ZTE nubia Z50S Pro vs Honor Magic5 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-around performance and a brighter display, the Honor Magic5 Pro edges out the nubia Z50S Pro. Its superior peak brightness and wireless charging capabilities, combined with a slightly more refined software experience, make it the more polished package. However, the nubia Z50S Pro offers a compelling value proposition with its 80W wired charging.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Z50S Pro | Honor Magic5 Pro |
| 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, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 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, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 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 / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, July 20 | 2023, February 27 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, July 27 | Available. Released 2023, March 31 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, silicone polymer back (eco leather), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back |
| Dimensions | 163.9 x 76.3 x 8.3 mm (6.45 x 3.00 x 0.33 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 | 228 g (8.04 oz) | 219 g (7.72 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1260 x 2800 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~452 ppi density) | 1312 x 2848 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1200 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 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 SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 (719 MHz) | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 13, MyOS 13, no planned android upgrades | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, MagicOS 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| - | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/1.6, 35mm (standard), 1/1.49", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), 1/4.4", PDAF, OIS, optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 125˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.88", 0.61µm, AF | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | 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 | - | 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, gyro-EIS, 10-bit | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 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 |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit audio stereo recording | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band or tri-band (market/region dependent), 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 |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired | 66W wired 50W wireless Reverse wireless 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 5100 mAh | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 5100 mAh (Global)· Si/C Li-Ion 5450 mAh (China only) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Khaki, Silver/White | Black, Meadow Green, Blue, Purple, Orange |
| Models | NX713J | PGT-AN10, PGT-N19 |
| Price | About 800 EUR | £ 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 nubia Z50S Pro
- Faster 80W wired charging
- Slightly longer active use battery life
- Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 offers a small clock speed advantage
- Lacks wireless charging
- Potentially less refined software experience
- Lower peak display brightness
Honor Magic5 Pro
- Brighter display with infinite contrast ratio
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- More polished software experience
- Slightly shorter active use battery life
- Slower wired charging compared to nubia Z50S Pro
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has a slightly lower peak CPU clock speed
Display Comparison
The Honor Magic5 Pro boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1227 nits measured, compared to the nubia Z50S Pro’s 1029 nits. This translates to better outdoor visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize high-quality panels, the Magic5 Pro’s infinite contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a superior implementation of OLED technology. Both lack reported PWM dimming rates, making it difficult to assess potential flicker-related eye strain, but the higher peak brightness of the Honor device may mitigate some concerns for users sensitive to brightness fluctuations.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are equipped with capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is lacking in the provided data. Both are capable of Photo and Video capture. The absence of specific sensor details makes a direct comparison difficult. However, the market positioning of the Magic5 Pro suggests a greater emphasis on computational photography and image processing, potentially leading to more consistently pleasing results in challenging conditions. The nubia Z50S Pro may prioritize raw image data and offer more manual control for experienced photographers. Without further data, it's impossible to definitively declare a winner.
Performance
Both phones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8-series, but with a key distinction: the nubia Z50S Pro features the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2, while the Magic5 Pro uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. While the 8+ Gen 2 offers a slightly higher peak CPU clock speed (3.36 GHz vs 3.2 GHz), the 8 Gen 2 benefits from architectural improvements and a more efficient manufacturing process. Both CPUs share the same core configuration (1x Cortex-X3, 2x Cortex-A715, 2x Cortex-A710, 3x Cortex-A510). The real-world performance difference will likely be minimal, with thermal management playing a larger role in sustained performance. Both devices utilize LPDDR5x RAM, ensuring fast memory access.
Battery Life
The nubia Z50S Pro achieves an active use battery score of 12:29h, slightly exceeding the Honor Magic5 Pro’s 12:06h. However, the Magic5 Pro compensates with significantly faster charging capabilities: 66W wired, 50W wireless, and even reverse wireless charging at 5W. The nubia Z50S Pro is limited to 80W wired charging. While 80W is fast, the addition of wireless charging options on the Magic5 Pro adds considerable convenience. The Honor Magic5 Pro’s older endurance rating of 115h vs 109h suggests a more efficient power management system overall.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Z50S Pro if you need maximum wired charging speed and are comfortable with a potentially less refined software experience. It’s ideal for users who frequently top up their phones and prioritize raw performance. Buy the Honor Magic5 Pro if you prefer a brighter, more color-accurate display, the convenience of wireless charging (including reverse wireless), and a more polished, feature-rich software experience. This phone caters to users who value a premium, all-in-one package.