Huawei Pura 80 Ultra Review: The Ultimate Flagship Camera Phone?
Huawei Pura 80 Ultra
The best Huawei camera phone reviewed: unmatched telephoto zoom, premium design, and surprising gaming power for RM 5,599.00.
Positives
- Outstanding optical quality.
- Best-in-class dual-lens telephoto system.
- Premium and high-status design.
- Surprising performance (able to game at full graphics settings).
- New, unique "Victor-based" imaging experience.
Negatives
- Large and bulky size.
- Requires adoption of the Huawei ecosystem.
Table of Contents
The Huawei Pura series has always been a beacon for mobile photography breakthroughs. With each generation, Huawei pushes the boundaries of what a smartphone camera can achieve. In this latest iteration, the flagship Huawei Pura 80 Ultra takes center stage.
It arguably demonstrates the most harmonious co-existence of advanced AI and optical photography we have seen. But is the camera truly revolutionary? And how does the rest of the package, from the display to the Kirin chipset, hold up? Find out all the details in our in-depth Huawei Pura 80 Ultra review.
Huawei Pura 80 Ultra Overview
Build
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra immediately announces its flagship status with a distinct, premium design. It features the striking “Forward Symbol Design,” highlighted by an exclusive XMAGE camera housing that is truly unique.
There is also a sleek Black option, which features a luxurious piano finishing back. This has one of the most premium looks I seen in smartphone in years, but as much as is an sophisticated look, its comes with an age old problem, finger print magnet.
Measuring 162.6 mm in height, 75.1 mm in width, and 8.4 mm in depth, this 226-gram device clearly establishes itself as an artistic, high-end flagship smartphone.
Durability
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is built to withstand daily life. It carries an IP68 rating, making it highly resistant to dust and water, capable of submersion up to 2 meters for 30 minutes.
Critically, the display is shielded by Crystal Armor Kunlun Glass. This second-generation Kunlun Glass material is a major upgrade.
Huawei claims it boosts scratch resistance by a remarkable 300% and improves drop resistance by 100% over the previous version. This offers genuinely robust protection for this premium smartphone.
Display
The viewing experience on the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is nothing short of breathtaking. It boasts a large 6.8-inch Quad-Curve LTPO OLED display with a high resolution of 2844 x 1260 pixels.
This screen is engineered for both smoothness and efficiency. It offers an adaptive dynamic refresh rate that scales from a power-saving 1 Hz all the way up to an ultra-smooth 120 Hz.
For improved eye comfort in low-light environments, the display uses 1440 Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. Furthermore, the impressive 2500 nits peak brightness, support for 1.07 billion colors, and full P3 wide color gamut ensure a vibrant, immersive, and highly responsive viewing experience.
Audio
For audio, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra comes equipped with high-quality stereo speakers. These deliver a robust and immersive sound experience. Huawei has included its Histen sound effects to further optimize the audio for different media types. In line with most modern flagship devices, the Pura 80 Ultra does not retain a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. Users are directed toward the USB-C port or wireless audio accessories for their listening needs.
Biometrics & Security
Security and convenience are key features of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra. The device includes a reliable fingerprint sensor at the power button.
For an extra layer of protection and payment authorization, it also supports advanced 3D Face Recognition. These essential features are seamlessly managed by the device’s EMUI 14.2 operating system, providing a secure and trusted environment for all user data.
Huawei Pura 80 Ultra Cameras
The camera system is truly the centerpiece of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra. This device is a dream for mobile photography enthusiasts.
The setup is anchored by an innovative Ultra Lighting Camera, featuring a large 1-inch, 50 MP main sensor with a variable aperture (f/1.6 to f/4.0) and Sensor-shift OIS.
The camera system also includes a 40 MP ultra-wide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture.
However, the telephoto configuration is the most fascinating aspect. Huawei has engineered a dual-lens solution for its 50 MP telephoto setup. It starts with a 3.5x optical zoom lens at f/2.4. Using a clever movable prism, it switches to a second lens, providing an incredible 9.4x optical zoom. This 9.4x lens also doubles as a macro camera, capable of ultra-close focus at just 5cm.
The image results are truly fascinating. At first glance, photos are consistently sharp, clear, and almost “too perfect.” Upon zooming into images taken with the 12.5 MP macro camera, one notices a distinct effect: the image details appear to be formed by micro-vectors rather than traditional bitmaps. This technical marvel results in consistently sharp images. Overall, this camera system produces images that few, if any, rivals can match. The powerful 10x zoom capability gives a great degree of creative freedom. I genuinely love how the final images look masterfully developed straight out of the phone, allowing more time to enjoy the process of creating.
