Huawei Mate Xs 2 review

When Huawei launched its book-style Mate X2 foldable, all of us thought the writing was on the wall for its unique outward-folding format. Apparently not although, because the Mate Xs 2 adopted a number of months later utilizing Huawei’s distinctive type issue, and it’s even been given a European launch. 

However ought to anybody really purchase one? The cool issue of the {hardware} is off the charts, however even by foldable requirements there are severe questions on practicality, not least because of the software program struggles that now include any {hardware} cellphone.  

I put my SIM within the Mate Xs 2 and tried to make use of it as my major cellphone for a few weeks to seek out out. 

Design and construct 

• Smooth, brilliant-looking design 
• Hinge feels stable and difficult 
• Surprisingly slim and light-weight 

It’s unimaginable to speak about this cellphone with out first speaking concerning the form. In contrast to Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 4, and certainly in contrast to different foldables from Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Honor, and even Huawei itself, the Mate Xs 2 doesn’t fold inwards like a e-book. 

As a substitute, it contains a single massive display screen with an exterior fold, which sees the show wrap round to the cellphone’s rear – which means that when closed, each elements of the display screen are out and uncovered. 

Let’s begin with the great points of this. First: it’s hella cool. Even in comparison with different foldables this appears like a little bit of sci-fi equipment. It’s additionally very pure to make use of the one show whereas it’s closed, then develop that very same display screen out when wanted, relatively than switching shows if you need the additional area. 

Huawei’s hinge tech feels sturdy and safe, and the form of the fold means there’s nearly no crease in any respect to the display screen when it’s open. The display screen locks into place when closed, with a button to launch it, which shortly turns into second nature to make use of. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

One other profit is that with just one display screen to fret about, Huawei was capable of hold the Mate Xs 2 impressively slender. When shut, this feels solely just a little bigger than the largest slab cellphone flagships – it’s 11.1mm thick, weighs 255g. 

Open it up although, and all of the sudden you have got a svelte pill, simply 5.4mm thick throughout the majority of the physique. That’s apart from the bar that holds the charging port and cameras, however that’s not an issue – it turns into a welcome and comfy grip for the cellphone, making this nearly the one massive foldable you may realistically use one-handed – no less than to some extent. 

It helps that the again of the cellphone is coated in a grippy, textured end that helps you maintain on, obtainable in both black or white. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The unhealthy is that the display screen is at all times uncovered to the weather. Huawei features a free case with the cellphone, however this solely protects the again half of the show whereas shut (and requires fiddling round to take away it to open the cellphone, making it extra hassle than it’s price). 

You would possibly suppose that I’m over-egging this just a little – in any case, all telephones have their display screen uncovered on a regular basis. However common cellphone shows are manufactured from toughened glass, and you’ll add a display screen protector on high for additional safety. This folding show is fashioned from softer plastic, and in a pair weeks of use it’s already picked up scratches, dents, and smears that merely gained’t go away. That makes me fear about how lengthy this cellphone would actually final in use. 

In contrast to Samsung’s newest foldables there’s no water-resistance score both, so that you’ll should watch out round rain and the bathtub (we’re all cellphone bathers, proper?).

Show and audio 

• Big 7.8in show 
• 120Hz OLED 
• Folds to “regular” 6.5in panel 

The character of the Mate Xs 2’s design implies that it solely packs a single display screen: a big, square-ish 7.8in panel that folds in half to a 6.5in outer display screen the remainder of the time – one which’s proportioned very like most Android telephones, relatively than being uncomfortably slender as in some rivals. 

This packs the same old tech – an OLED panel, 120Hz refresh fee, HDR assist – and usually seems to be fairly nice. It’s shiny and punchy, and show high quality by no means feels overly compromised by the foldable parts. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Like most massive foldables, when open the display screen’s side ratio is near a sq.. That makes this well-suited to multi-tasking and productiveness, with apps open on both facet of the display screen, however not so nice for watching something.  

Attempt to run Netflix or Disney+ and also you’ll shortly realise that the massive show doesn’t provide you with a lot additional viewing space, with letterboxing basically giving you an identical dimension picture as every other cellphone. 

As for audio, the cellphone has stereo audio system. They’re not unhealthy, however not nice, and fairly tinny – cellphone audio system, mainly. 

Wi-fi audio is dealt with by Bluetooth 5.2, however this I’ve discovered surprisingly troublesome. The sign is blocked so simply that even holding the cellphone in my trouser pocket ends in an unreliable connection, forcing me to stroll about holding the cellphone in my hand or holding it in a jacket pocket. That’s … not good. 

