The Google’s recent high-end flagship, the Pixel 2 XL, is turning heads as a top-quality Android phone. While a relative newcomer to the smartphone scene, Google impressed critics with their Pixel device, and have upped the ante with their recent release. However, there’s some serious competition as far as high-end phones go. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro definitely gives the Pixel 2 XL a run for its money, despite not being nearly as widely recognized outside of China. In this comparison we take a look at the Google Pixel 2 XL vs Huawei Mate 10 Pro to try to give you a sense of which device will best suit your needs.
Google Pixel 2 XL vs Huawei Mate 10 Pro: Commonalities
Before diving into the differences between the two phones, it’s helpful to talk about what exactly the two phones have in common.
Both phones feature a 6-inch display covered with Gorilla Glass 5, and have an 18:9 aspect ratio. Each device also uses equally powerful processors and GPUs, through the manufacturer of the chips are different. Unfortunately,neither phone offers expandable memory, but they do offer a spacious 128 GB option. The front camera in both devices is 8 Megapixels, and the battery is large and offers rapid charging. Neither phone has a headphone jack, but both provide a dongle to use in the USB Type-C port in order to use your headphones.
Basically, the base of the phones is pretty similar. There are a lot of notable aspects that differentiate the device, but both options are equally powerful and have a relatively similar design.
The specification chart below should give you a quick look at what exactly makes each phone unique.
Google Pixel 2 XL Huawei Mate 10 Pro
Google Pixel 2 XL
We’ll start this Google Pixel 2 XL vs Huawei Mate 10 Pro comparison by taking a look at Google’s phone. As a serious jump up from the mid-range Nexus devices, the Pixel 2 XL is a premium flagship that can compete the best from the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Huawei.
The phone runs Android 8.0, and the operating system is free from any clutter or bloatware from third-party skins. As the company behind Android, it makes sense that Google would provide a streamlined experience as close to the operating system’s base design as possible. The camera is seriously impressive, and has been rated by DxOMark as the best mobile shooter currently available.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core model is the best on the market, and the addition of 4G of RAM means the power of the phone is exceptional. The battery is also impressive, with the Always On display functionality allowing users to check their notifications without waking up the phone saving valuable power.
Overall, the Google Pixel XL 2 is a performance powerhouse that we feel is currently one of the best models on the market.
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
The second phone in this Google Pixel 2 XL vs Huawei Mate 10 Pro battle is a serious competitor as well. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into designing the Mate 10 Pro as a luxury high-end smartphone that would appeal to users around the world. It’s truly one of the best looking phones on the market in our opinion, with only the Galaxy Note 8 giving it a run for its money.
As far as power goes, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro won’t disappoint. While it opts for the proprietary Kirin 9070 processor and Mali-G72 MP12 GPU rather than a Snapdragon model, it easily keeps up with the latest and greatest from Qualcomm.
Huawei partnered with Leica, one of the top lens manufacturers in the world, to produce a seriously impressive camera that can almost keep up with the Google Pixel 2 XL. The huge 4000 mAh battery also means that your phone will last all day on a single charge, even with some pretty heavy usage.
Google Pixel 2 XL vs Huawei Mate 10 Pro: Verdict
All in all, it’s a really close battle when comparing the Google Pixel 2 XL vs Huawei Mate 10 Pro. It’s clear that the Mate 10 Pro is a serious presence in the luxury smartphone arena, but overall we feel that the Google Pixel 2 XL is the better choice.
With the best camera performance on the market and a stock android operating system that’s smooth and responsive, it’s truly one of the best devices currently available. Google is also a little better about providing frequent updates to their devices, meaning that your phone will be better supported than the Mate 10 Pro.
At the end of the day, either device will suit you fine, but we’re big fans of Google’s latest flagship. Huawei has a real opportunity to break into a Western market with the Mate 10 Pro, however. As a company that has struggled to perform well outside of China, it’s a real possibility that their most recent flagship is the key into joining an increasingly competitive worldwide scene.
