In 2019 Huawei was put on the entity list and banned from using GMS which is essential for the global device market. A very surprising move from the United States because of the strained political relationship with China.
Just a few years ago Huawei released the Nexus 6P which confirmed their status as a manufacturer trusted by Google. In the blink of an eye they were treated like lepers. Many predict Huawei will go bankrupt as their business is severely affected as not only GMS is blocked but chip technology and 5G.
In 1965, Singapore was expelled from the Federation of Malaysia due to political tensions. Like Huawei, many predict that Singapore will be destroyed because it has no natural resources. There are some similarities between Singapore and Huawei. One of them is the ability to continue fighting even when many are waiting for them to collapse.
SPECIFICATIONS
Huawei Pura70 Pro
6.8″ LTPO OLED screen, 120Hz
1260 x 2844 pixels, HDR
Kunlun glass
HiSilicon Kirin 9100 processor
1×2.3 GHz Taishan Big chip
3×2.18 GHz Taishan Mid
4×1.55 GHz Cortex-A510
Maleoon 910 Graphics Chip
RAM 12GB LPDDR4X
Internal Storage 512GB UFS 3.2
Primary Camera 50 MP, f/1.4-4.0, OIS (Wide Angle)
12.5 MP, f/2.2, (Ultra Wide)
48 MP, f/2.1, OIS (Telephoto)
13MP f/2.4 Selfie Camera
5050 mAh battery
100W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual Nano/4G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof IP68
Scan System Under-screen fingerprint scanner
face
Sale Price RM4899 (12/512 GB)
Screen
6.8″ LTPO AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1260 x 2844 pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The panel can reach a peak brightness of 2500 nits but this is lower than flagship devices from Samsung, Honor and Oppo which can now reach over 4000 nits. Even so the screen displays bright colors and looks alive. No issues viewing the screen in bright sunlight.
Touch detection is also good and so scrolling feels smooth. The bezels are even on all four sides but I'm less fond of the design of the sides being rounded in all directions. This is a screen design like the first Honor Magic which is beautiful but I find it impractical if the device is dropped.
Huawei however says the second generation Kunlun Glass used is durable enough to withstand any impact. But another less-than-pleasant issue is that screen content spills over to all sides and corners. The current trend is to use a flat screen and Huawei still dares to use a screen design that overflows to the side to give it a twist. Points are awarded for the courage to not follow other manufacturers despite exposing the side of the glass to impact.
There is HDR support but just plain HDR. No problem displaying HDR content on YouTube and Prime Video but no support for Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar.
Biometrics
The stamp scanner is located below the screen and it works fast. There is also a facial scanning system that is also fast in bright areas. In the dark it's a little slow because there's no IR emitter like the one used on the Mate20 Pro a while ago.
Design
Technological restrictions do not directly leave a negative impact on the design and finish of Huawei devices. The shiny metal frame has rounded sides. The device is very comfortable in the hand when in use. The back panel is made of glass with a unique camera bump. While other manufacturers are busy trying to take inspiration from the iPhone's hump, Huawei uses a hump design with three points that looks like a "hidden Mickey" from a distance.
Some may say this design is strange, but in the world of two similar devices, a design that dares to go against the grain should be praised. The main camera lens is very large and therefore the device cannot be placed flat on a table. This is an issue that exists on all flagship devices so to only criticize Huawei I feel is unfair.
The power button and audio adjustment are placed on the right side and are comfortable to press. There is a red line on the power button to make it easier to distinguish it from the audio adjustment button. The IR transmitter is placed on top while the speaker grill, USB-C charging port and SIM tray are placed on the bottom. The entire body passes the IP68 standard which allows it to be waterproof up to a depth of 1.5 meters.
If you like curved side design, Pura70 Pro is the device for you. It reminds me of the very similar iPhone 13 Pro Max design. In terms of build quality, Huawei still maintains it at a benchmark level making their devices look and feel premium in the hand.
Use and Software
In Malaysia EMUI 14.2.0 is used and it is believed to be based on Android 12. But in the future Huawei will use HarmonyOS completely which does not have any Android components. There is good news here which is that Android applications can still be installed as a sideload if they are not offered through the App Gallery.
Let's start with the positives which is that the EMUI interface is neat, beautiful, and very smooth to use though. After no longer being constrained by Android barriers, various features began to be added such as Super Device and also Control Panel which provides more diverse control options. The device can also be controlled scrolling with gestures without touching the screen through Air Gesture. Screenshots can also be done using fully touchless hand gestures. For privacy, apps can be locked and files encrypted to prevent them from being accessed by people other than you.
But obviously to enjoy Huawei devices, you have to have a complete ecosystem. With EMUI you can transfer files to the laptop faster with Huawei Share. Shares the screen on Huawei tablets and also supports the tethering of various audio accessories and their smart speakers locally. If you're already invested in the Huawei ecosystem, all of these features work pretty well.
Got a Google?
Can't comment on Huawei devices without touching on the GMS issue. The fact is that in Malaysia Google application support is necessary unlike in China. Officially it is not supported but Pura70 Pro buyers can install Gbox which enables Play Store, YouTube, YouTube Music, Google Photos, Gmail, Disney+ Hotstar and various other applications that require GMS to work.
The implementation of Google applications on the Pura70 Pro is the easiest so far compared to two years ago. Applications can be updated through Play Store or App Gallery. Still not quite smooth or issue-free compared to real Android devices but at least there's an alternative.
I can use YouTube Premium without issue. But when installing Chrome, the application cannot be updated through the Play Store. Needs to be done through the App Gallery via reinstalling the app. Like I said earlier GBox is not perfect yet. It should also be emphasized that Netflix only supports HDR but only at SD resolution.
