Huawei Pura 80 Ultra Dominates - A Deep Dive into Huawei's Pura 80 Series Flagships

Unprecedented Camera Innovation: The Pura 80 Ultra packs a groundbreaking dual telephoto system and a 1-inch variable-aperture main sensor, earning a record 175 DxOMark camera score notebookcheck.net. Industry experts hail its main camera for giving “a huge photography boost over even the best in the business” androidauthority.com.
Kirin 9020 Chipset & 5G: All Pura 80 models run Huawei’s new Kirin 9020 5G SoC – Huawei’s first openly confirmed flagship chip in years notebookcheck.net. Performance is solid for daily use, but this 7nm chip lags behind 2025’s top 3nm Snapdragon rivals in benchmarks phonearena.com.
Big Battery, Super Charging: The series features hefty batteries (up to 5700 mAh in Chinese units) with super-fast charging. The Pro and Ultra support 100W wired and 80W wireless charging, while the base model gets 66W/50W – refilling in under an hour consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com.
Google-Less Software Split: Chinese models run HarmonyOS 5.1 with advanced AI features, but global versions ship with EMUI 15 (Android 12) and no Google services out-of-the-box androidauthority.com. Reviewers praise the UI’s speed but lament outdated software support and missing apps phonearena.com phonearena.com.
Global Availability & Pricing: Huawei launched the Pura 80, 80 Pro, and 80 Ultra globally in mid-2025 – focusing on Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Prices range roughly from €1,099 for the Pro to €1,199–€1,299 for the Ultra, comparable to other flagships phonearena.com huaweicentral.com. A higher-end Pura 80 Pro+ exists in China only, leaving overseas fans to import if they want that model.

Introduction

Huawei’s Pura 80 series has burst onto the smartphone scene as 2025’s most talked-about flagships. After years of setbacks from US trade bans, Huawei is mounting a comeback with these photography-focused phones, boldly challenging Samsung, Apple, and other rivals. The lineup – comprising the Huawei Pura 80, Pura 80 Pro, Pura 80 Pro+ (China-only), and the range-topping Pura 80 Ultra – pushes cutting-edge hardware, especially in camera tech. The Pura 80 Ultra in particular is turning heads worldwide, topping camera rankings and prompting comparisons to Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra and Apple’s latest iPhones. But as we’ll explore, these phones also carry some unique compromises that prospective buyers must weigh.

In this report, we’ll break down everything you need to know: specifications, design, camera capabilities, performance, battery life, software experience, pricing, and availability. We’ll compare the Pura 80 series models to each other and to their flagship competitors, incorporate insights from industry experts, and even peek at Huawei’s next moves. If you thought smartphone innovation was slowing down, Huawei’s Pura 80 series might just change your mind – with a few big caveats.

Pura 80 Series Lineup Overview

Huawei’s Pura 80 series was unveiled in China on June 11, 2025 (with global launch on July 10, 2025) as the successor to 2024’s Pura 70 family zh.wikipedia.org. The series includes four models:

Huawei Pura 80 (Standard): The base model with a flat 6.6″ OLED display and a triple camera setup (plus an auxiliary sensor). It comes with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage (up to 1 TB in China) zh.wikipedia.org consumer.huawei.com. It’s slightly smaller and lighter than its siblings (approx. 211 g) consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com, but still packs the same Kirin 9020 5G chip and a large battery.
Huawei Pura 80 Pro: The mainstream flagship model, featuring a 6.8″ OLED display and upgraded cameras. It shares the 1-inch main camera with the Ultra and bumps storage to 512 GB (12 GB RAM) in global units consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com. It weighs about 219 g consumer.huawei.com and introduces Huawei’s new “Glazed” design on the back.
Huawei Pura 80 Pro+: An enhanced version available only in China. It has 16 GB RAM and up to 1 TB storage zh.wikipedia.org, and it bridges the gap between the Pro and Ultra with further camera improvements (notably adding a second telephoto lens, which we’ll detail in the camera section). The Pro+ shares most specs with the Pro otherwise – including the 6.8″ display and battery – but commands a higher price (~¥7,999). International availability is absent for this variant, at least as of this writing.
Huawei Pura 80 Ultra: The ultimate model, loaded with every high-end feature Huawei could muster. It retains the 6.8″ display but adds a fifth camera sensor (dual telephoto lenses) and boosts RAM to 16 GB zh.wikipedia.org. The Ultra is heaviest at 233.5 g zh.wikipedia.org, partly due to its elaborate camera array. It also gets exclusive finishes (like “Prestige Gold”) and the top-of-the-line price tag. In China, the Ultra launched at a steep ¥9,999 (~$1,400), positioning it firmly in ultra-premium territory finance.sina.com.cn.

All four models share core DNA: Kirin 9020 processors, OLED displays with 120 Hz LTPO refresh, large batteries, IP68 water resistance, and Huawei’s XMAGE camera technologies. However, the differences in camera hardware, charging speed, and memory configurations give each model its distinct identity and price point. Below, we’ll delve into each aspect in detail.

(Note: Since the Pro+ is not officially sold globally, our analysis will focus on the Standard, Pro, and Ultra models which Huawei has released internationally, with references to the Pro+ where relevant.)

Design and Display

Big, Bold, and Refined: The Pura 80 series handsets continue Huawei’s tradition of premium builds with some new twists. The Pura 80 base model features a flat-edge 6.6-inch display and a matte frosted glass back available in hues like Frosted Gold, Black, and White consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com. Huawei emphasized the flat screen as a “bold statement of cutting-edge design,” giving the device a modern, clean look consumer.huawei.com. At 157.7 mm tall and 8.2 mm thick, the Pura 80 is slightly more compact than its Pro siblings, though still hefty.

Moving up, the Pura 80 Pro and Pro+ sport larger 6.8-inch displays with similarly flat panels (163 mm tall, 8.3 mm thick) zh.wikipedia.org. Despite rumors that higher-end models might use curved screens, Huawei actually kept a flat display for the Pro series as well (a welcome choice for many users who prefer flat over curved for usability). The Pro introduces a “Glazed” glass design on the back – described as having a shimmering, liquid-like finish that “creates a sort of glow around the entire back of the phone, as if it has been dipped in liquid glass,” according to one reviewer glitched.online. Available in striking colors like Glazed Red, Glazed Black, and Glazed White, the Pura 80 Pro certainly looks the part of a flagship. Huawei even incorporated a subtle sunburst pattern around the camera module (the so-called “Forward Symbol”) under the glass, adding to the visual flair consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com.

