Huawei Mate X3 Review: Hardware Heaven, Software Hell

Value When Reviewed

Not accessible within the US

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

As this can be a Huawei cellphone, it comes with out native assist for Google providers. That is in fact a large 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 assessment of the Mate X3.

Design & construct 

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

Huawei has at all times impressed with its builds, and this cellphone isn’t any completely different. It appears unbelievable 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 era cellphone, the Mate X2. For a tool toting two complete shows, this can be a critical feat in engineering.

The burden is equally spectacular, clocking in at simply 239g. This makes it one of many slimmest and lightest book-style foldable machine in the marketplace on the time of writing. In truth, 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.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

The big round rear digicam bump is an announcement. The cellphone doesn’t lie fully 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 can too get the Mate X3 in a black glass variant. I’m a fan of the leather-based end – it doesn’t decide up fingerprints, and it stays securely on surfaces. 

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

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

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

You get house for 2 SIMs in addition to Huawei’s personal nano-memory card for added 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 carrying glasses.

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

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Display & audio system 

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

There are two screens to contemplate 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 advantageous on a standard cellphone, however webpages and apps nonetheless perform usually, with none squashing or compression of textual content or pictures – I typically forgot I used to be utilizing a foldable machine, utilizing this display screen as I’d on a standard cellphone. 

The inner foldable display screen extends to 7.85in and comes with a decision of 2224 x 2496 – a better 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 vibrant and vibrant, and produce minimal glare when used underneath direct daylight. You’ll get the perfect expertise utilizing the larger show – however when you simply wish to apply it to the go, the exterior show continues to be a pleasure to take a look at. 

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

There’s a crease within the inside show whenever you first open it up, there’s no denying it. Nonetheless, it’s principally noticeable when at a side-angle moderately than face-on. After I in contrast side-by-side with the Z Fold 3, the dent doesn’t look or really feel as distinguished. 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 cellphone with this construct.  

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

There’s a selfie digicam on its inside display screen in addition to the surface one. While this does imply that you just don’t get a wholly clear panel inside, it presents flexibility and permits you to take video calls on an even 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 – when you do, then the entire app rotates and the chat display screen will get squashed to the aspect, moderately than being neatly tucked beneath. Movies and sequence 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 loads advantageous 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 value of storage, the one configuration that the cellphone is available in within the UK. In China you may 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 in the marketplace – that badge of honour goes to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which is offered on the Samsung S23 sequence.

Nonetheless, this can be 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 cellphone – there are not any points with stuttering or lag. I used to be in a position to play the demanding recreation Genshin Influence on medium graphics settings with just some popping – although the cellphone did get fairly sizzling.  

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

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Cameras & video 

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

For a book-style foldable, the Huawei Mate X3 has a powerful 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 vibrant but true-to-life, and the digicam performs decently in a wide range 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 cellphone within the first place.

You’ll be able to digitally zoom even additional – as much as 50x zoom. Nonetheless, the photographs change into a lot blurrier and noisier above 10x zoom. Notice that this can be a slight step down from the Mate X2, which presents 10x optical zoom and 100x digital.  

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

For low mild pictures, I caught with night time 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 may wrestle focusing.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

The wide-angle digicam is much less spectacular. While it has discipline of view, colors don’t pop as a lot, and advantageous traces are misplaced. The angle additionally feels a little bit 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’d like a high-quality selfie, then open the digicam app on the outside show, unfold the cellphone and switch it round – this manner you possibly can make the most of the primary snapper, capturing your mug in top quality.  

For video, the Mate X3 can report in 4K at 60fps, and comes with gyro-EIS for retaining 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 fashion pack in.

In typical use, the cellphone lasts a day on common – that is after watching movies, taking pictures and calls, and so on. It’s about the identical stage as what I’d anticipate from a standard flagship cellphone, which is respectable contemplating that the battery is powering two shows.   

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

You get 66W wired charging, 50W wi-fi charging and seven.5 reverse wi-fi charging. A regular cost will juice the cellphone from flat to 85% in half-hour – although it’s essential to be certain that ‘turbo charging’ is enabled whenever you plug the cellphone 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 is predicated on Android 12, not the most recent Android 13. It pains me to say it, however the software program stops this cellphone from being recommendable to anybody who depends on Google apps and providers. There’s no Google Play Retailer, both.

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

You’ll be able to sideload a few of these apps, however the course of is kind of clunky – and never all apps instantly obtain from the primary APK website you’ll discover. You’ll be able to technically get Google working by sandboxing. For those who’re unsure what any of this implies, don’t purchase this cellphone!

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

Alternatively, you should utilize 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 cellphone additionally shares Xiaomi’s annoying behavior of bloatware.

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

We’re presently ready for affirmation on what number of years of software program and secutity updates that the Mate X3 presents. For reference, the P60 Professional is assured two years of Android platform updates taking the cellphone to Android 15, and three years of safety updates till 2026.

If the Mate X3 is similar, then it doesn’t get as a lot long-term assist as Samsung fashions, which have 4 years of updates and 5 of safety patches.

Value & 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 should buy it immediately from Huawei, or by way of Amazon.

You too can 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. For those who’re used to the Android expertise, I wouldn’t suggest dropping £2,000 on this cellphone.

You’ll be able to try additional foldable units, together with clam-shell smartphones such because the Galaxy Z Flip 4, in our chart of the perfect foldable telephones.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Verdict 

From a {hardware} standpoint, the Huawei Mate X3 can’t be overwhelmed 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 exceptional. It additionally features simply in addition to a standard smartphone when closed. 

Sadly, it’s extraordinarily laborious to make use of with out Google-supported apps. Facet-loading can solely get you up to now, 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 might virtually definitely be among the finest foldables you may get proper now. If Huawei can handle to in the future get again within the Google recreation, 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 (inside show)
• Facet 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