Smartphone Comparison: Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro vs. Huawei Mate 50 Pro
1. Specifications Comparison
Here's a detailed breakdown of the specifications for the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro and Huawei Mate 50 Pro, along with their practical implications:
Design
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro | Huawei Mate 50 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.5 mm | 162.1 x 75.5 x 8.5 mm | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro is slightly taller, while the Mate 50 Pro is a bit wider. Both have the same thickness making them feel comparable in hand. |
| Weight | 208g | 205g | Negligible difference; both phones are relatively heavy, which can feel premium but may also cause fatigue with extended one-hand use. |
Display
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro | Huawei Mate 50 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.81" | 6.74" | Very similar screen size. A difference of 0.07" is barely noticeable. Both are suitable for media consumption and gaming. |
| Resolution | 1440x3200 | 1212x2616 | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro offers significantly sharper images and text due to higher pixel density. The difference is noticeable in tasks involving fine details, reading, and photo viewing. |
| PPI | 515 | 428 | The higher pixel density on the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro provides a clearer and more detailed visual experience, especially when viewing high-resolution content. Text appears crisper and images are sharper. |
| Technology | AMOLED | OLED | Both use excellent display technologies; colors will appear vibrant, and blacks will be deep. AMOLED is a subset of OLED, so the difference is not significant. |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | Both offer smooth scrolling and animations for everyday use, with fluid visuals in games and when navigating the UI. |
| Brightness | 1700 nits | 0 nits (data issue) | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro's display will be much more visible in bright sunlight. It's impossible to compare against the Mate 50 Pro because its brightness information is missing, but assuming the Huawei isn't zero, it is likely still lower. |
Performance
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro | Huawei Mate 50 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G (4 nm) | The Huawei has a newer and more efficient chipset that offers more processing power and potentially better battery management. Note that the Mate 50 Pro is limited to 4G connectivity. |
| AnTuTu Score | 854,267 | 1,022,043 | Huawei Mate 50 Pro demonstrates stronger overall performance in benchmarks, indicating quicker app loading, faster multitasking, and smoother gameplay, with 20% improvement compared to the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 730 | The Adreno 730 in the Huawei Mate 50 Pro will provide better graphics performance, enabling smoother gameplay and better performance in graphically intensive applications compared to the Adreno 660 in the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro |
Camera
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro | Huawei Mate 50 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Camera | 50MP, f/1.95, 1/1.12" sensor, 1.4µm pixels | 50MP, f/1.4, 1/1.56" sensor, 1.0µm pixels | Huawei Mate 50 Pro has a wider aperture, which allows more light to reach the sensor, which means it may perform better in low light situations. Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro has a much larger sensor, which can capture more detail and dynamic range. |
| Selfie Camera | 20MP, f/2.3, 1/3.4" sensor, 0.80µm pixels | 13MP, f/2.4 | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro has higher resolution and a slightly wider aperture, which may result in more detailed and brighter selfies. However, the sensor details for Mate 50 Pro selfie camera are missing. |
| Telephoto Lens | Not present | 64MP, f/3.5, 1/2" sensor, 0.70µm pixels | Huawei Mate 50 Pro offers dedicated optical zoom capabilities for better distant shots. It would perform better at capturing details from far away compared to using digital zoom on the Mi 11 Pro. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 13MP, f/2.2, 1/3.06" sensor, 1.12µm pixels | 12MP, f/2.2 | Both have similar capabilities for capturing wide landscapes or group photos, with the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro having a marginally higher megapixel count. However, sensor details for Mate 50 Pro wide camera are missing. |
| Telephoto + Macro | 8MP, 1/4.4" sensor, 1.00µm pixels | Not present | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro offers dedicated telephoto macro capabilities for capturing zoomed close up images |
| Video Recording | Up to 8K@24fps | Up to 4K@60fps | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro has higher resolution video recording capabilities. Both offer excellent quality video, but the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro is capable of creating professional-grade video content. |
| DxOMark Score | Main: 124 (Photo: 118, Video: 132) | Main: 149 (Photo: 152, Video: 141) Selfie: 145 (Photo: 147, Video: 143) | Huawei Mate 50 Pro offers significantly better camera quality as indicated by much higher scores, and much better performance in photography and video recording. Additionally, the Mate 50 Pro was tested in the selfie category, indicating better front-camera performance compared to Mi 11 Pro. |
Battery
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro | Huawei Mate 50 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 4700mAh | The Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro has a slightly larger battery, which may provide marginally better battery life. However, real-world battery life depends on usage patterns. |
| Charging | 67W fast charging | 66W fast charging | Both offer fast charging, with the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro only slightly faster. Charging times are likely to be comparable. |
| Wireless Charging | 67W wireless, 10W reverse wireless | 50W wireless, 7.5W reverse wireless | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro offers faster wireless and reverse wireless charging, but the difference is unlikely to be a significant factor. |
Other
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro | Huawei Mate 50 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 11 | Unknown | Android version on the Mi 11 Pro is known, but no OS information on the Mate 50 Pro, which is a major disadvantage for the Mate 50 Pro. |
| Storage | 128 GB or 256GB | 256GB or 512 GB | Mate 50 Pro offers more storage capacity at higher end of storage range, double the storage space compared to Xiaomi. Neither has expandable storage. |
| RAM | 8 GB or 12 GB | 8GB | Mi 11 Pro has the higher range of RAM, great for heavy multitasking and gaming. |
| 5G Connectivity | Yes | No | The Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro offers 5G connectivity, unlike the Huawei Mate 50 Pro which is limited to 4G. |
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Unknown | The Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro uses a superior screen protection which makes the screen more scratch resistant. |
| Sensors | Heart rate sensor | Barometer, Gravity, Hall | Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro has heart rate sensor. Huawei Mate 50 Pro has additional sensors for environmental and positional data collection. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro Advantages:
- Higher Resolution Display: Offers sharper visuals and text.
