Huawei Mate 20 Pro deals and reviews

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is an outstanding offering from the Chinese brand that competes with the very best phones of 2018. The top-of-the-range product features a rich OLED display, three excellent rear-facing cameras and a sleek, elegant design.

Reviewers liked

• Beautiful, premium design
• Stunning OLED display
• Professional-quality camera
• Long-lasting battery

Reviewers disliked

• Relatively expensive

Huawei Mate 20 Pro: in more detail

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the stand-out phone from the company's most recent Mate 20 series release. While the standard Mate 20 has its own admirable qualities, the Pro outperforms it in almost every area. The Pro's far superior OLED screen offers rich colours and inky blacks while the more powerful cameras deliver gorgeous pictures.

Extra features include an in-display fingerprint reader plus the world's first wireless "reverse charging" option.

T3 says the device "delivers an experience that leaves absolutely nothing to be desired and, for all real-world intents and purposes, it is perfect". Stuff echoes this praise, declaring the Mate 20 Pro "a masterclass in how to push phone tech to its limits."

Design

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is physically stunning, with a luxuriously curved screen and thin side and bottom bezels. Like many new phones, this device comes with a top notch to house a selfie camera but it's thin enough to not distract too much.

On the back, Huawei have opted for an eye-catching central square, in which three camera lenses and an LED flash sit in a neat two-by-two arrangement. The company calls it their "aesthetic signature", as the rounded edges of the square perfectly complement the curvature of the device.

The Mate 20 Pro is available in a range of elegant colour options. The midnight blue and emerald green designs even come with a textured 'Hyper Optical Pattern' pattern to keep the glass back fingerprint-free.

Display

The Mate 20 Pro sets itself apart from its cheaper sibling, the Mate 20, with its awesome display. The Pro boasts an impressive 6.39 inch OLED screen with 3,120 x 1,440 pixels and a pixel density of 538 ppi.

This produces brilliantly dark blacks and vibrant colours that the LCD display of the Mate 20 just can't compete with. Digital Trends says "watching any high quality video on the Mate 20 Pro is an almost spiritual experience".

Performance and battery

With the Mate 20 Pro, Huawei is leading the way with a powerhouse of a new processor. The Kirin 980 is a number of world firsts; it's the world's first 7nm process mobile phone SoC chipset, as well as the world's first cortex-A76 architecture chipset, first dual neural processing unit and first chipset to support LTE Cat 2.1.

Combined, this translates to faster app launches, quicker photo processing, lag-free gaming and the world's speediest Wifi connection. The Kirin 980 is roughly 20% faster and 40% more energy-efficient compared to Huawei's previous generation.

Much of this improvement to efficiency and power usage comes from the Kirin 980's triple cluster design, with eight cores divided into three groups. There are two "super" cores, two large cores and four small efficiency cores. Thanks to Huawei's "Flex-Scheduling" technology, tasks are intelligently divided between the cores in accordance to usage needs, so that performance is improved without draining the battery.

The model also comes with either 128GB or 256GB of storage. If you're desperate for even more space, it's possible to insert one of Huawei's recently released Nano Memory Cards into one of the dual-SIM slots. Rather than use the Micro SD format that most other phones have been using for the last 15 years or so, Huawei has created its own type of memory card, designed to be the same size and shape as a Nano SIM card. It's not yet clear what the benefits of Nano Memory cards are over Micro SD cards, and whether it will catch on with other phone makers.

Powering the Mate 20 Pro is a large 4,200 mAh battery, which will certainly see you through a full day of use. The phone also supports Huawei's SuperCharge system, which tops the phone up to 70% juice in just 30 minutes.

Perhaps most surprising of all is the Mate 20 Pro's ability to wirelessly "reverse charge" someone else's Qi-enabled device. Simply connect the Pro back-to-back with the other phone to pass your charge along.

Camera

As with the excellent P20 Pro, Huawei has again teamed up with Leica to create a Triple Camera system. The Mate 20 Pro features a 40MP main lens, a 20 MP ultra-wide angle lens for distortion-free panoramic shots, plus an 8MP telephoto lens that can achieve a 5x hybrid optical zoom. On the front, you'll also find a 24MP selfie camera.

