Apple iPhone XR vs Huawei Mate 20 Lite: The weigh-in

Apple’s iPhone XR is due in a few weeks, and while it’s affordable in comparison to the XS and XS Max, £749 is still a lot to play for a phone that doesn’t even have a 1080p screen. It’s also wildly expensive compared to some of the competition, including Huawei’s Mate 20 Lite. Like the XR, it’s the lower-end take on a noted flagship, with the proper Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro set to be revealed in a couple of weeks. Let’s take an early glimpse at this matchup ahead of the iPhone XR’s imminent release.

Design: Notched beauties

The iPhone XR is mostly identical to the iPhone XS, although the bezels are a smidge thicker and the chassis is a bit bulkier, using aluminium instead of stainless steel. But it’s still the same kind of gorgeous, screen-driven silhouette that won us over last year, plus it comes in a range of colours. The Huawei Mate 20 Lite isn’t far off, really. That’s no surprise, since many Android phones have been copying the iPhone X aesthetic all year long. It has a notch at the top and a bit of a chin at the bottom, unlike the iPhone XR, with a back that’s completely covered in glass.

Screen: Clear disparities

Apple says its 6.1in Liquid Retina display is the best LCD ever put on a smartphone, but the measly 1792×828 resolution keeps the same 326ppi pixel density that underwhelmed on the iPhone 8. An upgrade is long overdue. The Mate 20 Lite goes with a 6.3in LCD panel at 1080p resolution – what should be the bare minimum for all but the cheapest of budget phones in 2018. It’s hardly a mind-blowing panel, but it’s very good for the money and delivers solid colour, contrast, and clarity.

Camera: Single or double?

Unlike the iPhone XS models, there’s just one 12MP camera on the back of the XR, but it has the same Smart HDR functionality and can replicated the neat Portrait mode tweaks of its more expensive brethren. The question is: how well will it do it? As for the Mate 20 Lite, you get two cameras on the back and they’re capable but hardly mind-blowing. The 24MP main camera is backed up with a 2MP depth-sensing camera, and the resulting blurred-backdrop Portrait shots have some issues. Likewise, standard snaps can look overly processed with unnatural results, but the Mate 20 Lite does well enough for everyday shots.

Performance: An obvious winner

The iPhone XR packs in the same A12 Bionic chip as the XS and XS Max, and it’s a true powerhouse. Even with the rumoured drop from 4GB to 3GB of RAM, in most everyday scenarios it probably won’t display any huge differences in performance. The Huawei Mate 20 Lite, however, opts for distinctly mid-range tech. Rather than use Huawei’s soon-to-be-replaced top chip, the Kirin 970, it uses the weaker Kirin 910 chip. That said, with 4GB RAM inside, it’s plenty powerful for most everyday tasks, but the occasional slow moments stick out like a sore thumb.

Battery and perks: Battle of the batteries

Despite being the lowest-end model of the bunch, the iPhone XR actually boasts better battery life than either XS model. Even so, the reported 2942mAh battery pack is probably good for a strong day’s usage, but not much more. The Huawei Mate 20 Lite packs in a large 3750mAh pack, which might just be enough to see you into the following morning. When it comes to storage, the base model is 64GB on both, with a 256GB version available for the iPhone XR for extra cash. Meanwhile, the Mate 20 Lite lets you pack in a cheap microSD memory card instead, which is definitely preferable.

Initial verdict: Too early to tell

While these phones are both lesser siblings of high-end flagships from opposing stables, it’s probably not an entirely fair fight, although they’re still directly comparable in a number of ways. The iPhone XR might have more power and likely the better camera, the Mate 20 Lite has a higher-res screen and larger battery – and in what is clearly an upper mid-range Android phone. You only have to check the price tags to confirm that. Will the £749 iPhone XR really offer good value for money when it’s reviewed? We’ll find out in a few weeks.