The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra represents the ultimate flagship smartphone from Huawei, embodying cutting-edge technology and a reimagined approach to mobile photography. Despite facing challenges in the global market, Huawei continues to innovate, and the Pura 70 Ultra stands as a testament to that commitment. The Pura series, which is now branded as “Pura” instead of “P,” has retained its focus on delivering the best mobile photography experience. The Pura 70 Ultra is loaded with features, including the new Kirin 9010 chipset and a powerful triple-camera setup that promises to redefine smartphone photography.
The Pura 70 Ultra is not just about its cameras. It also brings a stunning design, a high-resolution OLED display, and cutting-edge charging technology, making it a top contender in the high-end smartphone market.
Specs at a Glance
Before diving into the review, let’s take a quick look at the key specifications of the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra:
- Body: 162.6×75.1×8.4mm, 226g; Glass front, aluminum frame, eco-leather back; IP68 water and dust resistant.
- Display: 6.8-inch LTPO OLED, 1B colors, HDR, 120Hz, 1260×2844 resolution, 460ppi, 2,500 nits peak brightness.
- Chipset: Kirin 9010 (7nm); Octa-core (1×2.3 GHz Taishan Big & 3×2.18 GHz Taishan Mid & 4×1.55 GHz Cortex-A510); Maleoon 910 GPU.
- Memory: 256GB/16GB RAM, 512GB/16GB RAM, 1TB/16GB RAM.
- OS/Software: HarmonyOS 4.2.
- Rear Camera: 50 MP wide (main), 50 MP telephoto (3.5x optical zoom), 40 MP ultrawide with autofocus.
- Front Camera: 13 MP, ultrawide with autofocus.
- Battery: 5,200mAh; 100W wired, 80W wireless, 20W reverse wireless charging.
- Connectivity: 5G (in China), Dual SIM, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, Infrared port.
- Other: In-display fingerprint reader, stereo speakers, BDS Satellite Calling and Messaging.
Now that we’ve covered the specs, let’s move on to the unboxing experience and the device’s design.
Unboxing the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra arrives in a large, premium box that signals the luxurious nature of the device. Inside, you’ll find:
- The Pura 70 Ultra smartphone.
- A premium protective case with a matching color and texture.
- A 100W-rated charger.
- A USB-C-to-C cable.
- A user manual and SIM ejector tool.
The inclusion of a premium case and a powerful charger is a welcome touch, especially in a world where many flagship devices are shipped without these essentials. The 100W charger is particularly noteworthy, ensuring that the Pura 70 Ultra is always ready to go, even after a short charge.
Design and Build Quality
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra stands out with its sleek design, featuring slightly curved panels and a futuristic camera housing on the back. The back of the phone is made from eco-leather, which not only gives it a premium feel but also offers an excellent grip, making it easy to handle even without a case. The front is covered with Crystal Armor Kunlun Glass, which Huawei claims is 300% stronger than the Kunlun Glass used in previous models like the Pura 70 Pro.
The camera island on the back is massive, housing the 50MP main camera, 50MP telephoto camera, and 40MP ultrawide camera. The island also includes a laser emitter and receiver for autofocus and depth detection. The primary camera’s retractable lens mechanism ensures that the camera housing doesn’t become too bulky, which is an impressive engineering feat by Huawei. According to the company, the retractable mechanism is tested to endure over 300,000 cycles.
The Pura 70 Ultra is available in multiple color options, including white, brown, and black, giving users a choice of aesthetic preferences. The IP68 rating ensures that the device is dustproof and can withstand being submerged in up to 2 meters of water for 30 minutes.
Display
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra features a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display with 1260×2844 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display supports 1 billion colors, HDR, and a peak brightness of 2,500 nits, making it one of the brightest screens on the market. Whether you’re viewing content outdoors in bright sunlight or in darker environments, the display performs exceptionally well.
The Crystal Armor Kunlun Glass on top of the display offers additional durability, which is especially important for a device of this caliber. It is designed to resist scratches and provide drop protection, though we did not test this feature to its limits.
Handling
Despite its large 6.8-inch display and 226g weight, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra feels comfortable to hold. The slight curvature of the eco-leather back panel and the polished aluminum frame make it easy to grip, even during extended periods of use. The design language is very much in line with other modern flagships, but Huawei’s attention to detail, particularly with the camera design and material choices, sets it apart.
