Smartphone Comparison: Nokia X20 vs. Huawei P50 Pro
1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Nokia X20 | Huawei P50 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 168.9 × 79.7 × 9.1 mm, 220g | 158.8 × 72.8 × 8.5 mm, 195g | Huawei P50 Pro is more compact and lighter, making it more comfortable to hold and use for extended periods. The Nokia X20 is bulkier and heavier. |
| Foldable | Standard | Standard | Both are standard smartphones, no foldable design. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.67" | 6.6" | Practically identical screen size, negligible difference. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1228x2700 | Huawei P50 Pro will have a sharper and more detailed screen, noticeable when viewing high-resolution images or small text. |
| PPI | 395 | 450 | Huawei P50 Pro offers greater clarity and sharper images, smoother text and more detail. |
| Technology | IPS LCD | OLED | Huawei P50 Pro has superior color reproduction, deeper blacks, and better contrast, resulting in more vibrant and engaging visuals. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | Huawei P50 Pro provides noticeably smoother scrolling, animations and gaming experience compared to the Nokia X20. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 0 nits | Both phones have identical peak brightness at 0 nits, making it difficult to judge which one would perform better in bright sunlight. Further information needed. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G (8 nm) | Kirin 9000 (5 nm) | Huawei P50 Pro has a significantly more powerful chipset, leading to faster app loading, better multitasking, and smoother gaming performance. |
| AnTuTu Score | 323,425 | 697,566 | Huawei P50 Pro is significantly faster across the board, more suitable for demanding tasks, heavy applications and gaming. |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Mali-G78 MP24 | Huawei P50 Pro's GPU will handle graphics intensive tasks like gaming much better than the Nokia X20. |
| Camera | |||
| Standard Camera | 64MP, f/1.79, 0.80µm pixel size | 50MP, f/1.8, 1/1.55" sensor, 1.00µm | Nokia X20 has higher resolution, but Huawei P50 Pro with larger pixels and sensor size will likely offer better low-light performance. |
| Selfie Camera | 32MP, f/2.0 | 13MP, f/2.4 | Nokia X20 has a higher-resolution selfie camera, suitable for those who take many selfies. |
| Telephoto Lens | None | 64MP, f/3.4, 1/2", 0.70µm | Huawei P50 Pro allows for optical zoom, enabling better quality zoomed photos, missing on the Nokia X20. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 5MP | None | Nokia X20 offers a wider field of view for landscapes and group photos. |
| Portrait Mode (depth) | 2MP | None | Nokia X20 can capture depth information for a better portrait experience. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP | None | Nokia X20 has a dedicated macro lens for detailed close-up shots. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | None | 13MP, f/2.2, 1/3.06", 1.12µm | Huawei P50 Pro has a wide-angle lens that also has macro functionality. |
| Black & white | None | 40MP, f/1.6, 1/1.7", 1.00µm | Huawei P50 Pro has a dedicated monochrome sensor for enhanced details in black and white photos. |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/960fps with EIS | Huawei P50 Pro offers higher resolution video, and EIS. Nokia X20 offers video in 1080p resolution with slow-motion capabilities. |
| DxOMark Mobile | Not Available | Main: 143; Photo: 143; Video: 139 | Huawei P50 Pro has a well performing main camera based on the DxOMark test results. |
| DxOMark Selfie | Not Available | Main: 144; Photo: 144; Video: 146 | Huawei P50 Pro has a well performing selfie camera based on the DxOMark test results. |
| Camera Features | Variety of basic features | 4K Video, Optical Zoom, OIS, EIS, PDAF, LAF, RAW and many more. | Huawei P50 Pro offers more professional and advanced camera features, including optical zoom, OIS, RAW support and various focus capabilities. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 4470mAh | 4360mAh | Both phones have very similar battery capacities. They should offer comparable battery life. |
| Charging | 18W Fast Charging | 66W Fast Charging, 50W Wireless, Reverse Wireless | Huawei P50 Pro offers much faster wired charging as well as wireless charging, providing more convenience and less charging time. |
| Battery Features | Non-removable | Non-removable, Wireless charging, Reverse Wireless Charging | Huawei P50 Pro includes more convenient wireless charging options and can also charge other devices wirelessly. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to 14 | Unknown | Nokia X20 will get timely software updates and is guaranteed Android 14 update. Operating System for the Huawei P50 Pro is missing. |
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac, dual-band | Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ax, dual-band, Wi-Fi Display, Wi-Fi MiMO | Huawei P50 Pro has the newer Wi-Fi 6 standard, providing faster speeds and improved network performance. |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2, LDAC, SBC, AAC | Huawei P50 Pro supports newer Bluetooth with higher-quality audio codecs for better wireless audio. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, QZSS, L1+L5, GLONASS (L1), BeiDou, Galileo, NavIC | Huawei P50 Pro provides more accurate GPS tracking with more satellite support, especially useful for navigation and location-based services. |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano) | Dual SIM (Nano) | Both offer dual SIM functionality. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 128GB | 128/256/512GB | Huawei P50 Pro offers more storage options for users with large media libraries or many apps. |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB | 8GB/12GB | Huawei P50 Pro has more RAM option, allowing smoother multitasking, and better performance for resource intensive apps. |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone supports expandable storage. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | 2 microphones | Dolby Atmos, Stereo Speakers | Huawei P50 Pro will have superior audio quality and experience due to Dolby Atmos and stereo speakers. |
| Security | |||
| Features | Side-mounted Fingerprint | Basic Fingerprint | Nokia X20 offers a more advanced biometric option with side-mounted sensor. |
| Build Quality | |||
| Protection | Unknown | Unknown | Screen protection for both is not known. |
| Sensors | |||
| Features | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Fingerprint, Proximity, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Barometer | Huawei P50 Pro has more environmental sensors like barometer, Gravity, Hall and RGB sensor. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Nokia X20 Advantages:
- Potentially lower price: Nokia phones are often positioned in a more affordable price range.
