Huawei has officially unveiled its latest flagship smartphone lineup, the Mate 80 series, in China—a release that represents another major milestone for the company’s premium technology portfolio. The highlight of this launch is undoubtedly the Mate 80 Pro Max, the top-tier model that stands out due to its cutting-edge dual-layer OLED display. According to Huawei, this advanced screen is capable of reaching a staggering 8,000 nits of peak brightness, a figure that currently sets an unrivaled new benchmark in smartphone display performance. This means that the panel can produce extraordinarily vivid and luminous visuals, enhancing both outdoor visibility in bright sunlight and overall viewing experiences in environments where ambient light typically limits screen legibility.
The newly introduced Mate 80 family is accompanied by another noteworthy release—the Mate X7 foldable smartphone. This device joins Huawei’s growing portfolio of flexible-display handsets and arrives with improved resistance to environmental exposure, including IP59-rated protection against dust and water ingress. Within the Mate 80 lineup itself, Huawei has released four individual models, each targeting slightly different user needs, but the Pro Max version clearly represents the technological pinnacle. Its 6.9-inch dual-layer OLED panel not only pushes brightness boundaries but also positions the device well ahead of competitors such as Realme’s GT 8 Pro, whose display peaks at 7,000 nits, and Google’s Pixel 10 Pro, which reaches a more modest 3,300 nits.
Of course, as industry observers often note, peak brightness ratings indicate the maximum intensity achievable by a small portion of the screen under specific conditions rather than sustained performance across the entire display. Therefore, these numbers should not be mistaken for the brightness levels users experience during daily operation. Nevertheless, this specification strongly suggests that the Mate 80 Pro Max’s screen will be noticeably brighter than most of its contemporaries—an especially valuable attribute for those who live in regions with intense sunlight. Huawei also emphasizes that this dual-layer OLED design enhances contrast ratios, ensuring deep blacks and nuanced gradations that contribute to a visually striking image.
Across the entire Mate 80 lineup, Huawei has embraced a cleaner, more geometric design language. Every model now features a flat display—abandoning the curved-edge trend that has dominated the smartphone industry over the last decade—and squared-off sides that lend a modern, angular aesthetic. The back panel also adopts a distinctive visual identity, defined by a large circular element highlighting the wireless charging coils. When combined with the round camera module positioned nearby, these forms subtly evoke the number eight, a likely intentional design choice that ties conceptually into the Mate 80 name and symbolically represents harmony and continuity in Chinese culture.
Underneath the striking exteriors, all Mate 80 phones are powered by Huawei’s in-house Kirin processors, reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to self-reliance in semiconductor development despite global supply challenges. The series reaches up to 20GB of RAM in the most premium variant—the Mate 80 RS Ultimate Design—which is essentially a refined iteration of the Pro Max. This version shares virtually all of the same technical specifications but incorporates luxurious design enhancements and exclusive materials intended to appeal to enthusiasts seeking a more bespoke product, albeit at an even higher price point.
Interestingly, Huawei appears to have opted out of competing directly in the current “battery capacity arms race.” While several domestic rivals have recently introduced smartphones with extremely large battery cells, Huawei has instead prioritized balance, equipping the Mate 80 Pro Max with a still-ample but comparatively moderate 6,000mAh unit. Despite this restraint, the device is expected to maintain robust endurance, supplemented by Huawei’s proprietary power management optimizations. The camera system, meanwhile, remains one of the line’s defining features. The Pro Max includes dual periscope telephoto lenses designed for superior optical zoom performance, and it also supports an attachable telephoto extender kit—an increasingly popular accessory trend among high-end mobile photography enthusiasts.
Equally significant is the debut of the new Mate X7 foldable smartphone, positioned as Huawei’s direct contender to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line. This updated model introduces a substantial enhancement in durability: its ingress protection now reaches IP58 and IP59 standards, offering meaningful resistance against both dust particles and water exposure, placing it nearly on par with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s IP68 rating. In addition to improved structural protection, the Mate X7 benefits from larger internal and external displays, a more capacious 5,600mAh battery, and notable upgrades to its chipset and camera configurations—advancements that collectively refine its performance and user experience.
Taken together, Huawei’s Mate 80 and Mate X7 launches represent one of the most comprehensive product unveilings the company has staged in recent years. In total, five smartphones were introduced alongside an expansive suite of companion devices encompassing smartwatches, tablets, laptops, wireless earbuds, televisions, and networking equipment such as routers. For the moment, all of these products are exclusive to the Chinese market, but based on Huawei’s previous release patterns, select models could eventually see limited international distribution. Overall, the event underscores Huawei’s renewed ambition to reestablish itself as a technological vanguard, pushing boundaries in hardware design, display engineering, and cross-category ecosystem integration.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/news/828543/huawei-mate-80-pro-max-dual-layer-oled-display-8000-nits
