Huawei launches new Mate 50 Pro smartphone in SA

Tech news 5 February 2023

Huawei announced that its new Huawei Mate 50 Pro is now available to be purchased in South Africa.

The premium smartphone features a symmetrical body design with a prominent aluminium alloy camera ring on the back.

The edge of the ring boasts pyramid-shaped Clous de Paris embossing, often used in luxurious wristwatches, jewellery, and other accessories.

Inside the ring, users will find a powerful rear triple shooter consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide lens, and a 64MP periscope telephoto camera.

It features a large 6.74-inch OLED display which offers a 2,616 x 1,212 resolution with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

For added protection from damage due to falls or impacts, Huawei has integrated its newly-developed Kunlun Glass to boost durability.

Looking at the internals, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset is present, although this is only the 4G version. Added to this is 8GB RAM, along with either 256GB or 512GB onboard storage options. Lastly, a 4 700mAh battery is present, with support for 66W wired fast charging and 50W wireless.

Unfortunately, the version of the chip shopping in the Mate 50 Pro lacks 5G connectivity, which has become a standard on most new flagships from its rivals.

That should not be a total deal-breaker for those users who are satisfied with their 4G network speeds in South Africa.

For reverse charging wearables or other phones, it also gets 7.5W wireless reverse charging.

Pre-orders for the Huawei Mate 50 Pro went live on Thursday, 26 January 2023, and the smartphone will be generally available from 1 February 2023.

In South Africa, Huawei will offer the Mate 50 Pro with 256GB internal storage in black or silver. Both these models are priced at R24,999.

If you want to up storage to 512GB, available in orange, which will be your only colour option, with a price tag of R26,999.