After its official launch in China a few months ago, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro has now also made its way to Germany. Compared to the Pura 70 Pro, not much has actually changed on paper; only the camera hardware has been significantly improved, at least on paper.
For a suggested retail price of €1.099, you get, among other things, a triple camera with 4x optical zoom, the Kirin 9020 processor, a 6,8-inch OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a 5.170 mAh battery with 100W fast charging. On paper, the hardware certainly looks impressive, but it still lacks Google apps by default, which is why the smartphone probably won't find too many buyers here in Europe. Or will it? In this review, you'll find out why the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro surprised me so positively.
Conclusion on the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro
When I received the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro for testing, I wasn't initially aware that there was now a really good solution for the missing Google services. So I used the smartphone for a few days completely without Google services and apps – and quickly realized that I could hardly recommend it to anyone in that state. Nevertheless, I wanted to give the Pura 80 Pro a fair chance.
After a few days, I discovered that Google services and apps can be installed using a small, very simple workaround. All you need is the Aurora Store and microG – both of which can be installed... proDownloading was trouble-free. After setting everything up and installing my Google apps, I found that everything works perfectly, just like on any other Android smartphone.
At that moment, I realized I could finally wholeheartedly recommend a HUAWEI smartphone again. The Google apps run reliably, and hardware has never been a problem with HUAWEI anyway. The Pura 80 Pro's display is excellent, the performance is fast, the battery life is long, the cameras are very good – and the design is simply beautiful and high-quality. While the price of €1.099 is high, it's actually slightly lower compared to the competition. If you're looking for a powerful smartphone with a well-rounded package and you like the design or the software, I can truly recommend the Pura 80 Pro. However, I would wait a few more months until the price drops to around [price missing]. EUR 900 If it falls below that price, then you're getting an extremely powerful smartphone at a very fair price. Personally, the Pura 80 Pro is currently my favorite smartphone on the market.
Many thanks to HUAWEI Germany for providing the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro 🙂
Design
My absolute favorite feature of the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro is undoubtedly its beautiful and high-quality design. With dimensions of 163 mm in height and 76,1 mm in width, the Pura 80 Pro is a very large smartphone that isn't always easy to carry. proIt can be operated effortlessly with one hand. At 219 g, it's also quite heavy and feels slightly top-heavy due to the large camera module. However, the thickness of 8,3 mm is perfectly acceptable, especially since the rounded edges make the smartphone appear even slimmer. Thanks to the rounded front and back, it sits very ergonomically and comfortably in the hand. I much prefer the Pura 80 Pro to, for example, an HONOR Magic 7 Pro or Vivo X300 Pro with their angular frames. It's great that HUAWEI hasn't opted for an angular frame here – it simply makes the smartphone very pleasant to the touch.
Special setting
HUAWEI has opted for a glossy aluminum frame with a brushed finish – for me, the best of both worlds. The glossy surface feels nicely grippy, while the brushed look makes fingerprints significantly less visible than on standard glossy frames. I hope more manufacturers adopt this look in the future. The buttons are located on the right side; they are superbly crafted and have a good tactile response. Personally, I would prefer them to be positioned slightly lower.
Striking reverse side
The back is made of glossy glass, slightly rounded on all four sides. Personally, I find it a bit of a shame that the glass is glossy and not matte, as fingerprints are very visible, especially on the black and white models. Besides black and white, there's also a red version, which looks very appealing in product photos.
The camera module is in the upper left corner. proThe camera is positioned rather awkwardly and protrudes noticeably from the casing. This causes the smartphone to wobble when lying flat on a table and makes it somewhat unstable. Personally, however, I really like the camera design: Huawei has taken a bold approach here that looks visually harmonious. I particularly like the glossy white back combined with the brushed silver frame.
Quad-Edge
The front looks just as beautiful and high-quality as the back. The bezel around the panel is equally thin and slightly rounded on all four sides, making it appear even slimmer and making swiping from the sides significantly more comfortable. In fact, not only the display glass but also the panel itself is minimally curved, which is clearly visible from various viewing angles. For me personally, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro is currently one of the most beautiful smartphones on the market.
