Huawei is taking a different approach to foldable smartphones with the Huawei Pura X, a device that combines the compactness of a flip phone with the wider viewing experience of a small tablet.
Instead of opening into the tall, narrow display commonly associated with clamshell foldables, the Pura X opens into a 6.3-inch 16:10 flexible OLED display. When closed, it becomes a compact square-shaped phone with a 3.5-inch external display.
Huawei launched the Pura X in China in March 2025, and the device remains one of the company’s most distinctive foldable designs. The official Huawei specifications list a 6.3-inch internal display, 3.5-inch external screen, 4,720mAh battery and support for up to 66W wired and 40W wireless charging.
What Makes the Huawei Pura X Different?
The biggest selling point of the Pura X is its unusual shape.
Most flip-style foldables are designed around a tall screen that becomes a compact rectangle when folded. Huawei went in another direction.
The Pura X uses what Huawei calls a wide-folding design, producing a 16:10 internal display when opened.
That makes the phone particularly interesting for people who use their smartphones for:
- Watching videos
- Reading
- Browsing websites
- Viewing photos
- Multitasking
- Gaming
- Working on documents
The wider display is designed to provide a more conventional tablet-like viewing experience while keeping the phone relatively compact when folded.
Huawei Pura X Display
The internal screen measures 6.3 inches and uses a flexible OLED panel.
It has a resolution of 2120 × 1320 pixels and supports an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Huawei also lists LTPO 2.0 technology and 1440Hz high-frequency PWM dimming.
The unusual 16:10 aspect ratio is arguably the biggest difference between the Pura X and many competing foldables.
When the phone is folded, users get a 3.5-inch OLED external display with a square 980 × 980-pixel resolution. The external display also supports a 1–120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
This smaller screen can be useful for quick tasks without having to fully open the phone.
A Compact Foldable Design
The Huawei Pura X measures approximately 143.2mm × 91.7mm × 7.15mm when unfolded.
When folded, it measures approximately 91.7mm × 74.3mm × 15.1mm, according to Huawei’s official specifications. Weight is around 193.7 grams for the faux-leather version and 195.9 grams for the glass version.
That makes the Pura X relatively light for a foldable smartphone.
Huawei’s design also gives the phone a distinctive square appearance when closed, making it immediately different from conventional smartphones.
Huawei Pura X Camera System
Photography is another major part of the Pura X experience.
The phone features a multi-camera rear setup designed for wide-angle photography, telephoto shooting and Huawei’s colour-imaging technology.
The launch specifications reported a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilisation, a 40MP ultra-wide camera and an 8MP telephoto camera with OIS.
The phone also has a 10.7MP front-facing ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture. Huawei lists features including portrait mode, night mode, slow motion, HDR video and AI-assisted photography features.
For a foldable phone, the camera system is particularly important because the external display and flexible design can create additional shooting possibilities.
Huawei Pura X Battery and Charging
Despite its unusual foldable form factor, the Pura X packs a 4,720mAh typical-capacity battery.
Huawei lists support for:
- 66W wired SuperCharge
- 40W wireless SuperCharge
- 5W wired reverse charging
- 7.5W wireless reverse charging
The 66W wired charging support gives the Pura X a strong charging specification for a foldable.
However, actual charging performance can vary depending on the charger, temperature, battery level and other conditions.
HarmonyOS Powers the Pura X
The Huawei Pura X launched with HarmonyOS 5.0.1, according to Huawei’s official specifications.
Huawei says the device can be upgraded to HarmonyOS 6 or later versions, although the software version installed can depend on the particular production batch.
Huawei also promotes AI capabilities through its HarmonyOS ecosystem, including AI-assisted features and the company’s Xiaoyi assistant.
For buyers, however, software availability is an important consideration.
The app ecosystem and availability of particular applications can vary depending on market and region, so potential buyers should check whether the apps and services they use every day are supported before purchasing.
Huawei Pura X Storage and Memory
The Pura X was launched in several configurations.
Reported launch configurations included:
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage
- 12GB RAM + 512GB storage
- 16GB RAM + 512GB storage
- 16GB RAM + 1TB storage
The highest-capacity options were offered as Collector’s Edition models.
That gives the Pura X enough storage headroom for users who take lots of photos, download videos or install large applications.
Huawei Pura X Water Resistance
Huawei lists the Pura X as having IPX8 water resistance under specified laboratory testing conditions.
Huawei’s official product information says the device was tested at a water depth of 2 metres for 30 minutes under controlled conditions. It also warns that water resistance can decline with normal wear and that liquid damage is not covered by warranty.