At the top of the line, the Pura 80 Ultra is visually similar to the Pro+ but with its own premium touches. It comes in sophisticated finishes like Prestige Gold and Golden Black consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com. The Ultra’s camera island is larger and more elaborate, reflecting the extra lens inside (more on that next). All models in the series have IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance, meaning they’re built to handle splashes and even submersion (up to 2m for 30 minutes under IP68) consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com. Build quality is top-notch across the board, with Huawei using Kunlun Glass 2 on the displays for enhanced drop resistance (Huawei claims this 2nd-gen glass is 20x more drop-resistant) m.igao7.com finance.sina.com.cn. The frames are metal (aluminum alloy), and all models forego the 3.5mm jack, as expected in 2025 flagships.

Display Quality: The Pura 80 series’ OLED screens are vibrant and sharp. The base Pura 80’s 6.6″ panel has a resolution of 2760×1256 (~460 ppi) consumer.huawei.com. The Pro and Ultra bump slightly to 2848×1276 on 6.8″ (also ~460 ppi) consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com – effectively all are FHD+ with a slightly extra-wide aspect ratio. Crucially, these are LTPO OLED displays with adaptive refresh rates from 1 Hz up to 120 Hz consumer.huawei.com, enabling smoother visuals and battery savings when static. They also feature high-frequency PWM dimming at 1440 Hz to reduce eye strain and flicker, plus up to 300 Hz touch sampling for responsive input consumer.huawei.com.

Brightness is a highlight: Huawei advertises peak brightness up to a staggering 3000 nits on the Pura 80 Ultra’s display androidauthority.com. In real-world use, this means excellent visibility even in harsh sunlight. The screens support 10-bit color (1.07 billion colors) and HDR, so content looks punchy. Reviewers have praised the displays as “incredibly bright and vivid”, noting that 120Hz makes interactions feel very smooth glitched.online. There’s very little to complain about here – Huawei’s OLEDs are on par with Samsung’s and Apple’s in this class.

Ergonomics: These are large phones – the Pro and Ultra are virtually the same size as an iPhone 14/15 Pro Max or Galaxy S25 Ultra. The base Pura 80 is only marginally smaller. One notable design quirk is the fingerprint sensor placement. Instead of an under-display fingerprint reader (which the previous Pura 70 Pro had), Huawei moved to a side-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button on the Pura 80 series glitched.online. This change surprised some, given the flagships’ premium positioning, but Huawei repurposed the side sensor to support new “smart control” gestures (e.g. double-tapping the power button to trigger shortcuts like the flashlight) glitched.online. The side sensor is fast and reliable, though not as high-tech as an ultrasonic in-display scanner. Some users actually prefer a tactile side sensor, so this will come down to personal preference.

In summary, Huawei delivered an attractive, robust design with the Pura 80 series. The flat displays, durable glass, and eye-catching finishes give these phones a distinctive identity. They feel every bit premium in hand, though their size and weight (220+ grams in the larger models) means they’re not the most one-hand-friendly devices. Next, we’ll see how Huawei leveraged that large footprint to pack some truly revolutionary camera hardware.

Camera Capabilities – Pura 80 Ultra vs Pro vs Standard

Huawei built its 2025 flagships to dominate mobile photography, and the specs tell the story. All Pura 80 series models carry Huawei’s XMAGE imaging system, but the higher you go in the lineup, the more cameras and innovation you get. Let’s break down each model:

Huawei Pura 80 (Standard): Triple rear camera + spectral sensor:
- 50 MP Ultra Lighting Main Camera: A large sensor with variable aperture F/1.4–F/4.0 and OIS consumer.huawei.com. This is a bright RYYB-type sensor (likely around 1/1.4″ size, not the full 1-inch of the Pro/Ultra). The variable aperture can stop down to f/4.0 for deep depth-of-field or open wide at f/1.4 in low light – a rare feature outside Huawei’s flagships.
- 13 MP Ultra-Wide Camera: F/2.2 aperture, for wide-angle shots consumer.huawei.com. This is a modest ultrawide compared to the higher models, but still adequate for basic use.
- 12 MP Periscope Telephoto: 5.5× optical zoom (approx. 125 mm focal length) with OIS consumer.huawei.com. This periscope lens allows the base Pura 80 to achieve up to 50× digital zoom consumer.huawei.com. It’s a lower-resolution tele, but having a periscope at all in the base model is impressive.
- 1.5 MP Spectral Sensor (Ultra Chroma): This is a small sensor used to capture additional color data (and possibly aid autofocus and white balance) consumer.huawei.com. It’s not an imaging camera per se, but it helps the main camera produce more accurate colors and detail.
Huawei Pura 80 Pro: Quad rear camera + spectral sensor:
- 50 MP Ultra Lighting Main Camera (1-inch sensor): This is the star of the show – a 1.0″-type sensor co-engineered with Sony, featuring variable aperture F/1.6–F/4.0 and OIS consumer.huawei.com. It’s the same monster sensor used in the Ultra. The large sensor surface captures huge amounts of light and dynamic range. In fact, Huawei touts it as an “Ultra Lighting HDR Camera” capable of industry-leading dynamic range (up to 15+ stops) and low-light performance androidauthority.com notebookcheck.net.
- 40 MP Ultra-Wide Camera: F/2.2 aperture consumer.huawei.com. This is a significant upgrade in resolution over the base model’s 13 MP ultrawide. It produces sharper, more detailed wide shots.
- 48 MP Ultra Lighting Telephoto (Macro Telephoto): This 3.7×–4× optical zoom tele (approx. 90–95 mm focal length) has a bright F/2.1 aperture and OIS consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com. Huawei calls it a “Macro Telephoto” because it can focus extremely close for tele-macro shots, thanks to a large sensor and possibly a free-form lens design. It doubles as a mid-range zoom lens for portraits and distant subjects, offering up to 100× digital zoom when combined with the main sensor’s crop consumer.huawei.com.
- 1.5 MP Spectral Sensor (Ultra Chroma): Same auxiliary sensor as the base model consumer.huawei.com, aiding the main camera with color calibration and detail.
Huawei Pura 80 Pro+: (China-only) Quad or Penta camera + spectral – Essentially the Pura 80 Pro but augmented:
- It retains the 50 MP 1-inch main and 40 MP ultrawide.
- It likely adds a second telephoto lens (similar to the Ultra) – based on Huawei’s P40 Pro+ precedent and the hints from the launch. Indeed, Huawei’s Chinese site and promos indicate the Pro+ has a dual-tele setup: one mid-zoom and one periscope. The exact specs aren’t officially listed globally, but it’s safe to assume:
  - A ~3.5× medium tele (likely the same 48 MP as the Pro’s tele).
  - An additional periscope tele around 10× optical. Possibly a similar 12 MP periscope like the Ultra, but perhaps not quite the same hardware.
- The Pro+ therefore offers an intermediate option for those who want dual zoom cameras without going to the Ultra’s price. Again, it’s only in China – Huawei fans elsewhere have bemoaned its absence.
Huawei Pura 80 Ultra: Penta camera system + spectral – the ultimate setup:
- 50 MP Ultra Lighting Main (1″ sensor): Same as the Pro’s phenomenal main camera. This sensor has been universally praised. One reviewer noted it “excels outdoors, capturing superb detail… [with] dynamic range among the best I’ve seen”, beating even Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra in fine detail and color accuracy androidauthority.com androidauthority.com. In low light, the large sensor and adjustable aperture allow the Pura 80 Ultra to capture more light with less noise than competitors – Huawei even markets it as a “one-inch camera with a phone attached” androidauthority.com. In short, it’s arguably the best smartphone camera sensor on the market right now.
- 40 MP Ultra-Wide Camera: Same as Pro – 40 MP, f/2.2. However, interestingly, reviewers found the ultrawide lens on the Ultra somewhat underwhelming at night. It produces usable but noisier images in very low light compared to the stellar main cam androidauthority.com. Daytime ultrawide shots are excellent, though, with plenty of detail. It’s a trade-off area where Samsung’s latest Ultra might be a bit better in certain scenarios androidauthority.com.
- 50 MP Telephoto (Mid-zoom, 3.7×): One of the Ultra’s unique tricks is having two separate telephoto lenses. The first is a 50 MP tele with 3.5–3.7× optical zoom (~83 mm focal length, f/2.4, OIS) androidauthority.com. This handles short-to-mid range zoom needs.
- 12.5 MP Periscope Telephoto (Long-zoom, 9.4×): The second telephoto is a periscope 9.4× optical zoom (~212 mm focal length, f/3.6, OIS) androidauthority.com. This periscope allows far-away shots with optical clarity and extends digital zoom up to 100×. Huawei’s implementation can seamlessly switch between the two tele lenses depending on zoom level – effectively covering every focal length from 1× up to 10× without significant quality dips androidauthority.com. This “switchable telephoto camera” design is actually a first in the industry phonearena.com. It means at ~3×–5× zoom the phone likely uses the 50MP tele, and beyond ~7× it switches to the periscope, with a blending zone in between. The result is highly detailed zoom shots at a variety of distances, outperforming single-tele setups. As Android Authority highlighted, “the Pura 80 Ultra’s dual lens zoom system… seamlessly switches lenses based on your optical zoom requirements,” capturing distant details that are “so good” androidauthority.com. The only caution is that at the extreme 100×, or for moving subjects, the tele can be slow to focus and capture androidauthority.com – but for static scenes (moon shots, architecture, etc.), it’s outstanding.
- 1.5 MP Spectral Sensor: Same auxiliary sensor which, combined with Huawei’s XMAGE color science, contributes to the Ultra’s excellent color accuracy. DXOMark specifically praised the Pura 80 Ultra’s color rendering and skin tones, saying it’s “clearly superior” to competitors in challenging lighting notebookcheck.net.

