The Huawei Mate 70 RS: A Luxury Tank With a Few Compromises
Let me start by saying this phone feels like driving a Rolls-Royce through a tech landscape full of Teslas. The ceramic back and titanium frame give it that “I’ve-made-it” weightiness (literally – 251g is like carrying a small tablet). But unlike most luxury cars, this thing’s got IP68/IP69K ratings meaning it could survive being dropped in a hot tub... not that I’d test that with a €2,000 phone.
The Screen That Makes You Forget Your TV
That 6.9” LTPO OLED is the star here. Watching Netflix on this is like peering through a window into another world – colors pop without looking cartoonish, blacks are deeper than my coffee, and the 1440Hz PWM dimming means your eyes won’t hate you after a 2AM TikTok binge. But that hole-punch notch? It’s like having a tiny meteor crater in your IMAX experience. You stop noticing after a while, but purists will grumble.
Performance: Smooth Operator With a Catch
The Kirin 9020 chip is Huawei’s “take that” to the Snapdragon crowd. Swiping between apps feels like spreading warm butter on toast – effortless. I threw Genshin Impact at it, and while it handled max settings like a champ, the absence of a cooling system means after 30 minutes, it gets as warm as a pocket heater (handy in winter, less so in July).
Now the elephant in the room: HarmonyOS 4.3. It’s slicker than ever, but app availability is still Huawei’s Achilles’ heel. Yes, AppGallery has more options now, but finding your favorite niche apps? Get ready for a scavenger hunt. Petal Search helps, but it’s like using a fishing net to find your car keys – works eventually, but frustrating.
Camera: Low-Light Wizard With Zoom Ambitions
That variable aperture main camera (f/1.4-4.0) is a night photographer’s dream. I took shots in a dimly lit bar that looked like midday – details crisp, colors true. The 4x optical zoom is useful, but that 50x digital zoom? It’s the tech equivalent of squinting really hard. Fun for spotting concert stage details you’ll immediately forget.
Battery Life: The Marathon Runner
With a 5700mAh battery, this thing outlasts my attention span. A typical day leaves 40% in the tank. The 100W wired charging? 0-80% in 20 minutes – faster than I can make breakfast. The 80W wireless charging is witchcraft – put it down while you shower, and it’s ready to roll.
The Tradeoffs No One Talks About
- Google-less Life: No Maps, Gmail, or Drive out of the box. If your life’s in Google’s ecosystem, this’ll feel like moving countries.
- Weighty Decisions: That premium build adds heft – your pinky finger will stage a protest after long one-handed use.
- 5G Roulette: While it supports global bands, US compatibility is patchy – check your carrier like you’d check a parachute.
Who Should Buy This?
Perfect For: Huawei ecosystem loyalists, camera buffs who love night photography, anyone who wants a conversation-starting status symbol that’s tougher than a rugby prop.
Look Elsewhere If: You’re glued to Google services, want lightweight design, or need every app under the sun without workarounds.
My Personal Take
As someone who lives in Google’s world, I’d admire this phone like a museum piece – gorgeous engineering, incredible camera, but ultimately not my daily driver. If I were in China or didn’t need Google services? Absolutely. That screen and battery life alone are worth the price of admission. But for most international users, it’s like buying a supercar you can only drive on private roads – amazing tech that’s frustratingly limited by circumstances.
Real Talk: Huawei’s made a technical marvel here, but until the app situation improves globally, it’s a niche player. If you’re all-in on their ecosystem though? This is the phone that’ll make your tech-nerd heart skip a beat.
