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“Oh, what a lovely high-end smartphone.” This is what one might think when unboxing the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra for the first time. It immediately feels substantial (both literally and figuratively!). And, as we’ll see, it does have some impressive aspects.
There are several upgrades from last year’s model, the Pura 70 Ultra. Besides a new processor, changes have been made to the design and — notably — the addition of a second 9.4x telephoto lens, enhancing the photographic capabilities of the Pura 80 Ultra.
Some aspects remain unchanged, including the large, high-performance display and everything related to the battery and its charging capabilities.
The weaknesses of the Pura 80 Ultra remain the same too. These are linked to Huawei’s troubles with the US administration:
- No Google services (at least officially)
- No 5G
- A processor designed by Huawei (which isn’t necessarily a good thing, as we will explore).
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The price of the smartphone remains sky-high too.
All things considered, can the Pura 80 Ultra compete with other giants in the sector sold at the same price, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or the Xiaomi 15 Ultra? It’s hard to say!
Technical Specifications
| Model | Huawei Pura 80 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 76.1 mm x 163 mm x 8.3 mm |
| Screen Size | 6.8 inches |
| Resolution | 2848 x 1276 pixels |
| Pixel Density | 459 ppi |
| Technology | OLED |
| SoC | Hisilicon Kirin 9020 |
| Graphics Chip | Maleoon 920 |
| Internal Storage | 512 GB |
| Rear Camera |
Sensor 1: 50 MP Sensor 2: 50 MP Sensor 3: 12.5 MP Sensor 4: 40 MP |
| Front Camera | 13 MP |
| 5G | No |
| NFC | Yes |
| Connector Type | USB Type-C |
| Battery Capacity | 5170 mAh |
| Weight | 233.5 g |
| Product Sheet |
Design
Like its predecessor, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is a hefty device, weighing 233 grams. It measures 16.3 x 7.6 cm, with a thickness of 8.3 mm.
First observation: the design of the device has been updated. Indeed, the manufacturer has not continued with the synthetic leather back of the Pura 70 Ultra, opting instead for an entirely metal casing.
The new models are available in “Prestige Gold” or black/gold (a color combination that some may find more elegant). Despite this luxurious design, reinforced by an aluminum frame, some may regret that the back is shiny, cold, and retains fingerprints well (at least on the gold model that Huawei lent us).
The camera module of the Pura 80 Ultra is particularly elaborate (and slightly modified since its predecessor) and quite bulky! It is almost as thick as the rest of the smartphone’s chassis. As a result, the Pura 80 Ultra is unstable when placed on a table, which can complicate its use with one hand.
On the plus side, the smartphone features rounded edges. Its grip is particularly pleasant (unlike the Galaxy S25 Ultra and its sharp edges).
Furthermore, the screen and the back of the Pura 80 Ultra are protected against shocks and scratches by second-generation Kunlun Crystal Armor glass, which is much more resistant than the first-generation glass (from the Pura 70 Ultra).
It’s unclear whether it is as resistant or more resistant than the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 coating used by many high-end smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S25.
In any case, the Pura 80 Ultra, being certified IP68 / IP69, can be used in wet or sandy environments, or even submerged, without any problems.
Another change: the fingerprint reader. While it was placed under the screen on last year’s Pura 70 Ultra, it is now integrated into the power button (which does not change its effectiveness).
Moreover, this button does not just recognize the user’s thumb, as it is also touch-sensitive. Indeed, it is enough to tap it twice to trigger an action: launch the application of your choice, or the flashlight, or the sound recorder, or access AI Lens or AI Touch functions.
It is also worth mentioning that a double click at the bottom of the volume button allows you to launch the camera or launch it AND take a snapshot instantly.
Screen
For the display, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra uses the same formula as its predecessor, using a large 6.8-inch OLED screen. This screen has only a tiny punch-hole opening, which houses the front camera, and features very thin bezels, which enhance the displayed images.
The screen resolution is 2848 x 1276 pixels. However, it is possible to activate a mode called Intelligent Resolution. In this case, the operating system can automatically use a lower resolution, specifically 1896 x 840 pixels, to minimize energy consumption.
On a positive note, the screen supports a maximum frequency of 120 Hz and LTPO technology. Therefore, the three traditional options are available: Standard refresh rate (60 Hz), High (120 Hz), or Dynamic (real-time adjustment between 1 Hz and 120 Hz, depending on the application used).
As always, a Calibrite Display Pro HL probe, complemented by the CalMAN Ultimate software from Portrait Displays, was used to carry out various measurements.
Starting with the maximum brightness supported by the panel. This is about 600 nits (595 precisely) by default, both in SDR and HDR mode. However, if you switch to Automatic Brightness mode, you exceed 1000 nits in SDR (1040 nits) and reach 1646 nits in HDR.
This last result is just decent for an ultra-high-end smartphone. Especially since the Pura 80 Ultra is rated for a maximum brightness of 3000 nits, according to Huawei.
Many high-end smartphones, priced over 1000 €, are equipped with an OLED panel offering higher maximum brightness, between 2000 and 3000 nits, or even more (3422 nits for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, for example) and there are even more modest ones like the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G.