Front Camera: All Pura 80 models have a 13 MP selfie camera (wide-angle, f/2.0) with autofocus consumer.huawei.com. It’s a serviceable shooter – not a focus of the series – but does support 4K video and various AI features. It’s tucked in a small centered punch-hole on the display.

Camera Performance: On paper, the Pura 80 Ultra is a monster, and in practice it lives up to the hype. It shot to #1 on DxOMark with an aggregate score of 175, dethroning the previous champ (Huawei’s own Pura 70 Ultra) by a solid margin notebookcheck.net notebookcheck.net. According to DxOMark’s report, the Pura 80 Ultra earned top marks in portrait photography, low-light, indoor and outdoor shots, basically across the board notebookcheck.net. The only category where it wasn’t #1 was zoom, where an excellent Vivo X200 Ultra managed a narrow win by one point – a testament to how competitive the telephoto race has become notebookcheck.net. Nonetheless, overall it outclasses the likes of Oppo’s Find X8 Ultra and Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max in the camera department as of 2025.

Reviewers echo this praise. “This is my favorite camera phone of the year,” wrote Android Authority’s reviewer, citing cleaner details and better color accuracy than even Samsung’s latest Ultra in many scenarios androidauthority.com androidauthority.com. The variable aperture allows the main camera to produce natural bokeh for portraits at f/1.6 and then razor-sharp landscapes at f/4.0 – essentially giving you a professional camera-like control over depth of field. Low-light performance is where Huawei’s large sensor and RYYB color filter shine: photos are brighter and less noisy, often not needing a long Night Mode exposure at all. “The primary lens captures much more light… with colors more accurate and less noise compared to the S25 Ultra,” notes Android Authority androidauthority.com. It’s not just stills – video is highly stabilized (Huawei’s sensor-shift stabilization is described as “almost gimbal-like” when walking around androidauthority.com) and tops out at 4K 60fps with excellent dynamic range. Huawei doesn’t offer 8K recording on these models, an omission that’s arguably minor given 4K is sufficient for most.

The Pura 80 Pro inherits the same main camera, so its imaging is nearly as stellar in most conditions. In fact, many casual shots between the Pro and Ultra will look identical except when you push to extreme zoom. The Pro’s single tele lens (around 3.5–4×) means it can’t optically reach as far as the Ultra – it maxes at 100× digital but with less clarity beyond ~10×. Still, the Pro’s 48 MP tele is uniquely capable: it doubles as a macro lens, enabling incredibly detailed close-ups that most competitors can’t match (Huawei even demonstrated capturing small insects from a distance). For 90% of photography needs, the Pura 80 Pro is as formidable as the Ultra – only dedicated zoom enthusiasts and camera completists will feel the difference.

The base Pura 80 is a step down but still very competent. Its main sensor, while slightly smaller, even has a wider aperture (f/1.4) to compensate, and still offers variable aperture to f/4.0 consumer.huawei.com. It won’t match the Pro/Ultra in night extremes or HDR, but it likely outperforms most mid-range phones easily. Its 5.5× periscope can actually reach a bit farther optically than the Pro’s 4×, interestingly – Huawei seems to have positioned the base model for decent zoom (perhaps anticipating it might be the only model some users get, so giving it a periscope lens is a generous touch). However, its lower resolution sensors (12 MP tele, 13 MP ultrawide) mean detail won’t be as crisp. Additionally, digital zoom tops at 50× versus 100× on the higher models consumer.huawei.com.

Camera Features & XMAGE: All models support an array of shooting modes: Night, Portrait, Pro mode (with RAW capture), macro, light-painting, slow-motion, etc. consumer.huawei.com. Huawei’s XMAGE image processing focuses on rich color and contrast – the Pura 80 series benefits from the new “Ultra Chroma” multi-spectral sensor which, as mentioned, improves color accuracy by analyzing the scene’s color channels at a hardware level glitched.online. The result is vivid yet realistic colors. The Ultra and Pro also have adjustable physical aperture modes where you can manually set the aperture to create different depth effects (like f/1.6, f/2.0, f/2.8…f/4.0 stops). This is a photography enthusiast’s dream, effectively mimicking a real camera lens.

