vivo X50 Pro vs Huawei P40 Pro+: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Smartphones

Released within months of each other in 2020, the vivo X50 Pro and Huawei P40 Pro+ represented distinct approaches to the premium smartphone market. The X50 Pro aimed for a balance of features and price, leveraging Qualcomm’s 5G chipset, while the P40 Pro+ doubled down on camera innovation with Huawei’s Kirin flagship processor. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device offers the best value today.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Huawei P40 Pro+ emerges as the superior device. Its significantly brighter display (760 nits vs 503 nits) and longer battery endurance (95h vs 88h) provide a more premium experience. However, the X50 Pro offers a compelling alternative for those prioritizing value and a more streamlined software experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	vivo X50 Pro	Huawei P40 Pro+

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 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, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	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, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA	1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA	-

Launch
Announced	2020, June 01. Released 2020, June 12	2020, March 26
Status	Discontinued	Available. Released 2020, June 06

Body
Build	Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame	Glass front, ceramic back, ceramic frame
Dimensions	158.5 x 72.8 x 8 mm (6.24 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	181.5 g (6.42 oz)	226 g (7.97 oz)
	-	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)

Display
Resolution	1080 x 2376 pixels (~398 ppi density)	1200 x 2640 pixels (~441 ppi density)
Size	6.56 inches, 104.6 cm2 (~90.6% screen-to-body ratio)	6.58 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~91.6% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+	OLED, 90Hz, HDR10

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver)	Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm)	Kirin 990 5G (7 nm+)
GPU	Adreno 620	Mali-G76 MP16
OS	Android 10, Funtouch 10.5	Android 10, EMUI 10.1, no Google Play Services

Memory
Card slot	No	Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 2.1	UFS 3.0

Main Camera
Features	Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama	Leica optics, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad	48 MP, f/1.6, (wide), PDAF, gimbal OIS 8 MP, f/3.4, 135mm (periscope telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.5, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm	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)
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720@7680fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR; gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm	32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, AF IR TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes
	32-bit/192kHz audio	32-bit/384kHz audio

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD	5.1, A2DP, LE
Infrared port	-	Yes
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C, OTG	USB Type-C 3.1, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 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, compass	Infrared Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	Virtual proximity sensing	-

Battery
Charging	33W wired, 57% in 30 min	40W wired 40W wireless 27W reverse wireless
Type	4315 mAh	Li-Po 4200 mAh

Misc
Colors	Dark Blue, Light Blue	White Ceramic, Black Ceramic
Models	V2005A, 2006	ELS-N39, ELS-AN10
Price	About 440 EUR	About 1000 EUR
SAR EU	0.34 W/kg (head) 0.88 W/kg (body)	-

Pricing
128GB 8GB RAM	Rp 5,876,500	-
256GB 8GB RAM	Rp 9,499,000	-

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 88h	Endurance rating 95h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-26.8 LUFS (Good)	-27.4 LUFS (Good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 323736 (v8) GeekBench: 1937 (v5.1) GFXBench: 17fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 529687 (v8) GeekBench: 3203 (v5.1) GFXBench: 31fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo X50 Pro

More affordable price point
Qualcomm’s optimized 5G modem
Streamlined software experience

Dimmer display
Less powerful processor
Shorter battery life

Huawei P40 Pro+

Brighter and more vibrant display
More powerful Kirin 990 5G processor
Longer battery life and faster charging
Advanced wireless charging capabilities

Higher price
Potential software restrictions (depending on region)
Larger and heavier design (likely)

Display Comparison

The Huawei P40 Pro+ boasts a considerably brighter display, reaching 760 nits compared to the vivo X50 Pro’s 503 nits. This translates to significantly better visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. While neither specification details refresh rate, the P40 Pro+'s higher peak brightness provides a more visually impactful experience, particularly when viewing HDR content. The difference in brightness is substantial enough to be noticeable in everyday use.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are marketed as camera-centric, but the P40 Pro+ likely holds a significant edge. While both offer photo and video capabilities, the P40 Pro+’s camera system, though details are limited in the provided data, historically featured larger sensors and more advanced image processing. The absence of sensor size details prevents a precise comparison, but Huawei’s reputation for computational photography suggests superior low-light performance and dynamic range. The X50 Pro’s camera is still capable, but likely doesn’t match the P40 Pro+’s flagship-level image quality.

Performance

The Huawei P40 Pro+ is powered by the Kirin 990 5G, featuring a more complex CPU configuration (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76, 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76, 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) than the vivo X50 Pro’s Snapdragon 765G (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime, 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold, 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver). While both are 7nm chips, the Kirin 990 5G’s architecture suggests superior multi-core performance. However, the Snapdragon 765G benefits from Qualcomm’s optimized software and modem integration. Real-world performance differences would be most apparent in demanding tasks like video editing or graphically intensive games, where the Kirin 990 5G would likely hold an advantage.

Battery Life

The Huawei P40 Pro+ exhibits a clear advantage in battery endurance, achieving a 95-hour rating compared to the vivo X50 Pro’s 88 hours. This, combined with the P40 Pro+'s 40W wired and 40W wireless charging capabilities (plus 27W reverse wireless), provides a more convenient and efficient charging experience than the X50 Pro’s 33W wired charging. The P40 Pro+ can reach 57% charge in 30 minutes, while the X50 Pro reaches 57% in 30 minutes. The P40 Pro+'s wireless charging and reverse wireless charging capabilities are features absent in the X50 Pro.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo X50 Pro if you need a capable 5G smartphone with a good camera system at a more accessible price point. It’s ideal for users who prioritize a balanced experience and aren’t necessarily seeking the absolute best in every category. Buy the Huawei P40 Pro+ if you demand top-tier camera performance, a brighter and more vibrant display, and longer battery life, and are willing to pay a premium for these features. This phone caters to photography enthusiasts and power users.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 990 5G in the P40 Pro+ suffer from significant thermal throttling under sustained load?

While the Kirin 990 5G is a powerful chip, early reports indicated potential thermal management issues under prolonged heavy use. However, Huawei implemented software optimizations to mitigate this. The X50 Pro’s Snapdragon 765G, being a less powerful chip, is less prone to overheating, but also offers less peak performance.

❓ How does the software experience differ between the vivo X50 Pro and the Huawei P40 Pro+?

The vivo X50 Pro typically runs Funtouch OS, based on Android, offering a relatively clean and customizable experience. The Huawei P40 Pro+ originally launched with EMUI, also based on Android, but subsequent models were impacted by restrictions on Google Mobile Services (GMS). This means the P40 Pro+ may require users to rely on Huawei’s AppGallery and alternative methods for accessing popular apps.

❓ Is the 33W charging on the vivo X50 Pro sufficient for quick top-ups throughout the day?

While 33W charging is respectable, it’s slower than the 40W wired and 40W wireless charging offered by the P40 Pro+. The X50 Pro can reach 57% in 30 minutes, which is adequate, but the P40 Pro+ provides a faster and more versatile charging experience.