Read this in-depth review of the Huawei Mate 50 Pro. Learn about its design, camera capabilities, performance, and battery life to see if it’s the right flagship for you.

Huawei Mate 50 Pro Review: Premium Performance with Flagship Features

Huawei’s Mate 50 Pro, released on September 28, 2022, is a high-end smartphone that blends premium design with cutting-edge features. Packed with the powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G chipset, an OLED 120Hz display, and a versatile 50MP triple-camera system, the Mate 50 Pro is designed to compete with other flagship smartphones. It also boasts an impressive 4700mAh battery with 66W fast charging, ensuring all-day performance.

However, similar to other recent Huawei devices, the Mate 50 Pro lacks Google Play Services due to ongoing restrictions, but it runs on EMUI 13 internationally and HarmonyOS 3.0 in China. In this review, we’ll explore whether the Mate 50 Pro lives up to its premium price and how it fares in real-world use.

Introduction

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is a flagship smartphone built for users who demand top-tier performance and a premium user experience. With a 50MP main camera featuring variable aperture, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G processor, and an OLED 120Hz display, this phone offers impressive performance across the board. The sleek design, durable Kunlun Glass, and IP68 rating for water resistance further solidify its standing as a premium device.

Although it lacks 5G connectivity, the Mate 50 Pro offers 4G LTE support and a feature set that makes it suitable for users who prioritize performance, camera quality, and battery life.

Design & Build Quality: Sleek and Refined

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro continues Huawei’s tradition of delivering premium designs. The phone measures 162.1 x 75.5 x 8.5 mm and weighs 205g/209g, striking a balance between a sturdy feel and comfortable handling. The back features a glossy finish available in Black, Silver, Purple, and Orange. The IP68 dust/water resistance rating ensures that the device can handle underwater depths of up to 6 meters for 30 minutes, making it perfect for rugged environments.

One of the standout features is the Huawei Kunlun Glass that protects the 6.74-inch OLED display. The under-display fingerprint sensor is fast and responsive, while the face unlock feature adds an extra layer of security and convenience.

Display: Stunning OLED with 120Hz Refresh Rate

The 6.74-inch OLED display on the Mate 50 Pro is one of the highlights of the device. With a resolution of 1212 x 2616 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate, it offers an incredibly smooth and immersive viewing experience. The 428 ppi pixel density ensures sharpness and clarity, while the 91.3% screen-to-body ratio gives you more screen real estate with minimal bezels.

The display supports 1 billion colors and offers vibrant color reproduction, deep blacks, and excellent contrast, making it ideal for media consumption, gaming, and everyday use. The Always-On Display feature adds convenience by showing notifications, time, and other essential information without needing to fully wake the screen.

With a peak brightness of 946 nits, the display performs well even in bright outdoor conditions.

Performance: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G Delivers Powerful Processing

Under the hood, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of internal storage. This octa-core processor includes 1x Cortex-X2 core clocked at 3.19 GHz, 3x Cortex-A710 cores at 2.75 GHz, and 4x Cortex-A510 cores at 2.0 GHz, making it one of the most powerful processors in the market, even without 5G connectivity.

The Adreno 730 GPU ensures smooth graphics performance for gaming and intensive tasks. Benchmarks like AnTuTu show the phone scoring 979921 points, which is comparable to other flagship devices. Whether you’re multitasking, playing graphically intensive games, or streaming high-definition videos, the Mate 50 Pro handles it effortlessly.

Running on EMUI 13 internationally and HarmonyOS 3.0 in China, the software experience is smooth and feature-rich. While the absence of Google Play Services might be a drawback for some, Huawei’s AppGallery has grown significantly, offering a wide range of apps.

Camera: Versatile 50MP Triple-Camera Setup

One of the biggest selling points of the Huawei Mate 50 Pro is its triple-camera system, which includes a 50MP primary sensor, a 64MP telephoto lens, and a 13MP ultrawide camera. Here’s a detailed look at each lens:

50 MP (wide), f/1.4-f/4.0, PDAF, OIS: The primary camera features a variable aperture ranging from f/1.4 to f/4.0, allowing users to control depth of field and capture stunning images in various lighting conditions. The OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) ensures that your photos are sharp, even in low-light environments.
64 MP (telephoto), f/3.5, 90mm, 3.5x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS: The periscope telephoto lens allows for 3.5x optical zoom and is perfect for capturing distant objects without losing detail. The OIS also helps stabilize zoomed shots.
13 MP (ultrawide), f/2.2, 120˚: The ultrawide camera captures a 120-degree field of view, ideal for landscape photography and group shots.

The phone supports 4K video recording at 30/60fps, with slow-motion options available at 1080p@240fps and 720p@960fps. The Laser Autofocus ensures that you can quickly focus on subjects, while the gyro-EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization) keeps videos smooth and stable.

On the front, the 13MP ultrawide selfie camera is paired with a TOF 3D sensor for enhanced depth sensing, ensuring crisp selfies with accurate background separation.

Battery Life: 66W Fast Charging with Long-Lasting Power

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is equipped with a 4700mAh battery, which is more than enough to get through a full day of heavy use. The phone supports 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, which means you can recharge the battery quickly. Huawei claims that the phone can reach 70% in just 30 minutes using the wired charger.

In addition to fast charging, the phone also supports 5W reverse wireless charging, allowing you to charge other devices such as earbuds or wearables directly from the phone.

In real-world tests, the Endurance Rating of the battery is 104 hours, meaning you won’t have to worry about frequent recharges during the day.

Connectivity & Additional Features

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro comes with a wide range of connectivity features, including:

Wi-Fi 6: Dual-band Wi-Fi ensures fast and stable internet connectivity.
Bluetooth 5.2: Provides smooth and reliable wireless connectivity for headphones and other accessories.
NFC: Available for contactless payments and easy data transfers.
GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC: The phone supports multiple positioning systems for accurate and fast location tracking.

The Mate 50 Pro also includes an infrared port for controlling compatible home appliances and USB Type-C 3.1 for fast data transfer and charging.

In terms of security, the phone offers Face ID and an under-display fingerprint sensor, both of which are fast and reliable for unlocking the device.

Conclusion: A Premium Flagship Experience

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is a powerful flagship smartphone that excels in design, camera capabilities, and performance. With a 50MP primary camera, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G chipset, and 120Hz OLED display, it offers a premium experience for users who prioritize quality and performance.

While the lack of Google Play Services and 5G connectivity may be limitations for some, the Mate 50 Pro compensates with its long battery life, fast charging, and stunning design. If you’re looking for a high-end smartphone with top-tier features, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro is a strong contender.

Huawei Mate 50 Pro Full Specifications

Feature	Specification
Launch Date	September 28, 2022
Dimensions	162.1 x 75.5 x 8.5 mm (6.38 x 2.97 x 0.33 in)
Weight	205g / 209g (7.23 oz)
Display	6.74 inches, OLED, 120Hz, 1212 x 2616 pixels (~428 ppi)
Operating System	EMUI 13 (International); HarmonyOS 3.0 (China)
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G
Memory	256GB/8GB RAM, 512GB/8GB RAM, NM card support (up to 256GB)
Main Camera	50 MP (wide), 64 MP (telephoto), 13 MP (ultrawide)
Selfie Camera	13 MP (ultrawide), TOF 3D sensor
Battery	Li-Po 4700 mAh, 66W wired, 50W wireless, 5W reverse charging
Colors Available	Black, Silver, Purple, Orange
Price	$699.99 / €613.74 / £575.00