In summary, Huawei has cemented the Pura 80 Ultra (and Pro) as the camera phones to beat in 2025. They deliver an uncompromising camera experience that outshines virtually every competitor in at least some aspect – be it low-light or long-zoom. As PhoneArena put it, the Pura 80 Ultra is “dubbed the first phone with a switchable telephoto camera” and a “very interesting beast” that “tries to innovate where it counts” despite the company’s challenges phonearena.com. If your priority is photography, the Pura 80 series is an easy contender for the top of your list.

However, a smartphone is more than just its cameras. Next, we evaluate how the Pura 80 series performs under the hood and in everyday use, especially given Huawei’s unique hardware choices and the impact of the U.S. sanctions.

Performance and Hardware – Kirin 9020 Returns

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Pura 80 series is its use of Huawei’s in-house Kirin 9020 chipset. This marks a triumphant (if somewhat covert) return of Kirin chips to Huawei’s flagships after a few generations of using Qualcomm chips in 4G-only configurations. In fact, Huawei initially kept quiet about the chip’s details, but a software update post-launch finally confirmed the name Kirin 9020 in the system info notebookcheck.net. As NotebookCheck noted, this was Huawei’s “first open confirmation of a high-end [Kirin] chip in nearly five years” notebookcheck.net – a significant milestone given the U.S. ban that cut off its access to leading-edge semiconductors.

Kirin 9020 Overview: The Kirin 9020 is a flagship-class SoC built on a 7nm-class process by China’s SMIC notebookcheck.net. It’s a successor to the Kirin 9000S/9010 series that powered phones like the Mate 60. Reports indicate it has an 8-core CPU (with a custom “Taishan” big core at up to 2.5 GHz, 3 middle cores around 2.15 GHz, and 4 efficiency cores at 1.53 GHz) plus a Maleoon 920 GPU phonearena.com phonearena.com. Uniquely, it also integrates a 5G modem – a huge deal, as it signals Huawei found a way to implement 5G without U.S. tech. Indeed, Tom’s Hardware reported that Kirin 9020 features a fully China-made 5G modem and RF front-end, overcoming one of Huawei’s biggest hurdles in recent years tomshardware.com. In China, Pura 80 phones support 5G networks normally zh.wikipedia.org zh.wikipedia.org. (Global units, however, only advertise 4G in specs consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com – it’s suspected that the hardware is 5G-capable but perhaps software-limited due to patent licensing issues or to avoid regulatory complications.)

In terms of raw performance, the Kirin 9020 is good but not great by 2025 flagship standards. It roughly competes with last year’s top chips rather than beating the latest from Qualcomm or Apple. For instance, in Geekbench 6, the Pura 80 Ultra’s CPU scored around 1285 single-core / 4575 multi-core, which is actually lower single-core than the older Pura 70 Ultra (1389) and far behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-based Galaxy S25 Ultra (~3137 single) phonearena.com phonearena.com. Multi-core was closer to Google’s Tensor G4 (Pixel 9 Pro) at ~4575 vs 4775 phonearena.com phonearena.com. As one reviewer put it, “it’s clear… this 7nm CPU is no match for modern, non-US-vetoed silicon” in pure speed phonearena.com. Graphics performance was even further behind – the Mali-based Maleoon GPU scored roughly a third of what the Adreno in S25 Ultra achieved in 3DMark Wildlife Extreme phonearena.com phonearena.com. Additionally, sustained GPU loads show thermal throttling on the Kirin (likely due to the older fabrication node) phonearena.com.

That might sound worrying, but context is key: the Pura 80 Ultra feels fast in daily use. Huawei optimized EMUI/Harmony well. “In normal day-to-day use the Pura 80 Ultra doesn’t feel outdated and gets the job done,” notes PhoneArena, adding that there’s no noticeable lag in the UI and camera app phonearena.com phonearena.com. The phone’s UFS 4.0 storage (and ample RAM: 12 GB on base/Pro, 16 GB on Pro+/Ultra zh.wikipedia.org zh.wikipedia.org) ensure smooth multitasking. Apps launch quickly, and even gaming is playable – just not at the absolute max settings that you’d get on a Snapdragon 8 Gen chip. Huawei fans likely won’t mind trading a bit of benchmark bravado for having a fully self-developed chip again, given what it represents.

For typical “light” tasks (web browsing, social media, streaming), Kirin 9020 is more than sufficient. It’s only in heavy 3D gaming or future-proofing for AI features that it might struggle relative to competitors. PhoneArena scored the Pura 80 Ultra’s Performance category quite low (4.4/10 for heavy use) precisely because it’s using essentially last-gen tech in a year when others moved to 3nm chips phonearena.com phonearena.com. They bluntly labeled the chipset “old and uninspiring” in their pros/cons phonearena.com. But keep in mind, Huawei never positioned the Pura 80 series as the fastest phones on Earth – the focus is photography and a balanced experience.

Software & AI Performance: One area impacted by the chipset and sanctions is AI. The Kirin 9020’s NPU (Neural Processing Unit) exists but might not be as powerful or utilized as Qualcomm’s or Google’s for advanced AI tasks. PhoneArena noted that AI features on EMUI 15 are pretty basic – no advanced on-device large language models or next-gen voice assistants here phonearena.com phonearena.com. The AI tricks mostly extend to camera features (like AI scene recognition, AI Remove object, etc.) and things like Celia (Huawei’s Siri-like assistant), which the reviewer found “not very helpful” phonearena.com phonearena.com. In China, HarmonyOS has more AI integrations (like smart travel cards, voice interactions, etc.), but on the global software, it’s limited. So, while the hardware has AI capabilities, the overall ecosystem lags behind Google and Apple in these software-driven features.

Memory and Storage: As mentioned, 12 GB RAM is standard on Pura 80 and 80 Pro, while 16 GB equips the Pro+ and Ultra zh.wikipedia.org. Storage options in China go up to 1 TB (which is UFS 4.0 and very fast). Global models often ship in a single high-memory configuration (e.g., 512 GB). Notably, there’s no microSD expansion on any model zh.wikipedia.org – pretty typical for Huawei flagships.

Connectivity: All models support dual SIM (nanoSIM + eSIM in global variants) and a wide array of 4G bands consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com. 5G support, as discussed, is present in hardware. In China, 5G works on all major bands; globally, it’s officially not advertised. That said, some enthusiasts have speculated that if you import a Chinese unit or perhaps tweak software, you might get 5G working in some regions. For most users outside China, you should expect 4G LTE only on these phones – a potential drawback for a device at these prices.

