Huawei Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition: Can the Downscaled Kirin 9020 Chip Sustain the Mate70 Series' Success?

Huawei Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition: Can the Downscaled Kirin 9020 Chip Sustain the Mate70 Series' Success?Earlier rumors suggested the Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition would be bundled with other products, but Huawei ultimately chose a different approach: directly adjusting the core configuration by using a downscaled Kirin 9020. This strategy stems from the unavoidable variations in chip quality during production

Huawei Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition: Can the Downscaled Kirin 9020 Chip Sustain the Mate70 Series' Success?

Released in November 2024, the Huawei Mate70 series quickly became a focal point in the high-end smartphone market, thanks to its Kirin 9020 chip, Red Maple True-Chroma imaging system, and titanium Xuanwu body, among other innovations. However, due to limited chip production capacity, the Mate70 Pro remained perpetually in short supply, leaving many eager Huawei users constantly vying for a chance to purchase it. Faced with both intense market demand and supply chain constraints, Huawei launched the Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition in March 2025. This model, featuring a downscaled Kirin 9020 processor, aimed to alleviate supply pressure and satisfy a wider range of consumers.

Earlier rumors suggested the Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition would be bundled with other products, but Huawei ultimately chose a different approach: directly adjusting the core configuration by using a downscaled Kirin 9020. This strategy stems from the unavoidable variations in chip quality during production. Instead of discarding chips with slightly lower performance, Huawei downscaled their clock speeds to utilize them effectively.

The standard Kirin 9020's core configuration is "12.50GHz + 32.15GHz + 41.60GHz," while the downscaled version is "12.40GHz + 32.00GHz + 41.60GHz." Geekbench 6 benchmarks show a new Huawei device with the downscaled Kirin 9020 (model PLR-AL50) and 12GB RAM achieving a single-core score of 1450 and a multi-core score of 3793. While the downscaled version has a lower CPU frequency, the performance loss is relatively small compared to removing a core entirely. The standard Kirin 9020's GPU frequency is 840MHz; although the downscaled version's GPU frequency is lower, it still meets the performance needs of most everyday applications.

While users seeking ultimate performance might find the downscaled version slightly lacking, the Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition maintains smooth operation thanks to HarmonyOS NEXT's system-level optimizations. In many scenarios, its performance rivals devices equipped with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2. Dynamic resolution rendering and AI scheduling technology ensure stable game frame rates, and the responsiveness of everyday apps is virtually indistinguishable from the standard version. Huawei engineers compensated for hardware limitations through algorithmic improvements, demonstrating the effectiveness of their "hardware-software synergy" strategy and ensuring a positive user experience.

Importantly, the Huawei Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition comes pre-installed with HarmonyOS 4.3, upgradable to HarmonyOS NEXT. Beyond the processor, specifications remain largely consistent with the standard version, including support for second-generation Lingxi communication technology, satellite messaging, and Huawei's acclaimed Red Maple True-Chroma imaging system. This system features a 1.5-million multi-spectral channel Red Maple True-Chroma camera, enabling more precise measurement of global spectral information across a wider range, resulting in superior photographic capabilities. The Enhanced Edition also retains AI features such as AI Air Transfer, AI Call Summary, AI Smart Control Key, and AI Summary Master, and maintains the high standards of Huawei's flagship models in aspects like Kunlun glass and Xuanwu architecture.

Therefore, the Huawei Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition remains a compelling contender. More importantly, its release effectively alleviates the supply shortage of the Mate70 Pro, meeting market demand to some extent and maintaining Huawei's share in the high-end smartphone market.

Pricing is also a crucial factor for the Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition. Its price is expected to be slightly lower than the standard version, making it highly attractive to users on a budget who still desire a premium Huawei experience. This differentiated pricing strategy allows Huawei to expand its consumer base and improve market penetration.

From a chip manufacturing perspective, using downscaled chips optimizes resource utilization. Putting slightly lower-performing chips into the market after downscaling avoids waste and offers consumers more choices. Therefore, the Enhanced Edition's pricing won't be excessively high, but it could put some price pressure on the standard Huawei Mate70 Pro.

In a complex global environment with significant constraints, Huawei is forced to innovate within limitations. Through architectural innovation, ecosystem collaboration, and market insight, it transforms hardware shortcomings into experiential advantages. The downscaling of the Kirin 9020 is a prime example of this strategy. A temporary compromise in performance paves the way for longer-term growth. As consumers increasingly accept that "benchmark scores user experience," Huawei's strategy is poised for eventual success.

In conclusion, the launch of the Huawei Mate70 Pro Enhanced Edition represents a proactive effort by Huawei to address chip shortages and competitive pressures. Whether it can sustain the Mate70 series' success remains to be seen. What are your thoughts on this new device? Share your opinions in the comments section.