Specs and efficiency 

• 2020’s Snapdragon 888 chip 
• Strong high-end efficiency 
• No 5G assist 

The Mate Xs 2 is powered by the Snapdragon 888, the flagship chipset launched in December 2020. It’s an important chip, however ageing just a little now, and positively behind more moderen ones. 

Nonetheless, efficiency is spectacular day-to-day, and many of the distinction between this and the most recent 8+ Gen 1 will solely be obvious to energy customers and dedicated players, who would possibly hesitate to make use of this as a big-screen gaming gadget.  

In Europe the cellphone is launching in only one variant, with 8GB RAM and 512GB storage, although in China it’s additionally on provide with half the storage or as much as 12GB RAM. The storage may be expanded, however solely with Huawei’s NM (nano reminiscence) playing cards, not microSD.

The larger omission is that Huawei makes use of a 4G model of the chip, not 5G. That is out of the corporate’s fingers, a results of commerce sanctions imposed by the US authorities, however clearly it’s getting more durable and more durable to justify shopping for a 4G cellphone – particularly at this worth. 

Whereas there could also be no 5G, you do nonetheless get Wi-Fi 6, which works nicely – and the Bluetooth I’ve already talked about that isn’t fairly so efficient. NFC can be included, however with no assist for Google Pay/Pockets it’s possible you’ll discover that you just don’t have a lot use for it anyway. 

Battery and charging 

• 4600mAh battery lasts a day, however not far more 
• 66W wired charging 
• No wi-fi charging 

Huawei has kitted the Mate Xs 2 with a 4600mAh battery (anticipate the 12+512GB mannequin in China, which packs a bigger cell for some motive). 

That’s a reasonably typical battery dimension for a flagship cellphone, which is maybe a fear given the bigger show. In my expertise it’s been sufficient to hold the cellphone to the tip of the day, even with a mixture of folded and unfolded use, nevertheless it gained’t make it an excessive amount of longer than that, so that you’ll wish to cost each day.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

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Once you do must, the 66W wired charging is fairly nippy, providing you with most of your battery again in simply half an hour. Curiously, Huawei recommends you unfold the cellphone to cost – presumably for the sake of cooling – although it should fortunately high itself up even when closed. 

The draw back is there’s no wi-fi charging assist right here. That’s no actual shock given how slim the cellphone is – I’m undecided how on earth they’d match a charging coil in in the event that they needed to – however clearly might be a disappointment for some given the worth and the truth that Samsung’s foldables do assist wi-fi tech. 

Digicam and video 

• Succesful triple rear digital camera 
• Weaker than different flagships in low mild 
• Respectable selfie shooter 

Whereas Huawei’s Mate X2 contains a digital camera setup to rival the perfect conventional slab telephones, the Mate Xs 2 is a bit more restrained. That is nonetheless an extremely succesful digital camera, don’t get me improper, nevertheless it’s not fairly Huawei’s finest. 

On the rear you discover a triple lens setup: a 50Mp major digital camera, a 13Mp ultrawide, and an 8Mp telephoto at 3.5x zoom, with an additional choice to punch in to 5x hybrid zoom within the app.

In good lighting all three cameras impress. Colors are shiny however pure, and tuned persistently throughout the cameras. Particulars are plentiful, dynamic vary is often stable, and the primary digital camera has a big sufficient sensor to ship some pure bokeh results. 

At evening the three pull aside just a little extra. The primary lens isn’t unhealthy in low mild, preserving an honest quantity of element and actually solely struggling in terms of accurately exposing shiny lights. The ultrawide and telephoto drop off sharply at evening although, and usually needs to be averted – that is no massive shock, however is the realm the place we’re starting to see competitors emerge elsewhere. 

The one selfie digital camera is positioned in a punch-hole in a single nook of the show – no janky under-display digital camera right here. This 10.7Mp digital camera takes succesful pictures, and is nice for letting you are taking video calls on the massive display screen – although keep in mind that whereas the nook place is okay when the display screen is closed, it does make the angles just a little odd when the show is vast open. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Video recording is proscribed to 4K from each the entrance and rear units of sensors, however that’s lots for many – 8K video stays a distinct segment prospect.  

Software program and updates 

• Runs on EMUI, initially primarily based on Android 11 
• No official Google app or service assist 
• AppGallery is best than ever 
• A lot of bloatware 

So now we get to software program, the thorn within the paw of Huawei ever since its feud with the US authorities started. 

