Huawei P50 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Which is Better?

The Huawei P50 Pro and iPhone 13 pro max are both advanced models of their respective series, making them top phone choices for many users. Although both phones have some similarities, they also have their differences, and strengths and weaknesses. 

While Apple fans may favour the iPhone 13 Pro, Android lovers will automatically gravitate toward the Huawei P50 Pro. Released in 2021, the P50 Pro by Huawei is a high-end flagship device that has impressive features such as water resistance, fast refresh rate, and long-lasting battery life, amongst others.

The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max was also released in 2021, and it comes packed with an A15 Bionic processor, excellent design and build a composition, sharp camera quality, and a range of storage options. 

Design and Build Quality Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro has a display screen that is curved at the left and right edges to give an expansive viewing experience. The front and the back panels are built with glass, while the frame is built with aluminium. The back panel has a fog-like finish to reduce light reflection and glossiness, especially when using it outdoors. It is available in Golden Black, Cocoa Gold, Pearl White, and Charm Pink.

Measuring 158.8 mm x 72.8 mm x 8.5 mm (6.25in x 2.8in7 x 0.33in) and weighing 195g (6.88oz), the Huawei P50 Pro is portable. The IP68 rating offers protection from water/moisture and dust, limited to a depth of 1.5 m for 30 minutes. Exceeding the limit is creating damage to the P50 Pro. It also has a dedicated slot for single (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The Apple iPhone 3 Pro Max does not fall short of Apple’s exquisite design for its smartphones. Its overall build is a rectangular form with curved edges that portray beauty. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has its front and back panels built with glass (corning-made glass) with a stainless steel frame. It is big in terms of its size as it measures 160.8 mm x 78.1 mm x 7.7 mm (6.33in x 3.07in x 0.30in) and weighs 240g (8.47oz), yet it gives you quality in its small stature. It is available in Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, and Alpine Green.

On the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a dedicated SIM slot for a Nano-SIM and e-SIM or Dual SIM. One of its amazing features is its IP68-rated protection from dust/water for up to 30 minutes in a 6 m water depth. To keep your iPhone 13 Pro Max safe, staying within the limit is necessary. 

Display and Screen Resolution Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro comes with an amazing 6.6inches OLED display with a 1B colour composition and a 120Hz refresh rate to eliminate slow processing. The balance in the design is its 91.2% screen-to-body ratio, which is visible from its 1228 x 2700 pixels screen resolution with a 450ppi pixel density.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a stunning 6.7inches Super Retina XDR OLED display that has up to 120Hz refresh rate. The display also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision for solid visual appeal and clarity. A screen resolution of 1284 x 2778 pixels, a 19.5:9 screen ratio, and a 458ppi pixel density make the viewing experience more pleasing. The iPhone 13 Pro Max also has an 87.4% screen-to-body ratio and caps it up with scratch-resistant ceramic shield glass.

Processor, RAM and Storage Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro comes with two ranges of processors – a Kirin 9000 (5 nm) and a Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm) chipset. The Kirin 9000 (5 nm) has an octa-core (1×3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3×2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4×2.05 GHz Cortex-A55) CPU and a Mali-G78 MP24 GPU, made for Huawei users in China. The Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm) chipset also has an octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3×2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) CPU and an Adreno 660 GPU for solid graphics and display performance.

The Huawei P50 Pro has four RAM and storage options to choose from:

• 8 GB RAM, 128 GB internal storage
• 8 GB RAM, 256 GB internal storage
• 8 GB RAM, 512 GB internal storage
• 12 GB RAM, 512 GB storage

Just in case, these storage options are not sufficient for you to store your files, you can expand storage with a Nano Memory card slot of up to 256 GB.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max has an incredibly fast Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) chipset with a Hexa-core (2×3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4×1.82 GHz Blizzard) CPU and an Apple GPU (5-core graphics). It also has four storage options to select from:

• 6 GB RAM, 128 GB internal storage
• 6 GB RAM, 256 GB internal storage
• 6 GB RAM, 512 GB internal storage
• 6 GB RAM, 1 TB internal storage
• Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe)

With these storage ranges (especially the 6 GB, 1 TB internal storage), you have sufficient storage for all your files, and as such, you don’t need to worry about this phone not having an expandable memory slot.