Other connectivity includes Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) support – the spec sheet lists up to Wi-Fi 7 with 2×2 MIMO and 8 spatial streams consumer.huawei.com – so very cutting edge Wi-Fi. Bluetooth 5.2 is on board consumer.huawei.com, and there’s NFC for contactless payments (with support for both standard NFC and eSE-based secure payments) consumer.huawei.com. Location services cover all major satellite systems (GPS dual-band, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo tri-band, etc.) consumer.huawei.com, which is great for accuracy.

One interesting omission: No satellite messaging. Huawei pioneered satellite SMS in the Mate 50/Mate 60 series (using Beidou satellites), but the Pura 80 series doesn’t mention it. Possibly, Huawei reserved that feature for their Mate series or decided not to include the necessary radio hardware here.

Audio: The phones have stereo speakers (earpiece + bottom speaker). One reviewer noted the Pura 80 Pro’s speakers seemed louder than the previous generation glitched.online. There’s also an IR blaster on top (a common Huawei feature for controlling TVs, etc.), and USB-C 3.1 for data consumer.huawei.com. As expected, no headphone jack, but the USB-C port supports digital audio out.

In summary, the Pura 80 series delivers flagship-level hardware in most respects except bleeding-edge CPU/GPU performance. It’s a testament to Huawei’s resilience that they got a 5G Kirin chip into these devices at all. For everyday usage, users report a fast and fluid experience – just don’t buy a Pura 80 expecting to top the gaming performance charts. As one expert succinctly put it, Huawei’s Kirin 9020 is “no match for a Snapdragon 8 Elite” in raw power notebookcheck.net, but for Huawei’s loyal fans, “true Huawei fans won’t mind” given the unique benefits these phones offer notebookcheck.net.

Next, we’ll look at battery life and charging, where the Pura 80 series tries to ensure that all this high-end tech can last you through a full day (and then some).

Battery Life and Charging

All Huawei Pura 80 models come with large battery capacities and extremely fast charging – a combination that’s become Huawei’s signature in recent years. However, there are a few distinctions to note, especially between Chinese and global versions:

Battery Capacity: Officially, Huawei lists the Pura 80 series with a 5,170 mAh battery (rated) across the board in global spec sheets consumer.huawei.com. In reality, the typical capacity differs:

In China, the Pura 80 Pro, Pro+ and Ultra reportedly use a 5,700 mAh typical capacity battery, potentially utilizing new silicon-carbon anode technology for higher energy density zh.wikipedia.org phonearena.com. The base Pura 80 uses around 5,600 mAh typical (slightly less due to its smaller size) zh.wikipedia.org zh.wikipedia.org.
Global units, as confirmed by PhoneArena, have a ~5,170 mAh actual capacity (likely to comply with shipping regulations or due to using a standard lithium-polymer pack) phonearena.com. PhoneArena speculates the 500+ mAh difference might be due to those new tech batteries not being available or certified globally phonearena.com.

Despite the discrepancy, even 5,170 mAh is a hefty battery for a flagship phone. It’s larger than a Galaxy S25 Ultra’s (~5,000 mAh) and roughly on par with Xiaomi and other big battery flagships.

Battery Life Performance: Thanks to the combination of a large battery and Huawei’s aggressive optimizations, the Pura 80 series offers very solid endurance. In testing, the Pura 80 Ultra’s global 5,170 mAh battery achieved about 7 hours 50 minutes in PhoneArena’s screen-on mixed usage benchmark – only 10 minutes shy of the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s time phonearena.com. Especially impressive were its video streaming (~14+ hours) and web browsing (~15.5 hours) results, indicating the LTPO screen and power management are working effectively phonearena.com. That means even heavy users should comfortably get a full day out of the device. Lighter use could stretch into a second day.

The slightly larger 5,700 mAh Chinese units would theoretically last even longer, but real-world difference might not be huge (maybe an extra hour of screen time) – we don’t have direct tests of those, but one can infer a ~10% boost.

One factor helping battery life is the 4G/5G situation – if you’re on 4G only, the modem draws less power than 5G would. Conversely, if using 5G (on a Chinese model or if enabled), power draw might increase. Still, the efficiency of 7nm 5G is not bad, just not as good as 4nm or 5nm modems in competitor chips.

Charging Speeds: Huawei has equipped the Pro, Pro+, and Ultra models with 100W Huawei SuperCharge wired charging support consumer.huawei.com. Yes, 100 watts – in a phone. Even the base Pura 80 supports a very respectable 66W SuperCharge wired consumer.huawei.com. In addition, the higher models support 80W wireless charging, and the base supports up to 50W wireless consumer.huawei.com. These are some of the fastest charging rates in the industry (rivaled only by a few Chinese brands).

What does that mean in practice? Using the included 100W charger, the Pura 80 Pro/Ultra can charge from 0 to ~100% in just around 30-35 minutes. In fact, Huawei advertises ~88% charge in 30 minutes phonearena.com phonearena.com, which PhoneArena’s tests confirmed (they measured 0–88% in 30 min, full in ~39 min for the Ultra) phonearena.com phonearena.com. This is incredibly convenient – a quick 10-minute top-up can give you nearly 30-40% battery. Even wirelessly, the 80W stand can fully charge the Ultra in under an hour (Huawei quotes ~55 minutes wireless full charge with the special 80W charger) phonearena.com phonearena.com.

The standard Pura 80 with 66W isn’t far behind: typically about 40-45 minutes for a full charge with wired, and maybe ~1 hour 10 min on 50W wireless. These are still great numbers, dwarfing what Samsung or Apple offer (which often take ~1.5 hours or more at 25-45W). Importantly, Huawei includes the fast chargers in the box for these phones (e.g., a 100W charger comes with the Pro/Ultra glitched.online glitched.online). That’s a nice value add when many competitors have stopped bundling chargers.

Everyday users absolutely love the freedom that such fast charging provides. As one reviewer noted, “it helps that the Pura 80 charges so fast that the [100W] charger is always free for other tech” – you can top up your phone and then use the same brick for your laptop, etc. glitched.online glitched.online. Huawei’s SuperCharge tech is also known to be relatively cool; it uses multiple charge pumps to manage heat.

Charging Caveats: To achieve the max speeds, you do need Huawei’s proprietary chargers and cables. The phones will still fast-charge with USB Power Delivery or Qualcomm QuickCharge, but likely at lower rates (maybe 18W or 66W depending on compatibility). The 80W wireless charging requires Huawei’s special wireless stand or car charger, plus a compatible power brick, as noted in the fine print consumer.huawei.com consumer.huawei.com.

The phones are smart about battery health: Huawei offers a “Smart Charge” mode that learns your schedule to avoid overcharging (keeping battery longevity in mind). Also, because of the large capacity, even moderate charging speeds give big boosts – e.g., 10 minutes on the 100W charger might give ~30-40% as mentioned.

