Huawei putting a brand-new chip in the Mate 90 Pro that supposedly outperforms its own 2025 Kirin lineup? That’s either a bold power move or a very interesting piece of rumor mill activity. Either way, it’s worth paying attention to.
According to Huawei Central, the Mate 90 Pro is expected to launch with a processor called the Kirin 9035. Multiple leakers are pointing to this chip as a step above what Huawei has already put out in 2025, with better performance and improved efficiency. That’s not a small claim. Huawei’s Kirin chips have come a long way since the company was cut off from TSMC’s advanced nodes back in 2020, and every generation since has felt like a quiet act of defiance against US export restrictions.
The context here matters a lot. Huawei has been rebuilding its silicon ambitions almost entirely on domestic Chinese manufacturing through SMIC. The Kirin 9000s that powered the Mate 60 Pro was a genuine surprise when it showed up with 5G capability, and it shifted how the industry looked at China’s chip progress. If the Kirin 9035 really does outclass what came before it in 2025, that suggests SMIC is continuing to push its process technology further than many analysts expected.
Some tipsters have also been re-examining Huawei’s broader chipset strategy for the Mate 90 series, especially in the wake of the Mate XT 2. That foldable already set a high bar for hardware ambition, so it makes sense that Huawei would want its next flagship to match that energy on the inside too.
The Kirin 9035 is shaping up to be:
- A new chip exclusive to the Mate 90 Pro lineup
- Faster and more efficient than Huawei’s 2025 Kirin processors
- Built to signal continued progress in China’s domestic chip capabilities
- A potential benchmark for where SMIC’s manufacturing process currently stands
Still, leaks are leaks. Huawei has stayed quiet, and until there’s an official word, some skepticism is healthy. But the pattern here is consistent, and the source track record on Huawei chips is solid. Watch this one closely.