Huawei Pura 80 Ultra has been launched in Dubai market and its price is AED 5,099 – which seems to be a pretty solid deal considering its features. It was launched in China at the same price. The highlight of this phone is its camera – a very massive bump! Seriously, I have never seen such a big camera bump in any other phone – it seems like there is a camera in the phone or a phone in the camera! Let’s talk about it simply and directly – what is special in it and what else is missing.
What do you get?
The box is really premium – big and classy. It contains the phone, a stylish case (which gives off a really designer vibe), SIM ejector tool, 100W Type-C charger and Type-C 3.1 data cable. The phone also supports 80W wireless charging, which is great for the price. The colours are Black and Prestige Gold – mine is Gold, which feels a bit different, but the Black is also quite sleek. The moment you open the box, it feels premium and the case makes the phone even more awesome.
Design: Heavy but Classy
This Huawei’s phone weighs 237g, feels a little heavy, but is good for premium vibes. There is glass at the back, with an aluminium frame, and the camera bump is so big that people ask, “which phone is this?” IP68/69 rating, which means no fear of water and dust. There is a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display at the front, which is slightly curved – looks very sleek and modern. There is Kunlun Glass 2 protection, which protects it from scratches and drops. The in-hand feel is very solid, the buttons are clicky, and the design has a unique swag that sets it apart.
Camera: This is the real game changer
Camera is the biggest USP of this phone. It has 50MP main (1-inch sensor), 50MP periscope telephoto (3.7x optical zoom), 12.5MP periscope telephoto (9.4x optical zoom), and 40MP ultra-wide lens. The best part – this is the industry’s first switchable Dual Telephoto system, in which two telephoto lenses switch on a single sensor. This is a new technology and no other brand has done it yet. 100x digital zoom is also available, which keeps the far shots clear as well.
The main camera shots are extremely sharp during the day – accurate colours, great dynamic range, and no oversaturation. The 3.7x and 9.4x zoom shots are also quite detailed, be it day or night. I took a 100x zoom shot of a plane that was a little distance away and was moving – and the result was absolutely impressive! I also took macro shots of plants, which came out with natural colours and fine details. The 13MP front camera gives a slightly warm tone, but the details and dynamic range in selfies are quite good – much better than the oversaturated look of Chinese phones.
There is 4K@60fps support for videos, but I did notice that when I focus on the phone screen while shooting videos, there is a little blur. Stabilisation is okay but needs some more improvement. Overall, the camera performance is next-level – it is almost certain to top the DXOMARK!
Performance: How about in gaming?
It has a Kirin 9020 (7nm) chipset, which isn’t top-tier but is quite solid in performance. Smooth + Extreme (60fps) settings are available in PUBG – 120fps would have been more fun. I played a quick death match and the phone neither got hot nor did it feel. Gameplay was smooth and thermals were under control. This chipset can compete with big phones but if it was a little more powerful it would have been a different story. I have heard about Huawei that they are going to bring another powerful chipset soon which might be even better than this one.
EMUI 15 (HarmonyOS in China) is very smooth in daily use. There is an issue with Google services, but with GBox or MicroG, Play Store and apps run easily – Google Maps, YouTube, everything ran smoothly. I checked my location, it was very accurate. Animations are fast, and there was no lag. With 16GB RAM and 512GB/1TB storage, there is no tension of multitasking and storage.
Display: Excellent
6.8-inch LTPO OLED display, 1 billion colors, 120Hz refresh rate, 1440Hz PWM dimming, and 3000 nits peak brightness. The device is clearly visible even in the sun, and it looks great on HDR content on YouTube or Netflix. Colours are vibrant, blacks are deep, and scrolling is smooth. It is comfortable for the eyes even at night, thanks to high PWM dimming. There is no answer to the display – the device is top-notch for content watching!
Battery: Long lasting
It has a 5170mAh battery, which is quite good for a phone of this size. It easily lasts a day in normal use, and even in heavy use (gaming, videos) it gives 6-7 hours of screen-on time. 100W wired charging gives full charge in 30-40 minutes, and there is also 80W wireless charging. 20W reverse wireless and 18W reverse wired charging is also available, which is quite useful. Battery backup is solid at this price.
Audio and Extras: What is there, what is not
Dual stereo speakers are there, which are loud and clear – enough for music and videos. There is no 3.5mm jack, but there is Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC support. The USB-C 3.1 port supports fast data transfer and DisplayPort 1.2. There is also a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, and barometer. There is also BDS satellite calling in China, but not in Dubai. There is no IR blaster, which seems a bit lacking.
Software: Smooth, but Google’s fault
EMUI 15 (HarmonyOS in China) is very fast and clean, but there are no Google services. YouTube, Maps, everything works with GBox, and no restriction is felt. There are enough customization options, and the UI is smooth. There is a promise of 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates, which is good for the long term.
Pricing:
Starts at AED 5,099 in Dubai (512GB+16GB). Pre-order offers also include gifts like Huawei Watch GT5 and Huawei Care+, which sweeten the deal even more. At this price, the combo of camera, display, and battery is absolutely value for money.
Specifications
| Features | Description |
|---|---|
| Processor | Kirin 9020 (7nm) |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB / 1TB |
| Display | 6.8-inch LTPO OLED, 1276×2848, 120Hz, 3000 nits |
| Camera | 50MP Main + 50MP Telephoto (3.7x) + 12.5MP Telephoto (9.4x) + 40MP Ultra-wide, 13MP Selfie |
| Battery | 5170mAh, 100W Wired, 80W Wireless, 20W Reverse Wireless |
| Operating System | EMUI 15 (HarmonyOS in China) |
| Build | Glass Back, Aluminium Frame, 237g, IP68/69 |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, USB-C 3.1 |
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Switchable Dual Telephoto camera – industry first, absolutely amazing!
- 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display – bright and vibrant.
- 5170mAh battery + 100W charging – long life and quick charge.
- Premium design and IP68/69 rating.
- Smooth EMUI 15, long-term updates.
Cons:
- Video stabilization a little lacking.
- Kirin 9020 chipset not top-tier.
- No Google services (but there is a workaround).
- No 3.5mm jack and IR blaster.
Conclusion
The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is a camera beast – with a 50MP main sensor and dual telephoto system, photos and zoom shots are next-level. For AED 5,099, you get premium design, great display, and solid battery life.
But the chipset could have been a little more powerful, and video stabilization is lacking. If you want a camera-focused phone that also looks different, then this is a perfect fit. Comment me – should you buy this phone or not, and why?