Released in 2019, the Xiaomi Mi 9T and Honor 20 Pro represented compelling options in the upper-midrange smartphone market. While both aimed to deliver a premium experience without the flagship price tag, they took different approaches to achieving this. This comparison dissects their key specifications to determine which device offers the best value and performance today.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing fast charging and a slightly brighter display, the Honor 20 Pro is the better choice. Its Kirin 980 chipset, coupled with 22.5W charging, provides a noticeable advantage in daily use and convenience. However, the Mi 9T remains a strong contender, especially for those seeking a balanced experience.
| 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, 20, 28, 38, 40 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2019, June 12. Released 2019, June 12 | 2019, May. Released 2019, July |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 156.7 x 74.3 x 8.8 mm (6.17 x 2.93 x 0.35 in) | 154.6 x 74 x 8.4 mm (6.09 x 2.91 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 191 g (6.74 oz) | 182 g (6.42 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | - |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~412 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.39 inches, 100.2 cm2 (~86.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.26 inches, 96.2 cm2 (~84.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, HDR | IPS LCD |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 470 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 470 Silver) | Octa-core (2x2.6 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x1.92 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM730 Snapdragon 730 (8 nm) | Kirin 980 (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 618 | Mali-G76 MP10 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11, MIUI 12.1 | Android 9.0 (Pie), Magic 2.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | UFS 2.0 | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.4, 28mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS
8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), 1/4.4", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1"
2 MP (macro) |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.4, 53mm (telephoto), 1/4.0", 1.12µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom
13 MP, f/2.4, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120/240fps, 1080p@960fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm | 32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| | 24-bit/192kHz audio
| 32-bit/192kHz audio |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, 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, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 18W wired | 22.5W wired, 50% in 30 min |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Carbon black, Red flame, Glacier blue | Phantom Blue, Phantom Black, Icelandic Illusion |
| Models | M1903F10G | YAL-AL10, YAL-L41 |
| Price | About 460 EUR | About 470 EUR |
| SAR | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.18 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 1.34 W/kg (head) 1.51 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -93.5dB / Crosstalk -93.8dB |
Noise -92.9dB / Crosstalk -46.8dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 100h | Endurance rating 104h |
| Camera |
Photo / Video |
Photo / Video |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker |
-25.3 LUFS (Very good) |
Voice 68dB / Noise 72dB / Ring 87dB |
| Performance |
AnTuTu: 211915 (v7), 257146 (v8)
GeekBench: 6863 (v4.4), 1703 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 13fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Xiaomi Mi 9T
- Excellent battery endurance (100h)
- Smooth performance for everyday tasks
- Competitive price point
- Slower charging speed (18W)
- Less powerful processor compared to the Kirin 980
Honor 20 Pro
- Faster charging (22.5W, 50% in 30 min)
- More powerful Kirin 980 processor
- Higher display contrast ratio
- Slightly lower battery endurance (104h)
- Potentially higher price
Display Comparison
The Honor 20 Pro boasts a significantly higher measured peak brightness of 507 nits compared to the Mi 9T’s 646 nits. While the Mi 9T appears brighter on paper, the Honor 20 Pro’s 1222:1 contrast ratio delivers richer, more vibrant visuals. This higher contrast ratio means deeper blacks and more impactful highlights, enhancing the viewing experience, particularly with HDR content. Both displays feature an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, but the Honor 20 Pro’s measured value provides a more realistic assessment of its performance.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. However, the Honor 20 Pro’s chipset likely provides more advanced image processing capabilities. The Kirin 980’s dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) accelerates AI-powered features like scene recognition and image stabilization. While both phones support photo and video recording, the Honor 20 Pro’s superior processing power likely results in better low-light performance and more detailed images. The absence of specific sensor details makes a definitive comparison challenging, but the chipset advantage favors the Honor 20 Pro.
Performance
The Honor 20 Pro’s Kirin 980, fabricated on a 7nm process, represents a substantial leap in performance over the Mi 9T’s 8nm Snapdragon 730. The Kirin 980’s octa-core CPU, featuring two high-performance Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.6 GHz, delivers faster processing speeds for demanding tasks like video editing and gaming. While the Snapdragon 730 is no slouch, its Kryo 470 cores, peaking at 2.2 GHz, are less capable. This translates to smoother multitasking and quicker app loading times on the Honor 20 Pro. The Kirin 980 also benefits from a more powerful GPU, offering a better gaming experience.
Battery Life
Both the Mi 9T and Honor 20 Pro achieve impressive endurance ratings of 100 and 104 hours respectively. However, the Honor 20 Pro’s 22.5W wired charging significantly outperforms the Mi 9T’s 18W charging. The Honor 20 Pro can reach 50% charge in just 30 minutes, offering a substantial convenience advantage. While the Mi 9T’s battery life is comparable, the slower charging speed means longer downtime. The Kirin 980’s 7nm process also contributes to better power efficiency, potentially offsetting the slightly smaller battery capacity (not specified in the data).
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi Mi 9T if you prioritize long-term endurance and a consistently smooth experience for everyday tasks. Its 100-hour endurance rating and efficient Snapdragon 730 chipset make it ideal for users who don't heavily rely on demanding applications. Buy the Honor 20 Pro if you value faster charging speeds and a more powerful processor for gaming and multitasking. The Kirin 980’s performance advantage and 22.5W charging capability cater to power users.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Kirin 980 in the Honor 20 Pro experience significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Kirin 980 is a powerful chip, it was known to exhibit some thermal throttling under sustained heavy load. However, the Honor 20 Pro incorporates a heat dissipation system to mitigate this issue. Expect some performance reduction after prolonged gaming, but it shouldn't be severe enough to render the experience unplayable.
❓ Is the 18W charging on the Xiaomi Mi 9T slow compared to modern fast charging standards?
Yes, 18W charging is relatively slow by today's standards. While it will still charge the phone overnight, it takes considerably longer to top up compared to the Honor 20 Pro’s 22.5W charging. Expect a full charge to take around 2-3 hours with the Mi 9T.
❓ How does the Snapdragon 730 in the Mi 9T handle graphically intensive games like PUBG Mobile?
The Snapdragon 730 can run PUBG Mobile smoothly at medium to high settings. However, you may need to lower the graphics settings for consistently high frame rates, especially during intense firefights. The Kirin 980 in the Honor 20 Pro will provide a more consistently smooth experience at higher settings.
