3 multi-angle lenses, more flexible and creative in a variety of shooting conditions. Accompanying its processing algorithm, combining Leica brings quality photos that promise to surpass the top 1 of the best photography smartphones in 2018. What the Huawei P20 Pro brother proved half a year ago.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the smartphone with the most terrible camera hardware today, resonating with the software is carefully cared by Huawei with Bokeh mode, light effect, real time color correction when recording video and the ability to adjust excellent professional … Therefore, the image quality is extremely eye-catching, the color and detail are very good.
Innovative design, excellent display
Huawei Mate 20 Pro carries in itself a sleek, glamorous design with a thin screen border, the model still owns the “rabbit ear” notch cluster with a modern 3D face scanning sensor. Huawei Mate 20 Pro’s back face is made from glass, supporting wireless fast charging.
This glass is called Hyper Optical by Huawei with carbon motifs, making it difficult to scratch, not smooth and less fingerprint. Although it is quite large, it still feels good and extremely luxurious with a sleek and sophisticated design.
Besides, it also integrates the embedded screen fingerprint sensor, which is only available on some of the current flagships, officially commercialized with significant improvements such as identification when fingers are dirty, wet, … Ultra-thin 6.4-inch screen with ultra-slim, ultra-high resolution 2K + on Super Amoled back panel gives a vivid, high brightness display experience with good detail.
Strong configuration with Kirin 980
Equipped with the Kirin 980 chip is considered the most advanced in the world along with Apple’s A12 chip. Huawei’s latest Kirin 980, produced on an advanced 7nm process for 75% more powerful performance and 58% more efficient than the previous generation, a remarkable improvement.
The result from Antutu performance grading software showed that the Mate 20 reached over 300,000 points, the application load speed was extremely fast, able to measure the Snapdragon 845 processor most well equipped on today’s flagships. However, the GPU is a minus point but promises to be able to handle well.
On the other hand, with the Kirin 980 chip, it brings Huawei Mate 20 Pro powerful performance as well as optimizing battery life on the device. Comes with features that require AR, AI, video recording to remove fonts, mono videos, … promises to bring more top-notch experience on smartphones.
Show equipment with advanced features
Comes with a large capacity battery of 4,200 mAh built-in 40W fast charging technology even when wireless charging for 70% charging capacity in 30 minutes. Not only that, Huawei also demonstrated an attractive feature of 15W wireless charging capability for any other device that supports Wireless charge, IP68 water and dust resistance.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro – overcomes every limit on a smartphone
It can be seen that Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a smartphone device that converges all the essence of this technology village in 2018. A super product nearly reached the rare perfect threshold at the smartphone battle.
When the device has a sleek design, an extremely curved screen, unlocking the 3D face incorporates screen embedded fingerprint, a perfect 3 camera cluster with excellent image quality, excellent performance and experience.
Performance and Hardware
Kirin 980 Processor
In the middle of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro you’ll find the Kirin 980 chipset, basically Huawei’s most advanced processor back then. It’s made on a 7nm process and, it comes with an octa core CPU arrangement: two top performance Cortex-A76 cores, two more balanced Cortex-A76 cores, and then four power saver Cortex-A55 cores. So you get this sort of “just right” blend of raw power and efficiency, which lets the Mate 20 Pro chew through demanding stuff while still conserving battery life.
On top of that, the Kirin 980 has a dual NPU, Neural Processing Unit, for better AI handling. That’s what supports things like real-time scene recognition in the camera, AI assisted battery management, and a few other clever adjustments that don’t always get mentioned. And for graphics, the Mali-G76 MP10 GPU steps in, keeping everything smooth and responsive, so the Mate 20 Pro can handle even the heavier mobile games with a lot more ease than you’d expect.
RAM and Storage
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro comes with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on which version you pick, and it basically gives you enough breathing room for multitasking, plus it keeps your apps in the background, with zero fuss. Also you can go for 128GB or 256GB of storage, so there is plenty of space for applications, photos, videos , and other everyday media that you end up collecting over time. On top of that , the handset supports Huawei’s own Nano Memory (NM) card for storage expansion. That said, NM cards are kind of less common and they tend to cost more than usual microSD cards, so it’s a small tradeoff.
Day-to-Day Performance
For normal use, the Mate 20 Pro feels genuinely strong. The Kirin 980 chipset, plus that comfortable RAM amount, helps the phone stay fluid, even if you bounce between several apps, or you’re playing something demanding, or you just keep a bunch of things open at once. Launch times are quick, and there’s basically no noticeable delay when you switch tasks. Also, the AI boosts from the dual NPU helps it squeeze more efficiency out of the hardware by allocating resources based on how you actually use the device, not just some fixed rule.
