High-end Android users are hungry for more out of their devices. Several companies offer premium flagships, but most recently two of them stand out from the bunch: Google’s Pixel XL and the upcoming Huawei Mate 9 Pro.
The race for the top spot among Android devices is heated following the demise of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7. The phablet presented some serious safety hazards that forced the Korean giant to recall all phones and stop production altogether.
Google unveiled its new flagship phones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, at an official company event at the beginning of the month. Huawei has scheduled the launch of the Mate 9 Pro for next Thursday, November 3 at an event in Munich, Germany.
Huawei Mate 9 Pro vs. Google Pixel XL: Design and Display
Google’s Pixel XL is the industry leader’s first flagship smartphone. The company had previously relied on third parties to manufacture devices under the Nexus brand, but now it has taken the matter into its own hands, and the results are impressive.
The Pixel XL measures a little over 6 inches, and it comes with a 5.5-inch AMOLED display. The touch-enabled screen has a 2560 x 1440 resolution, and it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4.
Huawei’s next flagship, on the other hand, is shrouded by rumors as tech enthusiasts await its official unveiling next week. The Mate 9 Pro reportedly measures over 6 inches, and it will bring cutting-edge features to the Chinese giant’s device lineup.
Reports claim the Mate 9 Pro has a 6-inch IPS-NEO LCD touch display and that it could be the first time we see a curved screen on a Huawei phone. The handset offers the same resolution and protection as Google’s Pixel XL.
Other design features worth considering on the two phones are their buttons. The Mate 9 Pro has a dedicated home button while the Pixel XL does not. Moreover, Google sells its device in only three colors while Huawei offers a color catalog of nine options.
Huawei Mate 9 Pro vs. Google Pixel XL: Features and Price
Huawei Mate 9 pic.twitter.com/gK5M3yRTcq
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 22, 2016
The Mate 9 Pro relies on Huawei’s latest Hisilicon Kirin 960 SoC for processing power, while the Pixel XL has a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chip and an Adreno 530 GPU under the hood.
Google offers the Pixel XL in two internal storage configurations of 32 or 128 GB and 4 GB of RAM on either of them.
Huawei, however, reportedly has three options in store for potential Mate 9 Pro owners: 64 or 128 GB of storage with 4 GB of RAM, or an impressive 6 GB of RAM along with 256 GB of storage.
Both phones have an 8 MP selfie camera, but reports claim the Mate 9 Pro comes with a dual-lens, 20 MP Leica camera, while the Pixel XL has a 12.3 MP camera dubbed ‘the fastest in the market.’
The two devices support USB-Type C connections, fast charging, and have 3.5-mm headphone jacks. Other similarities between Huawei and Google include a fingerprint scanner and non-removable batteries that deliver similar performance.
Google’s Pixel XL with max specs costs $869, and it is readily available directly from the Google Store and select retailers in the U.S.
Huawei’s Mate 9 Pro is pending launch but reports suggest it could cost up to $1,300. It launches on November 3, and the company has not offered official details of pricing or availability.
