ZTE nubia Z40S Pro vs Honor Magic4 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the ZTE nubia Z40S Pro emerges as the stronger contender. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset offers superior thermal efficiency and sustained performance compared to the Magic4 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, coupled with potentially faster charging options (depending on the version).
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Z40S Pro | Honor Magic4 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, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 78 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 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 20 | 2022, February 28 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 26 | Available. Released 2022, April 09 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back |
| Dimensions | 161.3 x 74 x 8.1 mm (6.35 x 2.91 x 0.32 in) | 163.6 x 74.7 x 9.1 mm or 9.2 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 205 g (7.23 oz) | 209 g / 215 g (7.37 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Aluminosilicate glass |
| 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 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~93.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 13, MyOS 13 | Android 12, Magic UI 6 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 18GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED 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/1.6, 35mm (standard), 1/1.7", PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), AF | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5", AF 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom TOF 3D (depth) |
| Video | 8K, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | Yes | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit audio stereo recording | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | 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, 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, ultrasonic), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired (regular version) 120W wired; 15W magnetic wireless (120W version) | 100W wired, 100% in 30 min 100W wireless, 50% in 15 min Reverse wireless 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 5000 mAh (regular version)· Li-Po 4600 mAh (120W version) | Li-Po 4600 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Interstellar Black, Star Black, Silver | Black, White, Cyan, Gold, Orange |
| Models | NX702J | LGE-NX9, LGE-N49B, LGE-N19B, LGE-AN10, GBD-NX9 |
| Price | About 490 EUR | € 469.41 / £ 397.48 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 980755 (v9) GeekBench: 3512 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Z40S Pro
- Superior chipset performance with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- Potentially faster wired charging (up to 120W)
- Likely more competitive pricing
- Wireless charging slower than Honor Magic4 Pro
- Display specs less detailed, potential for lower brightness
Honor Magic4 Pro
- Excellent display brightness (957 nits)
- Fast 100W wired and 100W wireless charging
- Robust reverse charging options
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 prone to throttling
- Potentially higher price point
Display Comparison
The Honor Magic4 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 957 nits, ensuring excellent visibility in direct sunlight. While the nubia Z40S Pro’s display specs aren’t provided, Honor’s figure sets a high bar. Both likely utilize high refresh rate panels, but the Magic4 Pro’s infinite contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a superior OLED panel. The absence of PWM frequency data for the nubia Z40S Pro leaves questions about potential flicker-related eye strain for sensitive users, a detail where Honor often excels.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are advertised as having strong photo and video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is lacking. Without specifics on sensor size, aperture, and OIS implementation, a direct comparison is difficult. However, the market positioning suggests the Magic4 Pro may prioritize a more versatile camera system with a wider range of focal lengths. The nubia Z40S Pro may lean towards computational photography strengths, leveraging the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1’s improved ISP. Ignoring the typical 2MP macro lens found on both, the main sensor and processing pipeline will be the key differentiators.
Performance
The nubia Z40S Pro’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) represents a significant architectural improvement over the Magic4 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm). The ‘+’ variant features a higher clocked Cortex-X2 prime core (3.19 GHz vs 3.00 GHz) and optimized thermal characteristics. This translates to less throttling during extended gaming sessions and demanding tasks. While both utilize the same LPDDR5x RAM standard, the nubia’s chipset advantage provides a clear performance edge. The Magic4 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is still powerful, but more prone to heat-related performance dips.
Battery Life
The Honor Magic4 Pro has an endurance rating of 82 hours, indicating solid battery life. The nubia Z40S Pro’s battery capacity is not specified, but its charging capabilities are a major draw. The regular version offers 80W wired charging, while the 120W version significantly reduces charging times. The Magic4 Pro offers 100W wired charging (0-100% in 30 minutes) and an impressive 100W wireless charging (50% in 15 minutes), alongside reverse wireless and wired charging. The nubia Z40S Pro’s 15W magnetic wireless charging is slower, but the potential for 120W wired charging provides a substantial advantage for users who prioritize speed.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Z40S Pro if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, faster charging speeds, and a potentially lower price point. It’s ideal for power users and mobile gamers. Buy the Honor Magic4 Pro if you value a consistently bright display, robust wireless charging capabilities, and a more established brand reputation with a focus on camera versatility.