The Mate 20 Pro's ramped up CPU makes for a fast, responsive and intuitive camera system. Most noticeably, the AI capabilities of the dual neural processing unit enables improved object and scene recognition, in turn allowing the camera to apply the most appropriate settings to each scenario.

Another particular highlight is Night mode, which harnesses the power of advanced AI image stabilisation to capture fine detail in very low light. Digital Trends sums it up saying "it's mind-bending that a phone can take such outstanding low-light pictures."

Interface

The Mate 20 Pro runs on the Android 9.0 Pie with Huawei's own EMUI 9.0 skin on top. This skin upgrade introduces a style revamp to the device, as Huawei have streamlined their menus and introduced gesture control much like Apple's. This makes for a far slicker and more responsive user experience.

Similar to the Digital Wellbeing feature on the Google Pixel 3, the Mate 20 Pro is also equipped with a new Digital Balance tool that helps to monitor phone usage.

Perhaps the most exciting upgrade to the interface though is the in-screen fingerprint reader. Huawei says its Dynamic Pressure Sensing tech will mean you just need to touch the screen to unlock your phone "securely and instantly".

T3 raves "the best bit? It works perfectly. Fast and consistent, as well as totally invisible, it is the new gold standard for fingerprint security."

Release date

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro has been available in the UK since 26 October 2018.

What the critics say (scores are out of 100)