Performance: Kirin 9010 Chipset
The Kirin 9010 chipset powering the Pura 70 Ultra is built on a 7nm process, which is somewhat behind other flagship chipsets in terms of process technology. It features an octa-core CPU and a Maleoon 910 GPU. While the Kirin 9010 may not match the performance of Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chips or Apple’s A-series processors, it holds its own in everyday tasks and moderate gaming.
In benchmark tests, the Kirin 9010 performs similarly to MediaTek’s Dimensity 8200, placing it in the upper mid-range category rather than the high-end. However, the Pura 70 Ultra’s real strength lies in its optimization with HarmonyOS 4.2, which makes day-to-day performance smooth and reliable. The phone handles multitasking, web browsing, and app usage without any significant slowdowns.
Camera System
Rear Cameras
The camera system is undoubtedly the highlight of the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. The 50MP 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor for the primary camera is paired with sensor-shift stabilization and a variable aperture (f/1.6-4.0). This allows for incredible low-light performance and control over depth of field, offering users DSLR-like photography experiences. The 50MP telephoto camera provides 3.5x optical zoom and up to 10x hybrid zoom, while the 40MP ultrawide camera offers impressive autofocus capabilities and can double as a macro shooter.
In well-lit conditions, the photos from the Pura 70 Ultra are stunning, with excellent color accuracy, detail, and dynamic range. The variable aperture allows for creative control over bokeh and sharpness, making portrait shots particularly impressive.
Low-light photography is equally strong, with the Night Mode enhancing details and reducing noise without over-processing the image. The telephoto lens also performs well in low light, though some minor detail loss occurs at maximum zoom levels.
Front Camera
The 13MP front camera with an ultrawide lens and autofocus is perfect for group selfies or solo shots. The autofocus feature ensures that your selfies are always sharp, and the wide field of view makes it easier to fit more people or scenery into your shots. It’s also capable of capturing 4K video, which is a nice touch for vloggers or anyone who enjoys high-quality video calls.
Video Recording
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra records 4K video at 60fps with optical image stabilization (OIS) and electronic image stabilization (EIS). The quality is good, but not class-leading. Some users might find the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) to be a hindrance when it comes to video sharing or using popular apps like YouTube, though there are workarounds available via third-party app stores or GBox.
Battery Life and Charging
The 5,200mAh battery inside the Pura 70 Ultra provides excellent endurance, easily lasting a full day of heavy use. Thanks to the LTPO OLED display, which dynamically adjusts the refresh rate to save power, and the efficient Kirin 9010 chipset, battery life is impressive for a device of this size.
When it comes to charging, the 100W wired charging is among the fastest available, filling the battery to 90% in just 30 minutes. 80W wireless charging is also supported, as well as 20W reverse wireless charging, making it easy to top up other devices like earbuds or a smartwatch.
Software: HarmonyOS 4.2
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra runs on HarmonyOS 4.2, Huawei’s proprietary operating system. While HarmonyOS offers a slick user interface with plenty of customization options, the lack of Google Mobile Services is a major drawback for users in markets outside China. However, Huawei has made efforts to mitigate this issue with AppGallery and third-party app solutions like GBox, which allow users to run Google apps in a virtual machine.
For users who are comfortable with Huawei’s ecosystem, HarmonyOS is a fast and fluid operating system that offers plenty of privacy and security features.
Speakers and Audio
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra features stereo speakers, with the earpiece doubling as a second speaker. While the sound quality is good, with clear mids and highs and a decent amount of bass, it doesn’t quite match the audio performance of other flagship devices like the iPhone 15 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The loudness is adequate, but not exceptional.
Final Verdict
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is a compelling flagship device, especially for photography enthusiasts. The triple-camera setup, stunning OLED display, and super-fast charging are all standout features. However, the device is held back by its mid-range chipset and the lack of Google Mobile Services. While there are workarounds for the latter, some users may find these limitations to be dealbreakers, especially given the phone’s premium price.
For users who prioritize mobile photography and are comfortable using Huawei’s ecosystem, the Pura 70 Ultra is an excellent choice. However, for those looking for the best all-around flagship experience, there are other devices on the market that offer better performance, 5G connectivity, and full access to the Google Play Store.
Pros:
- Excellent camera performance, particularly in low light.
- Beautiful OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.
- Fast wired and wireless charging.
- Premium design with tough Crystal Armor Kunlun Glass.
Cons:
- No 5G support in most regions.
- Mid-range chipset performance at a flagship price.
- Lack of Google Mobile Services.
- Video quality could be improved.
Overall, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is an impressive flagship device, but it may only appeal to a niche audience outside China due to its limitations in connectivity and app availability.
