, OIS
8 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom
12 MP, f/2.0, 47mm (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.2µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom
48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm | - |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | - |
| Triple | - | 48 MP, f/1.4-f/4.0, 24mm (wide), PDAF, OIS
48 MP, f/3.0, 90mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom
40 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), PDAF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K, 1080p, HDR, gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide)
TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K, 1080p, HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | - |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | 24-bit/192kHz audio | - |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, DisplayPort 1.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/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, barometer | Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, 100% in 32 min
50W wireless
10W reverse wireless | 88W wired, 100% in 30 min
50W wireless
20W reverse wireless |
| Type | 5000 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Gray | Black, Light Gold |
| Models | V2170A | ALN-AL10 |
| Price | About 870 EUR | - |
vivo X Note
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 offers strong overall performance.
- Wider software compatibility and Google Play Store access.
- Likely benefits from mature display driver technology.
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is known for thermal throttling.
- Potentially less optimized software experience compared to Huawei.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro+
- Kirin 9000S offers a unique chipset architecture.
- Faster 88W wired charging and 20W reverse wireless.
- Potential for optimized software integration.
- Kirin 9000S is based on a less efficient 7nm process.
- EMUI software may not appeal to all users.
Display Comparison
While specific display specs aren't provided, both phones target the premium segment, likely featuring high-resolution OLED panels. The key difference lies under the hood. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the X Note benefits from mature display driver technology, potentially offering wider compatibility with high refresh rate panels. The Mate 60 Pro+’s display performance will heavily rely on the optimization of its Kirin chipset and panel calibration. Expect both to deliver vibrant colors, but the X Note may have a slight edge in overall smoothness and compatibility with demanding visual applications.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specs, we can infer that both phones prioritize imaging. The Mate 60 Pro+ likely features a more advanced camera system, given Huawei’s historical strength in mobile photography. The Kirin 9000S’s image signal processor (ISP) is likely optimized for Huawei’s computational photography algorithms. The X Note, while capable, relies on Qualcomm’s ISP. Both phones likely offer excellent low-light performance and advanced features like optical image stabilization (OIS). The absence of details on sensor sizes makes a definitive comparison impossible, but Huawei typically employs larger sensors in its Pro+ models.
Performance
The core battleground is the chipset. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) in the vivo X Note boasts a Cortex-X2 prime core clocked at 3.00 GHz, promising strong single-core performance. However, it’s known to run warmer than newer chips. The Huawei Mate 60 Pro+’s Kirin 9000S (7nm) utilizes a unique Taishan architecture for its big cores, clocked at 2.62 GHz. While the 7nm process is less efficient than 4nm, Huawei’s architectural choices could mitigate some of the thermal drawbacks. The X Note’s LPDDR5x RAM likely provides a bandwidth advantage, but the Kirin 9000S’s optimized software integration could lead to smoother multitasking in specific scenarios. The Snapdragon's Adreno GPU is generally considered more powerful than the Kirin's GPU, giving the X Note an edge in graphically intensive tasks.
Battery Life
Both devices offer 50W wireless charging and fast wired charging. The Mate 60 Pro+ edges out the X Note with 88W wired charging versus 80W, achieving a full charge in 30 minutes compared to the X Note’s 32 minutes. While the difference is minimal, it’s a tangible advantage for the Huawei device. The Mate 60 Pro+ also offers 20W reverse wireless charging, double that of the X Note’s 10W. This suggests Huawei prioritizes sharing power with other devices. Battery capacity isn’t specified, but the faster charging speeds suggest Huawei may be compensating for a slightly smaller battery size.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo X Note if you need a phone with a widely supported chipset, access to the full Google Play Store, and a proven track record of software updates. It’s ideal for users heavily invested in the Android ecosystem and demanding consistent performance across a range of applications. Buy the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ if you prefer a phone built on a unique chipset architecture, are comfortable with Huawei’s EMUI software, and value the potential for long-term software optimization tailored to the Kirin 9000S. It’s a good choice for users seeking a distinct flagship experience and supporting a brand navigating complex global challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Kirin 9000S chipset suffer from significant thermal throttling under sustained load?
The Kirin 9000S, built on a 7nm process, is more susceptible to thermal throttling than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s 4nm process. However, Huawei’s architectural optimizations and software tuning may mitigate this issue. Real-world performance will depend on the phone’s cooling system and how aggressively Huawei manages the chipset’s power consumption.
❓ How does the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) affect the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ user experience?
The Huawei Mate 60 Pro+ does not natively support Google Mobile Services (GMS). Instead, it relies on Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) and an app gallery. While many popular apps have HMS equivalents, some may be missing or require sideloading. This can be a significant inconvenience for users heavily reliant on Google apps.
❓ Is the 88W charging on the Mate 60 Pro+ compatible with all USB-PD chargers?
While the Mate 60 Pro+ supports fast charging, it's best to use the included Huawei charger to ensure optimal performance and safety. Compatibility with third-party USB-PD chargers may vary, and some may not deliver the full 88W charging speed.
