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Huawei P30 Pro Smartphone Review

Close to perfection - Last year, the Huawei P20 Pro set new standards in mobile photography, and now the Chinese company is back with its successor in the hope of building on those successes. The P30 Pro also includes all the technology that we have come to expect from a flagship with a premium price tag. Read on to find out whether Huawei has developed a new camera wonder and how it fares against other current flagships.
Update: Review completed.

The Huawei P30 Pro has grown in all aspects compared to its predecessor, the P20 Pro. Strikingly, the P30 Pro has a 6.47-inch OLED display, which is even slightly larger than the size of the screen in the Mate 20 Pro. Huawei equips the P30 Pro with the same HiSilicon Kirin 980 SoC that we have seen in the Mate 20 Pro and Honor View 20, which the Chinese company pairs with 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM and a choice between 128, 256 and 512 GB of internal storage. The P30 Pro also supports Huawei’s nano memory card format instead of microSD. The former is smaller yet currently more expensive than the latter per GB, although expandable storage is better than no expandable storage. The P30 Pro supports wireless charging too and is IP68 against water and dust. Additionally, Huawei has moved the fingerprint sensor under the display as it did with the Mate 20 Pro.

The heart of the P series is still the camera, which has also been developed in cooperation with Leica for the P30 Pro. Huawei has dispensed with the monochrome sensor of the P20 Pro but has added an ultra-wide-angle lens in its place, just as the company did with the Mate 20 Pro. However, the P30 Pro has one more rear-facing camera of sorts than its Mate 20 series cousin. Huawei has equipped the P30 Pro with a time-of-flight sensor (ToF), which Huawei claims to have been specially developed to calculate spatial depths. The telephoto lens now offers not 3x optical zoom like the one in the P20 Pro did, but 5x zoom for even clearer zoomed photos. Likewise, Huawei has improved the hybrid zoom too, which now extends to 10x magnification, while the digital zoom can reach up to 50x magnification too. Finally, the P30 Pro has a massive 32 MP front-facing sensor, compared to the 24 MP ones in the Mate 20 Pro and P20 Pro.

The P30 Pro is a powerful smartphone on paper, which reflects in its pricing. The device starts at €999 (~$1,120) for the 128 GB model, which is €100 (~$112) more expensive than the P20 Pro and rises to €1,099 (~$1,233) if you want 256 GB of storage. Prices then spike to €1,249 (~$1,401) for the 512 GB model, which is a hefty price tag even by Apple standards.

We have chosen to compare the P30 Pro against other modern and large flagships. Our comparison devices will include the Apple iPhone XS Max, Google Pixel 3 XL, Samsung Galaxy S10+, Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, and the Xiaomi Mi 9.

  • 03.29.2019: First impressions, photos and display measurements added.
  • 04.02.2019: Connectivity and GPS sections added. Camera tests expanded and initial battery life tests added.
  • 04.04.2019: Display and Performance sections completed
  • 04.05.2019: Update: Communication, Telephony, Gaming, Emissions, Power Consumption and Battery Life sections added.
  • 04.08.2019: Review completed.
Huawei P30 Pro (P30 Series)
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 980 8 x - 2.6 GHz, Cortex-A76/-A55
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
Display
6.47 inch 19.5:9, 2340 x 1080 pixel 398 PPI, Capacitive touchscreen, 10-point multitouch, OLED, HDR, glossy: yes, HDR, 60 Hz
Storage
256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash, 256 GB 
, 242.63 GB free
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, Audio Connections: USB Type-C, Card Reader: Up to 256 GB nano memory cards, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, barometer, compass, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, infrared, laser, colour temperature, Infrared blaster, USB OTG
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM/GPRS/Edge: 850, 900, 1,800, 1,900 MHz. UMTS/HSPA+: Band 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 19. LTE FDD: Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32; TDD: Band 34, 38, 39, 40., Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.41 x 158.01 x 73.37 ( = 0.33 x 6.22 x 2.89 in)
Battery
16.04 Wh, 4200 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 3.82 V, kabelloses Laden, Reverse Wireless Charging
Charging
wireless charging, fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
Camera
Primary Camera: 40 MPix , f/1.6, OIS, 27 mm. 20 MPix Ultra-Wide-Angle camera: f/2.2, 16 mm. 8 MPix Telephoto camera: f/3.4, OIS, 125 mm. TOF Camera, 10x hybrid zoom, 50x digital zoom
Secondary Camera: 32 MPix
Additional features
Keyboard: Virtual, USB Type-C headphones, 40 W charger, USB cable, SIM tool, quick start guide, EMUI 9.1, 24 Months Warranty, IP68 certified. SAR values: Body – 0.64 W/kg, Head - 0.79 W/kg. , fanless, waterproof
Weight
192 g ( = 6.77 oz / 0.42 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
1099 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The P30 Pro comes in four colours
The P30 Pro comes in four colours

As you can see from the photo to the right, the P30 Pro comes in a range of colours that will make it stand out from the crowd. The device currently comes in black and white, which Huawei markets as Pearl White, along with Aurora, Amber Sunrise and Breathing Crystal. Please keep in mind that the white version is not available in all countries, such as Germany.

Do not let the P30 Pro’s huge display fool you either, because it is a comparatively compact device thanks to its high screen-to-body ratio. Huawei has achieved this by only placing the front-facing camera above the screen, which sits in a small waterdrop notch. Moreover, the P30 Pro has a Huawei Acoustic Display, which emits sound via the display and forgoes the need for a traditional speaker.

The P30 Pro is slightly taller and thicker than its predecessor, although it is a touch narrower than the P20 Pro. We would be surprised if you could tell the difference though as it is just over 0.5 mm (~0.02 in). Likewise, while the rear-facing camera housing is bigger than the one on the P20 Pro, it protrudes around 0.35 mm (~0.01 in) less from the back glass than its predecessor’s did.

The device has a glass front and back that sandwiches a metal frame as with most modern flagships. Both glass panels taper into the frame like the Samsung Galaxy S series do, which makes the P30 Pro look slimmer than it actually is. However, the smooth finish is a true fingerprint magnet despite its grease-resistant coating. Our review unit is impeccably well made though and feels sturdy. Moreover, all transitions between materials are clean and evenly processed with narrow gaps.

The card slot is located on the underside of the frame and does not quite match the colour of our Breathing Crystal review unit. The outside of the slot is metal though, while the double-sided card holder itself is made of plastic. The P30 Pro supports either two nano-SIM cards or a nano memory card instead of a second SIM.

The P30 Pro also has a 4,200 mAh battery that Huawei hides beneath the back glass, which prevents it from being user swappable. However, the inability to replace the battery helps the device achieve its IP68 certification against dust and water.

Size Comparison

158 mm / 6.22 inch 80 mm / 3.15 inch 11.9 mm / 0.4685 inch 236 g0.52 lbs158.01 mm / 6.22 inch 73.37 mm / 2.89 inch 8.41 mm / 0.3311 inch 192 g0.4233 lbs158 mm / 6.22 inch 76.7 mm / 3.02 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 184 g0.4057 lbs157.6 mm / 6.2 inch 74.1 mm / 2.92 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 198 g0.4365 lbs157.5 mm / 6.2 inch 77.4 mm / 3.05 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 208 g0.4586 lbs157.5 mm / 6.2 inch 74.67 mm / 2.94 inch 7.61 mm / 0.2996 inch 173 g0.3814 lbs155 mm / 6.1 inch 73.88 mm / 2.91 inch 7.65 mm / 0.3012 inch 174 g0.3836 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The P30 Pro supports up to 256 GB NM cards just like its sibling, the Mate 20 Pro. NM cards are considerably smaller than their microSD counterparts, and while they are more widely available than when we tested the Mate 20 Pro, they are still around twice as expensive per GB as microSD cards. Moreover, Huawei does not currently support saving apps or data to NM cards, just media such as music, photos or videos. In short, NM cards do not currently offer any advantages to the end user.