The front camera is a capable 13 MP sensor with a wide-angle lens and an f/2.4 aperture. For video, the phone supports 4K resolution at up to 60fps and 1080p slow-motion at 960fps. While not the absolute best video quality I have used, the 4K zoom is enjoyable. The overall video quality is detailed and impressive, even if the 4K 60fps performance varies slightly between the different lenses.
Huawei Pura 80 Ultra Internal
Processor
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is powered by the Kirin 9020 chipset. This octa-core processor is built on a 7nm manufacturing process. It features a robust configuration designed for efficiency and speed. Huawei officially claims a 36% performance improvement over the last-generation Kirin 9010. While the 9010 was somewhat lacklustre compared to its contemporaries, the Pura 80 Ultra’s performance is noticeably better.
Gaming Performance
Despite initial reservations about the 7nm chipset, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra actually performs valiantly in gaming.
In our rigorous tests with demanding games like Genshin Impact, Wuthering Wave, Diablo Immortal, and War Thunder, the phone maintained smooth and highly playable frame rates, even at maximum settings.
It proves this flagship can certainly handle intensive mobile gaming.
RAM & Storage
For smooth performance, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is configured with a substantial 16 GB of RAM. This ensures seamless multitasking and fluid performance across all applications. Storage is equally generous, with a base 512 GB of internal ROM. This provides ample space for photos, videos, apps, and the incredible, high-resolution images captured by the camera system.
Battery
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is equipped with a high-capacity 5200 mAh battery. Powering up is incredibly fast. It supports 100W wired HUAWEI SuperCharge, which can replenish the battery to 50% in just 15 minutes. It also features a speedy 80W Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge, among the fastest wireless speeds available today. For convenience, it supports 20W Reverse Wireless Charging, allowing the phone to charge other compatible devices.
Battery Benchmark
This is an area where the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra falls slightly short. Our battery benchmark clocked the device at a mere 9 hours and 44 minutes. This is a noticeable difference compared to modern flagship competitors, which typically score between 10 to 12 hours. This is likely due to the 7nm manufacturing technology of the Kirin 9020 SoC, compared to the more efficient 4nm chips used by competitors. However, the included 100W SuperCharge is the silver lining. The ability to grab a quick 50% charge in a mere 15 minutes does an excellent job of compensating for the lack of duration.
Connectivity
Connectivity Connectivity on the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra presents a first shortcoming for international users. Due to trade restrictions, the device only supports 4G LTE networks. It fully supports various FDD-LTE and TDD-LTE bands. On the positive side, it is equipped with Wi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax) and supports 2×2 MIMO and HE160 for fast wireless connections. Other features include Bluetooth 5.2 (with support for BLE, SBC, AAC, and LDAC) and comprehensive NFC for various tap-and-pay functions. Its GPS capabilities are extensive, supporting GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, GALILEO, QZSS, and NavIC.
Huawei Pura 80 Ultra: Software & AI Features
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra runs on EMUI 14.2, delivering a user experience packed with useful AI functionality. A standout feature is the excellent AI Eraser. This allows users to effortlessly remove unwanted objects or people from their photos—a game-changer for spontaneous shots.
The OS includes many smart features that enhance daily interaction. It is important to note the expected absence of pre-installed Google Mobile Services; users must rely on the Huawei AppGallery for their applications. However, as per our experience accessing Google Mobile Service is doable with just a few adjustment.
Huawei Pura 80 Ultra Conclusion: the absolute best photographic
Priced at RM 5,599.00, this device firmly establishes itself as a leading flagship and arguably the best Huawei phone to date. The design is undeniably premium and fitting for its high status, reflecting the advanced technology housed within.
Crucially, the camera system delivers on its promise: the optical quality is outstanding, with the dual-lens telephoto system setting a new benchmark for mobile photography. The inclusion of the new, “Victor-based” (or proprietary) imaging engine further enhances the user experience, bringing a unique perspective to image capture.
While it delivers surprising performance, handling even demanding test games at full graphics settings, the physical cost of housing this advanced technology is notable. The phone is admittedly large and bulky, a necessary trade-off for the best-in-class camera array.
Ultimately, the recommendation is clear: if you are seeking the absolute best photographic capabilities available in a smartphone today, and are already comfortable within the Huawei ecosystem, this flagship is a highly recommended investment that justifies its premium price tag. With that, we award it with HelloExpress Gold award.
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