100	Pocket-lint | Mike Lowe All in all, the Mate 20 Pro was the 2018 flagship to buy. And even just before its Mate 30 Pro replacement arrives, this is still a flagship that's easy to fall head-over-heels for. Read full review
100	T3 | Robert Jones The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is one of, if not the, best phones ever made. It delivers an experience that leaves absolutely nothing to be desired and, for all real-world intents and purposes, it is perfect. It's a phone that you'll soon fall in love with, and one that confirms Huawei's position as the most ambitious, pioneering smartphone maker in the world right now. Read full review
100	Expert Reviews | Nathan Spendelow, Jonathan Bray Still, stick with the regular Huawei Mate 20 Pro and you'll be absolutely fine because it's everything the P20 Pro was and more. It has a bigger screen, a faster chip, better battery life and a more flexible triple camera arrangement than before. It's a great smartphone and one that looks and feels refreshingly different to the usual crowd of flagship, glossy glass smartphones, especially with its subtly patterned glass rear. Read full review
100	Toronto Sun | Adam Swimmer All in all, the Huawei Mate20 Pro is a fantastic phone and my only complaint, other than fingerprint sensor, is that I have to give the phone back. Read full review
100	IT PRO | Keumars Afifi-Sabet The Huawei Mate 20 Pro isn't a game changer, but it executes the basics with aplomb and makes its mark as the fastest performing Android phone we've reviewed to date. Read full review
100	Ubergizmo | Hubert Nguyen The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a fantastic phone that pushes the limit where it matters. Read full review
100	TheEffect.Net | John Reilly The Mate 20 Pro is the best smartphone from Huawei to date and easily one of the best phones on the market right now. We previously claimed that the P20 Pro was the smartphone to beat in 2018 and, well, Huawei have done that. Read full review
100	The Economic Times | John Reilly The Mate 20 Pro is the best smartphone from Huawei to date and easily one of the best phones on the market right now. Read full review
100	91mobiles | Bogdan Petrovan The Mate 20 Pro is probably the best phone you can get right now, if you can stomach the price. Read full review
100	The Guardian | Samuel Gibbs The Mate series of phones has always delivered one thing above all else – battery life. This year Huawei has gone out of its way to deliver even more. Read full review
100	Stuff | Andrew Williams A phone with more tech per square inch than any other. A smartphone marvel. Read full review
96	Firstpost | Sheldon Pinto A gorgeous-looking flagship that is priced just right. Read full review
95	Australian PC World | Fergus Halliday Taken as a whole, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a magnificent piece of tech...if you're looking to spend that amount of money, the Mate 20 Pro makes a powerful case for itself. It's got all the high-end, premium features that matter plus a few exclusive tricks you can't find elsewhere. Read full review
95	Neowin | Rich Woods I really believe that the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the best overall phone of 2018. Based on the fact that I've reviewed most major phones to be released this year, and knowing that it's the one that I want to have with me all the time. Read full review
94	Coolsmartphone | Dan Carter The device is not perfect, but was definitely one of the best I have ever used when it comes to the total package offered ... The highest-spec Android phone of 2018. Read full review
93	TechAeris | Jason Bouwmeester With MWC starting next week and plenty of new smartphones expected to be unveiled, the Mate 20 Pro should still hold its own. Not only does it offer fantastic performance but it boasts one of the best set of cameras available in a smartphone today. Read full review
92	NotebookCheck | Allen Ngo, Daniel Schmidt Huawei has pulled out the stops in developing the Mate 20 Pro, which more than earns its title as a high-end flagship smartphone. Read full review
92	Engadget | Jamie Rigg There's no such thing as the perfect smartphone, but the Mate 20 Pro is arguably as close as you can get right now. The Huawei device is unmatched in camera versatility, and on top of that it has every premium feature imaginable, like an in-screen fingerprint reader and the ability to wirelessly charge other phones. The Mate 20 Pro doesn't come cheap, but it's worth it. Read full review
92	ZDNet | Sandra Vogel Huawei has thrown everything including the kitchen sink at the Mate 20 Pro and for the most part the results are pleasing... There are niggles, of course... But overall, Huawei has put itself right at the top of the flagship handset pile. Read full review
90	GadgetMatch | Marvin Velasco The absolute completeness of the Mate 20 Pro automatically places it at the very top of the heap, awarding it our GadgetMatch Seal of Approval. Read full review
90	TechPP (Technology Personalized) | Sumukh Rao The Mate 20 Pro is a jack of all trades. And unlike the popular saying, it IS a master of them all. Read full review
90	AVForums | David Phelan We reviewed the OnePlus 6T alongside the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, and both smartphones are brilliant. I'd still recommend the Huawei if you want the best photographs, the slickest design and the most innovative features. Read full review
90	Trusted Reviews | Max Parker Huawei's phones just keep on getting better. The Mate 20 Pro is full of great features and offers up an excellent alternative to any other flagship phone on the market right now. Read full review
90	Android Central | Nirave Gondhia The Mate 20 Pro is the biggest and best smartphone that Huawei has ever made. The camera is one of the best and the battery life is fantastic. Read full review
90	Tom's Guide | Marc Chacksfield Huawei has done it again with the Mate 20 Pro, producing an exceptional camera wrapped in a sleek design with extra-long battery life. Read full review
90	Android Authority | Bogdan Petrovan The Mate 20 Pro is probably the best phone you can get right now, if you can stomach the price. Read full review
90	news.com.au | Nick Whigham With its price tag, you certainly know you're paying for a premium smartphone but it stacks up well with its competitor's flagship devices. Read full review
90	Digital Trends | Andy Boxall The fabulous Huawei Mate 20 Pro has more features, more ability, and more tech prowess than you'll know what to do with. Read full review
90	Gizmodo UK | Holly Brockwell This is Huawei's best phone yet, but it's priced accordingly... Still, if you have the money to spend on a phone and you want a 2019-level phone (minus the 5G) a little early, this is a strong proposition. Read full review
90	The Inquirer | Chris Merriman There's no denying that the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a brilliantly executed phone from a company that seems to learn from every experience and comes back with something even more unexpected. A triumph. Read full review
89	phoneArena | Victor Hristov There is so much to like about the Mate 20 Pro and it would have been an easy recommendation, if not for the high price. Read full review
87	Mr Phone | Ershad Kaleebullah The Mate 20 Pro is undoubtedly Huawei's best smartphone yet and for many folks, it could very well be the best Android phone of 2018. I absolutely loved my time with the phone and would recommend it to anyone looking for the best flagship Android experience. Read full review
85	Mobile Syrup | Dean Daley I was impressed by the handset and it's definitely a contender for 2018's best smartphone. Read full review
85	Mashable | Stan Schroeder The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the most feature-packed phone you can currently buy. Read full review
80	The Indian Express | Anuj Bhatia Overall, the Mate 20 Pro is exactly the way it has been advertised. This is a great phone. All screen, super-fast Kirin 980 chipset, triple rear-facing cameras, long battery life, and a striking design grows over time. Read full review
80	The Mobile Indian | Sandeep Budki You will not be disappointed. It has an attractive design which will not go unnoticed, the camera will not let you miss out on an opportunity to capture a memory, battery is good enough to run a marathon, the display will make you fall in love and performance to impress you Read full review
80	Android Headlines | Nick Sutrich The Mate 20 Pro features a better display, better sound output quality from the phone's built-in speakers, and an overall better camera mainly due to higher megapixel count on two of the four sensors. Read full review
80	Gadgets Now | Komal Mohan There's no doubt that the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is an all-rounder Android smartphone. It comes with smashing looks, packs one of the most-powerful processor in the market, delivers a solid camera performance and boasts of some of the most interesting features that you could ask for from your smartphone. Read full review
80	Gadget Speak | paul_smart Apart from being that bit faster, larger screen and better featured this offered new features including AI effects as well as having no less than three Leica cameras in a square section on its rear. Read full review
80	SlashGear | Vincent Nguyen Huawei has proven that it is in the perfect position to break up that (Apple-Samsung) duopoly, and the Mate 20 Pro certainly checks off nearly all the boxes on my wish-list. Read full review
80	MobileTechTalk | Craig Bradshaw Huawei Mate 20 Pro is not just the best Huawei device to date, but perhaps the Android device that stands on its own merits as a top tier device. Read full review
80	AndroidPit | Steffen Herget The bottom line is that the Mate 20 Pro is an excellent smartphone that I enjoy using every day. The device offers some great advantages, but its minor weaknesses cost the new Huawei flagship an even better rating. It's a good that most of the issues can be solved with software updates. Read full review
80	VentureBeat | Paul Sawers The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a premium device on every level, and it is priced accordingly. That's why, even after all the fanfare around great camera, battery life, and unlocking functionality, I'm just a bit disappointed by the software and some of the design decisions. Read full review
80	The Verge | Vlad Savov With the Mate 20 Pro, Huawei set itself the goal of beating the Galaxy Note 9, and I'm a little surprised to conclude that Huawei has succeeded. The Mate 20 Pro has a more reliable camera, more human dimensions, better performance, faster face unlock, and, in my judgment, a more pleasant display. Read full review
65	AnandTech | Andrei Frumusanu Unfortunatly, I feel like the issues with the display as well as only average battery life represent notable compromises. Read full review

