With their actual prices, do top-tier flagships still make sense in 2021? We believe they do, but only for certain kinds of users. If you need the most advanced cameras, the best build quality, and the best displays, then you need a top-tier flagship. And this comparison is for those kinds of users, as it includes the most advanced flagships from Apple, Samsung, and Huawei. The first device of the comparison is the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is the most powerful iPhone out there. Then we choose the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra as it is the most advanced Samsung flagship if we exclude the foldable Galaxy Z Fold 2 (the Note 20 Ultra has a few inferior specifications making it at the same level). At last, we included the Huawei Mate 40 Pro which is the best Huawei flagship sold in the global market.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Huawei Mate 40 Pro
| Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G | Huawei Mate 40 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm, 228 g | 166.9 x 76 x 8.8 mm, 222 g | 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm, 212 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.7 inches, 1284 x 2778p (Full HD+), Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.9 inches, 1440 x 3200p (Quad HD+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X | 6.76 inches, 1344 x 2772p (Full HD+), OLED |
| PROCESSOR | Apple A14 Bionic, hexa-core | Samsung Exynos 990, octa-core 2.73 GHz or Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz |
Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 9000 5G, octa-core 3.13 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 256 GB – 6 GB RAM, 512 GB | 12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB – micro SD slot | 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 512 GB – nano memory card slot |
| SOFTWARE | iOS 14 | Android 10, One UI | Android 10, EMUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 12 + 12 + 12 MP, f/1.6 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 Dual 12 MP + SL 3D f/2.2 front camera |
Quad 108 + 48 + 12 + 0.3 MP, f/1.8 + f/3.5 + f/2.2 + f/1.0 40 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Triple 50 + 12 + 20 MP, f/1.9 + f/3.4 + f/1.8 Dual 13 MP + TOF 3D f/2.4 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3687 mAh, fast charging 20W, fast wireless charging 15W | 5000 mAh, fast charging 45W, Fast wireless charging 15W | 4400 mAh, fast charging 66W, fast wireless charging 50W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | 5G, Dual SIM slot, IP68 waterproof, eSIM, 3D facial recognition | Hybrid Dual SIM slot, reverse wireless charging 4.5W, waterproof IP68, 5G | Dual SIM slot, 5G, IP68 waterproof, reverse wireless charging 5W, 3D facial recognition |
Design
These devices feature premium and elegant designs, even though I personally think there are more beautiful handsets in the market. A lot of people would prefer the iPhone 12 Pro Max due to its stainless steel frame, more symmetric look, its compact size, and its thinner and lighter body. But several people do not like that big notch: if you are one of those, the leather variant of Huawei Mate 40 Pro maybe your favorite choice with its extremely curved display. Or you could go for the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra with its single punch hole. Note that iPhone 12 Pro Max features better water resistance as it can go up to 6 meters deep without damages.
Display
The display of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is the most advanced one on the paper as it features a Quad HD+ resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate, two features you do not get on the Huawei Mate 40 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. That is why Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra wins the display comparison. But you can actually get a better color reproduction on the iPhone 12 Pro Max which features a very bright OLED panel with Dolby Vision and a wide color gamut. Huawei Mate 40 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max support 3D facial recognition for authentication, while Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra relies on an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint reader.
Hardware and Software
With the iPhone 12 Pro Max, you can actually get better performance thanks to the iOS operating system. But the Huawei Mate 40 Pro actually comes with the best hardware including a Kirin 9000 5G chipset built at 5 nm which is even more powerful than the Apple A14 Bionic. The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has older Exynos 990 and Snapdragon 865 chipsets built at 7 nm, so, despite its huge amount of RAM (up to 12 GB), it loses the hardware comparison. Note that you do not get Google services on the global version of the Huawei Mate 40 Pro due to the U.S. ban.
Camera
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro takes the first place in the camera comparison. It comes with a 50 MP main camera with omnidirectional autofocus and laser autofocus, as well as a periscope sensor with 5x optical zoom and an ultrawide sensor. The iPhone 12 Pro Max comes right after, but the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is more or less at the same level as the iPhone 12 Pro Max with its 108 MP camera.
Battery
Despite the 5000 mAh battery of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro has a longer battery life thanks to more efficient components: a 5 nm chipset and a display with a lower resolution. Further, it has the fastest charging technology and the fastest wireless charging technology. The battery life of the iPhone 12 Pro Max is close to the Mate 40 Pro.
Price
The prices of these three devices vary depending on the market, but in each case, you need more than €1000 to get them. If you can deal with the lack of Google services, Huawei Mate 40 Pro is a more interesting option than Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra due to its battery life, charging technologies, better hardware. But the iPhone 12 Pro Max actually comes with a more compact design, better display, great performance, and specifications close to the Mate 40 Pro. If iOS is not a problem for you, it looks like a very interesting choice.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Huawei Mate 40 Pro: PRO and CONS
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
PROS
- Bigger battery
- Amazing QHD+ display
- Widest panel
- Micro SD slot
- Ultrasonic fingerprint reader
CONS
- Dimensions
Huawei Mate 40 Pro
PROS
- Pen support
- Awesome camera department
- 3D facial recognition
- Fastest charging and wireless charging technologies
CONS
- No Google services
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
PROS
- Better water resistance
- MagSafe connectors
- Awesome build quality
- Great performance
- 3D facial recognition
- Compact
CONS
- Price
