Huawei Pura 80 vs. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing raw performance and long-term software support, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is the superior choice. Its A17 Pro chipset and exceptional 16:01 hour active use battery life provide a smoother, more reliable experience. However, the Huawei Pura 80’s 66W charging offers a compelling advantage for those who value speed and convenience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Pura 80 | Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53, 66 - A3106 |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA - China only | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3106 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G (China only) | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, June 11 | 2023, September 12 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, July 25 | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front, glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 157.7 x 74.4 x 8.2 mm (6.21 x 2.93 x 0.32 in) | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 211 g (7.44 oz) | 221 g (7.80 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Kunlun Glass 2 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1256 x 2760 pixels (~459 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 105.9 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, HDR Vivid, 120Hz, 1440Hz PWM, 2800 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core | Hexa-core (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) |
| Chipset | Kirin 9010s (7 nm) | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | - | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | EMUI 15 (International), HarmonyOS 5.1 (China) | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.4-4.0, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide) | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.06", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, 1080p@480fps (interpolated), HDR Vivid, gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0, (ultrawide), AF | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, 1080p@240fps, HDR Vivid, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, L2HC | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG, DisplayPort 1.2 | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 50W wireless 7.5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 5170 mAh - International· Li-Po 5600 mAh - China | Li-Ion 4441 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Frosted Gold, Frosted White, Frosted Black, Green | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Models | HED-LX9 | A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108, iPhone16,2 |
| Price | About 580 EUR | € 758.79 / $ 579.87 / £ 628.29 |
| SAR | - | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.11 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
Huawei Pura 80
- Significantly faster 66W wired charging
- Robust reverse wireless charging options (50W/7.5W)
- Potentially more affordable price point
- Older 7nm chipset compared to iPhone's 3nm
- Limited software ecosystem and update support
- Camera specs currently unknown, potential for inconsistency
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Industry-leading A17 Pro performance
- Exceptional battery life (16:01h active use)
- Bright and color-accurate display (1787 nits)
- Slower charging speeds (66W vs 50W)
- Higher price tag
- Limited reverse charging capabilities (4.5W)
Display Comparison
The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1787 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Pura 80’s display specs are currently unavailable, Huawei typically employs OLED panels with strong color accuracy. The iPhone’s ProMotion technology (LTPO) dynamically adjusts the refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, a feature likely present on the Pura 80 as well, but without confirmation. The iPhone’s tighter integration of hardware and software allows for more precise color calibration.
Camera Comparison
Detailed camera specs for the Pura 80 are currently limited. However, Huawei has a strong track record in mobile photography. The iPhone 15 Pro Max excels in both photo and video capture, leveraging its advanced image processing pipeline and sensor-shift optical image stabilization. The larger sensor size on the iPhone (specifications unavailable for Pura 80) allows for better light gathering and improved low-light performance. The iPhone’s cinematic mode and ProRes video recording capabilities cater to professional videographers. Without knowing the Pura 80’s sensor sizes and apertures, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison, but Huawei will likely emphasize computational photography to enhance image quality.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: Apple’s A17 Pro (3nm) versus Huawei’s Kirin 9010s (7nm). The A17 Pro’s 3nm process provides a substantial advantage in power efficiency and transistor density, translating to superior performance and thermal management. The A17 Pro’s hexa-core configuration (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) is optimized for both peak performance and sustained workloads. While the Kirin 9010s is an octa-core processor, the larger node size inherently limits its efficiency. The iPhone 15 Pro Max benefits from faster LPDDR5X RAM, further enhancing its performance capabilities. The Pura 80 will likely rely on Huawei’s software optimizations to mitigate the chipset’s inherent limitations.
Battery Life
The iPhone 15 Pro Max delivers an impressive 16:01 hours of active use, backed by an endurance rating of 118 hours. While the Pura 80’s battery capacity is unknown, its 66W wired charging is a significant advantage, potentially achieving a full charge in under 40 minutes. The iPhone 15 Pro Max supports 50% charge in 30 minutes with a compatible PD2.0 charger. The Pura 80 also offers 50W wireless charging and 7.5W reverse wireless charging, exceeding the iPhone’s 15W MagSafe/Qi2 and 4.5W reverse wired capabilities. The Pura 80’s faster charging speeds are ideal for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly.
Buying Guide
Buy the Huawei Pura 80 if you need incredibly fast charging, value reverse wireless charging capabilities, and are comfortable operating within the Huawei ecosystem. Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if you prioritize peak performance, a seamless user experience, a robust app ecosystem, and long-term software updates, even at a premium price.