I am one of the lucky few in the world who gained enough trust from the manufacturers to compare the hottest smartphones of the moment: the Huawei P3 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S10+. Even more than that. I used the phone for a long time and gave them a chance to convince me. At the end of this post, I want to get a winner, a phone that will fit in my right pocket.
On the way to find the answer, which one it is the best phone in the world, I gave myself quite concisely. Namely, between the two that are currently at the top of the list of the most desirable phones in the world, there are no big differences. Each of them has certain advantages on paper, but in practice they quickly disappear or are not even useful. Real life it has its own laws. But there is still a problem or challenge. At with smartphones, we compare data rather superficially. Thus, when it comes to working memory, we are often only interested in quantity and not, for example, speed. There are still many such "problems".
At the beginning of this comparative travel I swore to myself that I would not favor anyone, even if I was in the past or in used exclusively Huawei and Honor devices for the past 4 years and had a satisfactory experience with them. It's here Samsung had a slight deficit right at the beginning. But I quickly became friends with him and he became very familiar to me.
My principle was that anyone who had the opportunity to hold these two phones in their hands for a long period of time would come to the same conclusions. Regardless of knowledge. So anyone can repeat my steps, follow my findings and come up with comparable results. This comparison is fully repeatable, which is also the point of such tests. I thought about scoring, but in the end I didn't think it was necessary because my impressions will be collected in the carefully crafted sections of this note with a closing thought.
1. Capacity
Inconspicuous things that are not trifles.
I believe so 99.9 percent of individuals when meeting these two phones, I would not notice any differences in the speed of operation. Apps launch seemingly just as fast, the phones are nicely responsive and at the highest possible level. There are no big differences here for classic users. And it is for this reason that I installed two of the most common applications on the phone for testing the performance of "hardware" solutions - Geekbench 4 and AnTuTu. These are two applications that you can also download for free on your smartphone and repeat the test that I also performed myself. The purpose of these tests is to simulate different situations comparable to real life under the same "conditions". For example, the application plays a high-resolution video, compresses a file, plays a game... in other words, everything that we ourselves do on smartphones. At the end of the test, it compares the result with the test database and ranks the phone on the score scale. I leave the assessment of how good or bad the listed tests are to the individual. But they are sufficient for a basic first impression.
Make it on the test
I had a smartphone on the test Samsung Galaxy S10+ with an Exynos 9820 processor, which was supported by 8 GB of working memory in the company of 128 GB of internal storage and a smartphone Huawei P30 Pro with a Kirin 980 processor, with 8 GB of working memory and 256 GB of internal storage.
I took care of it i.e. for identical working conditions. I took the smartphones out of the boxes, charged the batteries and did the mandatory upgrade of the phones and all the applications that are preloaded on the phones. With a fully charged battery (100%), I unplugged the phone and ran the tests.
AnTuTu phone test comparison
Upon obtaining the results and checking the scales we it was not it's completely clear why Huawei P30 Pro fared much worse than the Samsung Galaxy S10+ smartphone. I contacted immediately Huawei Slovenia and announced that the phone performed poorly on the "benchmark" or comparative tests. During the call, they advised me to switch the phone to "performance mode", a mode in which it works at "full power". After repeating the test, the results improved and the Huawei P30 scored better this time 315.586. At the same time, it also warmed up a lot, or now it has warmed up as expected.
I was definitely unpleasantly surprised, yes Huawei its "flagship" or parade horse on purpose and fundamentally limits and optimizes in a way, to lock the processor's potential to a certain percentage without the user's knowledge. The user must therefore "unlock" the phone's potential find a relatively hidden setting "performance mode" (named in Slovenian menus modus operandi) and in doing so unleashes the "Chinese dragon" residing in the Kirin 980 and thus its full potential. The latter affects the increased consumption of the battery, which is suddenly completely comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S10+.
To put it natively: at Huawei, they know for sure that their processor burns the battery like crazy at loads above 90 percent. And that's why they basically "locked" the processing power. It's similar to cars. The engine works optimally at certain speeds and has optimal consumption. If we drive it into the red field, it can also be a waste 2 times larger. The situation is very similar with the devices we carry in our pockets. And since the user will not notice this "10 percent", ensuring overall satisfaction is the first priority.
But the problems don't end there. Huawei P30 Pro exceptionally aggressively manages processes on the phone, which often means yes notifications are left out or they are late. Apps are forcefully shut down even when it's not meant to be. All with the goal of maximizing battery usage and saving processing power. He does it easily too aggressive and without any real need. I am far from saying that this is very annoying and that it makes him bad. But it definitely is functionally worse from a smartphone Samsung Galaxy S10+, which does not have such problems.
2. Battery
The myth of the great
The biggest selling point nowadays it is you battery life, i.e. battery life or its autonomy. It is in this category in my eyes as well Huawei in recent years worked miracles. Phone easy lasts all day. But it can be charged extremely quickly. It is precisely this feature that most users place in the highest places. And here, in principle, Huawei still does things right, despite some "dirty tricks". It provides users with a phone that lasts all day, and in the evening you can watch more without fear feature film or episode of GOT. But as I found out in the previous paragraph, the phone can do that due to limitation of processing power and by grossly interfering with the operation, i.e. by violently shutting down applications or limiting refreshing and sending notifications. In a way, it's a phone all the way in battery saver mode. That's also why I performed two exceptionally simple test. First, I decided to charge the phone's battery up to 100%. I set the Huawei P30 Pro to mode "performance mode" – (named in Slovenian menus – modus operandi) and then wait which of the phones will last longer. Here they are phone was connected to WiFi. The apps on the phone, however, were exactly the same. And the winner was clear after an hour or two. Samsung was draining the battery somewhere with its normal "factory" mode of operation 20 percent slower. This means that when it is Huawei P30 Pro turned off, it did Samsung Galaxy S10+ could still 20 percent battery remaining. The second test was a normal test from the "box" - without the "performance mode" enabled, where it is Huawei P30 Pro compared to Samsung Galaxy S10+ a clear winner. But I also expected that.
Huawei P30 Pro it basically has a slightly larger 4200 mAh battery, while the Samsung Galaxy S10+ pauses 4,100 mAh. But as we can easily see, it's all in the software setting mode and not the battery size itself. Here, Samsung seems to be leaving slightly more open options for users and more software settings for battery performance. But on the other hand, Huawei somehow makes sure that the satisfaction with the battery is somehow greater. And life more carefree. It also helps extremely fast charging of the phone with 40 W charger and fast charging with 15 W wireless charger. Speaking Samsung you can only charge your phone with 15 W in both modes. In principle, with the battery, so in my eyes Huawei still wins. It is Samsung definitely, with certain innovations such as "Bixby modes" - the way the phone works in different situations - also partly helped the phone to behave more rationally with its resources. Also, the "software" management of the phone's battery is really "thorough" and adjustable to the smallest detail. But what if users never use these options.
Design
Which one would you choose in the first moment?
Let's move on to a lighter topic: the design of these two expensive smartphones. Also so that we can then return to more complex matters. The fact is, it is beauty is a subjective category. What does the Slovenian proverb say? Every eye has its own painter? And that's also why I was wondering which one people would choose if they had one 10 seconds of time, to make their decision. It's here Samsung Galaxy S10+ won with 7 to 3. So 7 people from 10 would choose without hesitation Samsung's device. There were quite a few arguments: from the weight (S10+ is lighter than P30 Pro), to the way the back of the phone is designed and the placement of the cameras, and the fact that the phone sits better on a table. But let's go to the details, because the devil is hiding in them.
Huawei P30 Pro it's a nice phone, but it has made quite a few design compromises. It's thicker than a phone Samsung Galaxy S10+ and times harder for 17 Mr. It seems a little on paper, but when you hold the phone in your hand, you can easily feel the difference and you can't ignore it. The P30 Pro is easily one of the heaviest phones on the market. First impressions are important, and here it seems to be at Samsung Galaxy S10 anyway, everything is different, simply better. The way the edges of the phone are designed - in Samsung they are decently rounded - is very comparable to iPhone X, the original or different placement of the cameras compared to most competing phones is, among other things, also practical in nature, because when the phone is placed on a table with the back, it does not "jump" and sits nicely on the table. Glass on the back of the phone Samsung Galaxy S10+ it really acts like glass, while at Huaweithem the case somehow doesn't reach the same level of glamor and definitely feels more metallic. There is a difference unambiguous even with screens, where Samsung immediately reveals the design of the imaginative front dual camera with a unique layout and cutout in the screen, Huawei however, it resorts to the more affordable cutout above, with which there is nothing wrong in principle, but still it does not work as premium, but rather like a smartphone in the category up to 600 euros. Part of the first impression is definitely the picture of the phone, where at Samsung comes to expression several times more expensive screen with a better resolution.
Design is a subjective category, but I can't shake the feeling that it's right here Huawei still behind. If it is years ago copied Apple devices and tried to get closer to the beauty ideal of the latter, today the Huawei P30 Pro looks like an unfortunate clone of the devices iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy S10+. All too obvious and on the first ball, just like Chinese car fakes. Without your own excess and self-confidence. You take something here and something there...but why?! Because the phone is by no means bad. As I said, there is no design excess.
Sound and picture as expected
What are you doing with your phone?
If we finished the previous paragraph with some screen properties, we can immediately ask ourselves, what do we do most with our phone? The answer suggests itself. We look at his screen. Therefore, it is my personal belief that a premium phone must have an exceptional display, as the latter also represents up to ⅓ of the production value of the entire phone. For me, such a premium smartphone screen is the key feature of a phone for which I am willing to shell out the v around 1000 euros. And here is one of the biggest differences between the two phones Huawei P30 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10+. They are two completely different products different categories and the winner is without a doubt Samsung Galaxy S10+. The picture is incomparably better and as if from another world. The latter is also joined by an extremely high-quality, if not the best, phone sound, which is not comparable to what the Huawei P30 Pro can do, which is traditionally weak when it comes to the design of the "sound" system. Sound is the Achilles heel of the phone series Huawei P. The sound is just right Huawei they just don't appreciate it enough. The experience of watching movies and listening to music or consuming multimedia is thus exceptional on the smartphone side Samsung Galaxy S10+. The latter is simply the best. I could go into the technical characteristics of the screens, but everyone can look at them for themselves online.
And of course real world experiences. The fact is that Huawei has a choice your screen took a step back and actually gave users a slightly worse product than the previous generation. Samsung actually did everything right and won here more than convincingly, standing alongside the experience offered by Apple with its premium products. At the same time, he even kept the plug for "analog" headphones, thereby improving the user experience in some way.
Record and photograph the world
For Huawei photography, for Samsung video... two different worlds
If The Chinese what they really highlight on their phone Huawei P30 Pro, this is photo excellence. And it must be admitted that cooperation with Leico bore fruit. The Huawei P30 Pro takes really good photos with its main camera system. But when you put the photo systems of these two smartphones next to each other, suddenly there are no big differences. In other words, you notice differences that you don't like so much. Huawei, like everywhere else, tries to please the photographer by constantly processing the captured photo in one way or another. And it doesn't stop even when we turn off the so-called artificial intelligence. It means that it constantly interferes with the contrast of the photo, emphasizes the colors and makes the photo more pleasing at first glance. Most users will find a photo taken with Huawei P30 Pro, definitely like it better. Especially photos of people are more likeable and this is where artificial intelligence works well. But on the other hand colors are not true and they are "overbloat" unlike a phone Samsung Galaxy S10+. The latter captures what we are looking at, albeit truthfully and without fanfare, and leaves the photo "unprocessed in color" for software solutions and applications on the creator's phone. It is extremely difficult for me to claim that at under normal lighting conditions visible significant difference between the main camera systems of these two smartphones. I like, for example, yes Samsung Galaxy S10+ can capture the photo with a wider angle and it is so creating firefighter photos little by little. Also selfie camera has this option. On the other hand, the Huawei P30 really surprises with its hybrid zoom lens. Here it simply works wonders and makes a really interesting photo. But what if you will hardly ever use this zoom and it is only suitable for spying on the neighbors. This is also why I attribute greater versatility and thus usability to the smartphone Samsung Galaxy S10+. A wide angle seems to be much more useful than a telephoto lens or a zoom. The tip of the scales tips in favor of the phone Huawei P30 Pro in low light conditions. Then it takes photos better than the Samsung Galaxy S10+. This applies to the "Night Mode" mode, which is almost also useful for some more serious recording. The rating of the main camera system is extremely ungrateful. For photography, I can say that there is no clear winner. In different situations, both devices show different strengths. Also, to get the whole picture you have to look at the video capabilities of these camera systems, which are practically more important to users from month to month. Both smartphones can capture v to the 4K standard, but you have to give the phone a win Samsung Galaxy S10+ mainly due to the mechanical and software video stabilization capabilities. Here, Samsung does what it does with excellence, while Huawei's stabilization is not at the same level. While Samsung's video looks stabilized and comparable to action cameras of the "GoPro”, Huawei is simply not close. Even certain technical characteristics of the video, such as fps, are at Samsung significantly higher. The latter can also record 4K video with 60 frames. With this, it offers the author, for example, the possibility of slowing down the video and thus nice "slow" recordings. It is precisely because of the latter characteristics that in times when we create more and more video content, I can easily say that in my case the winner is clear. Samsung Galaxy S10+ it is a more comprehensive system and thus, in my opinion, better. My claim is enhanced by the rating of the front-facing camera, which is not so good for Huawei. A two-camera system here Samsung Galaxy S10+ works incomparably better. It has excellent auto focus, while Huawei's is not always the best. At the same time, it is Samsung Galaxy S10+ capable of capturing 4K selfie video. The latter is surprisingly stabilized. Something that virtually no smartphone can do. So if I add the characteristics of the selfie camera to my overall assessment of the main cameras, the winner is clear, but perhaps surprising to many.
Comparison image gallery — > Samsung S10+ vs. Huawei P30 Pro (fully automatic)
EMUI VS. ONE UI
Samsung leads here – and by a lot.
This grade is the hardest, I am infected with the phones operating system Huawei. I've been using the latter for the past three years, ever since I switched from the system iOS to Android. I was helped by the fact that Huawei heavily copied Apple in the very functionality of their "implementation" of Android and to this day retains some moves and modes of operation, which are extremely characteristic of the iPhone. In principle, this is not disturbing. It's annoying that certain things just aren't done as well as you'd like, or there's a feeling that things aren't done with the attention you see with the system Samsung One UI. The latter is a leap and in my eyes a product that comes close Android's best performance and comes remarkably close to the smartphone experience Google Pixel. This is also why I was surprised how quickly the system became familiar to me. Management with menus and functions it is completely logical and user-friendly. One UI in my eyes, it is truly a complete product, complemented by the smart assistant Bixby, which is becoming an interesting tool and is no longer an "annoying" element (as it used to be in the past). It seems that Samsung has devoted the most time to this user experience and has put a product on the market that works. The ecosystem is especially interesting Samsung, which is much more elaborate than the Huawei ecosystem. Even the operation of phones in "desktop mode" is at Samsung remarkably similar to the user experience of a laptop computer and crafted to detail. On the other hand, it has Huawei too many issues with desktop mode and not comparable to Samsung. If I add to the general assessment of the software environment the problems that Huawei has with application management and almost violent battery saving, then there is no doubt who did his job with distinction.
Check out the video demos - Huawei P30 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10+
Philosophical question
Each with their own strengths, but...
At the beginning of this comparison, I was absolutely convinced that there was no difference between these two smartphones. That they are completely equivalent devices that differ only in shades. Somewhere one takes the lead, somewhere else the other. But the differences are still visible and bigger than I expected. It seems that the aggressive marketing method used by the Chinese Huawei is so strong that we all got the impression that the Huawei P30 Pro is in the very top of the world. That in some features it is innovative and better than the competition. But when we look closely at things, the picture is different and the illusion disappears. The price difference between the two phones Huawei P30 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10+ is minimal and in the configuration (8 GB RAM/128 GB) amounts to around 100 euros (telekom.si) – the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is that much more expensive. Therefore, the price of these two phones is purely a philosophical question and will not significantly decide your purchase decision. The operators will make sure that the monthly payment is neatly packed into the total amount of the service bill, so you won't feel the 100 euros.
So how do you decide? What should fit in your right pocket? This question is a question of your inner philosophy and value system. My belief is that the production value of the phone Samsung Galaxy S10+ much higher than market differences of 100 euros. The profits that Samsung makes with this phone are much smaller per device than with the competition. The Samsung Galaxy S10 brings a lot of innovation, a really great selfie camera, definitely best video capture, excellent, maybe even the best screen, great sound (with the latter, Huawei is always wrong), innovative and a different design will suffice ... things that I simply cannot overlook in the daily use of a smartphone. There are things that decide which phone I will choose for myself. But on the other hand Huawei P30 Pro - that is must admit - it brings an excellent user experience, out of the box. This means that if you simply do not want to deal with technicalities, this phone can impress the user more and leave a better "user" impression. But only if you don't add up all the factors.
More information:
huawei.si
samsung.si
