Older smartphones employed to possess 3:2 or 4:3 aspect ratios before the onset of 16:9. As full-screen technology evolved, fresh aspect ratios like 18:9, 19:9, etc., gained traction. Presently, with 18.59, 20:9, and even 21:9 screens being in the vogue, Huawei Pura X departs from this trend by introducing a 16:10 foldable screen, giving users an unorthodox yet intriguing experience.
In addition to its novel screen, Huawei Pura X brings new foldable technology with a new external screen, the first Harmony 5 system pre-loaded, and innovative Xiaoyi AI features—making it a playful phone worth trying out. Hands-on provides a decidedly distinct experience, particularly with the attention-grabbing 16:10, 6.3-inch display. This aspect ratio is ideal for entertainment and productivity use, providing a big view area without making the overall device bigger.
Despite the fact that it has the same diagonal as typical smartphones, Huawei Pura X provides so much larger a screen area. When watching video streaming, checking images, reading digital books, or gaming, consumers are provided with a wider feeling of immersion. The handset maintains the compactness and leightness of an ordinary smartphone and is additionally a small-sized tablet.
In contrast to traditional slab phones, Huawei Pura X strikes the ideal size and versatility balance. It avoids the heaviness of large foldables but offers a more convenient and engaging experience than small folding phones, actually fulfilling the needs of convenience and content consumption. And the surprises don’t stop at the screen—let’s dive deeper into what makes this phone unique.
Appearance
Unboxing the Huawei Pura X was thrilling. The box is straightforward, with nothing but the HUAWEI Pura X logo, HarmonyOS, and the Huawei logo—plain and clean.
Unboxing, the phone takes an instant to impress with its high-end feel. Underneath it, there’s a small box containing the instruction manual and a phone case. At the bottom, a 66W fast charger and a charging cable are found.
A Unique Form Factor
The Huawei Pura X is vastly designed and proportioned otherwise from regular smartphones. The top is where the power button resides, not an usual location in order for the folding convenience to be had. There is the usual bottom placement for the card slots, speakers, and charging connection. The hinge between each of the halves is tastefully designed with the Huawei logo.
Turning the phone on is a mix of surprise and familiarity. The 16:10 aspect ratio gives it a retro look, similar to smartphones from a decade ago, but the 2120×1320 1.5K display hits one immediately with its ultra-wide screen and crisp images.
Compared to standard smartphones, the screen real estate is nearly 30% larger, providing a highly immersive experience. Ranging from image viewing, reading, to watching videos, the high screen-to-body ratio is more comfortable and engaging.
Enhanced Viewing and Gaming
- Larger screen, better visuals: Watching videos is more immersive, with better screen coverage compared to traditional phone ratios.
- Gaming edge: The increased field of view is a competitive edge—almost a “physical cheat.”
- Smooth scrolling: More is displayed at once when watching media.
A Functional Second Screen
The second screen offers functionality without rendering the device too bulky when closed. In the top-left corner, a standalone speaker offers uninterrupted audio.
Even when folded, it’s very practical:
- Displays quick functions like weather, stopwatch, and calculator
- Supports selfie-taking hassle-free
- Even allows video playback on the go
Huawei Pura X combines nostalgia and innovation, offering a new twist on foldable technology without being too impractical for everyday use.
Five functions of Huawei Pura X
The review has been conducted via HarmonyOS 5.0.1.100, an upgrade from HarmonyOS 5.0.1. Since the Huawei Pura X is the first-ever smartphone that accompanies HarmonyOS 5.0 in its complete form, this smartphone offers an evolved experience and delivers a polished and matured user interface.
Ad-Free, Bloat-Free, and Very Compatible
- tAll of the required system apps are present in the setup and can be uninstalled unless needed.
- No system ads—just 10 pre-installed third-party apps, giving a clean and clutter-free experience.
- Smooth Android phone integration, including support for app clones, transfer hubs, and smart multi-windows.
One notable addition is Zhuoyitong, a pre-installed app store and Android emulator, which enables users to install Android apps that have not yet optimized for HarmonyOS 5.0.
Notable Features of Huawei Pura X
Below are five remarkable new features that enhance day-to-day usage:
- One-Click BlackBerry Revival
A throwback in style to BlackBerry phones—users have the option to select the Xiaoyi input mode, enable vibration feedback, and make use of the BlackBerry skin to recreate the mythical typing experience.