Huawei has equipped the P30 Pro with a USB 3.1 Gen. 1 Type-C port, but included a USB 2.0 cable with our review unit for some reason. The port supports HDMI and DisplayPort out via optional adapters and allows you to make use of Huawei’s desktop mode. The P30 Pro also supports Huawei OneHop, which functions like a supercharged Bluetooth file transfer. OneHop combined Bluetooth, NFC and Wi-Fi Direct, although Huawei currently only makes this functionality available to Huawei laptops such as the MateBook X Pro.

The P30 Pro shares much of its connectivity with other modern flagships and the Mate 20 Pro. The device supports Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD and LHDC, NFC, MIMO Wi-Fi, LTE Cat. 21 and an infrared transmitter for controlling electrical appliances such as TVs. Moreover, the P30 can charge wirelessly at 15 W using the Qi open standard and can wirelessly charge other devices such as the Mate 20 Pro can. You can charge the device at 40 W using the included charger too. There is also an in-screen fingerprint sensor, which Huawei promises is 30% faster than the one in the Mate 20 Pro. Unfortunately, the P30 Pro lacks a notification LED, which we often find useful. Huawei has included an always-on display (AoD) though that provides much of the same functionality as a notification LED would.

Topside: Infrared port, microphone
Topside: Infrared port, microphone
Left-hand side: No connections
Left-hand side: No connections
Right-hand side: Volume rocker, Power button
Right-hand side: Volume rocker, Power button
Underside: Speaker, USB Type-C, microphone, card slot
Underside: Speaker, USB Type-C, microphone, card slot

Software

Huawei ships the P30 Pro with Android 9.0 Pie at the time of writing, atop of which the company adds its EMUI 9.1 interface. According to experience, the P30 Pro should receive Android Q and R along with regular security updates too.

Huawei has made a few minor adjustments with EMUI 9.1 compared to EMUI 9.0 including GPU Turbo 3.0 and changing the look of a few icons. The camera app has undergone the greatest changes in our opinion, which we shall cover in greater depth in the Cameras section of this review. Additionally, Huawei has done away with the Beam functionality and has made many small tweaks to the menus. The company has added an SOS function, which will send an SMS to your emergency contacts with your location. You can also set it to send important health information too. This SOS function worked well in our tests and is triggered by pressing the power button five times.

Huawei also removes the user account control that Google bakes into stock Android. The Chinese company does include extensive security options though and allows you to back up HiSuite to a computer, an external memory card, a USB stick, or a local NAS.

Our review unit has only a few preinstalled third-party apps, which can all be uninstalled. Huawei also continues to include its own app store, which it calls AppGallery. We should also point out that our review unit had the 1st of March 2019 security updates installed at the time of our tests, which were up to date.

Default home screen
Default home screen
Some of the apps that Huawei pre-installs
Some of the apps that Huawei pre-installs
EMUI 9.1 features an SOS mode
EMUI 9.1 features an SOS mode
SOS mode settings
SOS mode settings

Communication & GPS

The P30 Pro supports LTE Cat. 21, which allows it to theoretically achieve up to 1.4 GBit/s download speeds. Moreover, the device supports numerous LTE bands, so you should have no issue with connecting to LTE networks overseas. The P30 Pro supports all major 2G and 3G frequencies too, while our review unit maintained decent mobile network reception throughout our tests.

Huawei equips the P30 Pro with a Wi-Fi 5 compliant modem that supports up to IEEE 802.11 ac Wi-Fi and can connect to either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz networks. The device also has MIMO antennas that should provide a decent signal range, while its VHT160 coverage theoretically allows it to achieve up to 1.7 GBit/s Wi-Fi speeds. Our Linksys EA8500 reference router cannot reach those speeds, but the P30 Pro places highly in our iperf3 Client comparison tables. Transmission speeds fluctuated more during the upload test than they did during the download test, but you should not notice any issues in daily use. Overall, the P30 Pro averages better Wi-Fi transmission speeds than all our comparison devices with the XZ2 Premium a close second.

The P30 Pro could reach even higher speeds too if it were connected to a faster router. Moreover, our review unit has decent Wi-Fi range, and we experienced no dropouts during our tests.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Huawei P30 Pro
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
670 (542min - 717max) MBit/s
Huawei P30 Pro
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
541 (129min - 633max) MBit/s -19%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
647 MBit/s -3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
602 MBit/s -10%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Adreno 640, SD 855, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
534 (430min - 578max) MBit/s -20%
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Mali-G76 MP12, Exynos 9820, 512 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
457 (398min - 508max) MBit/s -32%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
456 (429min - 468max) MBit/s -32%
Huawei P20 Pro
Mali-G72 MP12, Kirin 970, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
437 MBit/s -35%
iperf3 receive AX12
Huawei P30 Pro
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
1014 (944min - 1115max) MBit/s
Huawei P30 Pro
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
661 (624min - 683max) MBit/s -35%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Adreno 640, SD 855, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
678 (549min - 725max) MBit/s -33%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
677 MBit/s -33%
Huawei P20 Pro
Mali-G72 MP12, Kirin 970, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
635 MBit/s -37%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
635 (315min - 645max) MBit/s -37%
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Mali-G76 MP12, Exynos 9820, 512 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
633 (561min - 684max) MBit/s -38%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
624 MBit/s -38%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s -63%
06012018024030036042048054060066072078084090096010201080Tooltip
Huawei P30 Pro; iperf3 receive AX12; Nighthawk AX 12 (iperf 3.1.3): Ø1014 (944-1115)
Huawei P30 Pro; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø660 (624-683)
Huawei P30 Pro; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø670 (542-717)
Huawei P30 Pro; iperf3 transmit AX12; Nighthawk AX 12 (iperf 3.1.3): Ø541 (129-633)
GPS test: GNSS
GPS test: GNSS
GPS test: Inside
GPS test: Inside
GPS test: Outdoors
GPS test: Outdoors

The P30 Pro supports BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS, GNSS and GPS for location services. We could not test whether the device supports SBAS though. It is worth noting that the P30 Pro supports dual GPS when being used in North America or Europe.

Our review unit finds a satellite fix quickly even when being used in buildings, which is impressive. The device can find a fix with up to 4 metres (~13 ft) accuracy regardless of where it is being used, although we noticed that its accuracy fluctuated more indoors than it did outdoors.

We also subjected the P30 Pro to a short bike ride to test its location accuracy against our trusty Garmin Edge 500 bike computer. The two devices plotted us having travelled almost the same distance, with the P30 Pro claiming we cycled 50 metres (~164 ft) further than the Garmin did. The two devices recorded roughly the same altitude information too, although our review unit tracked us more accurately overall, in our opinion. In short, the P30 Pro is ideal for all general navigation tasks and even as an alternative to a bike computer.

GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 - Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 - Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Cycling around a lake
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Cycling around a lake
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Taking a sharp corner
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Taking a sharp corner
GPS test: Huawei P30 Pro - Overview
GPS test: Huawei P30 Pro - Overview
GPS test: Huawei P30 Pro – Cycling around a lake
GPS test: Huawei P30 Pro – Cycling around a lake
GPS test: Huawei P30 Pro - Taking a sharp corner
GPS test: Huawei P30 Pro - Taking a sharp corner

Telephone Features & Call Quality

EMUI 9.1 – Dialler
EMUI 9.1 – Dialler
EMUI 9.1 – Caller recognition
EMUI 9.1 – Caller recognition

The pre-installed phone app has not changed much with the move to EMUI 9.1. Huawei separates the app across three tabs for call history, contacts and favourites. The big change in terms of telephony is the earpiece, which now sits beneath the display rather than just above it like on most smartphones. Huawei markets this as Acoustic Display, which uses magnetic levitation technology to transmit sound through the display glass.

The idea is good, but its execution is lacking. While our call partner remained intelligible throughout our tests, their voice sounded unnatural and tinny. We could not feel the display vibrating against our voice though, which is a plus.

Speakerphone works better in our opinion, but our voice sounds overly echoey according to the person on the other end of our test calls. The included headphones deliver decent call quality too, although the microphone cannot filter out wind noise well.

Huawei does not integrate a SIP client within the default phone app, so you must download one if you need that functionality. Wi-Fi calling and VoLTE are on board though and will work if your carrier has provisioned the P30 Pro on their network.