Out of the two color profiles available in the display settings, it is the one called Vivid Colors that provides the best color accuracy with an average Delta E measured at 1.76 in SDR. It’s a bit worse in HDR, but it’s close. The neutrality of the colors is not impeccable with an average color temperature measured at 6641 K for a perfect point at 6500 K. It leans slightly towards blue
Last but not least, the Pura 80 Ultra’s screen is able to reproduce the entire DCI-P3 gamut (103% in this case), as well as 154% of the BT 709 gamut and 70% of the BT 2020.
Performance
If everything was going well so far, let’s address the first contentious issue: no Qualcomm Snapdragon or Mediatek Dimensity chip on the horizon, but a (very modest) Huawei Kirin 9020 processor, which succeeds the Kirin 9010 of the Pura 70 Ultra. The performance gain between the two Huawei processors is about 10 to 15%.
But that’s not enough! Because, in terms of raw performance, the Huawei processor is on par with a Samsung Galaxy A56 launched at 500 euros…
While this is not very impressive, it does not prevent the smartphone from responding instantly to all solicitations when it comes to performing simple everyday tasks (surfing the Web, posting photos on social networks, watching videos, etc.).
The issue concerns the performance of the Maleoon 920 GPU, present within the Kirin 9020. These are twice as poor as those of the GPUs integrated into Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processors, present for example in the OnePlus Nord 5, or Mediatek Dimensity 8400 Ultra, which can be found in the Xiaomi 15T or the Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro, three smartphones under 600 euros
And they are also three times lower than those of the GPU of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, of the OnePlus 13R, which is priced similarly. And compared to that of the Snapdragon 8 Elite… let’s talk about something else!
In practice, if you want to play games, it’s possible. We were able to install and use titles like Genshin Impact, Call Of Duty Mobile, or PUBG. We were then able to enjoy fluid animations, with basic settings (note that Fortnite did not want to work!). In short, the Pura 80 Ultra can be used for occasional entertainment.
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The weaknesses of the GPU will therefore only be visible if you want to benefit from the most advanced graphics settings. And so, if you are a hardcore gamer, it is better to opt for a smartphone with a recent processor, designed by Qualcomm (at least Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Snapdragon 8 Elite) or Mediatek (Dimensity 8400 Ultra or Dimensity 9400+), equipped with a more robust GPU.
Software
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra does not run on HarmonyOS. This OS is currently reserved for the Chinese version of the smartphone. The operating system, called EMUI 15, is an in-house version of Android.
And it presents a significant drawback, which could drive away users who are not used to tinkering, getting their hands dirty to find solutions to their computer problems: Google services and applications are missing.
At least in theory. Because, in practice, Huawei has found a way to circumvent the American blockade, so that users of the Pura 80 Ultra can access Google applications, such as Chrome, Gmail, Play Store, Drive, Maps, Youtube, or Google Photos (read our article on managing applications on the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra).
Furthermore, the manufacturer has developed an AppGallery and its Petal Search engine, which allow finding and installing all the applications we are used to, in the absence of the Google Play Store (either native versions or via downloadable APKs).
In the end, almost all the most used applications can be installed. Only a few exceptions, like Chat GPT, are resistant (it crashes severely!). But, in this case, it is always possible to use the Web version of OpenAI’s AI assistant.
Moreover, to replace Gemini, Google’s intelligent assistant, Huawei has developed Celia, to whom you can ask questions via what the manufacturer calls AI Voice.
Moreover, in terms of AI, while Huawei is trying to offer things, we are still very far from what Samsung or even Xiaomi offers in terms of productivity or photo editing functions.
For example, for photos, we just have access to certain functions, such as Best Facial Expression (to obtain the best group photo from several photos), or the Straighten option, whose purpose is not very clear. This one, however, proves quite effective in correcting distortion related to the ultra wide-angle! Not enough to get up at night, however.
Even the magic eraser does not allow erasing objects as precisely as other manufacturers, like Samsung or Xiaomi.
Indeed, while some unwanted objects are indeed identified and then erased, the redrawn area in replacement turns out to be more or less approximate (not perfect anyway). In the examples above, the chimney has been erased, but its trace is visible in the blue sky. And, in place of the statue or the museum visitors, we find a very blurry area (the image manipulation is easily noticeable) and not at all satisfactory. It’s regrettable.
Finally, Huawei’s update policy is not up to the competition at this price. We have five years of guaranteed updates, against 7 years for Samsung, Honor, or Google, whose smartphones are cheaper.
Photo
To ensure excellent versatility in terms of shooting, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is equipped with 4 lenses:
- A wide-angle, equipped with a 50-megapixel sensor. In High-resolution mode, it can generate images in 8000 x 6000 pixels (4096 x 3072 pixels in standard mode, i.e., 12.5 megapixels).
- An ultra wide-angle, with a
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Maya Singh is a senior editor covering tablets and hybrid devices. Her work explores how these tools reshape digital productivity and learning. She also contributes to feature editorials on emerging tech.