Choosing a new smartphone in today’s crowded market has become a complex puzzle, especially when it comes to the “China’s big three”: Xiaomi, Huawei and Honor. These brands, once part of the same corporate structure, now represent three completely different philosophies, each competing for user attention with their own unique methods.
In this article, we will take a closer look at each manufacturer’s strengths and weaknesses so you can make a better decision: Why Huawei remains the leader in photography despite sanctions, how Xiaomi has evolved from a state-owned manufacturer to a flagship, and how Honor differs from its former colleagues.
It’s important to understand that brand choice today is a long-term choice. When you buy a smartphone, you get access to a specific app store, cloud services, and specific interface features. MIUI, HarmonyOS, and MagicOS are three different worlds, and the transition between them may not be as easy as it seems at first glance.
Historical context and current status of brands
To understand the differences, you need to look at history. Honor was a long-time sub-brand of Huawei, created to compete with Xiaomi in the online segment. However, in 2020, under pressure from US sanctions, Huawei sold Honor. This separation was a key point: Huawei was left without Google services and was left without Google services. 5G-modems (in new models), and Honor got full freedom of action and access to Qualcomm chips.
Xiaomi has always gone its own way, betting on aggressive marketing, high performance and affordable prices. Today, the company has divided its lineups into Redmi (budget and mid-range) and Xiaomi (premium), actively introducing Leica technology in cameras, which allowed the brand to gain a foothold in the top segment, which was previously dominated by Korean and American competitors.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t confuse current Honor models with Huawei devices until 2020. Despite the similarity of design, hardware and software are now fundamentally different.
Huawei is more complicated. A company deprived of access to American technology has built its own HarmonyOS operating system (in China) and is actively developing the HiLink ecosystem.The lack of Google Play Services (GMS) has become a major barrier to the Western market, but in Asia the brand still feels confident offering unique features.
Software: MIUI, HarmonyOS and MagicOS
The interface is something that the user interacts with 99% of the time. Xiaomi’s MIUI (and its new version of HyperOS) is known for its deep customization. It can change everything from icons to system behavior. However, the abundance of features often leads to congestion and the presence of ad modules in stock applications, which annoys many users.
Honor's MagicOS shell, which is the successor to EMUI, is lighter and more streamlined. It retains the visual style that Huawei fans are familiar with, but is free of many limitations. It's a great multitasking and control experience. For those who are moving from the iPhone, the Honor interface will seem the most friendly and logical.
Huawei and HarmonyOS (or EMUI in the global version) require special attention. It works very smoothly, faster than Android competitors, thanks to kernel optimization. But the lack of native Google services makes you look for workarounds. GMS installation is possible through emulators (GBox, GSpace), but this does not guarantee stable banking applications and push notifications.
- 📱 Xiaomi: A huge number of settings, but possible advertising in the system.
- 🌸 Huawei: Smooth job, but no Google Play out of the box.
- 🦋 Honor: Stability and availability of all Google services by default.
Can I install Google on Huawei?
It’s important to note that Huawei’s AppGallery is actively developing, but the number of apps there is still inferior to Google Play.For the average user, this can be a critical factor. At the same time, Xiaomi and Honor provide full access to the Google ecosystem, making their choices more predictable for most.
Iron and Performance: Snapdragon vs Kirin
At the heart of most modern Xiaomi and Honor smartphones are Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets or MediaTek’s Dimensity.This ensures high compatibility with games, emulators and heavy apps. Xiaomi flagships like the Xiaomi 14 series often get new processors before others, becoming benchmarks for performance.
Honor also uses Qualcomm's top-end solutions. The Magic series smartphones perform well in the AnTuTu and Geekbench tests. System optimization allows Honor to squeeze the most out of iron, ensuring a stable FPS in games even during long sessions.
Huawei is forced to rely on its own Kirin processors after the return of the Kirin chips. 9000s In the Mate 60 Pro, it became clear that the company had overcome many technological barriers, although in terms of net power they may be inferior to the top-end Snapdragon, the bundle of hardware. + Huawei’s software works in a remarkably harmonious way.
| Brand | Typical processor (Flagship) | Feature | Playing performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Maximum power | Extremely extreme. |
| Honor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/3 | Balance and energy efficiency | Tall. |
| Huawei | Kirin 9000S | Own development | Medium/High |
It’s worth mentioning that Xiaomi often sets cooling records using huge evaporation cameras in its gaming models. Honor also pays attention to (cooling), but relies on a comfortable body temperature. Huawei relies on software optimization to reduce heat generation.