Cameras

Taking a selfie with the P30 Pro
Taking a selfie with the P30 Pro

The P30 Pro has a whopping 32 MP front-facing camera. Unfortunately, the device cannot use pixel binning to improve image fidelity as other high-resolution sensors such as the Sony IMX586 can. The 32 MP sensor has an f/2.0 aperture which suggests that it should take good pictures in low light, although we currently have no other information to go on as Huawei has been scant on the details. Our initial test shots look good even in dim light, but there is some minor image noise, which we did not expect to see. Likewise, fine details seem rather blurry, which is underwhelming.

The portrait mode is impressively sophisticated though and includes numerous modes such as a beauty filter that can be used to adjust your complexion should you wish to do so. Unfortunately, the sensor is only fixed focus and can record videos in 1080p at best.

Additionally, the P30 Pro has a Leica branded quad rear-facing camera array. The star here is the 40 MP main camera, which has an f/1.6 aperture, 1.55 μm pixels, an RYYG filter and is optically stabilised (OIS). There is also a 20 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and an 8 MP telephoto lens that has an f/3.4 aperture along with OIS. Huawei has included a ToF sensor as we mentioned earlier in this review, which cannot be used on its own.

The main camera also offers a 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom a 50x stepless digital zoom. In short, the P30 Pro has an incredible range of focal lengths and currently has the most flexible set of cameras in any smartphone that we have tested.

From left to right: ultra-wide-angle, standard, 5x tele, 10x hybrid, 30x hybrid and 50x hybrid

We also compared the zoom capabilities of a few smartphones with those of the P30 Pro. We used 10x digital zoom as a benchmark, but the P30 Pro blows the competition away as demonstrated by the photos below. The Galaxy S10+ proved the best of the rest and did a better job at capturing more details than even the P20 Pro. Our weakest comparison devices in our opinion were the Honor and iPhone XS, which took grainy photos that have poor dynamics. Only the P30 Pro took a clear photo even if a few details are lost through its image algorithms. In short, the P30 Pro provides almost lossless 10x digital zoom, which is incredible for a smartphone.

Huawei P20 Pro (10x digital zoom)
Honor View 20 (10x digital zoom)
Samsung Galaxy S10+ (10x digital zoom)
Apple iPhone XS (10x digital zoom)
Huawei P30 Pro (10x hybrid zoom)

From left to right: Huawei P20 Pro, Honor View 20, Samsung Galaxy S10+, Apple iPhone XS and Huawei P30 Pro

Often, there is no need to zoom that far, and typically 2x zoom looked best to our eyes. However, we still liked the results that our comparison devices achieved in daylight despite all the impressive camera technology that the P30 Pro has. Our test photos have a noticeable red tint to them, which makes the sky in the photo below look dull compared to those shot with our comparison devices. Moreover, the edges of objects are not that clean, while there is even some image noise.

The P30 Pro performs better in low-light, as demonstrated by the photo below, which we shot at 1 lux. There is still some slight image noise, although it is visibly milder than on our comparison devices. The overly red tint is still present though.

The main sensor preserves details well, and while the V40 ThinQ manages to expose the scene better than the P30 Pro, it comes at the expense of image quality. The photo taken by the Galaxy S10+ looks good too, but its colour reproduction is rather too cool for our liking, and it does a poorer job at eliminating image noise. The less said about the iPhone XS Max, the better though, because its attempt is lacking in all areas. The photo looks a mess and has poor dynamics along with a distracting amount of image noise compared to what the P30 Pro achieves.

Huawei P30 Pro
Samsung Galaxy S10+
Apple iPhone XS
LG V40 ThinQ

2X zoom comparison. From left to right: Huawei P30 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10+, Apple iPhone XS and LG V40 ThinQ

Huawei has also taken a huge step forwards with low-light performance. The main camera in the P30 Pro has the same sensor size as that of its predecessor, but its aperture has increased from f/1.8 to f/1.6, which allows it to let more light in. Its Red, Yellow, Yellow, Green (RYYG) Bayer filter should provide up to 40% better photosensitivity than the P20 Pro offers.

We also did a direct comparison of the main sensors of the P20 Pro, P30 Pro and View 20 with a lux ambient light to see what difference this new camera technology makes. The P20 Pro has a 40 MP main sensor (1/1.7 ", 1.55 μm, f/1.8, RGGB filter) as does the P30 Pro (1/1.7", 1.55 μm, f/1.6, RYYB filter), while the View 20 has a 48 MP sensor (1/2", 0.8 μm, f/1.8), for reference. We conducted our test with all AI features switched off. Incidentally, the View 20 has the same Sony IMX586 sensor as found in the Xiaomi Mi 9. As the photos below demonstrate, the P30 Pro has a significantly better main sensor than the Sony IMX586 that captures noticeably more details in low-light. The P30 Pro also does a better job than its predecessor and takes a much richer looking photo overall.

Honor View 20
Huawei P20 Pro
Huawei P30 Pro

Low light comparison. Shot at maximum resolution without AI. From left to right: Honor View 20, Huawei P20 Pro and Huawei P30 Pro

Overall, the P30 Pro cuts a compelling figure in our photo comparisons. The AI ​​support is useful, but we tended to leave it off because it oversaturated the colours. That is more a matter of taste though. The main sensor captures detailed images even at 10 MP thanks to its use of pixel binning. However, our review unit struggles in scenarios such as scene 2 compared to devices such as the Galaxy S10+. The P30 Pro over sharpens objects more than the Galaxy S10+ does and cannot reproduce fine details such as our mascot’s fur as well either. Even the iPhone XS Max produces a more natural looking photo.

With that said, the P30 Pro comes into its own in low-light shots. Our review unit delivers a more balanced looking photo than our comparison devices can while keeping image noise to a minimum. Our main frustration here is how the P30 Pro manages white balance. We hope that Huawei tweaks the camera software and makes the white balance cooler, as it currently gives photos an overly red tint regardless of the lighting. Overall, the P30 Pro has the most technically sophisticated and versatile set of cameras currently available in any commercially available smartphone.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images
Photographed with the main camera
Photographed with the main camera (5.2x hybrid zoom)
Macro photo taken with the main camera
Photographed with the main camera
Photographed with the main camera
Photographed with the main camera
Photographed with the main camera
Photographed with the ultra-wide-angle camera
Photographed with the main camera in night mode
Photographed with the ultra-wide-angle camera
Photographed with the main camera at 40 MP
Photographed with the main camera at 40 MP
Photographed with the main camera at 40 MP
Photographed with the main camera at 40 MP
Photographed with the main camera at 40 MP

We also subjected our review unit to further camera tests under controlled lighting conditions to test the accuracy of its colour reproduction. Surprisingly, the ultra-wide-angle sensor is the most accurate, with it reproducing colours vividly. By contrast, the other two sensors tend to over-brighten colours, which is not good for all tones. This is particularly evident with bluey green tones and bright orange. The telephoto lens also oversaturates light green as well as with yellow, which looks unrealistic compared to the ColorChecker reference colour.

The main and ultra-wide cameras do a great job at capturing our test chart though. The main sensor captures the chart accurately and in detail even at 10 MP. However, contrast levels and sharpness are lower at the bottom edges of the chart than in the corresponding 40 MP shot. Our review unit does particularly well at capturing colour gradients and black text against dark backgrounds in both 10 MP and 40 MP.

The photo taken with the ultra-wide-angle sensor looks much darker with stronger contrast by comparison. The photo looks sharp too, albeit the contrast drops off in the lower corners. The sensor also gives the chart a subtle curve. The telephoto lens over brightens colours though. The latter also needs a steady hand. Otherwise, photos will look rather blurrier than they do when using the other sensors.

ColorChecker Passport: Ultra-Wide-Angle
ColorChecker Passport: Ultra-Wide-Angle
ColorChecker Passport: Standard camera
ColorChecker Passport: Standard camera
ColorChecker Passport: Telephoto lens
ColorChecker Passport: Telephoto lens
Our test chart shot at 10 MP
Our test chart shot at 10 MP
Our test chart shot at 40 MP
Our test chart shot at 40 MP
Our test chart photographed using the ultra-wide-angle sensor
Our test chart in detail: Telephoto lens
Our test chart in detail: Hybrid zoom

Video

The P30 Pro can record videos in up to Ultra HD at 30 FPS, although please keep in mind that Huawei currently limits this mode to recording for up to ten minutes. Disappointingly, the P30 Pro can only record at 60 FPS in a maximum of Full HD. Moreover, the camera app defaults to 720p when 60 FPS is enabled.

