[News] Huawei Mate 80 Reportedly to Feature Kirin 9030 with 20% Boost, Rumored to Stay on 7nm

Huawei’s next-gen flagship smartphone, the Mate 80, is expected to launch in the fourth quarter, and all eyes are on the processor it will feature. But according to Wccftech and Chinese outlet IC smart, the device is rumored to come with the Kirin 9030 chip, which is likely to stick with the same 7nm process used in its predecessor, the Kirin 9020.

Buzz cited by the reports suggest the Kirin 9030 could deliver a 20% performance boost, though it’s unclear which earlier chip it’s measured against. Wccftech notes that if it still uses the 7nm process, such a gain would be a significant leap without a lithography upgrade.

According to Huawei Central, the Kirin 9030 is expected to debut by year-end with major upgrades over the Kirin 9020 used in the Pura 80. Huawei claims the 9020 already delivers a 40% boost over the 9000s, and if the 9030 adds another 20% over the Mate 70 Pro+ chip, overall performance could jump 50–60% compared to the Kirin 9000s 5G SoC, the report adds.

While the Kirin 9030 might stick to the 7nm instead of the long-awaited 5nm, a previous Financial Times report revealed that Huawei is swiftly building an advanced chip production line in Shenzhen to manufacture 7nm smartphone and Ascend AI processors, implying its first move to produce its own high-end chips.

Meanwhile, Notebookcheck suggests that the Kirin 9030 may also power other flagship devices of Huawei, like the Mate X7 foldable and the more advanced XT 2 tri-fold model. It could further extend to the next Pura series, expected in early 2026, the report points out.

Other Rumored Specs for Mate 80

As per IC Smart, early market leaks suggest Huawei’s Mate 80 series will return to flat displays across all models. The lineup is expected to include four versions: Standard, Pro, Pro+, and the high-end RS Ultimate Design. The Standard model may feature a 6.75-inch 1.5K flat screen, while the Pro versions are said to get a 6.89-inch 1.5K dual-layer OLED flat display—still supporting 3D facial recognition, the report notes.

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(Photo credit: Huawei)