The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra 5G stands as a testament to Huawei's unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of smartphone photography and innovation, even amidst challenging geopolitical circumstances. Released in June 2025, this device, part of the rebranded Pura series (formerly P-series), is designed to be a photographic powerhouse, integrating cutting-edge camera hardware with advanced AI and a refined software experience powered by HarmonyOS.
Design and Display: A Visual Masterpiece
The Pura 80 Ultra immediately impresses with its striking design. It features a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display with a sharp resolution of 1276 x 2848 pixels (approximately 459 ppi density). This panel boasts a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, ensuring buttery-smooth scrolling and responsiveness while conserving battery life when a high refresh rate isn't necessary. With support for HDR and a staggering 3000 nits peak brightness, the screen delivers vibrant colors and excellent visibility even in bright sunlight. Huawei has also incorporated 1440Hz high-frequency PWM dimming to reduce eye strain, a crucial feature for users who spend extended periods looking at their phone.
The display is protected by second-generation Kunlun Glass, which Huawei claims offers significantly enhanced drop and scratch resistance compared to previous iterations. The phone itself has a luxurious feel, with a glass front and back and an aluminum frame. It is also IP68/IP69 rated for dust and water resistance, meaning it can withstand immersion in up to 2 meters of water for 30 minutes and is resistant to high-pressure water jets – a testament to its robust build quality.
A distinctive design element of the Pura 80 Ultra is its signature triangular lens bump on the back, adorned with a fine-line pattern and dynamic lens rings. This bold camera module not only houses the sophisticated camera system but also serves as a visual statement of the phone's photographic prowess. The device comes in elegant color options like Gold and Black.
Revolutionary Camera System: The Pura 80 Ultra's Crown Jewel
The camera system is unequivocally the star of the show for the Pura 80 Ultra. Huawei has packed an unprecedented array of technologies to deliver a mobile photography experience that rivals professional-grade cameras. The rear setup features a quad-camera system, complemented by Huawei's XMAGE imaging brand and advanced AI algorithms.
50MP Variable Aperture Main Camera (1-inch type sensor): This is arguably the most significant highlight. The Pura 80 Ultra features a 50-megapixel main sensor with a large 1-inch type sensor, allowing it to capture an immense amount of light and detail. What sets it apart is its variable aperture, ranging from f/1.6 to f/4.0, combined with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and dual pixel PDAF. This variable aperture allows the camera to adapt to different lighting conditions, letting in more light in dim environments (f/1.6) for brighter, clearer shots, and stopping down (f/4.0) in bright conditions to achieve greater depth of field and sharpness. Huawei claims this main shooter offers a remarkable 16 EV (Exposure Value) dynamic range, leading to superior preservation of highlight and shadow details in images and videos, a record for a smartphone. The TCG triple-real-time fusion technology further enhances dynamic range for video, even in challenging low-light scenarios.
Innovative Switchable Dual Telephoto System (50MP + 12.5MP): This is a truly groundbreaking feature. The Pura 80 Ultra is the first phone to implement a dual-lens telephoto system sharing a single 1/1.28-inch 50MP sensor with sensor-shift OIS and PDAF. An intricate motorized mechanism physically shifts between two lenses to offer distinct optical zoom levels:
- 3.7x optical zoom: This lens operates at f/2.4 aperture with an 83mm equivalent focal length, utilizing the full 50MP of the sensor for sharp, detailed telephoto shots.
- 9.4x optical zoom: This lens steps up to f/3.6 aperture with a 212mm equivalent focal length. At this higher zoom, the sensor's effective resolution is reduced to 12.5MP. This innovative approach provides versatile telephoto capabilities without requiring two entirely separate telephoto sensors, potentially saving space and complexity. However, it's worth noting some reports indicate limitations, such as the inability to switch to 9.4x optical zoom during video recording, likely due to motor noise or brief interruptions. Despite this, the quality at 3.7x is reportedly exceptional, leveraging the large sensor.
40MP Ultra-Wide-Angle Camera: Completing the versatile rear setup is a 40-megapixel ultrawide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 13mm equivalent focal length, along with autofocus (AF). This allows for expansive landscape shots, group photos, and creative wide-angle perspectives.
1.5MP Multi-Spectral Camera: This specialized sensor assists the main cameras in accurately detecting and restoring natural colors across various lighting conditions, enhancing color accuracy and realism in photos.
Front Camera: For selfies and video calls, the Pura 80 Ultra features a 13MP ultrawide front camera with an f/2.0 aperture and autofocus, capable of recording 4K video at 60 FPS with HDR Vivid and gyro-EIS.