Display
The OLED display measures 6,8 inches and offers a sufficiently sharp resolution of 2.848 x 1.276 pixels. With a pixel density of 460 ppi, everything appears razor-sharp in everyday use; individual pixels are not discernible. The 120 Hz refresh rate also ensures that animations and scrolling appear pleasantly smooth.
I particularly like the color reproduction of the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro. Despite the OLED technology, the colors appear realistic, neither too intense nor too pale. The viewing angle stability is good, but not among the best on the market. At steep angles, white content in particular takes on a slightly bluish tint. The maximum brightness is very high, especially in direct sunlight – here, the display is among the brightest on the market. However, when the sun isn't shining directly on the display, a Google Pixel is slightly brighter.
Software
The HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro runs on Huawei's own EMUI. However, I couldn't find out which Android version the UI is based on. In China, it uses HarmonyOS. EMUI is clearly laid out, looks modern, and features some really nice animations. It also includes some useful additional functions, such as the ability to customize app icons very flexibly. I find the always-on display particularly practical: it activates automatically as soon as you look at the screen and only switches off again a few seconds later when you look away. This works surprisingly reliably – even from a distance – and is extremely helpful in everyday use.
What I really don't like, though, is that you absolutely have to swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification bar and the control panel. On other smartphones, I can swipe down from anywhere on the home screen, which is much more convenient.
Aurora Store + microG
As you may already know, HUAWEI smartphones have been shipped without Google services by default since the Mate 30 Pro. Most apps – apart from Google services – could be installed via the AppGallery or Petal Search. Nevertheless, problems persisted, for example with some banking apps, which is why, despite their brilliant hardware, I've unfortunately never been able to truly recommend HUAWEI smartphones.
There is now a very easy way to use Google apps on current HUAWEI smartphones. Google applications can be installed via the Aurora Store and the automatically installed microG services. proDownload and use without any problems. A particularly convenient feature: the Aurora Store now supports automatic updates, so apps are kept up-to-date as usual. Even mobile payments with Sparkasse (a German savings bank) work – only Google Pay is not yet supported, although HUAWEI is already working on a solution.
Here is a short and clear guide to installing Aurora Store and microG: Connect
For me, the combination of Aurora Store and microG is a real game changer. I didn't expect that almost everything would work as well in everyday use as on a regular Android smartphone. I hope it stays that way. This finally makes HUAWEI smartphones interesting again for the general public – that is, for everyone who relies on Google services.
Performance
Under the hood is the in-house Kirin 9020 processor, manufactured using a 7nm process. While this puts HUAWEI significantly behind Qualcomm and Apple, everyday performance is what truly matters – and it delivers across the board. Apps launch and close very quickly, stuttering or lag is virtually nonexistent, and animations are consistently smooth. In direct comparison, a Vivo X300 Pro feels slightly faster, primarily due to its shorter animations, but these also run at a very high level on the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro. Overall, the operating speed is excellent, and even demanding tasks pose no problem for the Pura 80 Pro.
Another positive aspect is the low heat generation: the device never became uncomfortably warm. The internal storage capacity is 512 GB, complemented by 12 GB of RAM – a point definitely worth keeping in mind at this price point, as Huawei offers noticeably more than many competitors.
Battery
The battery has a capacity of 5.170 mAh. Its predecessor had 5.050 mAh, so only slightly less. You can charge the battery with up to 100 watts in about 50 minutes. The necessary power adapter is even included, which is extremely commendable and rare for a smartphone at the end of 2025. Wireless charging is possible at up to 80 watts, which is also absolutely impressive.