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Xiaomi and Honor use Qualcomm’s standard high-power chips, while Huawei relies on its own Kirin, which are inferior in clean power but well optimized.
Cameras: Lake, XMAGE and Honor Algorithms
Photography is a battleground where Chinese brands set the tone for the entire market. Huawei has long set the standards for mobile photography. After breaking up its partnership with Leica, the company unveiled its own brand XMAGE. Huawei's algorithms are famous for their "delicious" but sometimes overly saturated color, as well as incredible zoom and nighttime shooting.
Xiaomi has maintained a partnership with Leica and integrated their color profiles ("Leica Authentic" and "Leica Vibrant"), which allow for images with distinctive artistic design, shadows and contrast resembling film photography. The latest models use inch sensors, which gives a huge advantage in detail and bokeh.
Honor cameras are often underrated, but they offer a great balance. Algorithms do well with HDR and portrait photography, making skin natural. Honor often introduces interesting features like the Pet Portrait mode or improved video stabilization, making them a great choice for bloggers.
⚠️ Note: Don’t just buy into the megapixel count. 200 Xiaomi's MPs won't always be better 50 MP at Huawei. Matrix size plays a key role (1 better 1/1.5 inch) and software processing.
Video footage is a special focus, where Xiaomi and Honor often outperform Huawei in terms of stabilizing and operating microphones, especially when shooting in motion, while Huawei takes the quality of night video and zoom.
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When choosing a smartphone for a photo, note the presence of optical stabilization (OIS) on all camera modules, not just the main one.
Ecosystem and additional devices
Buying a smartphone is often the entry ticket to the world of gadgets. Xiaomi is the absolute leader in diversity here. Smart lamps, robot vacuum cleaners, electric scooters, TVs - all of this is managed through the Mi Home app. If you like a smart home, Xiaomi will offer the widest integration possible.
Huawei is developing a 1+8+N ecosystem. MateBook laptops, MatePad tablets, and Watch seamlessly connect to a smartphone. The Superdevice feature allows you to drag and drop files and images between your phone and laptop with a simple touch, which is even better than many competitors.
Honor is also growing its presence in the wearables and laptops segment, with its MagicBook series of laptops often featuring a great screen and metal body, and the Honor Watch offering long-term autonomy.
- 🏠 Xiaomi: Leader of the smart home, thousands of compatible devices.
- 💻 Huawei: The best bundle with laptops and tablets.
- ⌚ Honor: Stylish wearables and laptops.
If you already have a Huawei laptop, it makes sense to take a Huawei phone for instant file sharing. If you’re building a smart home from scratch, Xiaomi will offer the most options in price and functionality.
☑️ What to check before buying
Pricing policy and accessibility
In the segment of budget smartphones (up to) 20-25 Xiaomi (and the Redmi brand) has almost no competitors in terms of price and characteristics. AMOLED-Screens and fast charging for the money competitors ask for simple screens.
Honor is a mid-plus niche, and their devices often cost slightly more than Xiaomi, but offer more premium body materials and better build, a choice for those who want quality but are not willing to overpay for flagships.
Huawei is marketed as a premium brand, with flagships priced at comparable prices to Samsung and Apple, with unique technology, design and camera costs, and the budget segment being represented by the Nova and Y series, but there are often trade-offs like IPS screens or slow memory.
Crucially, when you buy Huawei for the full price of a flagship, you get a device without Google services, which for many users in 2026 is a significant limitation, despite the excellent “iron” stuffing.
Summary: Who will do what?
To sum up, the choice depends on your priorities. If you want maximum functionality, games and access to all applications without dancing with a diamond, look towards Xiaomi or Honor. Xiaomi will give more customization options, and Honor will give a more stable and clean system.
If you’re an enthusiast photographer and don’t care about not having Google Play (or you’re willing to put up with emulators), Huawei will bring unique thrills and premium materials, a choice for those who value engineering and design.
Ultimately, all three brands offer excellent devices, and the key is to be clear about the trade-offs you’re willing to put up with for a feature.