Advanced Imaging Features:
- Ultra Speed Snapshot: Leveraging the Ultra Lighting Camera and HUAWEI XD Motion Engine, the Pura 80 Ultra can capture fast-moving objects with exceptional clarity, even at speeds up to 300 km/h.
- AI Photo-Editing Tools: The device includes smart editing features like Ultra-clear panoramic mode, AI reflection removal (to eliminate glare), and one-tap capture for quick and intuitive photography.
- XMAGE Presets: Four new photographic style presets (Nature, Film, Movie, and Cartoon) are available, along with a customizable color palette.
- AI-assisted composition and smart framing further assist users in capturing professional-looking shots.
Performance: Kirin Power and HarmonyOS NEXT
Under the hood, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is powered by the HiSilicon Kirin 9020 chipset. While Huawei remains tight-lipped about the specifics of its chipsets due to ongoing restrictions, teardowns and performance observations confirm the use of this 7nm octa-core processor. The Kirin 9020 is reportedly a refined version of its predecessors, offering a significant performance boost. Huawei has claimed a 36% improved performance compared to the Pura 70 Pro+, translating to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and responsive AI computing. The Maleoon 920 GPU handles graphics-intensive tasks, ensuring a fluid gaming experience.
The Pura 80 Ultra comes with a generous 16GB of RAM as standard, paired with storage options of 512GB or 1TB. There is no expandable storage via NM SD Card, so users should choose their storage variant carefully.
The phone runs on HarmonyOS 5.1 (China version), Huawei's self-developed operating system. HarmonyOS NEXT, a significant evolution, focuses on a "pure" HarmonyOS experience, meaning it moves away from relying on Android's open-source code. Key features and advantages include:
- Enhanced Security and Privacy: HarmonyOS 5.1 emphasizes a "privacy-first" approach, with robust app control, intuitive dashboards for data access, and system-level security risk detection.
- Powerful AI Integration: The OS leverages AI for various functions, including an upgraded Celia virtual assistant, AI anti-peeping features (notifying you if someone is looking at your screen), and AI noise cancellation during calls.
- Smooth Performance and Optimized Animations: Huawei has focused on optimizing the user interface, claiming a 47% improvement in animations, transition smoothness, and overall fluidity compared to previous versions.
- Satellite Communication: Crucially, the Pura 80 Ultra supports dual satellite communication (Beidou and Tiantong) in China, allowing for satellite calling and messaging even in areas without traditional cellular coverage. This is a vital safety feature for adventurers or those in remote locations.
Battery and Charging: Powering the Beast
Despite its powerful hardware and features, the Pura 80 Ultra manages to pack a substantial 5700 mAh Li-Po battery. This large capacity ensures excellent all-day battery life, even with heavy usage.
When it's time to recharge, the phone offers incredibly fast charging solutions:
- 100W wired SuperCharge: This allows for rapid replenishment of the battery, getting you back to full power in a remarkably short time.
- 80W wireless SuperCharge: One of the fastest wireless charging speeds available on a smartphone, providing immense convenience.
- 20W reverse wireless charging: Allows the Pura 80 Ultra to wirelessly charge other compatible devices, like earbuds or smartwatches.
- 18W reverse wired charging: Offers wired reverse charging capability.
Connectivity and Other Features
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra supports 5G connectivity, primarily for the Chinese market. It features Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) for ultra-fast wireless internet, Bluetooth 5.2 for seamless accessory connections, and a USB Type-C 3.1 Gen2 port with DisplayPort 1.2 for high-speed data transfer and video output. It also includes comprehensive GPS support (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC), NFC for contactless payments, and an infrared port for controlling home appliances.
For audio, the phone has stereo speakers but lacks a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack, a common trend among flagships. Biometric security is handled by an optical in-display fingerprint sensor.
Conclusion
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra 5G is a statement piece, a clear declaration of Huawei's continued innovation in the smartphone market. Its most compelling aspect is undoubtedly the camera system, with the revolutionary switchable telephoto lenses and the large 1-inch variable aperture main sensor setting new benchmarks for mobile photography. Coupled with the refined HarmonyOS 5.1, a powerful Kirin 9020 chipset, a vibrant display, and impressive battery and charging capabilities, the Pura 80 Ultra delivers a premium and distinctive user experience.
While its availability outside of China might be limited and the full impact of its unique camera design is still being evaluated in real-world scenarios, the Pura 80 Ultra solidifies Huawei's position as a formidable competitor in the high-end smartphone segment, especially for users who prioritize cutting-edge photographic capabilities. It represents Huawei's resilience and its ability to innovate and redefine smartphone technology despite external pressures.
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