Huawei Mate XS

amazon Huawei Mate XS reviews

Design and Build Quality

Unfolding the Future

The most striking feature of the Huawei Mate Xs is its foldable design. Unlike other foldable phones that feature an inward-folding display, the Mate Xs takes a different approach with its outward-folding design. This allows the device to function as both a smartphone and a tablet, offering a large 8-inch display when unfolded and a more traditional 6.6-inch display when folded.

The build quality of the Mate Xs is impressive, with a robust and premium feel that justifies its high price tag. The device is constructed from aerospace-grade materials, including a zirconium-based liquid metal frame and a flexible polymer display that has been strengthened to withstand the rigors of daily use. The hinge mechanism, which Huawei calls the “Falcon Wing,” is a key component of the design, allowing the device to fold and unfold smoothly without any noticeable gaps or creases in the display.

Ergonomics and Usability

When folded, the Mate Xs is slightly thicker than a typical smartphone, but it remains comfortable to hold and use with one hand. The placement of the power button and fingerprint sensor on the side of the device is intuitive, and the buttons are easily accessible even when the device is unfolded.

The overall design is sleek and modern, with slim bezels and a minimalist aesthetic. However, the unique form factor does come with some trade-offs. For instance, the outward-folding display is always exposed, which could make it more susceptible to scratches and damage compared to inward-folding designs. Huawei has addressed this concern by including a protective case in the box, but users will still need to be cautious when handling the device.

Portability

One of the challenges with foldable devices is balancing the larger screen size with portability. The Mate Xs manages this fairly well, thanks to its slim profile when folded. It can easily fit into a pocket or bag, making it convenient to carry around. However, at 300 grams, it is noticeably heavier than most smartphones, which may be a consideration for users who prioritize lightweight devices.

Less than a year after Huawei launched its first folding phone (Huawei Mate X), the Chinese phone company has released the next folding phone. That is the Huawei Mate XS, which is said to be an upgrade of the predecessor Huawei Mate X. The Huawei Mate XS is upgraded with a stronger processor, faster network connection, better camera and some design tweaks.

Launched by Huawei globally, is the Mate XS capable enough to compete with the foldable phones currently on the market? Let’s go to a detailed review below to be able to give our own answers about Huawei’s latest folding screen flagship.

Display

A Display Like No Other

The Huawei Mate Xs boasts an 8-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2480 x 2200 pixels when fully unfolded. This large, high-resolution screen offers an immersive viewing experience, making it ideal for media consumption, gaming, and multitasking. The colors are vibrant, with deep blacks and excellent contrast, thanks to the OLED technology. The display also supports HDR10, enhancing the dynamic range of supported content.

When folded, the Mate Xs offers a more conventional smartphone experience, with a 6.6-inch display on the front and a smaller 6.38-inch display on the back. Both of these displays share the same high-quality OLED panel, ensuring a consistent experience regardless of how the device is used.

Screen Quality and Performance

The overall screen quality of the Mate Xs is impressive, with sharp details, accurate colors, and wide viewing angles. The large, nearly bezel-less display is perfect for watching videos, playing games, and browsing the web. The foldable nature of the screen also allows for enhanced productivity, with the ability to run multiple apps side by side in a split-screen mode.

However, the unique design of the display does come with some caveats. For one, the display is made from a plastic polymer material rather than glass, which makes it more prone to scratches and dents. Huawei has taken steps to improve the durability of the display compared to its predecessor, but users will need to be mindful of how they handle the device. Additionally, the crease in the middle of the display, while not overly noticeable during use, is still present and can be felt when swiping across the screen.

Outdoor Visibility and Brightness

The Mate Xs performs well in various lighting conditions, including direct sunlight. The display is bright enough to be easily readable outdoors, with good visibility and minimal glare. The auto-brightness feature works effectively, adjusting the screen brightness based on the ambient lighting conditions to ensure a comfortable viewing experience.

Quality upgrades

At first glance, we can hardly distinguish the Mate XS and Mate X because their design is almost similar. However, if used and compared, it can be seen that the Mate XS is somewhat thinner than its predecessor.

A commendable advance on the Huawei Mate XS is that the company has added a polymer layer to protect the phone’s OLED panel. There is also a screen protector, which Huawei recommends that users should not remove it.

Like the Mate X, the Mate XS is both a 6.6-inch phone (19.5: 9 aspect ratio, 2,480 x 1,148 resolution) and an 8-inch tablet. When opened, the Mate XS is only 5.4 mm thick, while folded, it will have a thickness of 11mm.

As we all know Huawei’s foldable phone line has a different opening mechanism from rival Samsung Galaxy Fold. While the Galaxy Fold has the screen placed inside and when you want to use it you have to open it like opening a book, with Huawei the screen will be placed outside. This design of Mate XS is considered to bring more convenience to the user. Instead of having to integrate an additional front camera on the outside of the device like the Galaxy Fold, the Mate Xs only uses a selfie camera because of the folding mechanism of the machine.

In this version of the Mate XS, the hinge mechanism has been improved to make it more solid. The hinge has been carefully researched and made by Huawei engineers to make the hinge more sturdy and the folding operation also becomes smoother. Huawei is confident that the upgrades in the hinge will make the Mate XS much more durable than its predecessor.