Reverse Wireless Charging is supported too (though not explicitly listed above, Huawei flagships typically allow you to use the phone to wireless charge earbuds, etc., at around 5W).

In summary, battery life on the Pura 80 series is comfortably all-day and then some, and their charging is industry-leading. In a pinch, a few minutes plugged in will add hours of use. This helps offset the power hunger of that big 120Hz screen and powerful cameras. Huawei clearly made sure that using features like the power-hungry 1″ sensor or 5G won’t leave you stranded midday.

PhoneArena concluded that the Pura 80 Ultra’s global battery puts it “in the ballpark with the big guys,” coming within minutes of Samsung’s endurance, while its charging tech ranked #2 fastest among recent phones phonearena.com phonearena.com. The combination of a ~8 hour screen-on battery score and sub-40-minute charge means battery anxiety is virtually a non-issue with these devices.

Next, we address one of the most critical aspects for global users: the software experience, which is where Huawei’s journey diverges significantly between China and the rest of the world.

Software Experience – HarmonyOS vs EMUI (and the Google Question)

Software is the make-or-break factor for many potential Huawei buyers outside China. Due to the well-known U.S. trade restrictions, Huawei phones cannot ship with Google Mobile Services (GMS), which includes the Google Play Store and apps like Gmail, Maps, YouTube, etc. This has led Huawei to develop a two-pronged software strategy:

HarmonyOS 5.1 (China): In China, all Pura 80 series phones run Huawei’s own HarmonyOS 5.1 out of the box zh.wikipedia.org. HarmonyOS is a full-fledged operating system tailored for Huawei’s ecosystem – it integrates deeply with Huawei’s cloud, IoT devices, and Chinese app alternatives. HarmonyOS 5.1 on the Pura 80 series includes a lot of AI-centric features and privacy tricks: for example, AI anti-peep protection (the phone can warn you if someone is shoulder-surfing your screen), intelligent screen collaboration, live translation in the OS, etc. zh.wikipedia.org zh.wikipedia.org. It’s designed to make up for the lack of Google by providing a rich set of Huawei’s own services (HMS Core) and local apps (like Huawei AppGallery, Petal Maps, etc.). In essence, Chinese users get a Google-free phone but don’t feel much gap because they use different apps and HarmonyOS’s features.
EMUI 15 (Global): Outside China, Huawei ships the Pura 80 series with EMUI 15, which is their Android-based interface (EMUI is effectively a fork of open-source Android, minus Google) consumer.huawei.com. EMUI 15 on these phones is based on Android 12 at its core androidauthority.com, which is a bit dated by 2025 standards (Android 13/14 are out, Android 12 is two generations behind). The reason for Android 12 is complicated – it’s likely due to the last certified Android version Huawei had before restrictions, and each EMUI update incrementally builds on that. EMUI 15 itself is quite polished in terms of look and feel. It’s similar to HarmonyOS in design. Reviewers describe it as “intuitive, friendly, quick, and familiar” androidauthority.com. It has features like an improved control panel, universal device search, theming options, and even the ability to install APKs freely. In fact, one upside noted is that EMUI 15 has less bloatware than many other Android skins glitched.online glitched.online. It feels clean and is easy for even non-tech-savvy users to navigate glitched.online glitched.online. However, there are downsides:
- No Google Services pre-installed: This means no Play Store, no Google Drive sync, etc. Out of the box, you’re reliant on Huawei’s AppGallery to get apps, which has a smaller selection (though it’s been growing). Popular apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok are available; some others might require workarounds.
- Dated Android base and uncertain updates: EMUI 15 (Android 12) already feels a bit behind on features. PhoneArena noted “the interface feels a bit dated” and lacking newer Android 13/14 visual tweaks or features phonearena.com phonearena.com. More critically, Huawei is quiet about future updates – one can expect maybe 2 major updates at best (perhaps EMUI 16 and 17) phonearena.com, which is not on par with the 4-5 years of updates Samsung and others promise. Essentially, buying a Pura 80 global device, you have to accept that software updates are limited.
- Limited third-party support: Certain apps that rely on Google frameworks might not work perfectly (e.g., banking apps using SafetyNet, or some games that expect Play Services). Enthusiasts have found solutions like using third-party GMS installer apps (e.g., GBox or OurPlay) or microG. Android Authority’s reviewer mentioned trying the “microG workaround” to get Google apps, but had trouble initially androidauthority.com. Another reviewer from Glitched said with a few MicroG installs and using the Aurora Store (an alt client for Play Store), the Pura 80 Pro became “far more capable” and could run most needed apps glitched.online glitched.online. So it’s doable to get Google apps if you’re tech-savvy, but it’s an extra hurdle. For an average user, the lack of native Google support is a significant drawback – something even Huawei’s fans in forums often candidly acknowledge.

In essence, the software experience internationally is the Pura 80 series’ biggest weakness. As Android Authority bluntly put it, “Despite its excellent camera chops, [it] is still a Huawei device in 2025, and that means severe software shortcomings” androidauthority.com. This quote captures the dilemma: fantastic hardware held back by an ecosystem gap.

That said, Huawei has been improving its AppGallery offerings and some may find alternatives acceptable. For example, Petal Maps can replace Google Maps for basic navigation, Huawei’s email client can handle Gmail accounts via IMAP, and you can use web versions of some services. But integration won’t be as smooth as a typical Android.

One more nuance: EMUI 15 on global Pura 80 phones reportedly includes some HarmonyOS code (Huawei called it “HarmonyOS with EMUI” in some marketing). It means you might see references to HarmonyOS in parts of the UI, but effectively it behaves like EMUI. It’s a strange hybrid, likely to deliver features without saying “HarmonyOS” (to avoid legal issues around Android usage). PhoneArena noted the global Ultra “runs on EMUI 15 based on Android 12 with a HarmonyOS overlay on top,” which indeed sounds like a hybrid setup phonearena.com.

Unique Software Features: One neat feature on Pura 80 (in China at least) is “Xiaoyi Look at World” (translated name) – an AI feature where the phone’s AI voice assistant can describe what’s in the viewfinder for the visually impaired or translate text seen by the camera. There are also AI gesture controls, multi-device collaboration (you can connect the phone to Huawei laptops/tablets seamlessly), etc. Many of these features may not fully work on global EMUI or might require the Huawei ecosystem.

Privacy-wise, EMUI/Harmony offers things like App Sandboxing, a Security Center app, and that AI peep detection. Also, since there’s no Google, some people see a benefit in less background data mining – if you’re privacy-conscious and willing to live without Google, Huawei’s phones are an option.