Compare Huawei Mate 20 Pro specs side-by-side with other phones COMPARE SPECS

Dimensions & Form	Form factor: Touchscreen bar Dimensions 157.8 x 72.3 x 8.6 mm (6.21 x 2.85 x 0.34 in) Weight: 189 g (6.67 oz)
Screen	Size: 6.39 inches diagonal Resolution: 3120 x 1440 pixels Screen Density: 538 ppi Screen-to-Body Ratio: 87.9 % Display Type: AMOLED
Runs
Performance	Chipset: HiSilicon Kirin 980 (7 nm) CPU: Octa-core (2x2.6 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x1.92 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) GPU: Mali-G76 MP10 RAM: 6/8GB
Camera	Main Camera: 40 megapixels + 20 megapixels (wide angle) + 8 megapixels (telephoto) with LED flash Secondary Camera: 24 megapixels
Storage	Built-in Storage: 128GB, 256GB Expandable Storage: Nano Memory
Battery & Charging	Capacity: 4200 mAh Removable Battery: No Wireless Charging: Yes Quick Charge: Quick Charge
SIM standard	Nano SIM Compare SIM Only deals
Water & Dust Resistance	IP68 Rating: Protection from contact with harmful dust, and protection from immersion in water up to a depth of 30m for up to 30 minutes
Fingerprint Reader	Front
References & More info	Official website GSMArena specs page

Photos taken with the Huawei Mate 20 Pro

We've used Flickr to find a selection of pictures taken by the Huawei Mate 20 Pro camera. Here is a selection of photos taken by users from around the world so you can see what kind of picture quality you can expect from real-world use of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

All images shown are used under the rights and terms specified by the Creative Commons.