With the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro, I easily get through a day, and sometimes even 1,5 to 2 days are possible. With a screen-on time of 3,5 to 4,5 hours, I still have at least 55% and at most 68% battery left at the end of the day. These are very good results. Even heavy users shouldn't have any problems getting through a day without charging the Pura 80 Pro. Kudos to HUAWEI.
camera
On the back there is a triple camera, arranged as follows:
- 50 megapixel main camera – F1.6~F4.0 – 1 inch
- 40 megapixel ultra wide angle camera – F2.2
- 48 megapixel telephoto macro camera – 3,5x – F2.1
A 13 megapixel front camera with an aperture of f/2.0 is responsible for selfies.
main camera
The main camera clearly delivers the best results of the three cameras. In good lighting conditions, it produces very attractive photos with outstanding dynamic range and good sharpness. Details are preserved remarkably well, especially in dark areas. However, it's noticeable that HUAWEI occasionally applies a slight artificial sharpening to details, which makes images appear somewhat unnatural when zoomed in closely. Color reproduction is generally good, but tends towards slightly warmer and more saturated tones that don't always accurately reflect reality. I particularly like the green tones less compared to the Vivo X300 Pro – but that's a matter of personal taste.
In low light, the main camera truly shines. Thanks to its large sensor and bright aperture, even without night mode, the photos are pleasantly bright, preserving plenty of detail in dark areas. In this respect, I even prefer the Pura 80 Pro to the Vivo X300 Pro – its white balance is also more accurate. However, the Vivo offers sharper, more natural images and better noise performance. Nevertheless, the Pura 80 Pro delivers excellent results here as well and is definitely among the best smartphones on the market.
Ultra wide angle camera
As impressive as the main camera is, I find the ultrawide camera disappointing. While it produces decent photos with a solid dynamic range in good lighting, the detail quality is poor and the colors often appear oversaturated. In low light, the camera is barely convincing – especially in this price range. The images are bright enough, but the detail is severely lacking and the noise is extremely high.
Telecamera
I much prefer the telephoto camera. The 4x optical zoom delivers very sharp photos with good dynamic range and solid color reproduction. Even at 10x magnification, the results are still impressive – sometimes even at 20x. In direct comparison to the Vivo X300 Pro, it's noticeable that the sharpness isn't quite as high and the colors appear slightly less natural, but overall I'm extremely satisfied with the zoom camera. Especially considering that the Pura 80 Pro is significantly cheaper. For this price, Huawei has delivered a truly impressive product.
One of my favorite features of the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro is its macro photography. These shots are also taken with the 4x telephoto camera and look truly outstanding. You don't even need to get particularly close to the subject because the optical zoom already brings you very close. This means you don't block any light, and you get a beautiful, natural bokeh effect. proThe image quality is impressive. For me, the Pura 80 Pro currently delivers by far the best macro images on the market.
Videos & Selfie
Videos can be recorded in 4K at up to 60 fps. Overall, the quality is acceptable, but there's room for improvement in terms of color reproduction and sharpness – especially considering the price. The same applies to selfies.
Other
Let's get to one of my biggest criticisms of the HUAWEI Pura 80 Pro: Unlike almost all flagship Android smartphones of recent years, the Pura 80 Pro doesn't have an in-display fingerprint sensor. Instead, the sensor is integrated into the power button on the right side. Don't get me wrong: It works quickly and reliably, and the power button is easily accessible with your thumb. Nevertheless, I find an in-display fingerprint sensor significantly more convenient to use – the technology has proven itself over the years. I can't understand why HUAWEI is deviating from this proven concept; after all, even the... P50 Pro, P60 Pro and the Pura 70 Pro has very good sensors in the display.
I mainly used the two-dimensional face recognition, which works very quickly and reliably in good lighting conditions. It also works to some extent in poorer lighting, although the display then brightens so the camera can recognize your face. This is a bit annoying and doesn't always work reliably.
The vibration motor is solid, but not among the best on the market. For my taste, it's a bit too subtle and doesn't quite convey the premium feel you'd expect from Vivo, Google, Xiaomi, or Apple. Nevertheless, it's a good motor worthy of a flagship device.
In conclusion, I'd like to praise the stereo speakers: they get very loud, deliver a full, clear sound, and surprise with surprisingly good bass. I was truly impressed.
