It’s no secret that Huawei was going to launch the P40 series of smartphones, but with three different models to choose from at different prices, specs and features it’s probably hard to know which is the best one for you.
Well don’t worry because here we’re going to compare the three P40 phones across key areas highlighting the differences so you can buy the right one. We won’t be going into every tiny bit of detail to avoid this turning into a lengthy essay, but rather looking at what will be most important when deciding on a P40.
We’ve been briefed ahead of the launch but Huawei likes to keep things like the prices until the presentation so we’ll add this when we can. For now let’s look at how the P40, P40 Pro and P40+ compare when it comes to things like cameras, screens and more.
See what we think in our Huawei P40 review and how the Huawei P40 Pro does its best to stay relevant in the face of adversity .
P40 Cameras
Let’s kick off with the most important comparison, since the camera tech you get is different across all three phones.
There’s one camera that all three P40 phones get which is 50Mp ‘Ultra Vision Wide Lens’. The P40 then comes with a 16Mp ultra wide angle camera and an 8Mp telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.
The Pro Pro swaps those two additional cameras for a 40Mp ultra wide angle ‘cine lens’ and a 12Mp 5x Optical Periscope Telephoto lens. Then there’s a time of flight (ToF) sensor, too.
The Huawei P40 Pro+ camera module
Finally, the P40 Pro+ has the same 50- and 40Mp cameras, joined by an 8Mp 3x Optical Telephoto, 8Mp 10x Optical Super Periscope Telephoto and the ToF sensor.
Here’s a more detailed look at each phone’s rear camera array
P40
- 50Mp Ultra Vision Wide Lens, 23mm, f/1.9, OIS
- 16Mp Ultra Wide Angle Lens, 17mm, f/2.2
- 8Mp 3x Optical Telephoto Lens, 80mm, f/2.4, OIS
P40 Pro
- 50Mp Ultra Vision Wide Lens, 23mm, f/1.9, OIS
- 40Mp Ultra Wide Angle CineLens, 18mm, f/1.8
- 12Mp 5x Optical Periscope Telephoto Lens, 125mm, f/3.4, OIS
- Huawei Time of Flight
P40 Pro+
- 50Mp Ultra Vision Wide Lens, 23mm, f/1.9, OIS
- 40Mp Ultra Wide Angle CineLens, 18mm, f/1.8
- 8Mp 3x Optical Telephoto Lens, 240mm, f/2.4, OIS
- 8Mp 10x Optical SuperPeriscope Telephoto Lens, 125mm, f/4.4, OIS
- Huawei Time of Flight
When it comes to the front facing camera, all the P40 models have a 32Mp sensor but the Pro models have autofocus and Depth IR, in part for improved facial recognition.
We think photographers should buy the P40 Pro+ . Here are some more photography details for the P40 phones:
- Audio Zoom (Pro and Pro+)
- Steady Telephoto
- ISO 51200
- Ultra Slow Motion 7680fps
- HDR
- 4K @60fps
- 4K Time Lapse
- Pro Mode
- 4K Selfie Video
P40 Screens
As is typical, the regular P40 has a smaller screen at 6.1in. It also has a slightly shorter aspect ratio and resolution at 19.5:9 2340×1080.
Getting a Pro or Pro+ gets you a larger 6.58in display and a taller 19.8:9 aspect ratio. The resolution is then higher at 2640×1200.
The regular Huawei P40 screen
All three phones have OLED technology with a punch-hole camera arrangement at the top-left but the ‘overflow display’ – where it curves over the edges – is limited to the Pro models.
Then there’s also the fact that Pro/+ gets you a 90Hz refresh rate where the regular P40 is lower at 60Hz. The Pros certainly have the better display then if you are ok with the larger size.
P40 Battery life & Charging
This is another area where the regular P40 lags behind the Pro models as it has a smaller 3800mAh battery and both wired charging is limited to 22.5W. The phone doesn’t have wireless charging.
Meanwhile, getting either the Pro or the Pro+ bumps you to 4200mAh and both wired and wireless charging is able to supply up to 40W and the adapter is supplied in the box. Note that the Pro is limited to 27W on wireless.
P40 Colours & Waterproofing
This might not be as important as the things above but will still be critical to some people’s buying decision.
The P40 comes in a range of colours, depending on where you live, including Ice White, Black, DeepSea Blue, Silver Frost and Blush Gold.
The Huawei P40 in Frost Silver
The P40 Pro+ comes in a ceramic finish with a choice of simply black or white. Huawei says this uses nanotech beads and is powder compressed, then Kilned for 5 days at 1500 degreed giving it the ‘strength of sapphire’ and the ‘look of diamond’.
Although most flagship phones come with top waterproofing, the P40 is a little lower at IP53 (dust protected but not tight, and able to cope with spraying water). Meanwhile the Pro models are fully dust and waterproof at IP68.
P40 Common Specs
To finish things off, here’s a list of specs that all the P40 models share:
- Kirin 990 processor
- Wi-Fi 6
- NFC
- 5G
- Bluetooth
- GPS
- In-screen fingerprint scanner
- USB-C
P40 Price & Availability
The P40 and P40 Pro will be available from 7 April , while the Pro+ will be released later in June . Here are the details for the prices along with the memory and storage you get.
P40
- £699 or 799 Euro
- 8+128GB
- View it at Huawei
P40 Pro
- £899 or 999 Euro
- 8+256GB
- View it at Huawei
P40 Pro+
- 1399 Euro
- 8+512GB
Which P40 should I buy?
Taking an objective look at the phones, the regular P40 isn’t overly attractive due to all the specs and features that it doesn’t get.
Namely a fancier screen, additional photography skills, wireless charging and faster wired charging. However, those wanting a smaller size and wanting to spend less will need to opt for it.
Chossing between the Pro models is harder since they are pretty similar across the board. We’d say the P40 Pro is the sweet spot unless you really want the ceramic finish of the Pro+, extra storage and will make use of its superior cameras.
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Author: Chris Martin, Managing Editor, Tech Advisor
Tech Advisor Managing Editor Chris got his break as a reporter at infamous site The Inquirer and has been with us for more than 12 years. With a BA degree in Music Technology, audio is his specialism, but over the years he has reviewed all kinds of gadgets, from smartwatches to mesh Wi-Fi to coffee machines.
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