Huawei has introduced the Mate 90 in China, positioning the base model in its flagship line around battery life, imaging and HarmonyOS 7 integration. The phone uses the Kirin 9030 processor, which Huawei says delivers a 27% overall performance increase in its own testing compared with the Mate 80’s Kirin 9020.
Huawei further claims CPU performance is up 13%, GPU performance is up 54% and NPU performance is up 13% versus the Mate 80. The Kirin 9030 also supports hardware ray tracing, which Huawei demonstrated in selected scenes of Wuthering Waves.
The Mate 90 has a flat 6.75-inch display covered by third-generation Kunlun Glass. Its Xuanwu construction incorporates nylon-fiber materials, and the handset carries IP68 and IP69 ratings. Huawei says it has been tested for submersion at depths of up to six meters under laboratory conditions, while the screen can also be used with wet hands.
- Crystal Green, with a geometric rear pattern
- Crystal Pink, with a geometric rear pattern
- Zero White
- Obsidian Black
Camera system and software
The rear camera setup is led by a 50MP RYYB main sensor measuring 1/1.56 inches, with optical image stabilization and a variable f/1.4–f/4.0 aperture. The adjustable aperture is designed to change depth of field, from stronger background blur to scenes retaining more elements in focus.
- Main camera: 50MP RYYB, 1/1.56-inch sensor, OIS and f/1.4–f/4.0 variable aperture
- Telephoto camera: 50MP, OIS and 4x optical zoom
- Ultra-wide camera: 40MP
Huawei says its third-generation Red Maple color system improves color accuracy by 37%. The XMAGE assistant can suggest compositions and positions for group photos, while a livestreaming mode shifts focus between a presenter and the products being shown.
Battery capacity rises to 6,600mAh from 5,750mAh on the Mate 80. Wired charging remains rated at 66W and wireless charging at 50W. Huawei also advertises an outdoor mode that can last up to 15 days under its specified conditions, as well as up to 36 hours of Petal Maps navigation with the display switched off.
HarmonyOS 7 adds connection sharing between compatible devices and support for linking an iPhone for file transfers, call forwarding and notifications. BeiDou satellite messaging, including the ability to send images, is limited to mainland China.
| Configuration | China price | Approximate USD equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 12GB RAM + 256GB storage | CNY 5,999 | US$895 |
| 12GB RAM + 512GB storage | CNY 6,999 | US$1,045 |
| 12GB RAM + 1TB storage | CNY 8,499 | US$1,268 |
Huawei has not provided international availability or pricing details for the Mate 90, leaving a wider release outside China unconfirmed.