Worse still, its full suite of video effects is available only in 720p. Switching to Full HD disables any beauty effects, while Huawei disables every video effect in UHD and Full HD at 60 FPS. The device can currently only shoot in H.264 or H.265. Huawei claims that it will deliver an update in Mid-May that will greatly expand upon the functionality that the P30 Pro currently offers. Until then, we feel rather misled by Huawei’s claims at the device’s unveiling, where company representatives boasted about the P30 Pro’s video capabilities.

At least the P30 Pro can keep up with the competition at UHD, although again it over reddens videos. The iPhone XS Max takes better-looking videos overall, but the P30 Pro has the edge over the Galaxy S10+ and V40 ThinQ, which over sharpen and overexpose videos respectively.

Again, the P30 Pro flexes its muscles in low-light videos, which we tested at 1 lux. Videos look fantastic when played back on the device, but viewing them in this format hides weaknesses that larger external monitors reveal. There is noticeable image noise when shooting in Full HD at 30 FPS too, while large areas of colour look disappointingly blurry. The P30 Pro can dynamically vary the refresh rate as the iPhone XS Max can though to produce better results. The latter generally shoots darker looking videos than the P30 Pro, although they look the most consistent of our comparison devices.

However, the P30 Pro and its competitors produce useless results when shooting in 60 FPS in low-light. The P30 Pro allows its sensors to capture plenty of light, but videos lack sharpness. The iPhone XS Max performs better here in our opinion and relies more on capturing details than getting exposure levels correct.

Lastly, we also repeated our low-light test in Ultra HD at 30 FPS to see how well the P30 Pro coped. In short, our review unit performed worse than expected, with the resulting video looking muddier than the corresponding one shot in Full HD and anything that our comparison devices produced.

Ultimately, we hope that Huawei will deliver on its promise to improve the P30 Pro’s video capabilities next month. The device certainly has excellent optics, but it is not currently making the best use of them and is not living up to expectations.

We also should point out that the Pro mode delivers excellent results if you can get the settings right. The mode has numerous settings for tweaking the ISO, focus and shutter speed, while you can adjust the white balance to overcome the default tendency to over redden photos and videos.

Video comparison: Daylight Ultra HD. From left to right: Huawei P30 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10+, Apple iPhone XS and LG V40 ThinQ, Apple iPhone XS und LG V40 ThinQ

Video comparison: Low-Light Full HD. From left to right: Huawei P30 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10+, Apple iPhone XS and LG V40 ThinQ

Video Comparison: Low-Light Full HD with HFR. From left to right: Huawei P30 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10+, Apple iPhone XS and LG V40 ThinQ

Video comparison: Low-Light Ultra HD. From left to right: Huawei P30 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10+, Apple iPhone XS and LG V40 ThinQ

Accessories & Warranty

The P30 Pro comes with a 40-W charger that Huawei brands SuperCharge, and which operates at 5V/2A, 9V/2A or 10V/4A. Huawei also includes a USB Type-A to Type-C cable a pair of Type-C headphones, a card slot tool and a quick start guide. The Chinese manufacturer includes a transparent protective case in some regions too.

Huawei also sells other cases that range from a simple silicone case that come in multiple colours to ones that add functionality such as additional waterproofing. The company sells a Qi wireless charger too, but the P30 Pro will charge wirelessly from any Qi charger. 

Moreover, the P30 Pro also supports reverse wireless charging and can charge devices that support the Qi standard such as Huawei’s FreeBuds. The company also sells a wireless photo printer that prints on zinc paper and which costs €149 (~$168). The device works well and is useful for quick printing, but it cannot reproduce photos as well as a full-size photo printer could.

The P30 Pro comes with 24 months manufacturer’s warranty, which cannot be extended at the time of writing. Huawei also does not offer any device insurance like Apple does.

Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Huawei Pocket Photo Printer
The P30 Pro silicone case in yellow

Input Devices & Operation

The P30 Pro has a ten-point multitouch touchscreen. Huawei continues to include support for its knuckle gestures, but it has not expanded upon them since the release of the P20 Pro. Huawei does not specify what glass it uses to cover the P30 Pro’s touchscreen, but it has a smooth finish on which it is easy to perform gestures such as swiping. Our review unit recognised our inputs quickly and precisely across the entire display throughout our tests.

EMUI 9.1 features three navigation options. Huawei enables the conventional three button array by default, but there is also pure gesture-based control or NaviDot, which the company has included since at least EMUI 8.0. We particularly liked the gesture controls, which felt intuitive and offer more screen real estate than the traditional navigation buttons do.

Huawei continues to include SwiftKey as the default keyboard, but you can download another keyboard app, such as those on the Google Play Store, should you dislike SwiftKey. We should point out that our review unit had haptic feedback switched off upon delivery, for some reason. Moreover, vibration did not work in all the apps that it should have done during our tests, although the corresponding motor can deliver strong vibrations when it is activated.

The P30 Pro also features an optical in-screen fingerprint scanner, which is a first for the Huawei P series. It is positioned a little lower than the one in the Mate 20 Pro and should always be easy to reach regardless of how you hold the device. The sensor worked well in our tests and reliably unlocked the device quickly if our fingers were not too greasy or wet.

Alternatively, you could unlock the P30 Pro using its 2D face unlock. However, this not as secure as 3D solutions and cannot be used to sign into banking apps or password managers instead of a password.

Huawei continues to include a one-handed mode too. However, we found this difficult to use regardless of the method we tried because of the size of the P30 Pro’s display. In short, you will need long fingers to use the one-handed mode effectively.

A look at the navigation options in EMUI 9.1
A look at the navigation options in EMUI 9.1
One-handed mode settings in EMUI 9.1
One-handed mode settings in EMUI 9.1
Using the default keyboard in portrait mode
Using the default keyboard in portrait mode
Using the default keyboard in landscape mode
Using the default keyboard in landscape mode

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The P30 Pro has a 6.47-inch OLED panel that operates natively at 2,340x1,080. The 1080p resolution may seem rather low by 2019 standards and results in a sub 400 PPI pixel density, which is the Huawei P smartphone for a long time to do so. However, we did not notice this in daily use. The display looks sharp, and we cannot see individual pixels with the naked eye.

Our review unit achieved an average maximum brightness of 608 cd/m² according to X-Rite i1Pro 2 with the ambient light sensor activated, which is respectable by flagship smartphone standards. Likewise, the more realistic APL 50 test claims that the panel reaches 772 cd/m² at the centre of the display. However, maximum brightness drops to just 446 cd/m² with the ambient light sensor deactivated. The P30 Pro achieves absolute blacks and a theoretically infinite contrast ratio thanks to its OLED panel, as all but the Xperia XZ2 Premium of our comparison devices also do.

Our review unit also can get as dim as 1.84 cd/m², which should be easy to read in the dark for most people. Huawei has included an eye-saver mode too, which you can control manually or set to run between certain times, should you wish to minimise the amount of blue light that the screen emits. However, it is a pity that Huawei has not equipped the P30 Pro with a Natural Tone Display, which can adjust the screen’s white balance in changing lighting conditions using the ambient light sensor.

Huawei disables the P30 Pro’s always-on display (AoD) default, but at least now it can finally show third-party notifications. The display, because it is an OLED panel, uses pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate brightness, which could cause eye strain or headaches for some people. We shall provide PWM data for our review unit subsequently, but it has a flat amplitude curve, so only those who are particularly PWM sensitive should notice any screen flickering.

It also appears that Huawei has equipped the P30 Pro with a BEO panel as the sub-pixel array confirms. The one in our review unit is identical to the panel in our Mate 20 Pro test device, which also had a BEO panel. LG and Samsung panels have different sub-pixel structures, so it is unlikely to be from either of those manufacturers.

