Beijing, March 21 – Following the quiet unveiling of the Huawei Pura X, tech insiders have now confirmed that the device is powered by the Kirin 9020 chipset, Huawei’s in-house SoC developed by HiSilicon. While Huawei did not officially mention the processor during the launch event, hands-on units available afterward revealed the hardware details through diagnostic apps.
Kirin 9020: A Custom-Designed SoC
The Kirin 9020 debuted in November 2024 with the Huawei Mate 70 series and is now making its way into more flagship devices like the Pura X. It features an 8-core CPU architecture, although some hardware info tools detect 12 cores due to hyperthreading.
CPU core configuration:
- 1x 2.5 GHz Taishan Big Core (custom)
- 3x 2.15 GHz Taishan Mid Cores (custom)
- 4x 1.53 GHz ARM Cortex-A510 cores
The Taishan cores are believed to be Huawei’s own high-performance custom CPUs, while the Cortex-A510 cores are standard ARM units that were procured before the U.S. sanctions.
GPU and Performance Insight
The GPU on the Kirin 9020 is the Maleoon 920, another proprietary Huawei development. It clocks at up to 840 MHz, though specific details regarding the number of cores or its graphics architecture are still unknown.
Initial tests suggest that while CPU performance is nearing flagship levels, GPU output remains closer to mid-range chipsets, potentially limiting performance in high-end gaming scenarios but remaining efficient for general and multimedia tasks.
Why the Silence on the Chipset?
Huawei’s ongoing struggles with U.S. sanctions and trade restrictions, particularly its placement on the Entity List, have pushed the company to refrain from public discussions about SoCs. This strategy might be aimed at avoiding further scrutiny, especially considering the Kirin 9020’s blend of pre-ban ARM tech and in-house engineering.
Pura X: A Step Forward with Huawei’s Chip Comeback
The inclusion of the Kirin 9020 in the Huawei Pura X underlines the brand’s persistent push for self-reliance in semiconductor technology. With 5G support returning and improved performance metrics, Huawei’s latest flagships signal a steady comeback in the premium smartphone market.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.