Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious flagships in recent memory. It’s expected to launch in the second week of September, bringing with it a slew of design and hardware changes, some long overdue, others aggressively forward-looking.
But while Apple readies its next-generation device, Huawei has already thrown down the gauntlet with the Pura 80 Ultra, a photography powerhouse with cutting-edge optics and top-tier performance, already available in global markets.
So, the question is inevitable: can Apple’s next Pro Max actually compete with Huawei’s latest Ultra?
1. Design
Huawei’s Pura 80 Ultra is bold and unapologetically premium. It retains a modernist aesthetic, with real engineering feats inside. The hefty 233.5g chassis conceals a complex quad-camera system, IP68/IP69 water resistance, and dual telephoto shooters, all integrated into a single rear housing.
Apple, by contrast, is reportedly pulling back from titanium and returning to an aluminum frame for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. That may sound like a step down, but it’s not without purpose. Apple’s new half-glass, half-aluminum back is aimed at improving durability while supporting MagSafe wireless charging.
The horizontal rectangular camera bump, now reportedly aluminum, suggests Apple is finally breaking away from the classic triple-lens square module. Add in new colorways, including an iridescent white and coppery orange, and it’s clear Apple wants the Pro Max to look fresh without straying too far from the brand’s core identity.
2. Cameras
Huawei’s camera specs are impressive on paper. It features a 1-inch 50MP primary sensor with variable aperture, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and dual telephoto cameras, 12.5MP at 9.4x and 50MP at 3.7x, supported by advanced sensor-shift stabilization. The system offers up to 100x digital zoom and integrates one of the most sophisticated image pipelines in the industry.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to feature a triple 48MP setup for the wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto cameras, marking the first time Apple will match sensor resolution across all three lenses. It may also introduce a new variable mechanical aperture and support for 8K video capture, signaling significant improvements in computational photography. There’s even talk of dual video recording, a nod to the creator-first tools Huawei already enables.
Still, Huawei maintains the upper hand in optical zoom flexibility. Apple is sticking with 5x telephoto for the Pro Max, but Huawei’s dual periscope setup offers both short and long-range zoom without compromise.
3. Display and Performance
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is said to house a 6.9-inch XDR OLED display with ProMotion (120Hz) and always-on functionality, powered by a custom A19 Pro chip on TSMC’s latest 3nm process. Apple is also bumping RAM to 12GB and offering a 5,500mAh battery with 25W MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging.
Huawei’s display matches Apple’s fluidity with a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED panel (1-120Hz), but where it surprises is in thermal and charging performance. The 5170mAh battery supports a staggering 100W wired and 80W wireless charging. In comparison, Apple’s charging speeds feel conservative, though battery life is expected to improve with new adhesive tech and increased capacity.
Huawei’s Kirin 9020 chip isn’t as efficient or fast as Apple’s silicon on paper, but real-world use cases, especially camera processing and multitasking, still make it feel like a high-performance flagship, especially in regions where HarmonyOS has been replaced with EMUI 15 for better app support.
4. Connectivity and Ecosystem
Both phones bring Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and full IP68 certification, but there’s a notable difference in their approach to 5G. Apple is still relying on Qualcomm modems for most models, with its own modem debuting only on the iPhone 17 Air. Huawei’s Pura 80 Ultra, on the other hand, doesn’t support 5G due to U.S. trade restrictions, arguably its biggest Achilles’ heel in global comparisons.
That limitation is hard to ignore, especially for power users and travelers. Apple’s continued dominance in global 5G rollout gives it a tangible edge, especially in Western markets.
5. Verdict
Huawei’s Pura 80 Ultra is a technological marvel, especially when it comes to camera versatility and charging speeds. It’s already out and impressing users with some of the most advanced mobile photography tools available.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max, however, is not just another spec bump. Apple is finally rethinking materials, aesthetics, and core hardware while leaning into new camera capabilities and battery improvements. The 17 Pro Max will likely be the more balanced device globally, especially when factoring in software longevity, 5G, and ecosystem integration.
In China and camera-first markets, Huawei might still hold the crown for flagship innovation. But in most international markets, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will probably outpace it with broader appeal and tighter integration with Apple’s ever-expanding ecosystem.
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