Gaming on the Mate 20 Pro is pretty enjoyable too, mainly because the Mali-G76 GPU keeps the experience smooth and stable, even in heavier games. And the cooling system, it does a decent job of handling heat, so the phone stays comfortable in your hand during long sessions.
Connectivity and Network Performance
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro kinda nails the whole connectivity thing, you know, with 4G LTE, plus Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and GPS all included. You can also run dual SIM so you’re basically managing two lines at once , which is nice if you travel a lot or just want work vs personal calls to stay separate.
On the network side, performance feels really good , with solid reception and quick data speeds. It covers a pretty broad set of LTE bands too, so it tends to work well across different regions and carriers. Wi‑Fi is strong as well , stable connection, good speeds, and it still holds up even when the signal is not great in certain spots.
Audio Quality
For sound, the Mate 20 Pro comes with stereo speakers, one down at the bottom of the phone, and the second in the earpiece area. Overall audio is decent, highs and mids are clean, but the bass is a bit weak which is probably because the speaker drivers are on the smaller side. They’re loud enough for videos and music in a quiet room , though if you want more “wow” and depth, headphones are the better move.
Not having a 3.5mm headphone jack could bother some people. Still, the phone handles high resolution audio over the USB Type‑C port, and it also supports aptX HD and LDAC for better wireless listening.
Camera Capabilities
Triple-Camera System
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro was kinda one of the first smartphones to come with a triple camera setup, and honestly in practice it kinda set a new standard for mobile photos. Also yeah the camera lineup has a 40 MP wide angle lens , with an f/1.8 aperture, then a 20 MP ultra wide-angle lens at f/2.2, and finally an 8 MP telephoto lens at f/2.4 plus that 3x optical zoom. With this mix, people can pull off a bunch of different scenes , from huge expansive landscapes all the way to small crisp close-ups.
Image Quality
In good light conditions, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro camera kind of shines, you get photos with great detail, vivid colors, and a solid dynamic range… like, it just holds up well. The 40 MP wide-angle lens , in particular , manages to deliver really striking pictures, with strong contrast and crisp sharpness. And then the ultra-wide-angle lens is great when you want roomy landscapes or you want more people, objects, into one single frame. Meanwhile the telephoto lens helps with impressive zoom, and it doesn’t really dump the image quality too much.
A big thing people notice with the Mate 20 Pro camera system is how well it handles low-light situations. Huawei’s AI driven Night Mode uses long exposure plus multi-frame processing to brighten images, keep noise under control, and preserve those smaller details that would normally fade away. It’s especially helpful for handheld shots when the lighting is harsh or just… difficult, because other phones often can’t produce anything usable.
The Mate 20 Pro also brings a bunch of other shooting options, like Portrait mode, where AI helps make a bokeh effect that blurs the background while the subject stays sharp. The camera AI is also pretty good at scene recognition, basically it figures out what you’re filming and tweaks settings so the shot looks optimized. And sure, sometimes the AI can be a bit too eager with color boosts and contrast adjustments, but overall it usually gives results that look nice right away, ready to share, no extra editing needed.
Video Capabilities
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second, and 1080p video up to 60 frames per second too. Overall, the video quality comes out really solid, with crisp detail and lively color reproduction. On top of that there’s optical image stabilization, or OIS , plus an AI-assisted electronic image stabilization (EIS) mode, and these kinda team up to curb camera shake and keep the footage smooth, even if you’re holding the phone with your hands while recording.
That ultra-wide-angle lens also works for video, giving a different perspective which is kind of ideal for action shots, or when you want to capture big scenes without needing to back up. The Mate 20 Pro includes a few video modes as well, like Super Slow Motion, which captures 960 frames per second at 720p, so fast action turns into that dramatic slow-motion playback.
One small weak point, though , is low-light video recording. In brighter settings the phone handles things really well, but when the lighting gets darker, the video can start to show more noise, and the finer detail tends to drop a bit.
Front Camera
Mate 20 Pro comes with a 24 MP front-facing camera, with an f/2.0 aperture, and honestly it’s more than capable of grabbing high-quality selfies. That front lens also has AI based Portrait mode, which can bring in different lighting looks plus beautification filters, to make selfies look more polished. The AI work is usually pretty subtle and not too loud, though you can always turn the beautification level up or down if you prefer, so it stays kinda in your control.
