Huawei’s Mate 70 Air Proves Thin Can Mean Everything

Huawei just rolled out the Mate 70 Air in China, a smartphone that manages to pack in all the high-end features while squeaking into a body that’s thinner than your average wallet. Pre-orders kicked off a day early with a very reasonable 100-yuan deposit (a credit toward the final bill, basically) and the Mate 70 Air is set to hit the shelves come November 11.

You can slide this thing into a pocket and it barely seems like it’s there; at 6.6 millimeters thin and 208 grams light. The metal frame is nicely curved, and the glass back in Obsidian Black, Feather White, or Gold Silver Brocade is so bright that it will attract people’s attention without yelling. On the back, there is a circular camera module that is nearly undetectable. It was designed for the Mate 70 series but has been improved to fit the slimmer Mate 70 Air. Up front, a little pill-shaped cutout conceals the selfie camera and all of the sensors required for secure face unlocking; it’s all framed by some very cool micro-quad-curved glass that wraps around the edges in this really pleasant, smooth way. And when you hold it, you get a feeling of the balance Huawei has been pursuing for years: a mix between daily-use style and a strengthened structure that can actually withstand being dropped or twisted, which is surprising considering how tiny it is.

The phone’s front panel features a 6.9-inch display with a stunning 1.5K resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels, ensuring that everything from maps to movies looks sharp. The colours are extremely vibrant, due to the LTPO panel, which adjusts the refresh rate to ensure that it is always just perfect, jumping up to 120Hz for a fluid scrolling experience and dipping down to save power when necessary. Oh, and it gets rather bright, so you don’t have to squint on those sunny strolls; also, the wide 18.8:9 aspect ratio provides a view that covers the screen without taking up any extra room. Furthermore, even with wet fingers or gloves on, the touch response remains quick, allowing you to swipe between apps or games with ease. And when you’re in a dimly lit room, the screen simply dims slightly to protect your eyes.


Under the hood, the Mate 70 Air is powered by a Kirin 9020 processor, which is paired with up to 16GB of RAM in the top model (although 12GB is the starting point) and plenty of storage options – either 256GB or 512GB – so you can store all of your photos, videos, and files without blinking an eye. HarmonyOS 5.1 is available right away, with an upgrade to 6.0 on the way, and it’s all about giving you a silky smooth interface where apps do everything in a flash and running multiple things at once is seamless, with gestures that just feel natural, from pulling down notifications to flicking to split screens without lag.


The Mate 70 Air’s cameras stand out, beginning with a 50MP primary sensor on a 1/1.3-inch chip that captures details in bright sunlight or twilight haze. An 8MP ultrawide lens allows for more dynamic vistas, while a 12MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom gets close to distant subjects without blur. A 1.5MP multispectral sensor fine-tunes colors across images, keeping skin tones accurate and greens glowing in any light. Video is shot in 4K with stabilization, and selfies from the 10.7MP front camera frame faces naturally, with options to soften backgrounds or add warmth for more lively photos. Processing with Huawei’s XMAGE system sharpens results without overdoing it, transforming everyday photos into keepsakes worth framing.


Power comes from a 6,500mAh battery that defies the small design by lasting hours longer than competitors on mixed use—streaming, navigation, and phone conversations throughout the day and into the night. A 66W wired charger via USB-C charges it from empty to full in about an hour, while wireless solutions reach 50W for desk-side charging without cords. Satellite communication via Beidou kicks in when signals vanish, allowing you to send texts or locations from remote areas.

The Mate 70 Air is priced between 4,199 yuan (about $590) for the 12GB/256GB model and 5,199 yuan ($730) for the 16GB/512GB version, putting it squarely in the premium category. Early adopters receive cases or earphones as freebies as part of promotions. One caveat: the launch is limited to China.
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