Huawei Mate X3 review

Huawei’s third foldable telephone is one other book-style gadget, with a slimmer and lighter design than earlier variations.  

As it is a Huawei telephone, it comes with out native assist for Google providers. That is in fact an enormous disgrace, because the Chinese language tech firm has as soon as once more produced a slam-dunk on the {hardware} entrance that outshines rivals such because the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Google Pixel Fold.

Right here’s my conflicted evaluate of the Mate X3.

Design & construct 

• The thinnest and lightest book-style foldable proper now
• IPX8 ranking
• Two color choices

Huawei has at all times impressed with its builds, and this telephone isn’t any totally different. It seems to be unimaginable and is extraordinarily sensible.  

For a book-style foldable, the Huawei Mate X3 is shockingly slim at 11.08mm thick while folded and 5.3mm while unfolded – 3mm slimmer than the earlier technology telephone, the Mate X2. For a tool toting two entire shows, it is a critical feat in engineering.

The load is equally spectacular, clocking in at simply 239g. This makes it one of many slimmest and lightest book-style foldable gadget available on the market on the time of writing. The truth is, it’s not that a lot thicker than an ordinary smartphone – so it received’t be bulging in your pocket in contrast to different thicker or wider folding telephones.

The massive round rear digicam bump is an announcement. The telephone doesn’t lie utterly flat when positioned on a floor, however the centre placement does make the load even so it isn’t leaning to at least one aspect.

The model I examined is available in a darkish inexperienced vegan leather-based end, however you too can get the Mate X3 in a black glass variant. I’m a fan of the leather-based end – it doesn’t choose up fingerprints, and it stays securely on surfaces. 

The telephone has a book-style folding design, with one lengthy show on the skin when closed, after which an inner bigger show with a fold down the centre when opened. 

The telephone closed utterly flat, in contrast to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, so it doesn’t choose up a lot mud or gunk from the skin. The USB-C port sits on the underside of the telephone, while stereo audio system are at both finish. Like different premium gadgets, it doesn’t have a headphone jack.  

Huawei has lastly added in some waterproofing to its Mate X line, with this telephone boasting an IPX8 ranking, so it will survive a quick dunking.

You get house for 2 SIMs in addition to Huawei’s personal nano-memory card for extra storage. There’s a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which works as meant. Face recognition struggles from time-to-time, significantly in low-lit areas, or if I’m sporting glasses.

Haptics on this telephone are clipped and supply degree of suggestions. There’s a sliding scale to regulate the energy on the Microsoft SwiftKey keyboard settings. Having it set at about 50% is the candy spot – 100% is simply too overpowering.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Display screen & audio system 

• Twin OLED screens
• 120Hz refresh charges
• Crease is noticable

There are two screens to think about on the Mate X3, and each are splendid.

The exterior show is 6.4in in a 20.9:9 facet ratio. That’s barely slimmer than what you’d effective on a traditional telephone, however webpages and apps nonetheless perform usually, with none squashing or compression of textual content or pictures – I usually forgot I used to be utilizing a foldable gadget, utilizing this display screen as I’d on a traditional telephone. 

The inner foldable display screen extends to 7.85in and comes with a decision of 2224 x 2496 – the next decision that the quilt display screen, which is 1080 x 2504. Each shows have OLED panels with refresh charges of 120Hz.  

In actual phrases, each shows are shiny and vibrant, and produce minimal glare when used beneath direct daylight. You’ll get one of the best expertise utilizing the larger show – however should you simply need to apply it to the go, the exterior show remains to be a pleasure to take a look at. 

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

There’s a crease within the inner show whenever you first open it up, there’s no denying it. Nevertheless, it’s largely noticeable when at a side-angle slightly than face-on. After I in contrast side-by-side with the Z Fold 3, the dent doesn’t look or really feel as outstanding. It additionally feels stable and durable to the touch, and never spongey like another versatile shows. 

There’s additionally a barely thick bezel across the periphery, however that is typical for a telephone with this construct.  

The outer display screen in protected by Huawei’s personal Kunlun bolstered glass, while the outside show is allegedly 4 instances extra affect proof against the Huawei Mate X2 – although I counsel in opposition to any knocks or drops while utilizing it.  