On top of that, there’s 3D facial recognition too, it tends to be quick and pretty dependable, even when the light is low. This feature gives the phone an extra security layer , and it ends up being a handy alternative to the in-display fingerprint scanner for unlocking the device.
Software and User Experience
EMUI 9 and Android
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro runs on EMUI 9, which is Huawei’s custom skin built on top of Android 9.0 Pie. EMUI 9 brings in a lot of new stuff and tweaks, sort of aiming to make the overall user experience smoother and more pleasant , like gesture navigation, a redesigned menu inside Settings, and Digital Balance , which basically helps you keep track of screen time and deal with it.
One of EMUI’s best spots is definitely the customization side, where you can personalize the whole vibe and the way the interface looks. You can switch themes, swap icon packs, and even change wallpapers , so it matches your own preferences. Still, EMUI’s visual style can be a little polarizing, because some users really enjoy how feature heavy everything feels, while others feel it’s too crowded compared to the more minimal stock Android experience.
AI Features
AI pretty much sits at the center of the Mate 20 Pro’s whole software vibe. You get an AI powered assistant that can, sort of, pick up on what you usually do and then fine tune how everything behaves based on your usage patterns. That in turn helps the device feel a bit smoother as time goes on. There’s also AI driven battery management, which can kind of shuffle power around across different apps and background processes so battery life stays in a better place.
One of the more unusual AI parts is HiVision, and it uses the camera to recognize objects and landmarks, plus it can translate text in real time. Sure, these things can be pretty handy, but they’re also a little tied to how stable the internet is. Because of that, results don’t always come out perfectly , and sometimes the accuracy can wobble.
App Performance and multitasking
With that solid hardware behind it, and the EMUI tweaks doing their job, app performance on the Mate 20 Pro stays pretty fast and responsive. Whether you’re flipping through web pages , streaming video clips , or jumping straight into games, the phone usually manages everything with little fuss and minimal drama. Plus the plenty of RAM means apps can hang around in memory longer. So switching between tasks feels more seamless, and you’re less likely to see reloads.
Multitasking is another area where the Mate 20 Pro does well, with split screen and floating windows that make juggling multiple things less stressful. It’s especially useful if you’re working , because you can take notes while a video plays, or browse the web while you’re chatting with friends.
Software Updates and Support
Huawei’s history with software updates is a bit mixed ,especially in Western markets. The Mate 20 Pro did get timely updates for a couple years after launch, including an upgrade to Android 10 via EMUI 10, so that part was decent. But the longer story gets murkier ,because the trade restrictions are still in play and Huawei has basically pivoted away from Google services. So there’s an underlying sense of uncertainty about long term support.
If you’re outside China, you might notice that whatever comes next is either less frequent, or the newer features are tuned more to Huawei’s own ecosystem rather than Google’s. Still, if you are comfortable with EMUI and you’re already good with the existing feature set , then this issue may not bother you much.
Battery Life and Charging
Battery Capacity and Longevity
The Huawei Mate 20 Pro comes with a 4,200mAh battery, which is bigger than what you often see in other top tier phones. That extra capacity, paired with the efficient Kirin 980 processor and EMUI’s AI power management , helps explain why the battery performance feels strong.
In day to day use, the Mate 20 Pro usually cruises through a full day on one charge. Some people even stretch it to two days, provided their use is lighter. Stuff like web browsing, social networks, and video streaming all run smoothly, and the phone tends to sip power only a small amount over several hours.
More demanding activities, like gaming or 4K video recording , will naturally sap the battery a bit faster, but the Mate 20 Pro still seems to hold up well against a lot of other phones in its category. Even when you push it pretty hard, it’s unlikely the handset will nag you for a midday top-up.
Fast Charging and Wireless Charging
When you finally do plug it in, the Mate 20 Pro backs Huawei’s 40W SuperCharge tech, and it can get the battery from 0 to 70% in around 30 minutes. Honestly this quick-charging ability is one of those standout things, so you can top up in a hurry before you head out the door.
It also includes 15W wireless charging. Sure it’s slower than wired charging, but it’s handy if you like the whole cable-free lifestyle. The Mate 20 Pro works with any Qi-certified wireless charger, and Huawei also sells its own charging pad , for smoother results.
Reverse Wireless Charging
One of the more inventive features on the Mate 20 Pro is reverse wireless charging. Basically it lets the phone become a wireless charging station for other gadgets. This is great for small stuff like wireless earbuds or even powering up another smartphone if you’re in a pinch. Even though reverse wireless charging isn’t as quick as standard wireless charging, it’s still a pretty unique and practical addition that helps the Mate 20 Pro stand out from many competitors.
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.
