Huawei’s new Mate 80 series hits the headlines in South Africa – the flagship RS model looks pricey
South Africa is on the brink of a new wave of high‑end smartphones. The Huawei Mate 80 line, slated for launch in mid‑November, has already sparked interest with a recent leak that revealed the expected price tags for every 2025 model, including the top‑notch RS Ultimate Design. While the base variations appear affordable, the premium RS version is set to carry a hefty price tag.
What the leak tells us
Leaker Guo Jing released an extensive price list that covers the Main lineup – Mate 80, Pro, Pro + and RS Ultimate – as well as a separate Premium Edition that will be priced lower than the flagship.
Five models in total
- Mate 80 (Base, Pro, Pro + and RS Ultimate)
- Huawei Mate 80 Premium Edition (released at the same time)
Mate 80 pricing – converted to ZAR
| Model | 16 GB + 512 GB | 16 GB + 1 TB | 24 GB + 1 TB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mate 80 (256 GB) | – | – | – |
| 512 GB | R 18 000 | – | – |
| 1 TB | – | R 21 000 | – |
| Mate 80 Pro | – | – | – |
| 512 GB | – | R 21 000 | – |
| 1 TB | – | – | R 24 000 |
| Mate 80 Pro + | R 25 500 | R 28 500 | R 31 500 |
| Mate 80 RS Ultimate Design | R 36 000 | R 39 000 | R 42 000 |
(Prices are round‑numbers based on an exchange rate of 1 RMB ≈ 3 ZAR.)
Premium Edition
| Variant | Price (ZAR) |
|---|---|
| 256 GB | R 18 600 |
| 512 GB | R 20 100 |
| 1 TB | R 23 100 |
How the Mate 80 stacks up to the Mate 70 line
| Original Model | Starting Price (ZAR) |
|---|---|
| Mate 70 (12 GB + 256 GB) | R 16 500 |
| Mate 70 Pro (12 GB + 256 GB) | R 19 500 |
| Mate 70 Pro + (16 GB + 512 GB) | R 25 500 |
| Mate 70 RS Ultimate Design | R 36 000 |
The new 2025 releases are priced almost identically to their predecessors. The only real upgrade is the extra 24 GB RAM variant, which does push the price higher.
Bottom line
Huawei has chosen to keep the Mate 80 price structure consistent with the Mate 70 series, meaning South African buyers can expect fairly predictable costs. The RS Ultimate Design, however, will be the most expensive option, with a starting price of around R 36 000 for 16 GB/512 GB configurations. If the 24 GB/1 TB combo still pulls in consumers, it could cost closer to R 42 000.
The real test will be whether the pre‑orders match these leaked figures and how the devices perform in the highly competitive South African market. As always, keep an eye on official launch announcements for the final prices.
Image caption: The price leak data was sourced from a Weibo post (image courtesy: Weibo). Latest update: 29 Oct 2025.
