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In this article, we’ll compare the Huawei P50 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro. These two smartphones are the best Huawei and Google have to offer, respectively. The P50 Pro originally launched in mid-2021, but it didn’t arrive to global markets until recently. It also comes with a different SoC, and software, so it’s kind of different from the Chinese model. The Pixel 6 Pro launched back in October last year, and it will be interesting to see how it compares to the best of Huawei.
Before we get into it, do note that the Huawei P50 Pro doesn’t include Google Play services, of course. The US ban made sure of that, but it does come with HMS, and Huawei’s very own app store. These two phones are considerably different, in pretty much every way, even their design is different, even though they do look similar from the front. That being said, let’s kick off the Huawei P50 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro comparison, shall we?
Specs
| Huawei P50 Pro | Google Pixel 6 Pro | |
| Screen size | 6.6-inch QHD+ OLED display (120Hz) | 6.71-inch QHD+ AMOLED curved display (120Hz refresh rate, LTPO) |
| Screen resolution | 2700 x 1228 | 3120 x 1440 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Google Tensor |
| RAM | 8GB (LPDDR5) | 12GB (LPDDR5) |
| Storage | 256GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable | 128GB/256GB/512GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 50MP (f/1.8 aperture, OIS, Laser AF, PDAF, 23mm lens) 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, AF, 13mm lens, ultrawide) 40MP (f/1.6 aperture, 23mm, monochrome) 64MP (f/3.5 aperture, 90mm lens, OIS, PDAF, periscope, 3.5x optical, 7x lossless) Leica lenses on all cameras |
50MP (f/1.9 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, 26mm lens, omnidirectional PDAF, OIS, Laser AF) 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.25um pixel size, 114-degree FoV) 48MP (f/3.5 aperture, 0.8um pixel size, OIS, PDAF, 114-degree FoV, 4x optical zoom) |
| Front cameras | 13MP (f/2.4 aperture, wide, AF) | 11.1MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size, 20mm lens) |
| Battery | 4,360mAh, non-removable, 66W fast battery charging, 50W wireless charging | 5,003mAh, non-removable, 30W wired charging, 23W wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 158.8 x 72.8 x 8.5mm | 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm |
| Weight | 195 grams | 210 grams |
| Connectivity | 4G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) | In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) |
| OS | Android 11 EMUI 12 |
Android 12 |
| Price | €1,199 ($1,353) | $899 |
| Buy | Huawei |
Huawei P50 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro: Design
Both the Huawei P50 Pro and Google Pixel 6 Pro are made out of metal and glass. Both phones feature curved displays, and a centered display camera hole. That’s where the similarities end, though. They do feel different in the hand. The Pixel 6 Pro has more weight to it, while it’s also noticeably taller, wider, and almost the same thickness. That makes it more unwieldy to use, especially with one hand. The Huawei P50 Pro isn’t exactly the best for one-handed use either, but it’s ahead of the Pixel 6 Pro in that regard.
Both of these smartphones are quite slippery. That’s not surprising considering they’re made out of metal and glass. Using a case with both of them is highly recommended. The Huawei P50 Pro is also more pleasant to hold, due to the curvier nature of its design. Both phones include physical buttons on the right, and ship with an in-display fingerprint scanner (optical in both cases).
Their backplates look considerably different in comparison, mainly due to camera setups. The Huawei P50 Pro has two circular cutouts in the top-left corner, both of which are reserved for the phone’s cameras and sensors. The Pixel 6 Pro, on the other hand, has a giant camera strip on the back, which goes from one side to the other. That camera strip does protrude on the back as well. Both phones are easily recognizable because of those camera setups.
Huawei P50 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro: Display
The Huawei P50 Pro features a 6.6-inch 2700 x 1228 OLED display. This display can project 1 billion colors, and it offers a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel is curved, by the way. The Google Pixel 6 Pro includes a 6.71-inch QHD+ (3120 x 1440) AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. This display supports HDR10+ content, and it is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus. It is also curved.
Truth be said, both of these panels look excellent, to say the least. Displays on flagship smartphones have become truly impressive. These panels are not only punchy, and have excellent viewing angles, but they’re properly fluid thanks to such a high refresh rate. The Huawei P50 Pro does provide you with more display-tuning options in the software, though, so that’s worth noting. The Pixel 6 Pro kind of limits you in that regard, and it will also adapt display temperature based on your wallpaper, due to the Material You interface.