Camera and Imaging Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The P50 Pro has a quad main camera setup at the back with the following:

• 50MP wide (f/1.8, 23 mm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS) camera
• 64MP periscope telephoto (f/3.5, 90 mm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom, 7x lossless zoom) camera
• 13MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 13 mm, AF) camera
• 40MP (f/1.6, 23 mm, B/W, AF) camera

The main camera features Leica optics, dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR for detailed photo and video recordings in 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@960fps, and gyro-EIS (for stability).

In front is a 13MP wide (f/2.4, AF) camera, which features panorama and HDR for great selfie photos and video recordings in 4K@30fps, and 1080p@30/60/240fps. The maximum zoom range for the Huawei P50 Pro is 10x. At 10x, some details are lost, making the image look frail and amateur.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is a triple main camera setup with:

• 12 MP (f/1.5, 26 mm, 1/1.7″, 1.9 µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS) wide camera
• 12 MP (f/2.8, 77 mm, PDAF, 1/3.5″, OIS, 3x optical zoom) telephoto camera
• 12 MP (f/1.8, 13 mm, 120˚, 1/3.5″, PDAF) ultrawide camera

The main camera has Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) features that enhance photo and video qualities in 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode (1080p@30fps), and stereo sound rec.

In front is a 12 MP (f/2.2, 23 mm, 1/3.6″) wide camera with SL 3D (depth/biometric sensors) that makes Face ID recognition possible. It also features HDR for great selfie photos and video recordings in 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, and gyro-EIS for stability.  The best photos are not taken with the maximum zoom range as it takes away a part of the details in the image.

Battery Life and Charging Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro has a non-removable Li-Po battery with a 4360mAh capacity that supports 66W fast charging and 50W wireless charging. This is arguably fast. On a single full charge, the battery can last for about a day (with moderate usage), while heavy users get approximately 12 hours of usage.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max comes with a 16.75Wh non–removable Li-Po battery with a 4352mAh capacity. The battery has wired and PD 2.0 charging support. With the 15W wired (MagSafe) and 7.5 (Qi) charging, you get 50% in 30 minutes. On moderate usage, the battery can last for up to two days.

Operating System and Software Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro has two operating systems – the Harmony OS 2.0 for Chinese users) and the EMUI 12 (for European users) which runs on Android 11, as a result of sanctions on the OS in some countries outside China. Huawei has released an updated version of the EMUI, from version 12 to version 12.0.1.196, in 2022. 

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max runs on the iOS 15 operating system, which is the closest to iOS 16. The iOS 15 operating software can be upgraded to iOS 16.3 to enhance the performance of the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The iOS 16 comes with features that enhance the user interface and organisation of the iPhone 13 Pro Max. 

User Experience and User Interface Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro gives you a great viewing experience with its large display screen that brings you closer to the action on your smartphone. The display provides maximum colour output, though it can still be improved. The battery is not as impressive as it does not pair properly with the strength of the Snapdragon 888 processor. The image output also looks average despite its quad camera composition, and not having Google Play Services makes it a bit tasking to operate at first because Google apps make it easy for you to set up your emails on your P50 Pro.

Although the EMUI 12 runs on Android 11 OS, the User Interface is not oddly designed as you can access notifications and feature icons by sliding from the top of the screen. There are no hidden on-the-go feature icons that cannot be found in the notifications bar. Further updates on the OS make the UI more attractive in terms of themes, animations, fonts, and icon identification.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max has an excellent hardware composition and attractive design. The battery is not the best in terms of capacity to run the features of the phone and optimization of the software. The display is also great but lacks a 10-bit display. It is also considerably big to be placed in your pocket, even though it has great durability. The 120Hz refresh rate is toned down to 80Hz when dialling and works as 120Hz when screen recording. 

The iPhone 13 Pro Max user interface is not well maximized for one-hand usage like Android phones as a result of iOS 15, and the bottom screen can only take four icons. The theme is excellent, which makes for great wallpapers and backgrounds for your lock screen and home screen. The iPhone 13 Pro Max does not have a home button, so your screen is utterly occupied by icons which makes swiping the only option.

Connectivity and Network Support Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro has a maximum of 4G network support.

• WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
• Bluetooth: 5.2, A2DP, LE
• Positioning GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC
• NFC: Yes
• Infrared port: Yes
• Radio: No
• USB USB Type-C 3.1, OTG

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a maximum of 5G network support and has the following connectivity options:

• WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
• Bluetooth: 5.0, A2DP, LE
• Positioning: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
• NFC: Yes 
• Radio: No
• USB: Lightning, USB 2.0

Price and Value for Money Comparison

The price of both smartphones is determined by the storage specifications of both phones. The Huawei P50 Pro has a starting price of $830. While it might be considered to be slightly pricey for the features and user experiences it offers, this phone provides great value for its worth. 

The iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, has a starting price of $1099 and is worth the buy, considering its advanced features and specifications.

Audio and Speaker Quality Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The audio quality of the Huawei P50 Pro is excellent for a flagship phone, thanks to the microphone mounted at the bottom. The sound from the stereo speakers of the Huawei has great tonal, EQ, and bass balance. The Huawei P50 Pro provides sound separation and clarity, and its dual speakers emit sounds at 86.4dB, which is within its safe limits.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max also has great audio quality with three microphones. The audio output for an audio or video recording offers clarity and EQ balance. While playing music, the audio has more of a treble tone. The speakers are great, too but can get impaired by resonances and distortion at maximum and nominal levels, which alters the sound quality. The safe limit of its speaker is 72.5 dB.

Security and Privacy Features Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The major security and privacy features of the Huawei P50 Pro are it’s Under Display Fingerprint, which technically hides the fingerprint area on the screen while using the phone. It also comes with a Face ID lock and an App Lock feature that keeps your applications private. This can be activated from the settings on your P50 Pro.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a host of security and privacy features to keep your data private. Some of these are:

• iCloud Private Relay
• Safari Privacy Report
• Auto-generate strong passwords
• Face ID
• Find My App (helps you locate your phone if stolen or misplaced)
• Protection from surveillance: Track apps that have access to your camera and microphone.

Gaming Performance Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro has a great display that is good enough to give you good colour output in your games. The Snapdragon 888 processor is fast and reliable for gaming, but the battery of the Huawei P50 can only offer up to 4 hours of game time. Regardless of that, its overall performance for gaming is solid, but it may not perform as well with graphically demanding games like Call of Duty due to suboptimal heat management.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The powerful A15 Bionic engine powering the iPhone 13 Pro Max can handle taxing activities like gaming. Even though graphics-intensive games like Fortnite and PUBG have big file sizes, this phone can operate them smoothly, providing a satisfying gaming experience. The battery life is also impressive, as it offers up to 10 hours and 29 minutes of gaming time.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro supports augmented reality and has augmented reality features embedded in its camera. The AR lens can be activated via your P50 Pro settings. With the AR lens activated, the lens produces features such as flowers that add to your environment when taking photos.

The Huawei P50 Pro also supports Virtual Reality, having a VR glass that you can connect to your smartphone and feel your environment on another level.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

The Augmented Reality (AR) support on the iPhone 13 Pro Max is stunning. This adds life to your environment and enhances imagination using certain applications such as AR Quick Look, IKEA Place, DSLR Camera, and Warby Parker but to mention a few. These applications work in connection with the LiDAR Scanner and TrueDepth cameras on your phone.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max also supports Virtual Reality and brings you closer to your environment with the iPhone 13 Pro Max VR headset that can be easily connected to your phone. The digital inclusion of these features enhances the market value of the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Availability and Support Comparison

Huawei P50 Pro

The Huawei P50 Pro is available for purchase outside China as made possible by the company. It is available on Best Buy, Amazon, and a couple of other online stores as available in the region of the buyer. If you encounter any issues while purchasing or using the P50 Pro, it is advisable to seek support from the company’s website.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

Following the launch of its new iPhone 14 series, Apple has discontinued the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 pro max. This means that the iPhone 13 Pro Max is not available for direct purchase on the Apple website. However, you can purchase from Amazon and Best Buy or any other store peculiar to your region.

In case of any phone-related issues, simply contact Apple Support via their official website.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the features and specifications of the Huawei P50 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are technically not far apart, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max stays ahead of the Huawei P50 Pro. This is thanks to its camera quality, software optimisation, gaming performance, display, storage, security and privacy features. Although it is considered to be pricey, the iPhone 13 Pro Max provides better value for its cost.