595
cd/m²
603
cd/m²
636
cd/m²
576
cd/m²
597
cd/m²
635
cd/m²
584
cd/m²
597
cd/m²
647
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 647 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 607.8 cd/m² Minimum: 1.84 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 597 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.23
Huawei P30 Pro
OLED, 2340x1080, 6.47
Huawei P20 Pro
OLED, 2240x1080, 6.10
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
OLED, 3040x1440, 6.40
Apple iPhone Xs Max
OLED, 2688x1242, 6.50
Xiaomi Mi 9
AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.39
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
LCD-IPS, 3840x2160, 5.80
Google Pixel 3 XL
AMOLED, 2960x1440, 6.30
Screen
13%
-34%
9%
19%
-29%
-26%
Brightness middle
597
569
-5%
710
19%
656
10%
593
-1%
477
-20%
410
-31%
Brightness
608
578
-5%
721
19%
659
8%
587
-3%
453
-25%
413
-32%
Brightness Distribution
89
95
7%
97
9%
88
-1%
94
6%
86
-3%
97
9%
Black Level *
0.33
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.2
1.3
41%
3.7
-68%
1.7
23%
0.9
59%
2.1
5%
3.16
-44%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3.6
2.1
42%
10.3
-186%
2.8
22%
2
44%
8.2
-128%
5.5
-53%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.6
1.6
-0%
1.5
6%
1.7
-6%
1.5
6%
1.6
-0%
1.7
-6%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.31 95%
2.1 105%
1.998 110%
2.27 97%
2.28 96%
2.219 99%
CCT
6268 104%
6401 102%
6611 98%
6487 100%
6548 99%
6425 101%
6653 98%
Contrast
1445

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 231.5 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 231.5 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 231.5 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

We also subjected our review unit to further display tests with a photo spectrometer and CalMAN analysis software. Huawei includes several colour and white balance options, the default combination of which is Vivid and standard respectively. The former utilises the DCI P3 colour space, which is wider than sRGB for reference. However, the standard white balance mode gives our review unit’s display too much of a blue tint, but changing the white balance to “Warm” rectifies this.

During our tests we found the most accurate colour mode and white balance combination to be normal and standard, although even this optimal setting does not reach the level of its predecessor. We struggled to notice this in daily use though, as the deviations are largely invisible to the naked eye.

We hope that Huawei introduces an AdobeRGB mode for the P40 Pro too. This colour space offers a larger green coverage than DCI P3 and sRGB and allows for greater colour accuracy.

CalMAN: Greyscale – Normal colour mode, standard white balance, sRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Greyscale – Normal colour mode, standard white balance, sRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Mixed Colours – Normal colour mode, standard white balance, sRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Mixed Colours – Normal colour mode, standard white balance, sRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – Normal colour mode, standard white balance, sRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – Normal colour mode, standard white balance, sRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Space – Normal colour mode, standard white balance, sRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Space – Normal colour mode, standard white balance, sRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Greyscale – Vivid colour mode, standard white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Greyscale – Vivid colour mode, standard white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Mixed Colours – Vivid colour mode, standard white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Mixed Colours – Vivid colour mode, standard white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – Vivid colour mode, standard white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – Vivid colour mode, standard white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Space – Vivid colour mode, standard white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Space – Vivid colour mode, standard white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Greyscale – Vivid colour mode, warm white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Greyscale – Vivid colour mode, warm white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Mixed Colours – Vivid colour mode, warm white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Mixed Colours – Vivid colour mode, warm white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – Vivid colour mode, warm white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Saturation – Vivid colour mode, warm white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Space – Vivid colour mode, warm white balance, DCI P3 target colour space
CalMAN: Colour Space – Vivid colour mode, warm white balance, DCI P3 target colour space

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
3.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 1.6 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
3.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 1.6 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The P30 Pro is easy to use outdoors thanks to its bright OLED panel. We had no issues with using our review unit even under bright spring sunshine, although the glass has a glossier finish than we would have liked, which is highly reflective.

Using the Huawei P30 Pro outside in the spring sun
Using the Huawei P30 Pro outside in the spring sun
Using the Huawei P30 Pro in the shade
Using the Huawei P30 Pro in the shade

The P30 Pro has excellent viewing angles thanks to its OLED panel. A minor blue tint appears at acute viewing angles, and the brightness drops off slightly, but this should not prevent you from being able to read the P30 Pro from practically any angle.

Viewing Angles
Viewing Angles

Performance

Huawei has equipped the P30 Pro with its HiSilicon Kirin 980 SoC, which we have also tested in the Mate 20 Pro and Honor View 20. Huawei manufacturers the Kirin 980 on a 7 nm FinFET process and uses a mixture of Cortex A76 and A55 cores. The SoC has two Cortex A76 performance cores that can clock up to 2.6 GHz and two others that can reach 1.92 GHz. Moreover, there are four power-saving Cortex A55 cores that can clock up to 1.8 GHz. The Kirin 980 also integrates an ARM Mali-G76 MP10 GPU and is complemented with either 6 GB or 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. Incidentally, EMUI 9.1 also premieres GPU Turbo 3.0.

Our review unit performed at expected levels in synthetic benchmarks for a Kirin 980 powered device. The SoC still holds its own against newer chips such as the Exynos 9820 and Snapdragon 855, although it has a weaker GPU than its competitors. Incidentally, the Kirin 980 has the same GPU as the Exynos 9820 but with two fewer cores activated. It is worth noting that the P30 Pro consistently performed worse than the Mate 20 Pro in benchmarks for some reason, but you should not notice the difference in daily use.

Moreover, the P30 Pro has excellent system performance and always delivered a smooth experience during our tests. We noticed some minor stutters occasionally during heavy multitasking, but this is only a minor criticism. 