The powerful 5G phone

Not only the beauty on the outside, the hardware of the Mate XS is also very impressive.

Huawei Mate XS uses Kirin 990 chip to make it capable of 5G connectivity. Battery and charging are also upgraded compared to the Mate X. Mate XS is integrated with 2 batteries on both sides of the screen with a total capacity of 4,500 mAh. The device is capable of charging from 0-85% in just 30 minutes thanks to Huawei’s 55W SuperCharge fast charger. In addition, the Huawei Mate XS is also equipped with a new cooling system integrated in both sides of the phone to help prevent the device from overheating when performing heavy tasks.

The ability to take pictures on Huawei’s smartphones is unquestionable, and the recent Huawei Mate XS is no exception. However, there is a rather unfortunate point that the Mate XS is not equipped with the “SuperSensing” camera as on the P30 Pro and its Mate 30 Pro. In return, Mate XS inherits RYYB sensor, 40MP (f / 1.8) using pixel binning technology and AI, thereby making it possible to take fast photos even in low light conditions. Through testing, the captured photos are of very good quality, not inferior to the photos taken from the P30 and Mate 30.

Besides the main camera, it also has an 8MP (f / 2.4) telephoto camera, a 16MP (f / 2.2) super wide-angle camera, and 3D depth sensor. The Mate XS supports 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom.

Performance

Processing Power

Under the hood, the Huawei Mate Xs is powered by the Kirin 990 5G chipset, which was Huawei’s flagship processor at the time of the device’s release. The Kirin 990 is built on a 7nm+ process and includes an integrated 5G modem, making the Mate Xs one of the first foldable devices to offer 5G connectivity.

The processor is paired with 8GB of RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and performance across a wide range of applications. Whether you’re browsing the web, streaming videos, or playing graphically intensive games, the Mate Xs handles it all with ease. The Mali-G76 MP16 GPU further enhances the gaming experience, delivering fluid frame rates and impressive visuals.

Everyday Performance

In everyday use, the Mate Xs is a powerhouse. Apps open quickly, transitions are smooth, and there is no noticeable lag when switching between tasks. The device excels in multitasking, particularly when using the split-screen mode on the large display. This makes it an ideal device for productivity-focused users who need to manage multiple apps simultaneously.

The 5G connectivity also adds to the overall experience, providing fast download and upload speeds where 5G networks are available. This makes the Mate Xs future-proof, ensuring that it can take advantage of the latest network technology as it becomes more widespread.

Storage and Expandability

The Huawei Mate Xs comes with 512GB of internal storage, which is more than enough for most users. This ample storage space allows you to store a large number of apps, photos, videos, and documents without worrying about running out of space. However, if you do need more storage, the device also supports Huawei’s proprietary Nano Memory (NM) cards, which can expand the storage by an additional 256GB.

While the use of NM cards instead of the more common microSD cards may be a drawback for some, it is a minor inconvenience considering the device’s overall capabilities.

Software and User Experience

EMUI with Android

The Huawei Mate Xs runs on EMUI, Huawei’s custom skin over Android. At launch, the device shipped with EMUI 10.0 based on Android 10, but it has since received updates to EMUI 11. EMUI offers a distinct user experience, with a focus on customization, performance optimization, and a suite of Huawei-specific apps and services.

However, due to the ongoing restrictions imposed by the U.S. government, the Mate Xs does not come with Google Mobile Services (GMS). This means that popular Google apps like the Play Store, Gmail, YouTube, and Google Maps are not pre-installed, and users will need to find alternatives through Huawei’s AppGallery or sideloading methods. This absence of Google services is a significant consideration for potential buyers, particularly for those heavily reliant on Google’s ecosystem.

AppGallery and Alternatives

Huawei has been working hard to bolster its AppGallery, which serves as the primary app store for the Mate Xs. While AppGallery has grown considerably, offering a wider range of apps than before, it still lacks some of the major apps found on the Google Play Store. To compensate, Huawei has introduced Petal Search, a search engine that helps users find and download apps from third-party sources.

In addition, Huawei has integrated its own services, such as Huawei Cloud, Huawei Browser, and Huawei Music, which are intended to fill the gap left by the absence of Google services. These alternatives work well within the Huawei ecosystem but may not be a perfect replacement for users accustomed to Google’s offerings.

User Interface and Features

EMUI is known for its rich customization options and features, and the Mate Xs is no exception. The user interface is smooth and responsive, with a range of themes, wallpapers, and icons available to personalize the experience. EMUI also includes a system-wide dark mode, which not only looks good on the OLED display but also helps conserve battery life.

One of the standout features of the Mate Xs is its multi-window support, which takes full advantage of the large, foldable display. This allows users to run two apps side by side, making multitasking easier and more efficient. The Mate Xs also supports Huawei’s Multi-Screen Collaboration, enabling seamless interaction between the phone and other Huawei devices, such as laptops or tablets.

Software Updates and Longevity

Huawei has been consistent with software updates, rolling out regular security patches and feature updates. However, the long-term software support for Huawei devices remains a concern due to the ongoing political situation and the uncertainty around the availability of future Android updates. This is something potential buyers should keep in mind when considering the longevity of the device.

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