Both displays are plenty sharp, even though the Pixel 6 Pro’s panel is sharper, that’s not something you’ll notice in regular use. You can’t go wrong with either one of these panels, to be quite honest.
Huawei P50 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro: Performance
Inside each of these phones, you’ll find quite powerful internals. The Huawei P50 Pro is fueled by the Snapdragon 888 SoC by Qualcomm. That is no longer the company’s most powerful SoC, but it’s still immensely powerful. Do note that the phone does not offer 5G connectivity, though. The Pixel 6 Pro is fueled by Google’s very own Tensor chip, which is also immensely powerful. Both devices include plenty of RAM, and storage. Both companies used LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage.
Those specs look really good, so the performance much be good, right? Well, that’s not necessarily the case on all phones that have such powerful specs, but it is on these two devices. Their powerful internals are well balanced via software, and they perform admirably. Their software offerings are considerably different, though, but both feel like Android, that’s for sure.
Now, they do a great job in regular, everyday tasks. That goes for taking pictures, opening and closing apps, watching multimedia content, browsing, generally using apps, and so on. They do that without a hitch. They can also run the most demanding games that you’ll find on their respective app stores without a problem, as is to be expected. They may skip a beat now and then, like any other phone, but the lag is not something you’ll encounter here.
Huawei P50 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro: Battery
The Huawei P50 Pro packs in a 4,360mAh battery, while the Google Pixel 6 Pro comes with a 5,003mAh battery. The Huawei P50 Pro offers a really good battery life. The phone manages to get over that 6-hour screen-on-time threshold, at least that was the case during my usage. I’ll talk a lot more about it in the full review that is coming. The Pixel 6 Pro offered great battery life at first, but the recent updates did make things a bit worse. Still, if you’re not a gamer, you’ll likely be able to get to at least 6 hours of screen-on-time. It all depends on your usage, as per usual.
Both of these phones support fast charging. The Huawei P50 Pro comes with 66W fast wired, and 50W wireless charging. The Pixel 6 Pro, on the other hand, will charge at around 23W via a wire, up to 50-percent, and then it will slow down considerably. The phone does support 23W wireless charging as well, but you’ll get such speeds only via Google’s official wireless charger. All in all, the Huawei P50 Pro charges much faster than the Pixel 6 Pro. So, if charging speed is that important to you, the P50 Pro is far ahead.
Huawei P50 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro: Cameras
Ah… the cameras. I was looking forward to taking a look at the P50 Pro mainly due to its cameras. Previous Huawei flagships delivered in the camera department, and then some, and the same is the case with the P50 Pro. Considering that the Pixel 6 Pro is considered, by many, as the best camera smartphone for shooting stills, this comparison is something I’ve been waiting for.
The Huawei P50 Pro didn’t disappoint at all. The phone shoots excellent images in basically all scenarios, though it can push up the saturation a bit too high when there’s not plenty of light in a scene. To be quite honest, I prefer such images, but it’s worth noting. Both phones handle extreme dynamic ranges like champs, and capture a lot of details, while they also offer great colors. Images, in comparison, are quite a bit different, though. The Pixel 6 Pro has that Pixel image look, while the P50 Pro keeps things a bit more natural.
In low light, both smartphones shine. Both have a night mode, which you can switch to, though both phones will also do their best to adapt automatically to the scene you’re shooting. Even if you’re in a really dark room, or outside during the night, you’ll get excellent results with both phones. AI is doing its job on both phones. I’ve also noticed that Huawei can capture a bit more detail in daylight shots, but while you’re shooting something inside, at least that was the case during my testing, in most cases. The Pixel 6 Pro did a little bit better with extreme dynamic range situations.
The bottom line is, both of these smartphones are truly excellent for shooting pictures, and that goes for their secondary cameras as well. The P50 Pro even has a periscope lens on the back, which performs admirably during the day. They’re also great in the video department, so you won’t go wrong with either one, as far as cameras are concerned.
Audio
Both of these phones feature stereo speakers, and those speakers are really good in both cases. The vast majority of flagship devices have really capable speakers, that are loud enough, and provide well-balanced audio. The same is the case here. These are not the best smartphone speakers we’ve ever heard, but they’re more than good enough for most people. They’re full-sounding with good bass.
There is no 3.5mm headphone jack on either device, but you can utilize a Type-C USB port, or Bluetooth. With a good pair of headphones, you can get good sound from both devices, that’s for sure. Both phones utilize Bluetooth 5.2, by the way.