Huawei could overhaul its Kirin chipset to deliver both improved performance and greater power efficiency in the Mate 80.
Huawei is reportedly gearing up to enhance its flagship Kirin chipset for the Mate 80 series, focusing on both performance gains and improved power efficiency ahead of its official debut.
According to Weibo leaker @SmartPikachu, Huawei will revamp its Kirin 5G SoC using advanced chip‑packaging technology. By minimizing the distance between core components, this approach should shrink the chipset’s physical footprint and deliver faster processing compared to earlier Kirin processors.
The reduced chipset area has fueled speculation that Huawei may finally adopt a 5 nm fabrication process—something that was slated for the Mate 70 but delayed due to tighter export controls, limited access to high-end manufacturing tools, and constrained production capacity.
In addition, rumor has it that the Mate 80 could feature an auxiliary co‑processor. While specifics are scarce, this companion chip would be designed in‑house to further boost overall system performance.
In sum, these architectural upgrades—ranging from refined SoC packaging to potential 5 nm manufacturing and an extra processing unit—are expected to enhance data throughput, elevate performance, extend battery life, and even help lower production costs.
What additional capabilities the new Kirin chip might unlock will only become clear in time.
Huawei traditionally unveils its latest Kirin SoCs alongside its flagship releases. After the Mate 70, many expected an upgraded Kirin for the Pura 80 series—but instead, the Pura X debuted with a tuned-up Kirin 9020.
Now, rumors suggest that this same enhanced Kirin 9020 derivative may power the Pura 80 lineup as well. While Huawei’s chipset roadmap for the rest of the year remains fluid, we’re likely to see more concrete details emerge as the Pura 80 launch draws closer.