The Mate Xs 2 formally runs on EMUI 12, which is unofficially primarily based on Android 11, although has been developed independently since then. It’s not working Huawei’s personal HarmonyOS, no less than not within the West, although in observe the software program is way the identical. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Aesthetically, not a lot has modified from older Huawei telephones, although this contains welcome tweaks to swimsuit the tablet-sized display screen equivalent to a two-pane format inside Settings. 

As you’ve seemingly heard, Huawei telephones not formally assist Google apps or providers. Most significantly which means no Google Play Retailer, so as an alternative apps have to be downloaded both from the Huawei AppGallery, or from Petal Search, Huawei’s software that will help you obtain and set up .apk variations of apps from the online. 

This expertise is steadily enhancing, and extra apps than ever at the moment are discovered within the official app retailer, and nearly each different Android app may be downloaded utilizing Petal. This doesn’t require any specific technical ability, however does take a number of additional steps in comparison with Google Play. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

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Petal even type of handles app updates now. Once you open an outdated app it should now immediate you to replace it, however the issue is that this really includes uninstalling the app and reinstalling the newer model. Which means updates take just a little longer than on different telephones, and infrequently require you to login once more afterwards. Once more, no additional ability wanted, however a bit extra trouble. 

It’s even doable to put in Google apps like Gmail and Google Maps by way of workarounds just like the portal app GSpace, however I discovered this unreliable, laggy, and irritating. Browser shortcuts work higher, however finally it’s nonetheless the case that any heavy customers of the Google app ecosystem might be higher off elsewhere. 

An additional odd trouble is that, maybe to compensate for its awkard app retailer, Huawei has plastered the house display screen of the Mate Xs 2 with a mixture of pre-installed apps and icons that seem like apps, however are in reality obtain shortcuts. It’s awkward and frusrating, and also you’ll most likely spend your first jiffy with the cellphone uninstalling apps and deleting icons. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The opposite software program frustration right here isn’t distinctive to Huawei. Android apps are hardly ever nicely optimised for tablets and bigger shows, with even standard choices like Instagram rendering poorly. Some letterbox content material, some sprawl surprisingly, some even lower content material off when utilizing the entire display screen for some motive. Once more, this could be simply as true on every other Android foldable or pill, nevertheless it’s an irritation nonetheless. 

Lastly, Huawei hasn’t promised any particular period of software program assist for the Mate Xs 2, so we’re undecided how lengthy it should obtain safety patches and have updates for. 

Worth and availability 

The Mate Xs 2 is out now within the UK and Europe, together with a collection of different markets worldwide – however not the US. 

It’s not low-cost, costing £1,799/€1,999 – just a little greater than the $1,799/£1,649/€1,799 Galaxy Z Fold 4, which is the one different massive foldable obtainable outdoors China for now. After all, the Samsung cellphone contains each 5G and Google app assist, giving it a transparent edge even when the costs have been equal. 

Nonetheless, the Mate Xs 2 is a singular prospect from a {hardware} perspective, and that would be the draw. It’s glossy and undeniably cool, with a degree of bodily polish that its Samsung rival lacks. 

You might wrestle to make this your major cellphone, relying on the apps you employ. However in the event you can afford to splurge, this may very well be a wonderful transportable pill for engaged on the go, or a enjoyable second cellphone. 

Verdict 

The Mate Xs 2 has undeniably spectacular {hardware}, with a number of apparent caveats. 

The design is glossy and slender, and the outward folding display screen is arguably essentially the most thrilling foldable type issue round. It’s not essentially the most sensible although, and dents and injury to the show really feel nearly inevitable. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Efficiency is stable even with an older Snapdragon chip, however you’ll should dwell with out 5G, and put up with surprisingly spotty Bluetooth efficiency. Succesful cameras assist make up for that, however you’d anticipate these given the exorbitant worth. 

As at all times, it’s the software program facet the place all of it breaks down. Issues are higher than ever earlier than, however at this worth it’s nearly unimaginable to justify the compromises concerned until you see this as a secondary gadget to enhance your iOS or Android cellphone, relatively than change it. 

Specs

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G
• 8GB RAM
• 512GB storage
• 7.8in 120Hz OLED show (unfolded)
• Rear digital camera:
  • 50Mp, f/1.8 major digital camera
  • 13Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide
  • 8Mp, f/2.4 3.5x telephoto
• 10.7Mp, f/2.2 selfie digital camera
• 4600mAh battery
• 66W wired charging
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Wi-Fi 6
• NFC
• EMUI 12
• 255g
• Unfolded: 156.5 x 139.3 x 5.4mm
• Folded: 156.5 x 75.5 x 11.1mm