NeoTeo's verdict
Which of the two is the better buy
Honor 30S is the most complete choice for performance, camera, and battery: it adds 5G, UFS 2.1 storage, and 256 GB. Honor 20S fits better for buyers who want a sharper display and thinner body; Honor 9S is only the better buy if it costs less.
Honor 30S uses the Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 820 5G and 8 GB of RAM, versus the HiSilicon Kirin 810 and 8 GB in Honor 20S and the MediaTek Helio P22 and 2 GB in Honor 9S. It also offers UFS 2.1 storage, expansion, and 256 GB, while the other two use eMMC 5.1 and reach 128 GB and 32 GB. The 20S display reaches 412 ppi, the 30S 405 ppi, and the 9S 295 ppi.
For photography, the 30S combines a 64 MP main camera, telephoto camera, and 4K video at 30 fps; the 20S has 48 MP and a stronger 32 MP front camera. Both include an ultrawide camera, while the 9S has none. The 30S battery is 4000 mAh, against 3750 mAh in the 20S and 3020 mAh in the 9S. The 20S is the thinnest at 7.9 mm, while the 9S is the lightest at 144 g.
Honor 20S
Honor 30S suits buyers seeking performance, camera, and battery: it has 5G, 64 MP, 4000 mAh, and 256 GB.
Honor 9S
Honor 9S is only the better buy if it costs less; its 144 g is its only clear advantage for buyers.
The verdict
Your pick: Honor 30S, ahead on Performance & hardware, Camera and Battery & charging.
| Category | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 6.2 | 5.9 | 5.1 |
| Performance & hardware | 4.3 | 5.1 | 2.7 |
| Camera | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.8 |
| Connectivity | 5.1 | 5.3 | 3.9 |
| Battery & charging | 3.5 | 4.2 | 2.2 |
Which one is for you?
Honor 20S, if you care about…
- Body Thickness
- 7.9 mm
- against 8.6 mm · 8.4 mm
- Max. download speed
- 1,400 Mbps
- against 300 Mbps
- Max. upload speed
- 200 Mbps
- against 50 Mbps
Honor 30S, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 4,000 mAh
- against 3,750 mAh · 3,020 mAh
- Storage Type
- UFS 2.1
- against eMMC 5.1 · eMMC 5.1
- Bluetooth Version
- Bluetooth 5.1
- against Bluetooth 5.0 · Bluetooth 5.0
- Maximum Storage Capacity
- 256 GB
- against 128 GB · 32 GB
Honor 9S, if you care about…
- Weight
- 144 g
- against 172 g · 190 g
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | HiSilicon Kirin 810 | Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 820 5G | MediaTek Helio P22 |
| Processor Process Size | 7 nm Best value | 7 nm Best value | 12 nm |
| Graphics GPU | Mali-G52 MP6 | Mali-G57 (6-core) | PowerVR GE8320 |
| Storage Type | eMMC 5.1 | UFS 2.1 Best value | eMMC 5.1 |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 2.27 GHz | 2.36 GHz Best value | 2 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 128 GB | 256 GB Best value | 32 GB |
| AnTuTu Score | 303,283 | 373,768 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | — | — | 233 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | — | — | 723 |
| CPU Description | Octa-core processor with 2 Cortex-A76 cores at 2.27 GHz and 6 Cortex-A55 cores at 1.88 GHz. | Octa-core processor with 1x Cortex-A76 at 2.36 GHz, 3x Cortex-A76 at 2.22 GHz, and 4x Cortex-A55 at 1.84 GHz. | Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 and 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53) |
| Processor Type | Octa-Core | Octa-Core | Octa-Core |
| 64-Bit Processor | Yes | — | Yes |
| RAM Capacity | 8 GB Best value | 8 GB Best value | 2 GB |
| RAM Type | DDR4 | — | DDR4 |
| Expandable Storage | No | Yes Best value | Yes Best value |
Design
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, Blue, White | Black, Blue, Green, Multicolor, Red | Black, Blue, Red |
| Body Thickness | 7.9 mm Best value | 8.6 mm | 8.4 mm |
| Body Width | 74 mm | 75 mm | 70.9 mm |
| Body Height | 154.3 mm | 162.3 mm | 146.5 mm |
| Weight | 172 g | 190 g | 144 g Best value |
| Usable Surface | 84.2 % Best value | 83.8 % | 73.8 % |
| Body Materials | Glass, Aluminium Alloy | Glass, Aluminium Alloy | — |
Battery
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 3,750 mAh | 4,000 mAh Best value | 3,020 mAh |
| Battery Type | Li-Po | Li-Polymer | Li-Polymer |
| Fast Charge Power | 20 W | 40 W Best value | — |
| Battery Features | Fast Charging, Battery Level Indicator, Rechargeable | Fast Charging, Battery Level Indicator, Rechargeable | Battery Level Indicator, Rechargeable |
Display
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 19.5:9 | 20:9 | 18:9 |
| Display Technology | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Display Diagonal | 6.26″ | 6.5″ Best value | 5.45″ |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,080 px Best value | 1,080 px Best value | 720 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,340 px | 2,400 px Best value | 1,440 px |
| Display Pixel Density | 412 ppi Best value | 405 ppi | 295 ppi |
| Display Features | IPS LCD, Touchscreen | Aluminosilicate Glass, HDR10, IPS LCD, Touchscreen | IPS LCD, Touchscreen |
Sensors
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint Sensor Placement | Side | Side | — |
Sensor
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass | Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor |
Software
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 9 | Android 10 | Android 10 |
| OS Family | Android | Android | Android |
| OS Version | 9 | 10 Best value | 10 Best value |
Connectivity
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual Nano-SIM | Dual Nano-SIM | Dual Nano-SIM |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS 800, 3G UMTS B5, 3G UMTS B8, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS B1, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS 800, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B6, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n78, 5G NR n79 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B20, LTE B28, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41 |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, 4G | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, 5G Best value | GSM, HSPA, LTE, 4G |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) Best value | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) Best value | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| Wi-Fi Features | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.1 Best value | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, aptX HD, LE | A2DP, LE | A2DP, LE |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS Best value | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou |
| Connectivity Features | USB Type-C, USB OTG | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, USB Type-C, USB OTG | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, FM Radio, microUSB |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| Max. download speed | 1,400 Mbps Best value | — | 300 Mbps |
| Max. upload speed | 200 Mbps Best value | — | 50 Mbps |
Audio
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microphone Count | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Audio Features | aptX HD, A2DP, LE, Loudspeaker, 32-bit/384kHz Audio | A2DP, LE, Loudspeaker, 32-bit/384kHz Audio | A2DP, LE, Loudspeaker |
Technical
| Specification | 20S | 30S | 9S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model numbers | YAL-AL50 | CDY-AN90, CDY-AN95, CDY-TN90 | DUA-LX9 |
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