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
3306 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4505 Points +36%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
4774 Points +44%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3523 Points +7%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
2457 Points -26%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
2325 Points -30%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
1922 Points -42%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (3207 - 3378, n=9)
3303 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +53%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
9880 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
10259 Points +4%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
11244 Points +14%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
10999 Points +11%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
8522 Points -14%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
8292 Points -16%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
6756 Points -32%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (9547 - 10024, n=9)
9838 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +37%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
8574 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
10177 Points +19%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
7482 Points -13%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
14417 Points +68%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
10876 Points +27%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
8025 Points -6%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (5677 - 9870, n=9)
7355 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +24%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
12996 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
9793 Points -25%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
10985 Points -15%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
9858 Points -24%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
11180 Points -14%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
8115 Points -38%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (9728 - 13531, n=10)
11164 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +16%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
9135 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
7812 Points -14%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
9035 Points -1%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
8178 Points -10%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
9029 Points -1%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
6982 Points -24%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (7567 - 9326, n=10)
8433 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +19%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
51779 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
55740 Points +8%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
77599 Points +50%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
62225 Points +20%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
64152 Points +24%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
34855 Points -33%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
30176 Points -42%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (34035 - 57073, n=10)
43799 Points -15%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
63469 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
70318 Points +11%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
159735 Points +152%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
106534 Points +68%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
81502 Points +28%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
53794 Points -15%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
33472 Points -47%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (42128 - 67956, n=10)
53280 Points -16%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
31483 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
32302 Points +3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
27717 Points -12%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
25339 Points -20%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
36762 Points +17%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
15614 Points -50%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
22441 Points -29%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (19993 - 37164, n=10)
27047 Points -14%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
4969 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4465 Points -10%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
5205 Points +5%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
7166 Points +44%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
5492 Points +11%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
6180 Points +24%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3223 Points -35%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2567 - 5638, n=10)
4152 Points -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points -29%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
5431 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
5303 Points -2%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
7055 Points +30%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
9963 Points +83%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
8219 Points +51%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
7780 Points +43%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3335 Points -39%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2347 - 6111, n=10)
4277 Points -21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points -28%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
3828 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
2875 Points -25%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
2713 Points -29%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3614 Points -6%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
2541 Points -34%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
3594 Points -6%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
2885 Points -25%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (3548 - 4436, n=10)
3942 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points -21%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
5313 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4052 Points -24%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
6667 Points +25%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
7449 Points +40%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
5438 Points +2%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
6228 Points +17%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3360 Points -37%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2525 - 5990, n=10)
4247 Points -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points +70%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
5767 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4449 Points -23%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
10374 Points +80%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
10291 Points +78%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
7609 Points +32%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
8380 Points +45%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3503 Points -39%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2536 - 6350, n=10)
4495 Points -22%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points +173%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
4164 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
3087 Points -26%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
2961 Points -29%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3788 Points -9%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
2721 Points -35%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
3280 Points -21%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
2940 Points -29%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2421 - 4997, n=10)
3580 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points +4%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
4264 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4452 Points +4%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
3544 Points -17%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
5509 Points +29%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
4734 Points +11%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
4662 Points +9%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
2996 Points -30%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2276 - 4835, n=10)
3929 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points -37%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
4400 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
5186 Points +18%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
3726 Points -15%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
6355 Points +44%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
5190 Points +18%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
5089 Points +16%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3017 Points -31%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2082 - 4937, n=10)
3960 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points -39%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
3849 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
2977 Points -23%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
3027 Points -21%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3758 Points -2%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
3620 Points -6%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
3605 Points -6%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
2926 Points -24%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (3380 - 4509, n=10)
3889 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points -19%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
4317 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4529 Points +5%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
4121 Points -5%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
5913 Points +37%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
4555 Points +6%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
5133 Points +19%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3070 Points -29%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2611 - 5102, n=10)
3823 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=174, last 2 years)
6545 Points +52%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
4361 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
5371 Points +23%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
4828 Points +11%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
7076 Points +62%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
5651 Points +30%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
5789 Points +33%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3109 Points -29%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2747 - 5157, n=10)
3997 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=173, last 2 years)
9330 Points +114%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
4171 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
2925 Points -30%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
2723 Points -35%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3754 Points -10%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
2713 Points -35%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
3676 Points -12%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
2942 Points -29%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2227 - 4917, n=10)
3461 Points -17%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points 0%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
60 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
58 fps -3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
60 fps 0%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
60 fps 0%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
60 fps 0%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
60 fps 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
60 fps 0%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (55 - 62, n=10)
58.7 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +39%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
138 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
96 fps -30%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
226 fps +64%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
167 fps +21%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
150 fps +9%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
140 fps +1%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
121 fps -12%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (68 - 138, n=10)
109.5 fps -21%
Average of class Smartphone
  (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +76%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
59 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
53 fps -10%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
59 fps 0%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
60 fps +2%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
58 fps -2%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
37 fps -37%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
54 fps -8%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (37 - 60, n=10)
54.8 fps -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +21%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
91 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
67 fps -26%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
107 fps +18%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
100 fps +10%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
71 fps -22%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
56 fps -38%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
61 fps -33%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (40 - 91, n=10)
70 fps -23%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +52%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
47 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
37 fps -21%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
58.9 fps +25%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
58 fps +23%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
56 fps +19%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
25 fps -47%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
36 fps -23%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (24 - 54, n=10)
43.4 fps -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.7 - 158, n=178, last 2 years)
60.2 fps +28%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
56 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
67 fps +20%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
69.3 fps +24%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
69 fps +23%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
58 fps +4%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
45 fps -20%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
39 fps -30%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (25 - 56, n=10)
45.2 fps -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.2 - 279, n=178, last 2 years)
97 fps +73%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
27 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
23 fps -15%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
31 fps +15%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
38 fps +41%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
37 fps +37%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
18 fps -33%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
22 fps -19%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (15 - 30, n=10)
24 fps -11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (5 - 117, n=178, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +59%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
33 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
43 fps +30%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
40 fps +21%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
42 fps +27%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
35 fps +6%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
33 fps 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
23 fps -30%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (17 - 33, n=10)
28.8 fps -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.9 - 166, n=178, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +78%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
32 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
26 fps -19%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
47 fps +47%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
37 fps +16%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
40 fps +25%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
23 fps -28%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (18 - 33, n=9)
29.8 fps -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=218, last 2 years)
43.3 fps +35%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
36 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
46 fps +28%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
36.8 fps +2%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
41 fps +14%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
38 fps +6%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
23 fps -36%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (30 - 37, n=9)
33.2 fps -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=218, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +75%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
20 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
16 fps -20%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
32.1 fps +61%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
24 fps +20%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
25 fps +25%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
14 fps -30%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (19 - 21, n=9)
20.3 fps +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +61%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
14 fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
17 fps +21%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
16.3 fps +16%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
16 fps +14%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
14 fps 0%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
8.6 fps -39%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (13 - 14, n=9)
13.7 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=218, last 2 years)
25 fps +79%
Basemark GPU 1.1
1920x1080 Vulkan Medium Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
30.67 (5.93min - 132.19max) fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
38.5 (9.69min - 72.94max) fps +26%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
35.63 fps +16%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
11.8 (5.55min - 28.23max) fps -62%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (25.6 - 30.7, n=2)
28.1 fps -8%
Vulkan Medium Native (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
28.46 (9.24min - 54.37max) fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
27.18 (8.36min - 46.5max) fps -4%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
32.2 fps +13%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
10.52 (5min - 27.66max) fps -63%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (16.9 - 28.5, n=2)
22.7 fps -20%
1920x1080 OpenGL Medium Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
27.02 (2.8min - 80.83max) fps
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
32.26 (8.31min - 85.07max) fps +19%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
37.41 fps +38%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
24.45 (9.63min - 65.63max) fps -10%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (27 - 29.1, n=2)
28.1 fps +4%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
316199 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
333277 Points +5%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
302955 Points -4%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
374820 Points +19%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
246366 Points -22%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
285269 Points -10%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
207959 Points -34%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (268359 - 322616, n=10)
295586 Points -7%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
247307 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
273655 Points +11%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
257246 Points +4%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
226124 Points -9%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
215632 Points -13%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
179709 Points -27%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (245662 - 254229, n=9)
250407 Points +1%
VRMark - Amber Room (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
5020 Score
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4967 Score -1%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
4964 Score -1%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
1980 Score -61%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (5020 - 5025, n=2)
5023 Score 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1010 - 10071, n=14, last 2 years)
5281 Score +5%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
4701 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4520 Points -4%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
4895 Points +4%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
4595 Points -2%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
4288 Points -9%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
3291 Points -30%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3271 Points -30%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (4014 - 4746, n=10)
4446 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +21%
System (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
8572 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
8344 Points -3%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
11675 Points +36%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
8441 Points -2%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
8418 Points -2%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
4417 Points -48%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
5965 Points -30%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (7597 - 8604, n=10)
8146 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +12%
Memory (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
5210 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
4306 Points -17%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
1815 Points -65%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
4031 Points -23%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
3704 Points -29%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
2825 Points -46%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
4050 Points -22%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (5116 - 6283, n=10)
5580 Points +7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +20%
Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
7758 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
8401 Points +8%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
15659 Points +102%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
9270 Points +19%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
7743 Points 0%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
7989 Points +3%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
3725 Points -52%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (4963 - 7758, n=10)
6484 Points -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +79%
Web (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
1409 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
1383 Points -2%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
1731 Points +23%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
1378 Points -2%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 6144
1400 Points -1%
Google Pixel 3 XL
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630, 4096
1176 Points -17%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
1273 Points -10%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (1239 - 1462, n=10)
1343 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +6%
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value)
Huawei P30 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 8192
1627 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Exynos 9820, Mali-G76 MP12, 8192
1928 Points +19%
Apple iPhone Xs Max
Apple A12 Bionic, A12 Bionic GPU, 4096
2407 Points +48%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
1415 Points -13%
Huawei P20 Pro
HiSilicon Kirin 970, Mali-G72 MP12, 6144
887 Points -45%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (1571 - 1627, n=2)
1599 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (177 - 6114, n=61, last 2 years)
2145 Points +32%

The P30 Pro also excelled in browser benchmarks, but it could not touch the iPhone XS Max, which is the case with all Android smartphones that we have recently tested. Our review unit performed strongly in WebXPRT and Speedometer though.

Likewise, even complex websites loaded quickly during our tests, as did media content. In short, you should experience no lags or stutters when browsing the web or using Chrome-based apps.

WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
155 Points +27%
Average of class Smartphone (37 - 304, n=118, last 2 years)
130.7 Points +7%
Huawei P30 Pro (Chrome 73)
122 Points
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (Samsung Browser 9.0)
115 Points -6%
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
108 Points -11%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (86 - 124, n=10)
105.1 Points -14%
Google Pixel 3 XL (Chrome 70)
100 Points -18%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
75 Points -39%
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
69 Points -43%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
43114 Points +92%
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +49%
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
24534 Points +9%
Huawei P30 Pro (Chrome 73)
22447 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (20618 - 23285, n=10)
21733 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (Samsung Browser 9.0)
20849 Points -7%
Google Pixel 3 XL (Chrome 70)
16228 Points -28%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
13360 Points -40%
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
11584 Points -48%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 65)
3852 ms * -92%
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium (Chrome 68)
3179 ms * -58%
Google Pixel 3 XL (Chrome 70)
2785 ms * -39%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (1948 - 3098, n=10)
2176 ms * -8%
Huawei P30 Pro (Chrome 73)
2009 ms *
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
1873 ms * +7%
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (Samsung Browser 9.0)
1857 ms * +8%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +17%
Apple iPhone Xs Max (Safari 12)
603 ms * +70%
Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=167, last 2 years)
104 Points +72%
Huawei P30 Pro (Chrome 73)
60.5 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73)
57.2 Points -5%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (48.4 - 60.9, n=6)
53.1 Points -12%
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (Samung Browser 9.0)
44.13 Points -27%
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 74)
24.49 Points -60%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=151, last 2 years)
104.7 runs/min +54%
Huawei P30 Pro (Chrome 73)
67.8 runs/min
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
65.7 runs/min -3%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (58.3 - 67.8, n=6)
61.7 runs/min -9%
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (Samsung Browser 9.0)
56 runs/min -17%
Huawei P20 Pro (Chrome 74)
27.1 runs/min -60%

* ... smaller is better

Huawei sells the P30 Pro with 128, 256 or 512 GB of UFS 2.1 storage, although the latter is not currently available in all regions. Our review unit is the 256 GB model, for reference. The internal storage achieved excellent read and write speeds in AndroBench, with our review unit only finishing below the Xiaomi Mi 9 of our comparison devices. 

As mentioned earlier, Huawei has equipped the P30 Pro with an NM card reader. While this is an improvement on its predecessor, which did not support expandable storage, NM cards are currently more expensive than their microSD counterparts without offering any benefits to the end user. Our table below demonstrates this, with our review unit just edging out the Galaxy S10+ and its microSD card reader in AndroBench. We doubt that most people would care, or notice, the 11.5% difference in transfer speeds between the P30 Pro and Galaxy S10+. Moreover, our review unit finished on par with the average of devices that we have tested with 256 GB of UFS 2.1 flash storage. In short, NM cards currently feel gimmicky and a way for Huawei to push a proprietary format for the sake of it.

Huawei P30 ProHuawei P20 ProSamsung Galaxy S10 PlusXiaomi Mi 9Sony Xperia XZ2 PremiumGoogle Pixel 3 XLAverage 256 GB UFS 2.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-10%
-23%
6%
-45%
-21%
-2%
127%
Sequential Read 256KB
849
832
-2%
811
-4%
666
-22%
749
-12%
633
-25%
826 ?(496 - 984, n=22)
-3%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
73%
Sequential Write 256KB
250.8
196.7
-22%
249.1
-1%
388.3
55%
171
-32%
228.6
-9%
358 ?(198.5 - 914, n=22)
43%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
330%
Random Read 4KB
174.4
144.3
-17%
135.2
-22%
149.4
-14%
136
-22%
120.8
-31%
166.6 ?(108.4 - 265, n=22)
-4%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
39%
Random Write 4KB
159.2
160.5
1%
22.7
-86%
165.3
4%
21.75
-86%
132.7
-17%
141.5 ?(22.1 - 280, n=22)
-11%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
67%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
82.6 ?(Huawei NanoSD 128 GB)
73 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-12%
34.18 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-59%
66.8 ?(25.5 - 82.6, n=4)
-19%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
68.2 ?(Huawei NanoSD 128 GB)
60.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-11%
30.23 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-56%
56.3 ?(16.7 - 73.3, n=4)
-17%

Games

The Kirin 980 is a capable gaming SoC, as we saw in our Mate 20 Pro and View 20 tests. However, the former could not even average 25 FPS in "PUBG Mobile" at high graphics. Surprisingly, the View 20 averaged almost 40 FPS.

Hence, we fired up GameBench to record what framerates our P30 Pro review unit achieved. Things started well, with "World of Tanks" and "Battle Bay" both locked at 60 FPS. "PUBG Mobile" currently seems to be a thorn in Huawei’s side as the P30 Pro only averaged 30 FPS. While this is noticeably smoother than what the Mate 20 Pro achieves, the game needs some more fine tuning to run well on Huawei hardware.

EMUI 9.1 introduces GPU Turbo 3.0, which should provide performance advantages for some games, the most prominent of which is "Fortnite", currently. Please see the corresponding XDA article for more information.

Overall, and except for "PUBG Mobile", the P30 Pro is an excellent smartphone for gamers. Its large display provides a good overview of in-game action, while all sensors and the touchscreen responded flawlessly throughout our tests. The speakers deliver an imperssive experience too, although the placement of the main speaker means that it is easy to cover with a hand while holding the device in two hands.

Battle Bay
PUBG Mobile
World of Tanks Blitz
PUBG Mobile
051015202530Tooltip
Huawei P30 Pro; 0.11.0: Ø30 (26-31)
World of Tanks
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Huawei P30 Pro; 5.9.0.669: Ø60.1 (44-61)
Battle Bay
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Huawei P30 Pro; 4.3.22176: Ø60.2 (60-61)

Emissions

Temperature

GFXBench battery test: T-Rex - OpenGL ES 2.0
GFXBench battery test: T-Rex - OpenGL ES 2.0
GFXBench battery test: Manhattan - OpenGL ES 3.1
GFXBench battery test: Manhattan - OpenGL ES 3.1

The P30 Pro is a comparatively hot device and even feels warm to the touch at idle. Surface temperatures on our review unit average 30.7 °C (~87 °F) at idle but can reach a maximum of 36.5 °C (~98 °F) under sustained load. In short, the P30 Pro will never feel overly hot, but we would have expected it to operate more coolly when it is just idling.

We also subjected our review unit to looped GFXBench battery tests to determine how the device manages its performance under sustained load. The P30 breezed through the older T-Rex test and maintained consistent framerates throughout our 30-minute loop. However, the device struggled in the more complex Manhattan test and fluctuated between extremes. Occasionally it throttled so hard that scores would drop as low as 53% below what the device initially scored, but it then rallied to within 3% of its best scores. Please keep in mind that we did not experience this behaviour during our gaming tests, but it could happen if you push the P30 Pro to its limits.

Max. Load
 35.5 °C
96 F
35.3 °C
96 F
33.4 °C
92 F
 
 36.5 °C
98 F
36.2 °C
97 F
33.2 °C
92 F
 
 35.8 °C
96 F
35.8 °C
96 F
33.5 °C
92 F
 
Maximum: 36.5 °C = 98 F
Average: 35 °C = 95 F
33 °C
91 F
33.4 °C
92 F
33.9 °C
93 F
32.1 °C
90 F
33.4 °C
92 F
34.6 °C
94 F
32.9 °C
91 F
34.2 °C
94 F
34.7 °C
94 F
Maximum: 34.7 °C = 94 F
Average: 33.6 °C = 92 F
Power Supply (max.)  28.8 °C = 84 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.5 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 34.7 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.4 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heatmap of the front of the device under load
Heatmap of the front of the device under load
Heatmap of the back of the device under load
Heatmap of the back of the device under load

Speakers

Pink noise speaker characteristics
Pink noise speaker characteristics

The P30 Pro has stereo speakers, of which one sits on the bottom edge of the frame, while the other Huawei positions directly below the display. There is Dolby Atmos support too, which should optimise audio for both the speakers and any headphones that are connected.

While our frequency tables suggest that the P30 Pro’s speakers reproduce mid and high frequencies linearly, this did not correlate with audio being outputted cleanly during our tests. Music tends to sound unbalanced and distorted, which we narrowed down to the spike in volume between 2 kHz and 5 kHz, which peaks at 4 kHz. Moreover, lower mid tones are all but absent, but this is a problem of most smartphones and even some laptops. We should also point out that the main speaker is the one on the underside of the device; the one under the display delivers a comparatively thin sound.

