Huawei Mate X6 review: The best foldable you shouldn’t buy

Peak foldable season could also be over however Huawei has joined the motion with a late contender, the Mate X6. Introduced on the finish of 2024 and touchdown with clients in early 2025, the Mate X6 goals to be a flagship foldable with out the standard compromises.

This implies it has a spacious outer show, a slim, light-weight and sturdy design, a giant battery and flagship-level cameras. Nevertheless, regardless of Huawei’s claims, it’s no secret that the model’s telephones do, in truth, include compromises.

You received’t discover Google providers right here, and it runs on silicon that’s just a few steps behind the newest from Qualcomm and MediaTek. If you mix that with premium pricing, is that this foldable really price contemplating?

I used to be eager to search out out what it’s prefer to stay with, and after inserting my SIM card for the previous week or so, right here’s every little thing I discovered in regards to the Huawei Mate X6.

Design & Construct

• Vegan leather-based or composite fibre again
• 239g, 2nd Gen Kunlun Glass
• IPX8 rated

Eradicating the system from the field, the Huawei Mate X6 makes an instantaneous impression. It feels exceptionally properly constructed and premium, with an opulent fake leather-based again panel and glossy accents that make me consider a high-end purse.

I’m not normally a fan of shiny facet rails. They could look good in a showroom, however they sometimes decide up smudges and fingerprints like loopy, fully ruining the look. One way or the other, although, that’s not the case right here. Huawei has labored some magic, and these rails are virtually fully immune.

The telephone feels dense and strong within the hand with out being too heavy. It’s a really slim telephone, solely marginally thicker than the razor-thin Honor Magic V3, however that additional thickness is confidence-inspiring, and this system feels prefer it might take extra of a beating.

The size imply that the telephone feels very pure to make use of folded-shut, it’s a world aside from Samsung’s oddly slim Z Fold 6. In truth, you possibly can virtually mistake it for a typical sweet bar design in the event you’re not trying intently – the one distinction is that it’s a little bit thicker. 

Luke Baker

The general design is kind of just like the Huawei Mate XT, the large dual-hinged foldable that Huawei launched in China just some months in the past. And the crimson model that I’ve for testing appears to be like particularly acquainted.

There’s additionally a model with out the vegan leather-based backing, which is available in a gray color with a swirly sample throughout the again. It’s simply as placing, and in the event you’re not into that leathery really feel, it may very well be simply the ticket.

It’s additionally price mentioning the hinge, as I believe that is possible the perfect implementation outdoors of Samsung’s efforts. Most foldable screens can fortunately sit at a 90-degree angle, however they generally tend to spring open or shut at extra excessive angles. Till now, I’d say Samsung was the one model to resolve this subject, however Huawei has come alongside and matched it. It’s simply the most effective hinges in the marketplace.

Luke Baker

The Mate X6 comes with a case included within the field, it’s constituted of a clear laborious acrylic materials, and my mannequin got here with a colour-matched vegan leather-based patch on the rear. It’s a half case, so it’ll solely shield the rear portion of the system, however entrance bumpers aren’t normally too sensible on foldables, in order that’s no main loss.

The case has a built-in kickstand that’s spring-loaded and makes for a very good fidget toy, in addition to being very sensible. It will possibly rotate 270 levels to make for an efficient stand in both panorama or portrait orientation. I at all times prefer to have a kickstand with a foldable telephone, it’s good to have the ability to set the telephone down on a desk and use it like a mini TV.

Other than the included case, the telephone additionally boasts IPX8 water resistance, so getting caught out within the rain shouldn’t pose a problem. There’s additionally a brand new extremely scratch-resistant model of Huawei’s Kunlun glass on the outer display. In fact, mud might nonetheless pose a menace, and that interior display will should be dealt with with care.

Display screen & Audio system

• Outer: 6.45-inch 1080 x 2440 OLED 120Hz
• Interior: 7.94-inch 2240 x 2440 OLED 120Hz
• Stereo audio system

The outer display has a quad-curved design with symmetrical bezels, as is the pattern with current Chinese language flagship gadgets. This implies the display is generally flat, and the curves solely begin across the bezel, supplying you with the perfect of each worlds.

The curve is barely much less pronounced on the hinge facet, however the impact is identical. Gesture controls really feel splendidly clean as you swipe from the sting of the show, however you don’t get the annoying unintended touches or distracting reflections which might be current on conventional curved designs.

Opening it up, the interior folding show is a spacious unit simply shy of 8 inches. It has an virtually sq. facet ratio and the selfie digital camera is tucked neatly within the nook.

That is my most well-liked configuration, centrally positioned digital camera cutouts usually intervene with full-screen content material and Samsung’s under-display unit, with its low pixel density protecting, is nearly as distracting. This digital camera gap may be very straightforward to overlook about, and the one draw back is that it’s important to angle the telephone barely to be centred in selfies and video calls.

The foldable display protector jogs my memory of the one on Samsung’s Galaxy Z sequence telephones. It’s way more shiny than the one on the Honor Magic V3, however for good purpose. It feels more durable, and this implies your fingers glide throughout it with much less friction, it’s additionally much less vulnerable to fingerprint smudges.

Nevertheless, there’s a giant draw back to such a display protector, and that’s the reflections. The principle subject is that the crease turns into way more noticeable in sure lighting situations, and that’s certain to hassle some customers greater than others. In any case, the crease is far shallower than Samsung’s, and I discovered it straightforward to overlook about.

Each screens share related specs, they’re each LTPO OLED panels that may shift from 1-120Hz, and so they have an analogous pixel density. The foldable show has the next decision, just because it’s bigger, however the principle distinction is the brightness.

The outer display can increase to 2500 nits to compete with brilliant sunny days, whereas the foldable display maxes out at 1800 nits. Each have been loads brilliant sufficient for me, however it’s winter within the UK, and solar is a rarity, so take that with a grain of salt.

Luke Baker

For those who’re involved about eye well being, Huawei has made some strides on this space, too. The screens have a brand new low mild mode that may dim all the way in which right down to 1 nit, in addition to tremendous speedy 1440Hz PWM dimming to scale back eye fatigue.

Specs & Efficiency

• Thriller processor (Kirin 9020?)
• 12GB RAM
• 512GB storage

As you will have gathered, Huawei’s {hardware} has impressed on all fronts to date, nevertheless it’s right here that issues get a little bit extra difficult. US sanctions imply that Huawei doesn’t have entry to the identical chips as rival manufacturers, so there’s no Qualcomm or MediaTek right here, and the model should rely by itself Kirin processors.

Huawei’s product web page and advertising supplies neglect to say the processor, however different sources declare it’s the Kirin 9020. Regardless of the case could also be, this silicon is an efficient few steps behind the competitors.

Luke Baker

Benchmark checks make the hole clear as day, it’s nowhere near matching the uncooked energy of the Snapdragon 8 Elite or MediaTek Dimensity 9400, and that’s not what you need to see whenever you’re paying such a premium value.

Nevertheless, benchmarks don’t inform the complete story, and with some intelligent software program optimisation, Huawei is ready to squeeze a variety of efficiency from this comparatively sluggish chip.

In day-to-day use, it’s virtually inconceivable to inform the distinction between this telephone and every other flagship system. It feels snappy and responsive, apps open shortly and animations are persistently slick and clean.

Luke Baker

It even video games surprisingly properly, I used to be shocked to search out I might max out the settings in notoriously demanding titles like Genshin Impression and Zenless Zone Zero. The framerate dipped sometimes, however each remained playable, and the telephone by no means acquired concerningly heat within the course of. I’m undecided how Huawei has managed this, however I’m definitely not complaining.

I’m certain there are circumstances the place the dearth of processing energy shall be extra obvious, possibly in modifying movies or one thing like that, nevertheless it wasn’t one thing I bumped into with regular utilization. The principle factor I seen was that images took a little bit longer to course of once they first opened within the gallery, which is barely an inconvenience.

It’s additionally price mentioning that the reception is great on this telephone. I discovered that I had a sign in locations the place my different telephones are inclined to drop out. There’s a giant caveat, although, and that’s the truth that this telephone doesn’t assist 5G. So whereas your sign could be nice, the utmost pace shall be decrease than you’re used to.

Cameras

• 50 Mp f/1.4-f/4.0 predominant digital camera
• 48 Mp f/3.0 4x telephoto (macro)
• 40 Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide
• 8 Mp, f/2.2 selfie digital camera, mounted focus

The Huawei Mate X6 has a triple digital camera setup on its rear, there’s a 50Mp predominant digital camera with a mechanically adjustable aperture, a 48Mp 4x telephoto with macro capabilities and a 40Mp ultrawide digital camera.

Luke Baker

Considerably unusually, Huawei hasn’t talked about the sensor sizes, so we’re left guessing in that division. Given the comparatively slim digital camera bump, although, it’s secure to say we’re beneath the 1-inch threshold.

There’s a fourth sensor on the rear, that Huawei calls the Extremely Chroma Colour Sensor. That is designed to provide the good white stability each time, and primarily based on my testing to date, it appears to work as marketed.

That is the primary foldable telephone to reach on the worldwide stage with an adjustable aperture. We’ve seen related tech on current Honor and Huawei flagships, nevertheless it has by no means made its strategy to a foldable, apart from the China-exclusive Mate XT.

Matching the Pura 70 Extremely, this aperture can shift from f/2.0 to f/4.0, and altering the worth impacts the quantity of sunshine let in, in addition to the depth of subject – similar to knowledgeable mirrorless digital camera. Informal customers are unlikely to note an enormous distinction, because the software program robotically selects an acceptable F-stop, however these craving finer management over their pictures will get pleasure from this.

The principle approach I used this function was for closeup photographs. For those who’re taking a macro shot of a plant or a miniature, it may well usually be troublesome to get the whole topic in focus. The nearer you get, the narrower the focal aircraft turns into, however closing that aperture a bit can yield a lot sharper outcomes.

What’s barely irritating is that the perfect macro digital camera on this telephone is the 4x telephoto, and that doesn’t have an adjustable aperture. Fortunately, Huawei has managed to beat this subject with its software program.

There’s a brand new function that Huawei calls eDOF (prolonged depth of subject) and it combines a number of photographs taken at totally different focal factors to maintain the entire topic sharp. It’s the identical approach that skilled macro shooters use, however on this case, it’s executed on the contact of a button, with out the standard handbook stitching course of.

It will possibly’t be overstated how spectacular this 4x lens is for macro capturing. It’s mainly like having a microscope in your pocket. You may get shut sufficient to see the person fibres on clothes, and in the event you love taking footage of vegetation or bugs, you’re in for a good time.

The ultrawide is barely much less spectacular than the opposite two cameras, as is usually the case, nevertheless it’s nonetheless excellent. The colors match the opposite lenses completely and the 13mm equal FOV means that you can squeeze tons into the body.

There’s a punch-hole selfie digital camera on each shows and every has an 8Mp decision. These cameras are completely ample, however small sensors and stuck focus imply they’re not going to amaze with their high quality. For those who’re on the lookout for a show-stopping selfie, it’s properly price unfolding the telephone and utilizing the rear digital camera as a substitute.

As I’ve discovered with earlier Huawei gadgets, the portrait mode results and night time mode are up there with the perfect obtainable. So whereas this telephone won’t boast the big sensor sizes of its bar-phone competitors, it will get the job executed handily in low-light situations. It additionally has the identical spectacular motion-freezing capabilities because the Pura 70 Extremely. So in the event you love taking motion photographs, or when you have children or pets that received’t sit nonetheless, the Mate X6 can work some magic.

Photograph high quality is considerably subjective. Some individuals like vibrant, poppy pictures, whereas others favor lifelike photographs with a natural-looking sharpness. I’m within the latter camp, and for me, Huawei’s picture processing is among the many finest obtainable.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5110 mAh battery
• 66W wired charging
• 50W wi-fi charging

Regardless of being impressively slim, the Huawei Mate X6 nonetheless manages to pack in a 5110 mAh battery pack. And whereas it’s not the longest-lasting foldable that I’ve ever examined, the battery life is excellent. I by no means struggled to make it to the top of the day, even with plenty of digital camera utilization and loads of streaming on the big foldable show.

Luke Baker

It expenses pretty shortly, too. Once more, it’s not the quickest that I’ve tried, however 66W is sufficient to take you from flat to full in beneath 45 minutes. It’s virtually as fast wirelessly, boasting a formidable 50W most charge. That’s quicker than the S24 Extremely can cost with a wire, not too shabby!

In fact, you’ll want a particular Huawei wi-fi charger to attain most pace, however fortunately, the wired adapter is included within the field. So that you’ll get the quickest speeds from day one whenever you’re plugged in.

Software program & Apps

• EMUI 15, primarily based on Android
• No Google providers
• New multitasking options and eye-tracking

In China, Huawei’s newest telephones have moved to a brand new proprietary model of HarmonyOS that’s now not primarily based on Android, however that’s not the case with world fashions. The Mate X6 runs EMUI 15, which remains to be a closely customised model of Android 12.

Luke Baker

Nevertheless, until you’re coming from a current Huawei system, it’s a really totally different Android expertise than standard. These aforementioned sanctions imply that the telephone has no entry to Google providers. Meaning no Play Retailer, no Gmail, no YouTube – the record goes on.

There’s no approach I can use a telephone with out these providers, however fortunately, there are just a few totally different workarounds that may get these apps put in. A mixture of the MicroG Mission and Aurora Retailer signifies that these apps run virtually natively, and it’s my most well-liked methodology. The one capabilities which might be lacking are Google Assistant/Gemini, Google Pockets and Android Auto. Not ultimate, however manageable omissions for a lot of.

Sadly, it’s not totally seamless elsewhere. I nonetheless skilled delayed and lacking notifications, in addition to different minor bugs, and for the reason that affected apps aren’t formally supported, troubleshooting might be troublesome.

Luke Baker

Aside from the dearth of Google providers, Huawei’s OS is kind of nice. I’ve already talked about the spectacular pace and responsiveness despite lacklustre {hardware}, however there are many different novel options included too.

Probably the most uncommon is a sequence of wallpaper choices with eye-tracking assist. There’s a mini basketball recreation you may play hands-free with air gestures and a few wallpapers which have eye-reactive animations. There’s no helpful performance to any of it, nevertheless it’s fairly cool, so I assume that’s the purpose.

There’s additionally a brand new stereoscopic multi-view multitasking mode, which is much extra sensible. This lets you show as much as 3 apps facet by facet and swipe via them as required. It appears to be like very slick, however probably the most spectacular half is that movies will preserve enjoying even once they’re shifted off to the facet, so you may preserve listening as you multitask like a professional.

Luke Baker

For those who use different Huawei merchandise, like the brand new FreeBuds Professional 4, for instance. The combination is impressively clean. The OS makes it quick and simple to handle all of your Huawei gear and pairing is finished in a flash. These explicit earbuds assist lossless audio by way of Huawei Sound, too. A perk at the moment restricted to this handset solely.

One factor I discovered significantly irksome is that the app drawer possibility appears to have disappeared on the newest model of EMUI. I’ve my fingers crossed that it’s only a pre-release software program oddity, however my Pura 70 Extremely lets me have my apps hidden away and the Mate X6 doesn’t. It makes conserving issues tidy an actual chore.

Value & Availability

The Huawei Mate X6 has a reasonably lofty MSRP of €1,999 in Europe, and it’ll be launching imminently in choose nations. The telephone was listed on the native Huawei web site in France, Spain and Germany, nevertheless it appears to have vanished once more, on the time of writing – and there’s no signal of it within the UK simply but.

It’s one of many priciest handsets in the marketplace proper now, and contemplating the compromises that include proudly owning a Huawei telephone, it’s a tricky promote for all however probably the most die-hard Huawei followers. If you wish to try what the competitors brings to the desk, try our information to the perfect folding telephones.

We’re nonetheless not sure if this telephone will formally be offered within the UK, but when it arrives, it’s most unlikely to be obtainable on contract. So whether or not you’re importing or simply shopping for outright, ensure to check out our record of the perfect SIM-only offers.

Must you purchase the Huawei Mate X6?

The Huawei Mate X6 is a tremendous piece of {hardware}. It appears to be like gorgeous, feels premium and has the most effective hinges within the enterprise. Its cameras are spectacular too, with pure color tuning and distinctive macro capabilities.

Sadly, the expertise is soured by the dearth of Google providers. Sure, there are many workarounds, however they’re not flawless, and it’s a headache you don’t should endure elsewhere.

Then, there’s the value. This telephone prices as a lot because the spectacular Honor Magic V3 and greater than the Pixel 9 Professional Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 6. It’s laborious to justify such a price whenever you’re in for a less-than-perfect expertise.

Huawei has succeeded in making one of the crucial spectacular foldable telephones obtainable, and at occasions, it’s a pleasure to make use of. On the finish of the day, although, the compromises are too giant to suggest shopping for one.

Specs

• EMUI 15, primarily based on Android 15
• Outer: 6.45-inch, 1080 x 2440, OLED, 120Hz
• Interior: 7.94-inch, 2240 x 2440, OLED, 120Hz
• Energy-button fingerprint sensor
• Kirin 9020
• 12GB RAM
• 512GB storage
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp predominant sensor
  • 40Mp ultrawide
  • 48Mp 4x telemacro
  • Twin 8Mp selfie digital camera
  • As much as 4K @ 60fps rear video
• Stereo audio system
• Twin-SIM
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
• Bluetooth 5.2
• 5110mAh battery
• 66W wired charging
• 50W wi-fi charging
• 156.6 x 73.8 x 9.9 mm (folded)
• IPX8 licensed
• 239g
• Colors: Nebula Purple, Black, Nebula Gray