Bench mark
The Kirin 9010 is Huawei's second self-made chip after the Kirin 9000s. Both are developed using 7nm technology which is now two generations behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 flagship chip.
To see the difference in performance I compare Pura70 Pro with Honor Magic6 Pro (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), OnePlus 12R (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2), Vivo X90 (Dimensity 9200), Nothing Phone 2 (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1) and OnePlus Nord 3 5G (Dimension 9000)
Geekbench 6
Huawei Pura70 Pro – 1315/3895
Honor Magic6 Pro – 1,366,519
OnePlus 12R – 1081/4204
Vivo X90 – 1668/4000
Nothing Phone (2) – 1734/4576
OnePlus Nord 3 5G – 1092/3337
Antutu 3D
Huawei Pura70 Pro – 862,688
Honor Magic6 Pro – 1362/4677
OnePlus 12R – 1,431,444
Vivo X90 – 1,147,029
Nothing Phone (2) – 1,142,277
OnePlus Nord 3 5G – 914,552
3D Mark Wild Life Extreme
Huawei Pura70 Pro – 1376
Honor Magic6 Pro – 2,492
OnePlus 12R – 3712
Vivo X90 – 3176
Nothing Phone (2) – 2584
OnePlus Nord 3 5G – 2296
The Kirin 9010 benchmark score is not encouraging as it is lower even compared to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 launched in 2021. Huawei is trying to give its best but the fact is that the technology barriers imposed by America make their technology not comparable to the current technology.
Nevertheless the device operates quite smoothly compared to premium mid-range devices in the market today. No issues running various commonly installed applications. It's just that the initial running performance is more like a mid-range device. COD Mobile can be run on medium settings at satisfactory FPS as well as PUBG Mobile and Diablo Immortal. COD Warzone Mobile is playable but on lower settings. If gaming performance is very important to you, the Kirin 9010 can run the majority of games but not at the highest level.
Telephony and GPS
The device only supports 4G and 5GHz WiFi networks. I am actually disappointed that the 5G support provided on devices in China is not provided on export devices. Why it was not given is a mystery I have not been able to unravel. All I can say is the voice call quality is very good and so is the GPS. The absence of 5G in 2024 can now be seen as a big drawback because it can already be enjoyed by more than 85% of populated areas in Malaysia.
Camera
No Hassleblad, no Zeiss and no Leica. All that is available is the Xmage imaging system developed by Huawei itself. The camera system consists of a 50MP wide-angle main lens, 12 ultra-wide-angle and 48MP telephoto. There is an OIS system on the wide-angle and telephoto lenses. A system like Sensor Shift and Sentut is only given on the Pura70 Ultra model. On the front there is a 13MP selfie camera.
Although there is no longer a collaboration with a leading photography company, the quality of the photos taken using the Pura70 Pro camera is very satisfactory. Sharp images and vivid color reproduction. Some say the color saturation is too high compared to the original but I know not everyone wants to take "original" photos. Many times I feel "original" looks dark and lifeless. I personally prefer photos that are post-processed even if they are no longer "original".
Battery
With a battery capacity of 5,050mAh is a capacity that is quite strange in size. Based on moderate usage, there is no problem for the device to last all day up to 15-16 hours while the SOT reaches 8 hours. Just average battery life. The 7nm technology on the Kirin 9010 cannot offer power savings as good as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 4nm technology.
This shortcoming is successfully mitigated with 66W charging that recharges the battery in around 40 minutes. The charger comes with every purchase and most interestingly it supports USB-A and USB-C cables. With this charger with 100W output can also be used to charge laptops. There's also 80W charging support which is also fast but we couldn't test it ourselves.
Audio
The stereo speakers on the device support the balanced Huawei Histen audio system. At the loudest setting the audio is still clear on the physical speakers. But when I use AirPods or Sony WH1000XM5, I realize that the audio volume that can be enjoyed is low. The highest setting is around 60% volume which I can hear on other Android devices. This is a recurring issue I experience when using Huawei and Honor devices. There may be a setting that "cares for the ears" so that it prevents loud audio from being played using bluetooth audio accessories.
In the box
Here's what's included in the box.
1x Huawei Pura70 Pro
1x Transparent frame
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
1x SIM Pin.
1x Guidebook.
Conclusion
The Huawei Pura70 Pro is a flagship device that has a pretty premium design and finish. The camera capabilities are very satisfactory aided by an operating system that runs quite smoothly without any major issues running applications. Without GMS, App Gallery offers the majority of applications that users need. Through GBox, the buyer's Google application requirements can also be met. Overall the Pura70 Pro is a device that did not disappoint when used for over two weeks.
But the fact is that with the Kirin 9010, the Pura70 Pro is a mid-range device with flagship chip performance in 2021 and is a 4G LTE device. Memory and storage also use slightly older components. So with a selling price of RM4899, it is difficult to recommend to buyers unless you are a die-hard fan of Huawei and their ecosystem. In this category there is Nothing Phone (2), Poco F6 Pro, OnePlus 12R and Oppo Reno11 Pro 5G which offer comparable performance and experience but at a more competitive price.
Pro
Bright, fast and responsive 120Hz screen.
Feature-rich and smooth software.
Good photography skills.
Battery life is satisfactory with fast charging.
A flagship device for fans of the Huawei ecosystem.
IP68 waterproof
Google app support is getting better.
Cons
Prices are not competitive.
The performance of the chip is only on par with the middle class.
Curved screens on all.
Only supports 4G and 5GHz WiFi