We test almost every new phone to give you the best insight on what to buy — and perhaps more importantly, what not to buy.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
Top of the line
$834 at Amazon
Pros
- Exemplary battery life
- Excellent cameras
- 3D face unlock
Cons
- Large notch obfuscates notifications
- In-display fingerprint sensor is slow
The Mate 20 Pro delivers one of the most versatile camera arrays around, and packs excellent battery life to boot. It has futuristic features like reverse wireless charging and an in-display fingerprint sensor, and its AMOLED display is top-notch — pun intended.
Honor View 20
Hole-punch flagship
$759 at Amazon
Pros
- Hole-punch display means no notch
- Same terrific build quality for cheaper
- Rear fingerprint sensor
- Headphone jack
Cons
- No water resistance
- Fewer camera options
- No wireless charging
The View 20 carries over most of the Mate 20 Pro’s best traits for a bit less money. It isn’t water resistant, nor does it have wireless charging, but its camera is still excellent, and some may prefer its rear fingerprint sensor and hole-punch display.
Honor is a sub-brand of Huawei, meaning both phones share similar DNA, but some key differences in hardware may make one a better option than the other, depending on your preferences and budget.
Same, but different
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The Honor View 20 costs less than the Mate 20 Pro, but you wouldn’t know it based on the hardware. Both phones feel outstandingly well-built, with similar glass-and-metal designs and curved backings that make them comfortable to hold. Both come in eye-catching colors and feature similar control layouts, with the volume and power buttons resting along the righthand side of the frames.
Where the hardware starts to differ is in the displays. Both phones measure in at about 6.4 inches, but the Mate 20 Pro has a wide notch occupying the notification tray. The View 20 takes a more 2019 approach with a “hole punch” cutout in the upper left corner; while I’m personally not a fan of the hole punch design in general, it’s considerably less obtrusive in this instance, and your tastes may differ.
The Mate 20 Pro also has an in-display fingerprint sensor, which feels futuristic compared to the View 20’s more traditional rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, but it’s a bit slower, and you lose the convenient swipe-down gesture to access your notifications.
| Platform | Android 9 PieEMUI 9 | Android 9 PieMagic UI |
| Display | 6.39-inch AMOLED3120 x 1440, 538ppi | 6.4-inch IPS LCD2310 x 1080, 398ppi |
| Chipset | Octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 980 | Octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 980 |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP10 | Mali-G76 MP10 |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB | 6GB/8GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB | 128GB/256GB |
| Expandable | Yes (Nano Memory) | No |
| Battery | 4200mAh | 4000mAh |
| Water resistance | IP68 | None |
| Rear camera | 40MP f/1.8 wide + 20MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto | 48MP f/1.8 + TOF 3D stereo camera |
| Front camera | 24MP f/2.0 | 25MP f/1.8 |
| Wireless charging | Yes (bidirectional) | No |
| Security | 3D face unlock + in-display fingerprint sensor | Rear fingerprint sensor |
| Dimensions | 157.8 x 72.3 x 8.6mm | 156.9 x 75.4 x 8.1mm |
| Weight | 189g | 180g |
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From a specs standpoint, there’s not much to gripe about with either phone. Both feature Huawei’s top-end Kirin 980 chipset, though the Mate 20 Pro edges out a bit with IP68 water/dust resistance, along with a slightly larger battery, wireless charging, and even reverse wireless charging. Both run on Android 9 Pie with nearly identical software — Honor’s Magic UI is more or less just EMUI 9 with a different theme.
The View 20’s 48MP camera takes outstanding photos, aided by the TOF sensor and AI software, rivaling the main sensor on the Mate 20 Pro, but the latter pulls ahead in versatility with its three rear cameras — one wide, one ultra-wide, and one telephoto. This allows you to pull off shots on the Mate 20 Pro that simply wouldn’t be possible on the View 20.
Ultimately, either phone is a great option for most prospective buyers, but the Mate 20 Pro is the better choice if photography is a top priority for you. You’ll also benefit from things like faster charging speeds and outstanding battery life. If the Mate is beyond your budget, the View 20 is hardly a bad purchase, and some may still prefer “legacy” features like its rear fingerprint sensor and headphone jack.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
Top of the line
$834 at Amazon
The best phone Huawei has produced to date
The Mate 20 Pro has an incredibly versatile set of cameras at its disposal, along with stellar battery life and even the ability to top up other phones with reverse wireless charging. This is the highest-end Huawei phone currently on the market.
Honor View 20
Hole-punch flagship
Stunning design and specs at a lower price
$759 at Amazon
The View 20 takes after the Mate 20 Pro in a lot of ways, though some may prefer its rear fingerprint sensor and hole-punch display. If you can live without water resistance and wireless charging, this is a fantastic phone that’s a bit more affordable.
