If you caught our recent coverage detailing the global pricing of the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max, you already know that HUAWEI is pulling no punches with its latest flagship. But while our upcoming video focusing heavily on our trip to Kuala Lumpur drops next week, there’s a side to our experience with this smartphone that didn’t make it to the video script.
The truth is, we actually had the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max, alongside the standard Pro, in our hands about a week before we even packed our bags for Malaysia.
Because we were in the middle of wrapping up a campaign, our initial time with the device in Manila was brief. But even in those fleeting moments between shoots and meetings, we managed to take a lot of photos around the city. Now that we are back home and have been using it as our daily driver for weeks, here is what it is really like to live with the “King of Imaging.”
Colors we can taste 🙂
A design that demands attention
The design of the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max commands attention the moment you see it in person. The technology giant designed this series around a relaxed, vacation-vibe aesthetic… and it shows.
We have the striking Blaze Purple variant, a beautiful colorway inspired by the soft glow of twilight’s purple haze. The back panel features a seamless gradient that shifts from a warm, golden sunset tone on one side directly into a vibrant purple around the distinct camera module. It’s an engineering marvel, matching the premium visual language found on the rest of the lineup, like the industry‑first dual‑tone gradient midframe exclusive to the Orange Ocean edition.
It also continues the iconic “Flash Forward” rear camera design — that distinctive triangular, off-axis island shape that officially debuted with the Pura 70 Series when HUAWEI rebranded the P lineup. It looks incredibly unique, but it does come with a physical trade-off: that large camera bump props up one side of the device when it’s kept face up on a desk. If you are the type of user who likes to type out quick messages while your phone is resting flat on a table, the wobble is definitely something you will need to get used to.
Using that shifting twilight gradient around the metro before our trip, the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max felt like a true premium fashion statement. It’s physically solid, too. Navigating the glaring midday sun in Manila was surprisingly easy thanks to the anti-reflective, scratch-resistant Kunlun Glass, which boasts a 70% reduction in screen reflection. Whether checking emails in traffic or framing a quick shot outdoors, we weren’t squinting at the display.
From the streets of Manila to our field test in Malaysia
While our upcoming July 30 video will dive heavily into our Kuala Lumpur experience, we wanted this article to focus on what the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max can do right here at home. We are sharing some of our favorite shots.
Taken in Metro Manila
From testing the huge 200-megapixel telephoto camera on the intricate architectural details of the Petronas Twin Towers, to challenging the Ultra Lighting HDR Camera against notoriously difficult, high-contrast lighting in Bonifacio Global City and Ortigas Business District, the phone excelled. For the rest of our Malaysia street photography, you’ll just have to wait for the video.
Some of our shots…
…in Kuala Lumpur
Seamless integration into daily life
The real test of any flagship, however, is how it handles the daily grind once the launch excitement is over. Having used the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max every single day since returning to the Philippines, the reliability has been stellar, even if there is still room for a few software refinements.
- Real-world connectivity: The 5G performance we tested on the streets of Kuala Lumpur translates beautifully to our local networks. Signal recovery is fast, instantly reconnecting to 5G the moment we step out of deep basement parking lots in BGC and Ortigas.
@revuphilippines 5G power unlocked. The #HUAWEIPura90sSeries proves its speed near the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. Here's how the #HUAWEIPura90sProMax (left) stacks up against other flagships. ⏩ #KingOfImaging #HUAWEIXMAGE #RevuDotComDotPH www.revu.com.ph @HUAWEI Philippines @huawei.mobile @Alora Uy Guerrero @monch ♬ Speed – Monge
5G speed tests near the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur: HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max (left) vs 2 other popular flagship smartphones
- True-to-life local shots: Comparing our early Manila photos with our recent daily shots, the 2nd Gen True-to-Colour Camera remains impressive. The promise of “what you see is what you get” holds up, delivering vibrant, accurate colors without looking artificial or overly processed. However, there is one gallery quirk we’d love to see updated: It would be incredibly nice to have the option to add the signature HUAWEI watermark after taking the photos, just like what other major smartphone brands currently offer.
- AI practicality: The AI tools are useful for local content creation. AI Composition acts like a built-in assistant to guide your framing in real time, while the AI De-Glare feature wipes out annoying window reflections with a single tap when shooting through a cafe’s glass display case. If a street shot needs a quick cleanup, you can even use AI Move to freely reposition or resize objects for a cleaner frame.
- Unbothered battery life: Manila traffic means long days out of the house. Fortunately, the 6,000mAh battery easily powers through heavy camera usage, constant 5G data, and navigation. When it finally does need a top-up, the 100-watt SuperCharge wired charging gets us back on our feet in minutes.
The verdict so far
Our first impression? The HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max is an impressive piece of hardware built for an international launch stage, but it isn’t completely without its quirks. That prominent camera bump and a few software wishlist items take a moment to adjust to.
But beyond those minor gripes, it is a remarkably practical, durable, and powerful daily driver. It handles the spontaneous, unpredictable nature of our work in the Philippines just as flawlessly as it handled our testing in Malaysia. With the HUAWEI Pura 90s Series scheduled to officially launch in the Philippines this August, what the company claims is the “King of Imaging” is shaping up to be one of the most compelling, well-rounded camera-focused releases of the year.
We at REVU Philippines are enjoying our time with the Blaze Purple HUAWEI 90s Pro Max and Guava Pink HUAWEI 90s Pro so far
HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max specs
- 6.9-inch LTPO OLED display, 2880 × 1308 resolution, 1-120Hz adaptive high dynamic refresh rate
- Kirin 9030S Octa-core processor
- Maleoon 935F GPU
- 12GB RAM
- 256GB/512GB internal storage
- 50-megapixel main, 40-megapixel ultra-wide, 200-megapixel telephoto rear cameras
- 13-megapixel front camera
- Fingerprint sensor
- 6,000mAh battery with 100-watt fast charging
- EMUI 16 based on AOSP 16
- IP68/IP69 rating
- Color options: Blush Gold, Orange Ocean, Blaze Purple, Graphite Black
Learn About This Author