- 5G Connectivity: Provides faster network speeds.
- 8K Video Recording: Superior video recording quality and frame rate.
- Faster Wireless Charging: Faster than the Huawei model, making it more convenient.
- Larger Main Camera Sensor: May perform better in capturing more dynamic range and detail in photos.
- Additional Sensors: Heart rate sensor for tracking fitness.
- More RAM Options: Has higher RAM options, for heavy multitasking and gaming
Huawei Mate 50 Pro Advantages:
- Newer, More Powerful Chipset: Offers faster processing speeds and potentially improved battery efficiency.
- Better Camera Performance: As indicated by much higher DxOMark scores.
- Telephoto lens: Better zooming capabilities for capturing far away images
- Larger storage: More storage capacity options at higher end.
- Additional Sensors: Barometer for environmental readings.
Trade-offs:
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro: Lacks a dedicated telephoto lens and is an older phone.
- Huawei Mate 50 Pro: Limited to 4G connectivity, no heart rate sensor and no information on OS and screen protection.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Ideal Users for Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro:
- Media Consumers: Those who prioritize display quality for watching videos and browsing.
- Gamers: Appreciate the high-resolution display and smooth refresh rate with more RAM options.
- Video Content Creators: Benefit from the 8K video recording and fast wireless charging capabilities.
- Tech Enthusiasts: Want the latest features, such as 5G connectivity
Ideal Users for Huawei Mate 50 Pro:
- Photography Enthusiasts: Those who value high-quality photos, especially in varied conditions, and appreciate telephoto capabilities.
- Performance Users: Benefit from faster processing speeds and smoother app loading/multitasking and better graphics capabilities
- Users Who Need Lots of Storage: Benefit from the higher 512GB option.
- Professionals Needing Environmental Data: Appreciate additional sensors like barometer.
4. Decision Framework
Here are some key questions and scenario-based recommendations to help you make the right decision:
Key Questions:
- Do I need 5G connectivity? If yes, Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro is the better option.
- Is camera quality my main priority? If yes, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro is the winner, based on the DxOMark and the added Telephoto lens.
- Do I need more storage or more RAM? If more storage is needed, then Huawei Mate 50 Pro is the winner but for RAM options, Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro has more to offer.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: You want the best display for media consumption and gaming: The Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro is the better choice due to its higher resolution screen and more RAM options.
- Scenario 2: You are a photographer who wants excellent image quality and zoom capabilities: The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is the better choice, with better camera performance and a telephoto lens.
- Scenario 3: You need a phone that can handle heavy multitasking and future-proof features: Both offer excellent performance, but the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro is the better option due to 5G connectivity and higher RAM options but the Huawei offers better processing capabilities and storage.
- Scenario 4: You are on a budget, but still need a high performing device: This depends on the price you can get each phone at as no price was provided.
My Choice:
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would lean towards the Huawei Mate 50 Pro, with the condition that the OS and screen protection specification is resolved and good. Here’s why:
- Superior Camera Performance: The significantly higher DxOMark scores for both main and selfie cameras, combined with the versatile telephoto lens, makes it the clear winner for photography.
- Newer and More Powerful Chipset: The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 offers noticeable performance improvements, making the phone more responsive in everyday use.
- Higher Storage: The 512GB storage option gives me more flexibility in storing large files without worry.
- Practical Trade-Off: I am willing to trade the slightly lower resolution display of the Huawei Mate 50 Pro for a higher performing camera. I am also willing to sacrifice 5G connectivity, for the higher performance of the CPU, GPU, and camera quality.
While the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro has its strengths, for me the Huawei Mate 50 Pro's superior camera system, and overall performance improvements, make it the better option, even with the slight trade-offs.