This is an important distinction: water resistance does not mean the phone is completely waterproof.
Users should still avoid deliberately exposing the foldable to water.
Huawei Pura X Price
The Pura X launched in China at a starting price of ¥7,499 for the 12GB + 256GB version.
Higher-storage and Collector’s Edition configurations were priced higher, with the top 16GB + 1TB model reaching ¥9,999 at launch.
The official Huawei China website currently lists the Pura X from ¥7,499, although actual retail pricing and availability can vary.
For Kenyan buyers, imported-device prices can differ considerably from the original Chinese price because of shipping, taxes, retailer margins, availability and warranty considerations.
Therefore, buyers in Kenya should check the actual local retail price before making a purchase rather than relying on a direct currency conversion.
Huawei Pura X: Key Specifications
| Feature | Huawei Pura X |
|---|---|
| Inner display | 6.3-inch flexible OLED |
| Inner resolution | 2120 × 1320 |
| Inner refresh rate | Up to 120Hz |
| Outer display | 3.5-inch OLED |
| Outer resolution | 980 × 980 |
| Battery | 4,720mAh typical |
| Wired charging | Up to 66W |
| Wireless charging | Up to 40W |
| Front camera | 10.7MP ultra-wide |
| Rear cameras | 50MP + 40MP + 8MP |
| Operating system | HarmonyOS |
| Water resistance | IPX8 |
| Weight | About 193.7–195.9g |
| Folded thickness | About 15.1mm |
Specifications are based primarily on Huawei’s official product information, with camera configuration cross-checked against launch coverage.
Huawei Pura X vs Conventional Flip Foldables
The Pura X’s biggest advantage is also its biggest differentiator.
A conventional flip foldable usually prioritises a tall, narrow display. Huawei instead prioritises a wider internal display.
That could make the Pura X particularly attractive to users who want a foldable for media consumption and productivity rather than simply for compactness.
The Pura X could be ideal for:
Media lovers: The 16:10 display is well suited to videos and other content.
Readers: The wider screen can provide a more comfortable reading experience than many tall foldables.
Mobile workers: A larger horizontal workspace can be useful for email, documents and multitasking.
Design-conscious buyers: The square folded design makes the phone stand out.
Foldable enthusiasts: It offers a genuinely different interpretation of the foldable-phone concept.
What Are the Downsides?
The Pura X isn’t perfect.
1. Software availability
Huawei’s software ecosystem is different from what many Android users are accustomed to. Buyers should check application compatibility before importing the phone.
2. Limited market availability
The Pura X launched in China, and availability in other markets can be more complicated than buying a Samsung, Apple or mainstream Android smartphone.
3. Price
Foldable technology remains expensive, and the Pura X’s launch pricing places it firmly in the premium category.
4. Foldable durability
Although Huawei has invested heavily in the hinge and display technology, foldable screens remain more complex than conventional smartphone displays.
Buyers should therefore handle the device carefully and follow Huawei’s usage recommendations.
Is the Huawei Pura X Worth Buying?
The answer depends heavily on what you want from a smartphone.
If you want a conventional Android phone with maximum app compatibility, there may be simpler choices.
But if you want something different, the Pura X is one of the more interesting foldable designs available.
Its combination of a compact folded form, 6.3-inch 16:10 internal display, high-refresh-rate OLED panels, large battery and fast charging makes it a serious premium foldable rather than simply a design experiment.
The biggest question for buyers outside Huawei’s core markets is not necessarily the hardware. It is whether the software, applications, network support, warranty and local availability fit their needs.
Huawei Pura X: Who Should Buy It?
The Pura X makes the most sense for someone who:
- Wants a premium foldable phone
- Prefers a wider display
- Watches lots of videos
- Reads or browses extensively on a phone
- Wants a compact device when folded
- Is comfortable with Huawei’s software ecosystem
- Doesn’t mind paying a premium for a distinctive design
It may be less suitable for someone who wants the broadest possible Android app compatibility or prefers a traditional smartphone.
Final Verdict
The Huawei Pura X is not just another foldable phone.
Its biggest achievement is that Huawei has taken the familiar flip-phone concept and redesigned the internal display around a much wider 16:10 format.
With a 6.3-inch 120Hz flexible OLED display, 3.5-inch external screen, 4,720mAh battery, 66W wired charging, 40W wireless charging and a capable multi-camera system, the Pura X offers a compelling combination of portability and screen space.
For Kenyan smartphone enthusiasts and tech buyers, the bigger issue will be availability, price and software compatibility.
But from a design perspective, Huawei has certainly succeeded in making the Pura X stand out in an increasingly crowded foldable-phone market.
