The Mate 50 Pro is a 2022 flagship from Huawei, built around a camera with a physically adjustable aperture. Huawei announced it in China on September 6, 2022, and sales there began on September 21. The global version followed later that month. In Europe, it went on sale at €1,199 for the 8 GB and 256 GB model. A successor, the Mate 60 Pro, has since arrived.
Design and display
The phone has a 6.74-inch curved OLED panel with a 2616 x 1212 resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. It also uses 1,440 Hz PWM dimming and a 300 Hz touch sampling rate. However, it has no LTPO panel, so the refresh rate does not scale down to very low values. A wide notch holds the 3D face unlock hardware, and an optical fingerprint reader sits under the display.
Body measurements are 162.1 x 75.5 x 8.5 mm. The glass model weighs 209 g, and the vegan leather model weighs 205 g. Colors are Black, Silver, Orange, and Carbon Black. Purple was offered in China only. Kunlun Glass protects the display on the vegan leather models and on selected regional versions. All versions are rated IP68. Huawei rates the Orange model for 6 meters of water and the glass models for 2 meters.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 powers the phone in a 4G-only version of the chip, so there is no 5G in any market. Its top core runs at 3.2 GHz, and the graphics come from an Adreno GPU. Every version has 8 GB of RAM, with 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. Storage can be expanded with a Huawei NM card of up to 512 GB, but the phone does not take microSD cards.
Cameras
The rear setup has three cameras. The 50 MP main camera has optical stabilization and an aperture that adjusts between f/1.4 and f/4.0. A 13 MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera also handles macro shots. The 64 MP f/3.5 periscope telephoto has optical stabilization and 3.5x optical zoom. The front has a 13 MP f/2.4 ultrawide camera plus a 3D depth sensor. Rear video reaches 4K at 60 fps, and front video reaches 4K at 30 fps.
Battery and charging
The battery has a typical capacity of 4,700 mAh. Wired charging reaches 66 W, and wireless charging reaches 50 W with Huawei’s own charger. Reverse wireless charging is also available. Huawei includes a charger and a clear case in the box, although this can vary by market. An emergency mode can keep basic functions running when the battery is almost empty.
Software and updates
Global units ship with EMUI 13, based on Android 12, while China units ship with HarmonyOS 3. The phone has no Google Mobile Services, so apps come through AppGallery or other sources. Beidou satellite messaging is a feature of the China version. We could not find a published update promise from Huawei.
Should you buy the Mate 50 Pro?
The Mate 50 Pro suits buyers who value its variable aperture camera and can work without Google services. It is less suitable for anyone who needs 5G or relies on Google apps. Newer buyers should also compare it with the Mate 60 Pro, which replaced it in the Mate lineup.
