A big draw of the Huawei P-series of mobile devices has always been camera innovation. The Chinese tech company bagged a couple of firsts in the industry, including a setup that went beyond just one rear camera, and a dedicated Night Mode.
Following the high-profile sanctions imposed by the U.S. government, the momentum has understandably tapered off, but that’s not stopping Huawei from doing what they are best at. Now rebranded as Pura, its flagship range is back after a one-year hiatus with three models in tow: the entry-level Huawei Pura 70, and the Pro and Ultra variants.
During a recent launch event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, there was an opportunity to take the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra out for a spin – and boy, does it have plenty to offer in terms of photography. The combination of a 50-megapixel (MP) main camera with a 1-inch sensor, a 40MP ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP telephoto camera continues to be the crown jewel here, with its powerful capabilities made known to the user right off the bat.
The photography oomph is housed in a protruding, triangular module that lends an uneven wobble to the device when placed flat on a surface. Boasting a stylish plaid pattern and leather back, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra offers a stronger, fingerprint-free grip over the base and Pro models, as well as three colour options: Green, Brown, and Black.
Despite a short time with it (less than 24 hours), it was clear that the handset excels at grabbing close-up images and fine detail. Be it food or flowers, macro shots saw bright, natural colours, crisp quality, and strong bokeh in both outdoor and indoor settings. Autofocus proves to be quick and accurate, while subject isolation is precise, resulting in sharp clarity that also carries over to long shots.
Here are some sample pictures to feast on:
While relatively minor, a nifty selfie feature is the ability to toggle mirroring and beautifying effects on and off, bringing greater creative control alongside smooth blurring. The fast shutter speed is particularly useful for fast-moving subjects, such as a water fountain – even if it seems to falter slightly in low-light or nighttime scenarios. Still, the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra is competent enough to retain the clean lines of the Petronas Twin Towers, further adding to its versatility.
Other notable non-camera features include a 120Hz OLED display with a resolution of 2,844 x 1,260, a Kirin 9010 chipset, the EMUI 14.2 operating system, and a 5,200 mAh battery capacity. In comparison, the Pura 70 and Pura 70 Pro feature the Kirin 9000 S1 processor and a battery capacity of 4,900 mAh and 5,050 mAh respectively.
The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (12GB RAM + 256GB storage) retails for S$1,898 and is available for pre-order till 23 May at physical storefronts in 313@Somerset and Westgate, as well as Huawei Official Stores on Lazada and Shopee. Every pre-order purchase comes with a free Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 (worth S$301), with the base and Pro iterations priced respectively at S$1,098 and S$1,548. The former comes in a 12GB + 512GB configuration, and the latter, 16GB + 512GB.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Yonk
