The Pros and Cons of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra has once again taken the top spot as the smartphone with the best camera in the world, according to DxOMark. It continues the success of the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. This phone is even predicted to have a much better camera, going beyond many people’s expectations.

To begin with, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra has a dual telephoto camera with a very large sensor. Its ability to keep detail and sharpness when taking photos of distant objects is on another level. As a flagship device, Huawei has also given attention to other important features. Curious? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons below.

Pros of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

The camera of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is without doubt one of the best in the world. But this phone also has other strong points that make it interesting, even behind its high price. Here are some of its pros.

1. Luxurious Design and Waterproof

Before we talk about the camera, let’s start with the design. The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra looks very luxurious and elegant. The Prestige Gold variant, which is almost fully gold, makes this clear. The Golden Black variant also has gold accents on the camera ring.

At first glance, the camera module looks bigger than most smartphones. The protrusion is also clear, with a unique triangular shape and rounded corners. Even so, this size feels fair when you think of the camera technology inside. As long as the quality matches the size, a large camera module is actually something to be proud of.

The body of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is 8.3 mm thick, not counting the camera bump. The battery is close to standard capacity, and the phone weighs around 233.5 grams. It still feels solid and comfortable to hold with its smooth matte finish.

For durability, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra comes with IP68 and IP69 certification. This makes it resistant to dust and water. It can even stay underwater at 2 meters deep for 30 minutes.

2. Equipped with Two Large Telephoto Lenses

Through its flagship phones, Huawei always brings new ideas in smartphone camera hardware. The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra introduces features that have never been seen before, which is why it goes beyond many people’s expectations. One of the most interesting features is the use of two telephoto lenses with one large sensor.

Huawei surprised many people with this concept. They managed to save space compared to using two separate telephoto lenses, like in the OPPO Find X8 Ultra or Xiaomi 15 Ultra. At the same time, it gives more flexibility than a single telephoto system, such as the one on the vivo X200 Ultra.

The special sensor used is very large, measuring 1/1.28 inches. The short lens has an 83 mm focal length with 3.7x optical zoom, while the long lens has a 212 mm focal length with 9.4x optical zoom.

One thing that stands out is the visual detail. When changing the focal length on the telephoto lens, the rear lens looks like it blinks. You can also hear a crisp sound, which makes the experience more fun.

The main camera is more familiar, with a variable aperture of f/1.6 to f/4.0 and a resolution of 50 MP, the same as the previous generation. The difference is that the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra uses a new sensor with a wider dynamic range that supports TCG-HDR. This makes HDR content look better, especially for videos.

There is also a 40 MP ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and autofocus support. This is the same as the one used in the previous generation, but the close-up ability has been improved, allowing shots as close as 2 cm from the lens.

On the front, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra still has a 13 MP ultrawide lens. Besides offering a wide angle for selfies, it also supports autofocus to make capturing moments easier.

For video, both the front and rear cameras can record up to 4K at 60 FPS. The built-in stabilization reduces shaking when recording while walking. It also performs well for distant shots, though there are still limits in keeping details and sharpness.

3. Immersive Display

The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra comes with a display that is similar to its predecessor. It uses a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED panel. This type of panel allows the phone to have a dynamic refresh rate that adjusts based on what you are doing to make it more power efficient.

In theory, the refresh rate can go as low as 1 Hz and as high as 120 Hz. You can also set it manually to 60 Hz, 90 Hz, or 120 Hz depending on your needs.

One of the main improvements is brightness. The screen can reach up to 3000 nits (peak), which helps when using the phone outdoors in bright sunlight. It can also go down to 1.6 nits for more comfortable use in dark rooms.

The display is protected by second-generation Crystal Armor Kunlun Glass. This protection makes the screen stronger against scratches or cracks from drops.

4. Loud Stereo Speakers

The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is equipped with two stereo speakers. The main speaker is at the bottom of the phone, while the second speaker is at the top. This setup produces more balanced sound in terms of volume.

The audio quality is enjoyable, whether you are watching movies, scrolling through social media, listening to music, or playing games.

However, the phone no longer comes with a 3.5 mm audio jack. Using wired earphones now requires a converter or earphones with a Type-C connector. The easier option is to use wireless Bluetooth earphones, which are more practical.

5. Powered by the Kirin 9020

Inside, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is powered by the Kirin 9020 chipset, which is also used in the Huawei Mate X6 foldable phone.

This chipset is built on a 7 nm process and has eight CPU cores. It includes one large TaiShan V121 core (2.5 GHz) for heavy tasks, three TaiShan V120 cores (2.15 GHz) for extra performance, and four smaller TaiShan cores (1.6 GHz) for efficiency. The GPU is the Maleoon 920, running at 840 MHz.