Software Summary: In China, the Pura 80 series provides a cutting-edge, integrated software experience arguably on par with or even beyond standard Android in some ways (due to Harmony’s cross-device capabilities). Outside China, the phones deliver a fast and functional OS with significant caveats: you’ll either adapt to Huawei’s ecosystem or spend some effort customizing it with unofficial Google solutions. Tech-savvy users have reported success turning their Huawei into near-normal Android phones with a bit of tinkering, but that’s a lot to ask at these prices.

For many general consumers, this is the single biggest reason not to buy a Huawei phone, and Huawei knows it – which is why their global marketing is aimed at markets less dependent on Google (or where Google’s absence is tolerated, e.g. Middle East, Russia, parts of Asia). If you absolutely need Google services seamlessly, the Pura 80 may not be for you. But if you can live without them or don’t mind a workaround challenge, you’ll be rewarded with phenomenal hardware.

In the next section, we’ll look at how Huawei has rolled out the Pura 80 series worldwide, the pricing, and availability – plus any hints of future models or upgrades on the horizon.

Global Availability, Regional Differences, and Pricing

Huawei’s Pura 80 series had a rapid global rollout relative to past launches – likely because Huawei wants to capitalize on its momentum in China and cater to loyal markets abroad. However, availability is far from uniform across regions:

China: Naturally, the Pura 80 family is widely available in Huawei’s home market. All four models (80, 80 Pro, 80 Pro+, 80 Ultra) are sold through Huawei’s Vmall and carriers. The China launch prices were:
- Pura 80 Pro starting at ¥6,499 (~$900) finance.sina.com.cn,
- Pura 80 Pro+ at ¥7,999 (~$1,110) finance.sina.com.cn,
- Pura 80 Ultra at ¥9,999 (~$1,390) finance.sina.com.cn,
- (The base Pura 80 was scheduled for July release; price was announced later around ¥5,499 (~$760) for 12+256GB).
  These prices reflect Huawei’s premium positioning – they are as high or higher than Apple/Samsung in China. Despite that, early sales were strong; Huawei even briefly overtook other brands in Chinese market share in mid-2025 notebookcheck.net notebookcheck.net, showing domestic buyers’ enthusiasm.
Global Launch (Dubai, July 10 2025): Huawei chose Dubai for the global unveiling, indicating a focus on Middle East/Africa and Asia markets notebookcheck.net. Indeed, Huawei has been more successful in these regions recently where Google’s absence is less of a barrier (or where consumers are more open to alternatives). The global lineup officially includes three models: Pura 80, Pura 80 Pro, and Pura 80 Ultra huaweicentral.com. The Pura 80 Pro+ is not offered globally, which Huawei likely did to simplify offerings and perhaps due to limited production or licensing issues for that extra camera component. Initial launch markets and pricing:
- Middle East (e.g. UAE/Saudi): In Saudi Arabia and UAE, Huawei opened pre-orders in July. The Pura 80 Ultra is priced at AED 5,099 (UAE) huaweicentral.com, which is about $1,390 USD or €1,275. The Pura 80 Pro is AED 3,999 ($1,090) huaweicentral.com. These come with freebies like Huawei Watch GT 5 and other bundle deals to entice buyers huaweicentral.com huaweicentral.com. The base Pura 80 wasn’t initially listed in those markets during pre-order – Huawei Central noted that some regions didn’t even show the standard model yet huaweicentral.com. This suggests the base model might be launched slightly later or only on demand globally (similar to how in China it came a bit after the Pro).
- South Africa: The Pura 80 series was announced for South Africa with the Pro at R24,999 and Ultra at R39,999 glitched.online. That’s roughly $1,310 and $2,090 respectively – South African prices include heavy import taxes, hence the big numbers. Sales there began in August 2025 huaweicentral.com.
- Southeast Asia: Malaysia and the Philippines saw pre-orders. In Malaysia, Huawei offered deposits (RM 80) and rebates for pre-sales, indicating pricing in the ballpark of RM 3,999 for the Pro and higher for Ultra (exact price wasn’t stated, but likely around RM 5,099 for Ultra) huaweicentral.com. In the Philippines, pre-orders started for all three models, with freebies like FreeBuds Pro 4 and Huawei Care included huaweicentral.com. Philippine pricing wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the source, but based on conversions, the Ultra would likely be around ₱58,000–₱60,000 (~$1,060-$1,100) if similar to other markets.
- Europe: Here’s the kicker – Huawei did not do a broad release in Western Europe for the Pura 80 series. Unlike past P or Mate series that at least saw limited EU launches, Huawei appears to have largely skipped or quietly sold the Pura 80 in Europe. There were no big launch events in London/Paris etc., likely because Huawei’s market share in Europe has dwindled due to the Google issue. Some European consumers can still get the phones via online retailers (e.g., Vmall import, Giztop, or local resellers). A Ukrainian site LIGA reported the Pura 80 Pro (12+512GB) would be €1,099 in Europe and the Ultra €1,299 tech.liga.net tech.liga.net. These numbers (~€1100 and €1300) align with PhoneArena mentioning “around 1,200 euros” for the Ultra phonearena.com. It suggests if Huawei were to sell in an EU country, that’s the pricing bracket (which is competitive with Samsung/Apple’s top models). But as of late 2025, it seems Europe availability is patchy. A Reddit discussion even titled “Did Huawei just ditch the EU and UK?” suggests the Pura 80 launch bypassed those regions officially reddit.com.
- Latin America: Huawei has some presence in markets like Mexico, but there’s little evidence of Pura 80 series being pushed there yet. Possibly select Latin countries might get the phones through carriers or unlocked sales in late 2025.
In summary, Huawei focused on Asia (China, Southeast Asia), Middle East, and Africa for Pura 80’s global rollout, while largely ignoring North America (obvious reasons) and scaling back in Europe. This is a strategic choice given where Huawei still has brand strength and fewer Google barriers.

Regional Differences: Beyond the aforementioned software (Harmony vs EMUI) and battery (5700 vs 5170 mAh) differences, there aren’t many hardware changes by region. All global models are physically the same as Chinese ones (minus maybe some network bands for local compliance). One subtle difference: the charger in the box might vary (e.g., some markets get the 88W charger instead of 100W due to socket standards, but Huawei often includes the max needed).

The biggest regional factor is 5G availability. In China, Pura 80 series phones use 5G freely. In global markets, Huawei doesn’t advertise 5G and in some cases may have software-disabled it. For instance, if you buy a Middle East unit, it might still connect to 5G since Huawei’s 5G ban doesn’t legally apply there (the ban is more about using US tech, not selling 5G phones). However, if using a European SIM in a grey import phone, it’s possible 5G might not function due to software lockouts or missing certifications. It’s a gray area – enthusiasts have reported mixed results.

