Huawei has announced the Mate 90 series in Shenzhen, China, with new Kirin processors and an optional camera module, the Ruiying Z10, that adds its own sensor and zoom lens to selected phones. The range, announced on 1 October, includes the standard Mate 90, Pro, Pro Max, Pro Max Premium Edition and RS Ultimate Design.
The Ruiying Z10 clips onto the Pro Max Premium Edition and RS Ultimate Design, adding a 50-megapixel sensor and continuous optical zoom from 24mm to 240mm. Both phones already have a 200-megapixel telephoto camera, but the accessory gives you a separate camera system with a larger sensor and an adjustable optical zoom.
A camera with its own sensor
The Ruiying Z10 combines a 1-inch-type RYYB sensor with a 10x continuous optical zoom lens and a variable f/2.0–f/4.5 aperture. Huawei’s HyperClick mount lets it attach directly to supported phones without a separate mounting case.
A typical phone teleconverter works with the camera already inside your phone. The Z10 brings its own sensor, with the phone supplying power, processing and the software for taking pictures. Its focal range covers wide shots through to distant subjects.
You’ll have to make room for it, though. The module weighs 346g and costs CNY5,999 separately, the same starting price as the standard Mate 90.
Huawei has already used a 200-megapixel RYYB telephoto sensor in the Pura 90 Pro Max. The Mate 90 Pro Max and RS continue that approach, while the detachable Z10 adds another option for people who want more control over optical zoom.
What changes between the phones?
Mate 90
The standard Mate 90 has a 6.75-inch OLED display with an adaptive 1–120Hz refresh rate, a Kirin 9030 processor and 12GB of RAM. Storage options range from 256GB to 1TB.
Its rear cameras include a 50-megapixel main camera with a variable f/1.4–f/4.0 aperture, a 40-megapixel ultrawide and a 50-megapixel telephoto offering approximately 4x optical zoom. The 6,600mAh battery supports up to 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. The standard model also gets IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance.
Mate 90 Pro
The Mate 90 Pro keeps the standard model’s screen size and battery capacity, but moves to a dual-layer OLED display and the Kirin 9035 processor. It offers configurations with 16GB of RAM and increases maximum wired charging to 100W. Wireless charging stays at 50W.
The camera resolutions look similar, but the Pro’s 50-megapixel telephoto gets a wider f/2.1 aperture and macro capability. It retains approximately 4x optical zoom, alongside a variable-aperture main camera and 40-megapixel ultrawide.
Huawei says the Pro’s screen reaches a peak brightness of 12,000 nits, but that’s measured at 1% average picture level. You won’t get that brightness across the whole screen.
Mate 90 Pro Max
The Mate 90 Pro Max increases the display to 6.9 inches, with a dual-layer OLED panel supporting the wider BT.2020 colour gamut. Huawei lists both the Kirin 9050 and Kirin 9050 Pro for the regular Pro Max, depending on configuration.
The bigger camera change is the 200-megapixel telephoto, up from the Pro’s 50 megapixels. It still offers approximately 4x optical zoom, alongside a 50-megapixel variable-aperture main camera and a 40-megapixel ultrawide.
Huawei claims the main camera captures up to 18 stops of dynamic range, helping retain detail in bright and dark areas of a scene. The battery grows to 6,800mAh, while maximum charging speeds remain at 100W wired and 50W wireless.
Mate 90 Pro Max Premium Edition
The Premium Edition, also referred to as the Collector’s Edition, keeps the regular Pro Max’s display size, battery capacity and built-in rear camera specifications. It comes with the Kirin 9050 Pro and 16GB of RAM, with either 512GB or 1TB of storage.
It replaces the regular model’s third-generation Kunlun display glass with Xuanwu Kunlun Glass. Huawei says this reduces reflections and improves scratch resistance, based on its laboratory comparisons. The Premium Edition also gets a different decorative ring around the rear camera housing.
This is the Pro Max version you need if you want the Ruiying Z10. The regular Pro Max doesn’t support the detachable camera, and buying the Premium Edition doesn’t automatically include it.
Mate 90 RS Ultimate Design
The RS Ultimate Design shares the Premium Edition’s Kirin 9050 Pro and supports the detachable Z10 camera. It also has a 6.9-inch dual-layer OLED display and a 6,800mAh battery.
Its rear cameras include a 50-megapixel variable-aperture main camera, a 200-megapixel telephoto with approximately 4x optical zoom and a 40-megapixel ultrawide.
The exterior is more distinctive, with an octagonal camera housing and a raised section extending down the back. It comes in crimson, white and black, with 16GB of RAM across the storage options. Those reach 2TB, compared with the Premium Edition’s maximum of 1TB.
What does Huawei mean by Tau?
Huawei says the processors across the range follow its Tau Scaling Law, a design approach that aims to improve performance by reducing delays as signals move through a chip. LogicFolding is one technique it uses to shorten connections within the circuitry. All the announced phones run HarmonyOS 7.
The work continues under US restrictions that limit Huawei’s access to advanced chipmaking technology. LogicFolding rearranges internal wiring in three dimensions to improve density and performance, although production requires more wafers. Consumer business chief Richard Yu said advanced chip capacity remains limited in China. Huawei hasn’t disclosed who manufactures the Kirin 9050 Pro.
Chinese prices start at CNY5,999 for the Mate 90 and CNY6,999 for the Pro. The Pro Max starts at CNY9,499, while the Premium Edition begins at CNY10,999. The RS Ultimate Design starts at CNY12,999 and reaches CNY18,999 for the 2TB version. Huawei hasn’t included South African pricing or availability in this announcement, so we don’t yet know which models we’ll get here or what they’ll cost.