- Turns into a Handheld DV
The foldable camera is a selfie and vlog camera, folding into handheld DV mode. It has:
- AI portrait retouching with four lighting modes
- Blur levels and tones that can be adjusted
- High color reproduction similar to the Huawei Mate 70
- Easy Navigation with One-Handed Mode
One-handed mode is supported by both the inner and outer screens. Activating it requires a light left or right swipe from the bottom, enabling typing and navigation to be even easier than a regular 6-inch smartphone.
- AI Eye-Movement Page Turning
In Huawei Reader, simply look up at the bottom of a page, and your phone automatically turns the next one. With the 16:10 screen ratio, reading is book-like, displaying more text per line.
- Offline Video Playback on Flights
Before takeoff, Xiaoyi asks users to pre-cache videos from apps like Douyin, Bilibili, iQiyi, and Youku. During the flight, a message pops up, providing access to pre-downloaded content, rendering entertainment onboard easy.
With its ad-free experience, easy to use, and AI-driven innovations, the Huawei Pura X revolutionizes the foldable phone experience, where functionality and innovation converge.
Camera
The Huawei Pura X camera module is based on a 1.5-megapixel multi-spectral Red Maple primary color camera, designed to offer life-like colors and pleasing visuals.
Photo Comparison: Pura X vs. Pura 70 Pro+
- Night Photography
Pura X: Red Maple color technology enhances the natural color accuracy of nightscapes.
Huawei Pura 70 Pro+: Makes highlights more under control, so highlight areas (such as bridge light) appear closer to the naked eye view.
- Daylight Photography
Pura X: Produces deep, natural colors that burst at first glance.
Pura 70 Pro+: Retains finer details more, especially when images are zoomed.
- Macro Photography
Huawei Pura X: Red Maple color processing preserves accurate color rendering and possesses good shrpness.
Pura 70 Pro+: Performs the same in clarity and detail safeguarding.
Final Verdict: Stunning Colors, Ideal for Everyday Photography
The Huawei Pura X has a better imaging experience, nearly on par with the Pura 70 Pro+, and one unique trump card—excellent colour reproduction. Yes, it falls behind the Pura 70 Pro+ in maintaining distant details, but its beautiful and naturally coloured images are perfectly suited to capture travel, food, and lifestyle.
People who cherish their initial impression on their photographs—the capability to capture what they see and not just pixels—would have an untainted photography experience in Pura X.
Performance and endurance
Undisclosed SoC: Confirmed as Kirin 9020
- Huawei’s press conference and official website did not reveal the SoC of Huawei Pura X. Even the phone’s device information software only shows that it is a 12-core SoC.
- Through the deployment of HarmonyOS HDC environment and running the HiSmartPerfEditor test software, it was possible to confirm that Huawei Pura X is equipped with the Kirin 9020 chipset.
Gaming Performance: Smooth & Power-Efficient
- Tested with Honor of Kings (HarmonyOS version) at 120FPS (highest).
- Delivers a consistent frame rate with minimal frame drops, for a seamless gaming experience.
- CPU scheduling is seamless, avoiding inefficient core utilization and ensuring balanced performance.
- Average power consumption: a mere 3.1W, keeping the device cool and power-efficient.
- Maximum back shell temperature: 40°C, not bad at all for an SoC made on an older process.
Battery Life & Charging Speed
- Video Playback Test: 4K video playback at 50% brightness for 2 hours used up 22% battery.
- Expected daily usage: A single charge will easily last a day with moderate usage.
Charging Test:
- 20% to 80%: 24 minutes
- 20% to 100%: 36 minutes 54 seconds
- Fast charging speed means there’s little downtime.
Final Thoughts: Good Optimization Makes Up for Hardware That’s a Bit Old
Huawei Pura X does not have the most advanced hardware, yet its software optimization, scheduling ability, and ecosystem integration allow it to be very competitive—just like Apple achieves top-notch performance through software optimization.
Conclusion
Huawei Pura X’s 16:10 screen takes reading, gaming, and watching videos to the next level, immersing content consumption. HarmonyOS 5.0 supports an effortless switch for Android users, as Zhuoyi Tong bridges app compatibility holes.
Red Maple initial color camera delivers true color representation, which is great for lifestyle and travel shots despite having minute resolution shortcomings when zoomed.
Performance-wise, HarmonyOS 5.0 and Kirin 9020 are good, providing competitive power usage and decent battery life even with legacy hardware.
Overall, Huawei Pura X is good in daily usage, entertainment, and productivity, and as a content enthusiast’s device, it is an excellent choice. As HarmonyOS continues to become better day by day, the experience can only get better.
