ZTE Axon 50 Ultra vs Honor Magic5 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-around performance and battery endurance, the Honor Magic5 Pro emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and impressive 12:06h active use battery life provide a smoother, longer-lasting experience, justifying its higher price tag. However, the Axon 50 Ultra remains a strong contender for budget-conscious users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE Axon 50 Ultra | Honor Magic5 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 | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, April 12 | 2023, February 27 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2023, March 31 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back |
| Dimensions | 161.8 x 73.1 x 8.9 mm (6.37 x 2.88 x 0.35 in) | 162.9 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 199 g (7.02 oz) | 219 g (7.72 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1312 x 2848 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 12, MyOS 12 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, MagicOS 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, (telephoto), PDAF, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 116˚ (ultrawide), PDAF | 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.12" 1.4µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/3.0, 90mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", AF TOF 3D (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10‑bit video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 24-bit audio stereo recording | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| 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 | Fingerprint (under display, optical), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| BDS Satellite Message (Emergency SOS service) | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, QC4 | 66W wired 50W wireless Reverse wireless 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 5100 mAh (Global)· Si/C Li-Ion 5450 mAh (China only) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black | Black, Meadow Green, Blue, Purple, Orange |
| Models | - | PGT-AN10, PGT-N19 |
| Price | - | £ 799.99 / € 407.79 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 109h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | GeekBench: 4378 (v5.1), 5096 (v6) |
ZTE Axon 50 Ultra
- More affordable price point
- Fast 80W wired charging
- Potentially competitive camera performance for the price
- Older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
- Likely shorter battery life
- Less refined software experience
Honor Magic5 Pro
- Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- Exceptional battery life (12:06h active use)
- Brighter display with infinite contrast ratio
- Higher price tag
- Slightly slower wired charging (66W)
- May lack some of the customization options found on ZTE devices
Display Comparison
The Honor Magic5 Pro boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1227 nits, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the Axon 50 Ultra. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both likely utilize OLED panels, the Magic5 Pro’s infinite contrast ratio suggests a more advanced panel with deeper blacks. The absence of refresh rate data for the Axon 50 Ultra leaves a question mark regarding its smoothness compared to the Magic5 Pro, which is expected to have a variable refresh rate LTPO panel for power efficiency.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are advertised as having strong camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. The Honor Magic5 Pro likely benefits from the newer image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, enabling improved noise reduction and dynamic range. While both phones offer photo and video capabilities, the Magic5 Pro’s advanced processing and potentially larger sensor size (speculation based on brand positioning) likely result in superior image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The Axon 50 Ultra’s camera performance will depend heavily on its software algorithms.
Performance
The Honor Magic5 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) represents a substantial leap over the Axon 50 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm). The Gen 2 features the newer Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.2 GHz, offering improved single-core performance. The Magic5 Pro’s CPU configuration (1x3.2 GHz, 2x2.8 GHz, 2x2.8 GHz, 3x2.0 GHz) is more balanced than the Axon 50 Ultra’s (1x3.0 GHz, 3x2.75 GHz, 4x2.0 GHz). This, combined with the Gen 2’s architectural improvements, results in faster application loading, smoother multitasking, and better sustained performance under heavy loads. The 4nm process node on both chips contributes to thermal efficiency, but the Gen 2’s optimizations likely lead to less throttling during prolonged gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Honor Magic5 Pro demonstrates a clear advantage in battery life, achieving an active use score of 12:06h and an endurance rating of 115h. This is likely due to the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and optimized power management. While the Axon 50 Ultra offers 80W wired charging, potentially enabling faster top-ups, the Magic5 Pro counters with 66W wired, 50W wireless, and even 5W reverse wired charging, offering greater versatility. The difference in endurance suggests the Magic5 Pro can comfortably last a full day of heavy use, while the Axon 50 Ultra might require a mid-day charge for power users.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE Axon 50 Ultra if you need a powerful flagship experience without breaking the bank, and are comfortable with potentially slightly less refined software and camera processing. Buy the Honor Magic5 Pro if you prioritize top-tier performance, exceptional battery life, and a more polished, feature-rich experience, and are willing to pay a premium for it.