When it comes to performance, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is not as strong as Ultra phones from other brands. According to GSMArena, it scored 1.1 million points in AnTuTu v10. In comparison, phones like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, vivo X200 Ultra, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra reach over 2 million points with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip.

Some reviewers are not too disappointed with this gap, since it is still connected to U.S. sanctions on Huawei. GSMArena reported that it could take Huawei at least five years to fully catch up in raw performance.

Even so, the gaming experience is still impressive. TechNick tested the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra with several games. The results showed smooth gameplay; Genshin Impact averaged 58.4 FPS, Wuthering Waves averaged 58.7 FPS, and Call of Duty reached 89.8 FPS.

This proves that, despite lower benchmark numbers, the phone can still deliver a comfortable gaming experience along with its world-class camera.

6. Complete Connectivity and Sensors

Another strong point of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is its connectivity and sensors. This phone already supports WiFi 7, which is an upgrade from the previous generation. It helps reduce latency when using WiFi in crowded public areas.

It also has NFC and an infrared blaster to make daily tasks easier. With NFC (Near Field Communication), you can connect to other devices faster, make digital payments, or even use it as a toll access card. The infrared feature can turn the phone into a remote control for devices at home such as TVs or air conditioners.

The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra also uses a USB Type-C 3.1 port. This allows it to display output on a larger monitor with just a data cable.

For sensors, the phone is equipped with an accelerometer, compass, barometer, and a more responsive hardware gyro. One drawback is the fingerprint sensor, which is placed on the side of the body and combined with the power button. The previous Huawei Pura 70 Ultra already had the fingerprint sensor under the screen.

7. 5170 mAh Battery and 100W Charging

The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra comes with a 5170 mAh battery, which is close to the standard size. Huawei does not seem to follow the trend of increasing battery capacity much higher. As a result, the battery life can be considered adequate but not the best compared to its rivals.

According to GSMArena, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra achieved an active usage score of 11 hours and 51 minutes. This is much lower than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra with a 5410 mAh battery, which reached 16 hours and 13 minutes. It is also behind the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra with a 5000 mAh battery, which scored 14 hours and 49 minutes.

On the bright side, the phone supports very fast charging. GSMArena’s tests show that it only takes about 42 minutes to fully charge the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra. For comparison, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra needs 51 minutes and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra needs 59 minutes.

This speed is possible because of Huawei’s 100W fast charging support. In addition, it also supports 80W wireless charging for cable-free use. There is even reverse wired and wireless charging, so the phone can charge other devices.

Cons of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

Despite being a flagship phone, the Huawei P80 Ultra still has several issues to consider. These are generally just minor issues that some might find acceptable. Here are the drawbacks.

1. Not Compatible with Google Services

Since the United States imposed an embargo on Huawei, the company is still not allowed to use Google Mobile Services. Luckily, Android is open source, so Huawei can still use the system on its phones, but with some limits.

The global version of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra runs on the EMUI interface, while the Chinese version uses HarmonyOS 5.1. Huawei continues to improve its interface by adding features such as the Celia Assistant, better security, the Health app, and Ark Engine support.

As of its release, EMUI 15 is the latest interface used in this phone, though it is still based on Android 12. Without Google services, apps can still be installed through Huawei’s AppGallery, APK Pure, or other third-party platforms.

Another way to access Google apps is through GBox, which acts as a “portal” for non-GMS devices. GBox even comes with integrated Google Mobile Services. The problem is that GBox shows a lot of ads, which can be annoying for daily use. 

2. Only Supports 4G Networks

Another issue for Huawei phones outside China is the lack of 5G support. The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is no exception.

While 5G is not yet widely available in some countries, it still feels disappointing that a premium phone at this price only supports 4G.

3. Fingerprint Sensor on the Side

The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra places its fingerprint sensor on the side of the phone, combined with the power button. This feels like a downgrade, especially since the phone uses an OLED display.

The previous model, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra, already had an under-display fingerprint sensor. That placement was easier to reach with your thumb and looked more modern compared to having it on the side.

Conclusion

The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra brings exciting innovations, especially with its dual telephoto system in a single sensor. This idea is brilliant and delivers excellent results for long-distance photography. It is no surprise that DxOMark ranked it as the phone with the best camera in the world.

Beyond the camera, the phone also has many strengths, such as an immersive screen, solid performance, complete features, fast charging, and a luxurious design.

Still, there are some things to think about. Limited Google support and the side fingerprint sensor may not appeal to everyone. Even so, the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra remains a powerful phone for those who want the best camera experience.