HiSilicon Kirin 9030 Pro: Test Results and Devices with Huawei's New Chip

HiSilicon Kirin 9030 Pro is Huawei's flagship mobile platform for smartphones and tablets running HarmonyOS. The nine-core CPU processes up to 14 threads, while the graphics are powered by Maleoon 935. Kirin 9030 Pro is significantly faster than previous Huawei platforms, but its real capabilities heavily depend on the specific device.

The variation in results for the chip is unusually large. Cooling, power mode, and software version affect the final scores, so the performance of one smartphone cannot be extrapolated to all models with Kirin 9030 Pro.

Results of Devices with Kirin 9030 Pro

The best multi-core result in the table belongs to the MatePad Pro Max. Its larger body likely helps the tablet maintain high frequencies for a longer duration. Mate X7 significantly lags behind Mate 80 Pro Max in the single-core test but scores nearly as many points under multi-core load.

The AnTuTu scores of the three smartphones are close: Mate 80 Pro Max, Pura X Max, and Mate 80 Pro with 16 GB of RAM score around 2.1 million points. The 12 GB version of Mate 80 Pro can't be considered here, as it has the standard Kirin 9030. The Pro variant is used only in the model with 16 GB RAM.

Processor Architecture

The Kirin 9030 Pro uses a 1+4+4 configuration:

• one high-performance core with a frequency of up to 2.75 GHz;
• four performance cores up to 2.27 GHz;
• four energy-efficient cores up to 1.72 GHz.

In total, there are nine physical cores and up to 14 threads. Some of the high-performance cores handle two threads each. The new model differs from Kirin 9020 with higher frequencies and an additional physical core.

The chip is manufactured by SMIC using the N+3 process, an upgraded version of China’s 7nm technology. However, it lags behind the more modern production lines of TSMC and Samsung. The less advanced technological standards limit the frequencies and energy efficiency of the processor. Huawei compensates for part of this lag with the optimization of HarmonyOS and more powerful device cooling.

How Fast is Kirin 9030 Pro?

In Geekbench 6, devices score between 1300 and 1800 points for single-core performance. The best models approach the upper limit of the range, while some smartphones fall short of even 1300 points. In terms of single-core performance, Kirin 9030 Pro falls behind modern flagship chips from Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Apple.

In the multi-core test, scores range from 5200 to 6500 points. Given the relatively modest single-core results, multi-core performance becomes the platform's main advantage. The chip performs better in tasks that can load many cores simultaneously.

The gap in single-core performance is more noticeable in applications that poorly utilize multiple cores. In such cases, Kirin 9030 Pro relies more on the frequency of the high-performance core and the specific device settings.

Huawei claims up to a 42% increase in overall performance for Mate 80 Pro Max compared to Mate 70 Pro+. This figure refers to the entire device and not just the processor: it is also influenced by HarmonyOS 6, memory, storage, and system settings. Thus, this number cannot directly compare Kirin 9030 Pro and Kirin 9020.

Graphics Maleoon 935 and Gaming

The Maleoon 935 graphics replace Maleoon 920. In initial tests, the new GPU is approximately 60% faster than its predecessor, but it still falls short compared to the graphics cores in current flagship Snapdragon and Dimensity chips.

The overall AnTuTu 11 score reaches around 2.1 million points, but the graphics section accounts for only about 345,000 points. A substantial portion of the final score comes from the CPU, memory, and UX system section. Therefore, the overall AnTuTu score gives a somewhat inflated impression of the chip's gaming performance.

In less demanding and well-optimized games, high settings are available, but in heavy projects, graphics quality will have to be lowered. It's not reasonable to expect stable FPS on maximum settings.

Frequency maintenance depends on the cooling of a specific model. Mate 80 Pro Max and MatePad Pro Max can sustain high power levels longer, while Mate X7 reduces frequencies sooner. Even a vapor chamber with an area of 3550 mm² does not eliminate the limitations of the thin foldable design.

Devices with Kirin 9030 Pro

The processor is used in several high-end models from Huawei:

• Huawei Mate 80 Pro Max - a large flagship with the most consistent results;
• Huawei Mate 80 Pro 16 GB - a more compact model; the version with 12 GB of RAM runs on the standard Kirin 9030;
• Huawei Mate X7 - a foldable smartphone that reduces frequencies sooner under load;
• Huawei Pura X Max - a foldable model with an unusually wide 7.7-inch internal display;
• Huawei MatePad Pro Max - a large tablet with the best multi-core result in the table;
• Huawei Mate 80 Pro Max Wind Edition - a variant designed for longer performance under heavy load.

Pura X Max runs on HarmonyOS 6.1 and is initially intended for the Chinese market. Availability and the set of compatible applications depend on the region.

Conclusion

Kirin 9030 Pro is significantly faster than Kirin 9020, especially in multi-core tasks, but it falls short of the best platforms from Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Apple in terms of graphics, single-core speed, and energy efficiency.

Performance results heavily depend on the device's design and cooling: MatePad Pro Max performs better under prolonged load, while the foldable Mate X7 reduces frequencies sooner. When choosing the Mate 80 Pro, it's important to check the memory capacity-Kirin 9030 Pro is only installed in the version with 16 GB of RAM.