Competitive Positioning: Given the pricing, Huawei is charging as much as or more than Apple and Samsung for these phones in many regions. This is bold, but Huawei is banking on the Pura 80’s superior hardware to justify it. For a niche of users, that holds true – camera enthusiasts might gladly pay €1200 for the Ultra which beats a €1199 iPhone 15 Pro Max in camera performance. But for mainstream buyers, when a similarly priced Samsung has full Google support and 5G, the Huawei is a tough sell.

Huawei tries to sweeten deals with bundles: free smartwatches, earbuds, extended warranties, etc., which they included in many pre-order promotions huaweicentral.com huaweicentral.com. This adds value and might tip some fence-sitters.

Future Models / Leaks: The user query also asked about upcoming or leaked Pura 80 series models not yet released. As of now (late 2025):

We have the four main models. There haven’t been credible leaks of a “Pura 80 Pocket” or foldable under the Pura name. Huawei’s foldables remain the Mate X series (e.g., Mate X7 was rumored) and the earlier P50 Pocket was a one-off. There is no indication of a Pura-branded foldable in this generation.
Huawei sometimes does special editions (Porsche Design or “Ultimate Design” editions). For Pura 80, there’s no Porsche Design (those collaborations usually were with Mate series). However, Huawei did release a special Mate XT Ultimate Design around the same time, but that’s separate.
The Pura 80 Pro+ itself was a bit of a surprise at launch, so if anything, a global release of the Pro+ could be a “coming” model. But given months have passed with no word, it’s likely staying China-only.
We might expect a Pura 80 Ultra “New” or something next year if Huawei follows past naming (like how they had P30 Pro New Edition). But nothing concrete yet.
Some leaks for Huawei Pura 90 or Mate 80 series are on the horizon for 2026. For example, Huawei Central already speculated about Mate 80 with improved GPU huaweicentral.com. The Pura line likely will continue if Huawei can maintain chip supply – possibly a Pura 90 series in mid-2026.

In terms of immediate additions: there’s been talk in Chinese media that Huawei’s silicon-carbon battery tech (in the 5700 mAh units) might come to global models later if regulations allow. If that happens, perhaps a later batch of global Pura 80 Ultras might quietly upgrade to 5700 mAh. But that’s speculative.

Comparisons with Competitors: To wrap up the market context, let’s briefly stack the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra against a few 2025 flagship peers:

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Samsung’s top phone (launched early 2025) has a 200MP main camera, 10× periscope + 3× tele, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and of course full Google and 5G. The Pura 80 Ultra beats it in camera quality, especially dynamic range and low-light detail androidauthority.com. Samsung might win in software and ecosystem (Android 14, Google, longer updates) and raw performance (Snapdragon is much faster). Battery life is similar; Huawei charges way faster. So, it’s a classic hardware vs software trade-off when comparing these two.
Apple iPhone 15/16 Pro Max: The iPhone 15 Pro Max (late 2024) or 16 Pro Max (late 2025) are strong all-rounders with great performance (A18 chip) and reliable cameras, but Apple only introduced a 5× optical telephoto on the Pro Max. Huawei’s camera system is more versatile (multiple focal lengths vs Apple’s two) and likely produces better night shots. iOS and its app ecosystem are a big advantage for Apple. Many tech enthusiasts comment that Huawei’s camera is “wasted” in global markets because without Google/Instagram, it’s harder to share or use that amazing camera to its fullest – a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it underscores the ecosystem point.
Google Pixel 9 Pro (XL): Google’s Pixel 9 Pro XL (2024) has excellent software and AI photography, but its camera hardware (1/1.3″ main, 5× tele) is actually a notch below Huawei’s. DxOMark ranks Huawei higher by a considerable margin. Pixel’s Tensor G4 chip is also not as fast as a Snapdragon, but still on par with or slightly above Kirin 9020 in CPU (multi-core was similar) phonearena.com. Pixel of course has all Google services and the latest Android, plus a much lower price (~$999).
Xiaomi 15 Ultra / Vivo X200 Ultra / Oppo Find X8 Ultra: These Chinese rivals also push camera boundaries. The Vivo X200 Ultra, for instance, nearly tied Huawei in zoom tests notebookcheck.net. Xiaomi and Oppo have 1″ sensors as well. But interestingly, Huawei still came out on top in DXOMark, indicating its tuning and dual-tele approach gave it an edge. All these run Android with Google (outside China) and top-tier Snapdragon chips, so they don’t have Huawei’s software handicap. Price-wise, Xiaomi and others often undercut Huawei. So, Huawei has stiff competition even in its home territory of camera tech.

Ultimately, for the general tech-savvy public, the Huawei Pura 80 series represents a bold technical achievement – especially in camera innovation and breaking through sanction limitations – but it requires a willingness to live on the bleeding edge outside the Google ecosystem. It’s a phone for those who “think different,” one might say, or for those who prioritize hardware prowess above all else.

Conclusion

The Huawei Pura 80 series showcases the heights of smartphone engineering in 2025. From the Pura 80 Ultra’s world-beating camera system – with its unique dual zoom lenses and massive sensor that “effortlessly outdoes the rest of the smartphone world” in photo quality notebookcheck.net – to the robust build, huge battery, and blazing 100W charging, Huawei has delivered hardware that can legitimately claim the flagship crown. These phones exemplify Huawei’s refusal to bow out of the race, innovating around constraints with the homegrown Kirin 9020 5G chip and HarmonyOS platform.

For consumers, choosing a Pura 80 series phone means weighing an incredible device against its compromises. If you’re an avid mobile photographer or power user who values cutting-edge specs and doesn’t mind tinkering, the Pura 80 Pro/Ultra could be a dream – a phone that one reviewer said “almost steals the crown” of best handset youtube.com. The reward is unparallelled camera capabilities, excellent battery life, and a premium experience. But the trade-off is living without native Google support and accepting a software experience that, while smooth, is a bit behind on updates and ecosystem.

In markets like China, the Pura 80 series is an easy sell as Huawei phones have everything needed domestically. Internationally, it’s a niche choice for now. Many in Europe and the Americas will understandably stick to iPhones, Galaxies, or Pixels. Yet, the mere presence of the Pura 80 series globally – and the buzz it’s generated in tech circles – is important. It means more competition and innovation. It means Samsung and Apple cannot rest on their laurels, especially in camera tech. And it means Huawei is very much back in the conversation, carving out a path on its own terms.

For those willing to take the road less traveled, the Huawei Pura 80, Pura 80 Pro, and Pura 80 Ultra offer something truly unique in today’s smartphone landscape. They are phones that dazzle with their hardware and challenge the status quo, even if that comes with a catch or two. In the end, the Pura 80 series might be best summed up as “pure” Huawei – innovative, ambitious, and unapologetically different, for better or worse.

Sources: