New month, new mainstream smartphone manufacturer shifting to the new 5G connectivity. And it’s been less than three months since the first national 5G network debuted. This month was the turn of Lenovo which officially announced the 5G Edition of its latest flagship: the Z6 Pro. After this exciting announcement, we think it is time to compare it with other Chinese 5G flagships. If we consider the actual diffusion of 5G connectivity and 5G handsets, as well as the potential price range in which Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition should be placed, we believe that the most suitable candidates for such a great comparison are the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G as both are Chinese flagships sharing a lot in common with the new Lenovo’s beast.
Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition vs OnePlus 7 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G
| Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition | OnePlus 7 Pro | Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 157.5 x 74.6 x 8.7 mm, 185 g | 162.6 x 75.9 x 8.8 mm, 206 g | 157.9 x 74.7 x 9.4 mm |
| DISPLAY | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED | 6.67 inches, 1440 x 3120p (Quad HD+), Fluid AMOLED | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB – micro SD slot | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, ZUI 11 | Android 9 Pie, Oxygen OS | Android 9 Pie, MIUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 48 + 8 + 16 + 2, f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.2 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 48 + 8 + 16 MP, f/1.6, f/2.4 and f/2.2 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 Dual 24 + 2 MP front camera |
| BATTERY | 4000 mAh, fast charging 18W | 4000 mAh, fast charging 30W with Warp Charge | 3800 mAh, fast charging with Quick Charge 4+, wireless charging |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot, 5G | Dual SIM slot, 5G | Dual SIM slot, 5G, slider design |
Design
Which devices is the best when it comes to the aesthetics is only up to your tastes. Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition’s front side is nothing special due to its classic waterdrop display, but the phone sports an amazing transparent back which allows seeing the internal component from the outside. On the other hand, OnePlus 7 Pro is equipped with a selfie pop-up camera and no display interruptions. Further, it comes in an outstanding and very original Nebula Blue color variant. But my favorite one is the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G because it has the best materials: a ceramic back and a 7000 series aluminum frame. It even comes with a slider you can open manually, in order to minimize the bezels around the display. Again, it is just a matter of tastes, the fact I like the Mi Mix 3 5G does not mean it has the best design.
Display
If you are a multimedia/gaming/photography lover and you need the best display, go for the OnePlus 7 Pro without thinking twice. First of all, it features a higher Quad HD+ resolution with 1440 x 3120 pixels. Further, it has a wider diagonal (6.67 inches) as well as a higher refresh ratio (90 Hz). And even its colors are a lot better thanks to the HDR10+ technology and high DCI-P3 coverage. Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition and Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G are more or less at the same level when it comes to display quality, but note that Mi Mix 3 5G does not feature an in-display fingerprint reader.
Hardware/Software
The most advanced hardware configuration (on the paper) belongs to the Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition which has a Snapdragon 855 chipset paired with up to 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of internal storage. But if we dig deeper, despite it has less internal storage (up to 256 GB), OnePlus 7 Pro 5G provides better performances thanks to better software optimization and a faster UFS 3.0 internal storage. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G loses the comparison as it only comes with 6 GB of RAM, while its rivals go up to 12 GB. All run Android 9 Pie, but only OnePlus 7 Pro has a nearly-stock user interface.
Camera
OnePlus 7 Pro wins even when it comes to camera quality. Its amazing main sensor with f/1.6 focal aperture captures a huge quantity of light and it supports OIS and records 4K videos at 60 fps, with an outstanding stabilization. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G is the winner when it comes to front cameras, as it features a dual selfie camera and a front-facing LED flash. Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition looks better than Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G if we talk about rear cameras, but worse than OnePlus 7 Pro 5G.
Battery
As these are 5G smartphones, they will have a much higher battery drain than traditional ones. But it should not be a huge issue as they are equipped with big batteries. We still had no chance to test all of them, but we can currently say that OnePlus 7 Pro and Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition will probably last more. OnePlus 7 Pro 5G has a bigger display with a higher resolution, so it may encounter more difficulties at keeping the battery life long, compared to the Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition. But for now, we can only speculate.
Price
OnePlus 7 Pro 5G is actually available only in a single European nation: the UK. It starts from £59 a month for 24 months with £170 upfront cost (mobile plan included), for a total of £1586/€1767/$2000. It is the best phone in this comparison, but it is currently too expensive. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G costs just €600/$682, while price and availability of the Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition are still unknown.
Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition vs OnePlus 7 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G: PRO and CONS
Lenovo Z6 Pro 5G Edition
PROS
- Transparent design
- Big battery
- Quad camera
- High performance
CONS
- Limited availability
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G
PROS
- Revolutionary slider design
- Front-facing LED flash
- Nice borderless display
- Great build quality
CONS
- No micro SD
OnePlus 7 Pro 5G
PROS
- Good display
- Great cameras
- Big battery
- Very fast charging
- Stereo speakers
CONS
- Costlier