There’s a selfie digicam on its inner display screen in addition to the skin one. While this does imply that you just don’t get a completely clear panel inside, it affords flexibility and lets you take video calls on a much bigger show. Plus, the punch gap design is neatly tucked away within the nook, so it isn’t too obtrusive.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Not all apps are totally supported for the inner show. Photos on Instagram get barely lower off when seen in full, and Twitch features finest with out maximising the video – should you do, then the entire app rotates and the chat display screen will get squashed to the aspect, slightly than being neatly tucked beneath. Movies and collection on Disney+ even have letterboxing, so can’t take full benefit of that wonderful show.

The stereo audio system produce loud and punchy audio. While music doesn’t have the identical depth and color as a tool with further processing, the audio is a lot effective for podcasts and video streaming.

Specs & efficiency 

• Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
• 12GB RAM/512GB storage within the UK

The Huawei Mate X3 is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. That is paired with 12GB RAM and 512GB price of storage, the one configuration that the telephone is available in within the UK. In China you will get it with 12GB and both 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage.

The 8+ Gen 1 is similar chip that’s within the flagship Huawei P60 Professional, and isn’t the most recent Qualcomm chipset available on the market – that badge of honour goes to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which is out there on the Samsung S23 collection.

Nonetheless, it is a highly effective smartphone that may deal with vigorous multitasking, gaming and strenuous apps. It additionally outpaces the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in our official Geekbench 5 check. See extra scores in our benchmarking beneath:

To place it merely, you shouldn’t fear about efficiency with this telephone – there aren’t any points with stuttering or lag. I used to be capable of play the demanding sport Genshin Affect on medium graphics settings with just some popping – although the telephone did get fairly scorching.  

Huawei’s continued strained relations with the US commerce business signifies that you’ll must accept 4G slightly than 5G – not nice contemplating the hefty price ticket.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Cameras & video 

• 50Mp primary lens
• As much as 5x optical zoom
• Twin 8Mp selfie cameras

For a book-style foldable, the Huawei Mate X3 has a formidable set of cameras. The primary 50Mp lens has an f/1.8 aperture, together with optical picture stabilisation (OIS). That is complimented by a 12Mp telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, a f/3.4 aperture and OIS, and a 13Mp wide-angle lens with a f/2.2 aperture. 

While it doesn’t have the identical wow-factor because the snapper on the P60 Professional, these pictures aren’t to be sniffed at. Textures and particulars are sharp, colors are shiny but true-to-life, and the digicam performs decently in quite a lot of lighting environments.  

The 5x optical zoom is sufficient to retain particulars in skyscrapers from miles away. It’s spectacular Huawei slot in a periscope telephoto lens in a folding telephone within the first place.

You possibly can digitally zoom even additional – as much as 50x zoom. Nevertheless, the photographs turn into a lot blurrier and noisier above 10x zoom. Observe that it is a slight step down from the Mate X2, which affords 10x optical zoom and 100x digital.  

The bokeh impact could be very spectacular, with the digicam figuring out effective items of hair and boosted colors of the primary topic in all the appropriate areas. Tremendous-macro mode means you may take some spectacular close-up photographs of issues comparable to crops with minimal fuss.  

For low mild images, I caught with evening mode. There’s a clear distinction in photographs with this on, with particulars and shades a lot sharper and lifted. With out it, the digicam suffers with glare and might wrestle focusing.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

The wide-angle digicam is much less spectacular. While it has subject of view, colors don’t pop as a lot, and effective strains are misplaced. The attitude additionally feels somewhat odd right here, with a barely fish-eyed end.  

Each shows have 8Mp selfie cameras with f/2.4 apertures. They aren’t precisely groundbreaking, however will suffice for video calls. If you need a high-quality selfie, then open the digicam app on the outside show, unfold the telephone and switch it round – this fashion you may benefit from the primary snapper, capturing your mug in prime quality.  

For video, the Mate X3 can file in 4K at 60fps, and comes with gyro-EIS for holding recordings regular. The entrance cameras faucet out at 4K at 30fps.  

Battery & charging 

• Round a day’s use on common
• 85% cost in half-hour
• Wi-fi and reverse wi-fi charging supported

The Mate X3 has a 4800mAh battery, which is on par with what different foldables of this model pack in.

In typical use, the telephone lasts a day on common – that is after watching movies, taking photographs and calls, and so on. It’s about the identical degree as what I’d count on from a traditional flagship telephone, which is respectable contemplating that the battery is powering two shows.   

In our PCMark10 battery check, the telephone didn’t fare nice – managing simply seven hours and eight minutes. Nevertheless, this was utilizing the primary show constantly. Throughout real-world use I alternate between the outer and inside screens. It’s additionally in line with most scores achieved by different book-style foldables in our checks.

You get 66W wired charging, 50W wi-fi charging and seven.5 reverse wi-fi charging. A typical cost will juice the telephone from flat to 85% in half-hour – although you will need to be certain that ‘turbo charging’ is enabled whenever you plug the telephone in to get the quickest speeds.   

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Software program & updates 

• No native Google assist
• EMUI 13.1 based mostly on Android 12

The Huawei Mate X3 runs on EMUI 13.1, which relies on Android 12, not the most recent Android 13. It pains me to say it, however the software program stops this telephone from being recommendable to anybody who depends on Google apps and providers. There’s no Google Play Retailer, both.

It’s not simply issues comparable to Drive, Pictures and Docs that this covers – Uber and Citymapper are unusable, as they scrape information from Google Maps. You can also’t obtain different huge titles from the Huawei AppGallery app retailer, together with WhatsApp, Fb, Netflix and PayPal. 

You possibly can sideload a few of these apps, however the course of is sort of clunky – and never all apps instantly obtain from the primary APK website you’ll discover. You possibly can technically get Google working by sandboxing. In the event you’re unsure what any of this implies, don’t purchase this telephone!

I obtained Twitter, Twitch, Instagram and Disney+ all working. The AppGallery additionally contains some issues comparable to TikTok and Snapchat.

Alternatively, you need to use Huawei’s personal apps. For instance, Petal Maps is a clone of Google Maps. While that is correct in predicting public transport in London, the search perform is extraordinarily weird and doesn’t at all times counsel each outcome you’d discover on Google’s variant.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Elephant within the room apart, navigation on EMUI is paying homage to Xiaomi’s MIUI OS. Swiping down from the top-left will entry your notifications, while swiping down from the top-right pulls up the management panel. This telephone additionally shares Xiaomi’s annoying behavior of bloatware.

Huawei provides you the choice to make use of cut up display screen mode. While that is helpful, some apps (comparable to Instagram) are usually not supported, and the quantity of gestures and controls aren’t as useful as what Samsung affords.

In accordance with a Huawei spokesperson, the Mate X3 will get two years of OS updates and three years safety at minimal. Nevertheless, flagships from the model can get longer – as much as three years of OS and 4 12 months safety updates.

The Mate X3 doesn’t get as a lot long-term assist as Samsung fashions, which have 4 years of updates and 5 of safety patches.

Worth & availability 

The Huawei Mate X3 will set you again a hefty £1,999/€2,199, and like different Huawei telephones it isn’t accessible within the US. British readers can purchase it immediately from Huawei, or through Amazon.

You can even import it from VMall.

That is extraordinarily costly, outpricing each the Google Pixel Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, each of which don’t have the identical software program flaws. In the event you’re used to the Android expertise, I wouldn’t suggest dropping £2,000 on this telephone.

You possibly can try additional foldable gadgets, together with clam-shell smartphones such because the Galaxy Z Flip 4, in our chart of one of the best foldable telephones.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Verdict 

From a {hardware} standpoint, the Huawei Mate X3 can’t be crushed by different book-style foldables. Each the rear physique and OLED shows are a deal with to take a look at, and its mild and slim physique is really outstanding. It additionally features simply in addition to a traditional smartphone when closed. 

Sadly, it’s extraordinarily arduous to make use of with out Google-supported apps. Aspect-loading can solely get you to this point, and Huawei’s personal apps simply aren’t as intuitive and clear. The battery life isn’t spectacular both.  

If it didn’t have these software program points, it will virtually actually be the most effective foldables you will get proper now. If Huawei can handle to sooner or later get again within the Google sport, then it’d stand an opportunity at competing within the Western foldable market.

Specs

• Android 12 with EMUI 13.1
• Inside: 7.85in foldable 120Hz OLED show (2224 x 2496)
• Exterior: 6.4in 120Hz OLED (1080 x 2504)
• Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB/512GB/1TB storage
• 50Mp, f/1.8, RYYB OIS rear digicam + 13Mp, f/2.2 ultra-wide + 12Mp, f/3.4, 5x optical zoom, OIS tele
• 8Mp f/2.4 entrance digicam (exterior show) + 8Mp f/2.4 entrance digicam (inner show)
• Aspect mounted fingerprint scanner
• 11az dual-band Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.2
• GPS
• NFC
• 4G LTE
• USB-C
• 4500mAh non-removable battery
• 66W wired charging
• Unfolded: 156.9 x 141.5 x 5.3mm
• Folded: 156.9 x 72.4 x 11.8mm
• 239g