- Guaranteed Software Updates: Offers guaranteed Android updates up to Android 14.
- Higher resolution selfie camera: Useful for selfie enthusiasts.
- Dedicated Wide-angle, portrait and macro lenses: Offering flexibility for creative photography.
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor: More convenient and advanced.
Huawei P50 Pro Advantages:
- Superior Performance: The Kirin 9000 chipset significantly outperforms the Snapdragon 480, offering a much smoother and more responsive experience.
- Better Display: OLED technology, higher resolution, and 120Hz refresh rate provide a far better visual experience.
- Superior Camera System: Features telephoto lens, better low-light performance due to the larger pixel size and sensor, and advanced features like OIS, RAW support and 4K recording.
- Faster Charging: 66W fast charging, 50W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging, greatly improving convenience and reducing charging time.
- Better Audio: Dolby Atmos and stereo speakers enhance sound quality for multimedia and gaming.
- Enhanced GPS: Better satellite support for superior location tracking.
- More storage and ram options: Available in higher storage and RAM configurations, better for heavy users and multitasking.
- Newer WiFi and Bluetooth standards: Faster and improved connectivity with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
- Environmental sensors: Includes additional environmental sensors like a barometer.
Trade-offs:
- Nokia X20: While offering a lower price point, it sacrifices performance, display quality, camera features and charging speed.
- Huawei P50 Pro: While superior in most technical aspects, it lacks software update guarantees and is potentially pricier.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Ideal User for Nokia X20:
- Budget-conscious users: Those seeking a dependable smartphone without spending much.
- Users needing good selfies: The 32 MP selfie camera is a good option for casual selfie lovers.
- Users who appreciate software updates: Those looking for a device that will get a stable and updated Android version.
- Users who take close-up and wide-angle pictures: The dedicated macro and wide-angle cameras provide flexibility.
Ideal User for Huawei P50 Pro:
- Performance-focused users: Demanding users who require smooth multitasking, fast app loading and high performance gaming.
- Multimedia enthusiasts: Users who consume a lot of videos and enjoy high-quality audio and visuals.
- Photography lovers: Users who appreciate advanced camera features, good image quality, and flexibility in shooting scenarios.
- Users needing faster charging: Those who need to quickly charge their phone and appreciate wireless charging options.
- Travelers: The superior GPS and more satellites support is ideal for better location tracking.
- Power users Users who need more storage and RAM.
Specific Use Cases:
- Nokia X20: Daily communication, casual social media browsing, taking selfies, capturing basic photos.
- Huawei P50 Pro: High-end gaming, professional photography and videography, video editing, travel and navigation, demanding multi-tasking.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- What is your budget? The Nokia X20 is likely to be the more budget-friendly option.
- How important is performance and camera quality? If these are critical, the Huawei P50 Pro is the clear choice.
- What are your software update needs? If timely updates are necessary, the Nokia X20 is the better option.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1 (Budget-Conscious): If the primary goal is affordability and basic functionality, the Nokia X20 is the more suitable choice.
- Scenario 2 (Performance and Camera): If superior performance, an excellent camera system, and a high-quality display are priorities, the Huawei P50 Pro is the recommended choice.
- Scenario 3 (Balanced Approach): If needing a device with good performance and camera without paying for a premium smartphone, the Nokia X20 should be seriously considered.
- Scenario 4 (Multimedia): If a user watches videos and consumes content, the P50 Pro's display and audio features will be preferable.
- Scenario 5 (Travel): If you want an accurate GPS navigation system, the Huawei P50 Pro is a must.
My Choice
If I had to choose, I would go with the Huawei P50 Pro. While the Nokia X20 has its merits for budget-conscious users, the significant leap in performance, display quality, camera features, and overall experience offered by the P50 Pro justifies the extra cost, for me. I value the ability to take high-quality photos, smooth gaming performance, and a high-quality display for multimedia consumption, and the Huawei P50 Pro excels in all of these areas. I am willing to pay the premium for the superior performance and features that the P50 Pro offers. I would be willing to accept the downside of no software update guarantees for the great technical capabilities of the phone.
