Huawei just released the P30 duo and as expected, they are one of the best flagship smartphone series that you can buy today. The company continued the tradition of releasing a slightly smaller P30 model alongside a larger and more powerful P30 Pro. They are similar in a lot of aspects but there are a few differences as well. The big difference is in the pricing, with P30 starting at just €799, a healthy €200 cheaper than the base 8GB + 128GB Huawei P30 Pro model. But at this price, what are you losing out? Do you sacrifice too much on features to save a couple of hundred Euros? That’s what we try to find in this article.
I’ll keep this article short since the Huawei P30 vs P30 Pro specs table tells you the whole story. So, let’s check that out first.
Huawei P30 vs P30 Pro: Specs
| SPECS | HUAWEI P30 | HUAWEI P30 PRO |
| DIMENSIONS | 149.1 × 71.36 × 7.57 mm, 165g | 158 × 73.4 × 8.41 mm, 192g |
| DISPLAY | 6.1-inch AMOLED 2340 x 1080p | 6.47-inch AMOLED 2340 x 1080p |
| CPU | Kirin 980 | Kirin 980 |
| MEMORY | 6/8GB + 128GB | 8GB + 128/256/512GB |
| CAMERAS | REAR: Leica Triple Cam 40 MP (Wide Angle Lens, f/1.8 aperture) + 16 MP (Ultra Wide Angle Lens, f/2.2 aperture) + 8 MP (Telephoto, f/2.4 aperture,OIS) laser focus, phase focus, contrast focus AIS (HUAWEI AI Image Stabilization) FRONT: 32MP f/2.0 | REAR: Leica Quad Cam 40 MP (Wide Angle Lens, f/1.6 aperture,OIS) + 20 MP (Ultra Wide Angle Lens, f/2.2 aperture) + 8 MP (Telephoto, f/3.4 aperture,OIS) HUAWEI Time-of-Flight (TOF) Camera laser focus, phase focus, contrast focus AIS (HUAWEI AI Image Stabilization) FRONT: 32MP f/2.0 |
| COMMS. | 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi, BL 5.0, USB 3.1 Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, IP53 Protection | 802.11ac dual-band Wi-Fi, BL 5.0, USB 3.1 Type-C, IP68 Protection |
| BATTERY | 3650mAh 40W Huawei SuperCharge | 4200mAh 40W Huawei SuperCharge 15W Wireless Quick Charge Reverse Wireless Charge |
| SOFT. | EMUI 9.1 based on Android 9 | EMUI 9.1 based on Android 9 |
| COLORS | Amber Sunrise, Breathing Crystal, Aurora, Pearl White, Black | Breathing Crystal, Aurora |
| PRICE | €799 – 6GB+128GB | €999 – 8GB + 128GB €1099 – 8GB + 256GB €1249 – 8GB + 512GB |
| AVAILABILITY | March 26, 2019 | March 26, 2019 |
Huawei P30 vs P30 Pro: Design and Durability
In all essence, the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro share the exact same design. So you have a fancy AMOLED display up front with teardrop notches and a glass back.
So how do you differentiate between the two models?
Since the P30 has a triple camera setup, the flash and other sensors lie right below the camera housing. On the other hand, the larger P30 Pro comes with a quad camera setup. This includes a unique looking periscope camera in place of the third sensor in the camera housing. Then there’s an additional ToF camera alongside flash and other sensors on the right.
Of course, there’s a big difference in the form factor too. The Huawei P30 is not only smaller, all thanks to its 6.1-inch display (vs ~6.5-inch on the P30 Pro), it is also significantly lightweight. There’s nearly a difference of 30 grams between the two models, and that’s quite a lot in everyday usage.
Further, the Huawei P30 comes with a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack, which its powerful sibling lacks.
As for durability, Huawei P30 is just IP53 certified as opposed to P30 Pro’s IP68 rating.
Huawei P30 vs P30 Pro: Cameras
There’s no doubt that the P30 Pro has a better camera setup than the P30. While the P30 model is no slouch with a powerful triple camera setup, the Pro version takes things up a notch with better features and quad cameras. Here’s a quick look at the differences in their cameras.
P30 vs P30 Pro
- Triple Cameras vs Quad Cameras
- Primary Lens Aperture: f/1.8 vs f/1.6 (lower is better)
- No ToF vs dedicated ToF sensor (fourth sensor)
- ISO: 204800 vs 409600
- 3X Optical Zoom vs 5X Optical Zoom
- 5X Hybrid Zoom vs 10X Hybrid Zoom
- 30X Digital Zoom vs 50X Digital Zoom
Huawei P30 vs P30 Pro: Battery
The thing that makes P30 Pro heavier gives it an edge here. The larger model has a larger battery too: 4200mAh vs 3650mAh on the P30. Both feature 40W Huawei Super Charge fast charging. However, P30 doesn’t have Wireless Charging, which is really a shame. So, naturally, it doesn’t have reverse Wireless Charging either, which the larger model brags about. Huawei has ensured wireless charging on the Pro model isn’t painfully slow, as it goes up to 15W.
Huawei P30 vs P30 Pro: Pricing
The P30 starts at €799, while the P30 Pro starts at €999.
For me, that’s a very solid price difference. While the P30 Pro really shines in the camera department, the P30 shouldn’t be a slouch. It should still be one of the better cameras in the market. So, if you can forgive the lack of Wireless Charging support, the smaller model makes a really strong case with its specs. Not to mention that it’s pretty compact and light, making it a more comfortable option for everyday use.
But if you don’t mind the larger sibling’s beefy form factor and can shell out nearly a thousand Euros, look no further than the P30 Pro.
Read more about the P30 duo from our launch coverage here!
