Huawei Pura 90s Pro Max: flagship cameras, but the chip is mid-range

The Huawei Pura 90s Pro Max is a controversial flagship. Engineers built an excellent camera phone with a bright display and loud stereo speakers, but the device's weak point is the Kirin 9030S chipset. In terms of raw compute power and graphics performance, it trails rivals and matches phones priced up to 1,000 euros. In demanding games, the body heats up and the system throttles frequencies.

The rear camera module delivers high-quality photos and videos across all focal lengths. The main camera features a variable aperture, and there is a 200-megapixel telephoto lens. The stabilization system handles shakiness well during video recording.

The phone runs EMUI 16 based on the Android 16 kernel. The shell allows installing any APK files, and the GBox utility solves the problem of launching Google apps. However, buyers should be aware of the software limitations of the system.

On the plus side are a strict design, an OLED LTPO display with HDR support, long battery life, 5G connectivity, and loud, good-sounding stereo speakers. On the downside are mid-range performance, severe throttling under load, charging speeds lower than those of previous generations, and the absence of Google services.

The model suits mobile photography enthusiasts who are consciously willing to give up the Google ecosystem for powerful cameras.