Huawei Mate 20 X vs Apple iPhone XS Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Price, Specs, Features Compared
The Huawei Mate 20 X has officially been launched and it takes on the big guns of the smartphone industry; the iPhone XS Max and the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 in the latest specifications and features comparison.
The Huawei Mate 20 X was launched alongside the Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro, but the manufacturer surprised us. Little did we know that the Mate 20 X was going to be the largest flagship ever launched from the company. Now that it has, it should have no problem taking on the other giants of the smartphone industry. Yes, you guys know what we’re talking about. The massive handset goes head-to-head against the iPhone XS Max and the Galaxy Note 9 in this latest comparison. If you’ve been eyeing a flagship that goes big on both size, hardware, and features, check out these three smartphones in extensive detail.
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Mate 20 X vs iPhone XS Max vs Galaxy Note 9 Price in India
The Huawei Mate 20 X has not officially landed in India, but it carries a price of €900 (approx. Rs. 76,518). The iPhone XS Max starts from Rs. 1,09,900 for the base model. Lastly, we have the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 whose base version carries a price of Rs. 61,900. Looks like the Note 9 is the cheapest device in this comparison, but you should continue to read on. You never know, there might be other compelling features belonging to the remaining flagships.
Mate 20 X vs iPhone XS Max vs Galaxy Note 9 Design, Display
All three handsets in this comparison come with a ‘larger than life’ display. However, the Mate 20 X dwarfs all of them with its massive 7.21-inch AMOLED screen and 2244 x 1080 pixels resolution. The device also comes with an aluminum frame and both sides covered by glass, with a teardrop notch at the top.
Next comes the iPhone XS Max, which bears a 6.5-inch OLED panel and a 2688 x 1242 pixels resolution. This flagship also gets a glass at both sides, but it carries a stainless steel frame and a wider notch at the top.
Then, comes the Galaxy Note 9, sporting a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen and a 2960 x 1440 pixels resolution. Samsung’s greatest flagship also uses the same materials as the Mate 20 X, with both sides protected by Gorilla Glass 5. However, this phone possesses an outdated design because of its top and bottom bezel.
All displays are HDR10 compliant, but the iPhone XS Max offers 3D Touch and 120Hz touch-sensing. This will make animations smoother, resulting in the opening of apps much faster.
Mate 20 X vs iPhone XS Max vs Galaxy Note 9 Hardware, Performance
Flagship smartphones are oozing with performance, and these three are no exception. The Mate 20 X features the Kirin 980, a 7nm FinFET chipset armed with an octa-core processor, with a single 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model. The iPhone XS Max is the most powerful despite featuring the same 7nm FinFET A12 Bionic SoC. That’s because Apple’s expertise in making its silicon has paid off a lot of dividends in the past, and this year, nothing seems to have changed.
The Kirin 980 might be fast, but it still falls short when compared against the A12 Bionic in benchmarks. The iPhone XS Max features 4GB of RAM, with storage models of 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB being sold. As for the Galaxy Note 9, it is running a Snapdragon 845, or an equivalent Exynos 9810. It is the slowest smartphone in this comparison, unfortunately. Still, it offers 6GB RAM + 128GB for the base model, with 8GB RAM + 512GB as the top-tier version.
If your eyes are set towards the fastest Android flagship available, look no further than the Mate 20 X when it officially launches.
Mate 20 X vs iPhone XS Max vs Galaxy Note 9 Software
The Mate 20 X is running Android 9 Pie, with the EMUI 9.0 skin running on top. The iPhone XS Max runs iOS 12 and will continue to get annual software updates for a long period. Sadly, the Galaxy Note 9 is still stuck on the Android 8.1 Oreo firmware, with Samsung Experience UI running on top. Huawei is more responsible than Samsung when it comes to rolling out UI and software updates. However, this category is more subjective than most and the final decision would be based on your personal preference.
Mate 20 X vs iPhone XS Max vs Galaxy Note 9 Camera
The Mate 20 X features a 40MP+20MP+8MP primary camera configuration, with a 24MP selfie unit at the front. The main 40MP sensor is able to capture detailed images, while the 20MP unit is able to capture wide-angle shots. The 8MP telephoto lens is able to snap images with a 5x optical zoom. This makes it the first device apart from the Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro to get this feature. The third lens also gets support for OIS.
The iPhone XS Max features a 12MP+12MP dual-camera, with both lenses getting OIS support. The secondary camera is a telephoto lens that offers 2x optical zoom. As for the front, the iPhone XS Max offers a single 7MP shooter. Last comes the Galaxy Note 9, which also features a primary 12MP+12MP dual-camera. Both of those lenses provide OIS support, and the secondary camera offers a 2x optical zoom since it is a telephoto lens. The front side of the flagship sports an 8MP selfie unit.
Both the iPhone XS Max and Galaxy Note 9 provide support for 4K video recording at 60fps. Unfortunately, the Mate 20 X is limited to 4K video recording at 30fps. However, all three flagships can shoot slow-motion videos. If you’re still confused, we suggest waiting for the Mate 20 X when it lands in India if you want the best camera.
Mate 20 X vs iPhone XS Max vs Galaxy Note 9 Battery Life
The Mate 20 X wins the battery competition by a mile thanks to its humongous 5000mAh unit. This battery can also get topped up via 22.5-watt fast-charging support. However, it does not support Qi wireless charging like the iPhone XS Max and Galaxy Note 9. The iPhone XS Max features a 3174mAh cell with fast-charging support too. As for the Note 9, it houses a 4000mAh capacity.
Mate 20 X vs iPhone XS Max vs Galaxy Note 9 Conclusion
The iPhone XS Max and Galaxy Note 9 are very strong flagship competitors. However, the Mate 20 X offers the best performance from a premium Android handset. It also sports a 3.5mm audio jack, a 5000mAh battery and a triple-camera system like no other. It also offers support for the Huawei M-Pen, but it will be sold separately. Last, it features the biggest screen size in this comparison.
This will help buyers enjoy the highest screen real estate, allowing them to play games and watch movies comfortably. The iPhone XS Max is the most expensive, but it is the fastest flagship in this comparison. It also gets long-term software support but lacks a headphone jack. Users of the iPhone X (review) will find it difficult to upgrade, especially after spending so much in the first place. The Galaxy Note 9 provides the best value in this comparison. It is not the fastest, but sometimes, buyers want the cheapest flagship from a comparison, and this is it.
Lots of buyers will have different preferences for a flagship, and we’ve outlined the possible ones for you. Which one would you love to get and why? Tell us down in the comments.
After you’re doing reading about this comparison, you can check out our in-depth review of the Galaxy Note 9.
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