Hence, we suggest listening to music using headphones or speakers, where possible. Disappointingly, Huawei does not include a Type-C to headphone jack adapter in the box, but there is a pair of Type-C headphones, which sound ok.

The P30 Pro supports a plethora of Bluetooth codecs too, including aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC, which is exemplary. We only wish that Huawei had included Bluetooth Dual Audio, but that is a minor gripe.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.537.82523.7323125.8234022.225.75033.1376326.626.58024.223.610023.322.712521.832.916022.545.420018.250.325016.358.231515.66340015.164.950014.167.563013.967.880013.671100014.872.6125013.672.9160013.673.1200013.873.1250014.376.2315014.678.2400014.579.9500014.677.9630014.874.4800014.674.91000014.9771250014.973.61600014.959SPL26.687.5N0.871.6median 14.8median 72.6Delta1.77.934.832.622.424.922.724.923.820.930.930.920.422.42320.821.123.416.936.317.853.315.650.614.855.616.262.714.364.513.865.913.769.814.869.814.673.414.974.713.975.414.276.313.875.714.678.515.578.314.478.814.277.215.174.415.271.515.167.614.863.526.787.80.872.7median 14.8median 71.50.78.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHuawei P30 ProSamsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Huawei P30 Pro audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 6% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 25% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 6% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 25% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

The P30 Pro has surprisingly high power consumption at maximum brightness. Our review unit averaged 2.6 W at idle, which is higher than all but the XZ2 Premium of our comparison devices. By contrast, the Galaxy S10+ consumes over 1 W less as does the P20 Pro. Incidentally, power consumption rose to a whopping 3.78 W at idle when we tested the device outside under direct sunlight, which are the conditions under which the display is at its brightest.

The included 40-W charger recharges our test device fully in under an hour. Moreover, the P30 Pro only needs 10 minutes to reach 30% from 0% and 20 minutes to reach 52%. Likewise, it only takes 30 minutes for the device reach 74% charge.

The P30 Pro can also charge wirelessly at up to 15 W, although at a slower rate than it can with the included wired charger. Additionally, the P30 Pro can wirelessly charge other devices as we discussed earlier. Although this is only a slow method of charging other Qi capable smartphones, they should be fully charged overnight. Some toothbrushes should be able to charge too, although a Philips Sonicare only flashed wildly and did not charge at all.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.01 / 0.11 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.68 / 2.6 / 2.77 Watt
Load midlight 3.74 / 6.82 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Huawei P30 Pro
4200 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
4100 mAh
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3174 mAh
Xiaomi Mi 9
3300 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3540 mAh
Google Pixel 3 XL
3430 mAh
Huawei P20 Pro
4000 mAh
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-7%
3%
14%
-0%
1%
31%
-5%
-3%
Idle Minimum *
0.68
0.73
-7%
1
-47%
0.67
1%
0.67
1%
0.7
-3%
0.84
-24%
0.802 ?(0.6 - 0.97, n=10)
-18%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-31%
Idle Average *
2.6
1.53
41%
1.4
46%
1.26
52%
2.5
4%
1.4
46%
1.54
41%
2.07 ?(0.9 - 2.6, n=10)
20%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
44%
Idle Maximum *
2.77
2.07
25%
1.7
39%
1.29
53%
2.51
9%
2
28%
1.57
43%
2.38 ?(1.83 - 2.77, n=10)
14%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
41%
Load Average *
3.74
6.03
-61%
4.6
-23%
3.71
1%
4.3
-15%
4.8
-28%
2.47
34%
4.87 ?(3.74 - 6.3, n=10)
-30%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-48%
Load Maximum *
6.82
9.18
-35%
6.7
2%
9.3
-36%
6.87
-1%
9.5
-39%
2.49
63%
7.46 ?(6.15 - 9.85, n=10)
-9%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-21%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The P30 Pro has a 4,200 mAh battery that delivers excellent battery life. Huawei has increased the battery capacity by 200 mAh compared to the battery that it included in the P20 Pro. Our review unit achieves better runtimes than its predecessor too, despite its larger display. The P30 Pro has better overall battery life than our comparison devices, so Huawei has done a great job at optimising the device under the hood.

Our Wi-Fi and looped H.264 video battery life tests are the best way to compare battery life between devices as we normalise display brightness at 150 cd/m². Our review unit especially excels here and lasts between 11% and 42% longer than our comparison devices. In short, the P30 Pro has exceptional battery life.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
32h 46min
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 73)
13h 58min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
19h 53min
Load (maximum brightness)
5h 44min
Huawei P30 Pro
4200 mAh
Huawei P20 Pro
4000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
4100 mAh
Apple iPhone Xs Max
3174 mAh
Xiaomi Mi 9
3300 mAh
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
3540 mAh
Google Pixel 3 XL
3430 mAh
Battery Runtime
-14%
-33%
-28%
-28%
-39%
-21%
Reader / Idle
1966
1727
-12%
1560
-21%
1305
-34%
1650
-16%
1347
-31%
1725
-12%
H.264
1193
784
-34%
921
-23%
801
-33%
1008
-16%
520
-56%
724
-39%
WiFi v1.3
838
744
-11%
483
-42%
742
-11%
546
-35%
547
-35%
691
-18%
Load
344
345
0%
187
-46%
223
-35%
194
-44%
235
-32%
299
-13%

Pros

+ great Leica quad rear-facing cameras
+ bright OLED panel
+ IP68 water resistant and dustproof
+ Expandable storage
+ strong battery life
+ USB 3.1 with HDMI and DisplayPort out
+ fast wired and wireless charging

Cons

- mediocre speakers
- no headphone jack adapter in the box
- video mode has room for improvement
- not always optimal gaming performance
- Hybrid second SIM slot

Verdict

The Huawei P30 Pro smartphone review. Test device courtesy of Huawei Germany.
The Huawei P30 Pro smartphone review. Test device courtesy of Huawei Germany.

The Huawei P30 Pro is one of the flagship smartphones to beat in 2019. The device has a modern design that is underpinned by excellent hardware. The Kirin 980 SoC gives the system plenty of power even though it comparatively struggles in some games such as "PUBG Mobile". Its 8 GB of RAM and at least 128 GB of internal storage should keep most people happy too. We also like that Huawei has included the option of adding expandable storage, even if it is their proprietary nano memory card format.

Huawei has not skimped on the details either. The P30 Pro is IP68 certified against dust and water, while it can wirelessly charge other devices like the Mate 20 Pro and the Galaxy S10 series can. In general, the P30 Pro shares many of its features with the Mate 20 Pro, albeit it lacks the 3D facial recognition that its counterpart possesses.

The Leica quad camera is the star of the show, but the Huawei P30 Pro excels in other areas too and offers a compelling flagship experience. We hope that Huawei improves its video performance though, which does not currently do its technically superior optics justice.

The P30 Pro has vastly superior cameras compared to those with which Huawei equipped its predecessor. The P30 Pro excels in low-light and captures details that even the naked eye will struggle to pick out. It also delivers class-leading zoom shots, which are miles better than the competition. However, its cameras have their shortcomings. The white balance was consistently too red in our tests, while its video capabilities leave a lot to be desired. We hope that Huawei addresses our concerns in an upcoming update, but a €1,000 (~$1,120) smartphone should be able to shoot in Ultra HD at 60 FPS out of the box, which the P30 Pro currently cannot.

Overall, the Huawei P30 Pro is an excellent smartphone if you are prepared to spend big. The device will not let you down if you do though, and has great cameras with battery life to match.

Huawei P30 Pro - 09/03/2022 v7
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
92%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 90%
Pointing Device
97%
Connectivity
66 / 70 → 95%
Weight
89%
Battery
91%
Display
91%
Games Performance
48 / 64 → 75%
Application Performance
77 / 86 → 90%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
82 / 90 → 91%
Camera
81%
Average
83%
89%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Daniel Schmidt, 2019-03-31 (Update: 2019-04-11)