HUAWEI Mate X2 launched: This Galaxy Z Fold 2 rival costs almost $3,000

Huawei‘s first foldables, the Mate X and Mate XS, both adopted an out-folding design, with the main screen folding back. This meant that you didn’t need a separate smartphone display, as half of the main screen could be used as a mobile display. Now, HUAWEI is taking the Samsung-style in-folding approach with the newly announced Mate X2.

The phone takes the same approach as the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 2, featuring an 8-inch main OLED screen (2,480 x 2,200) that folds like a book. Once you’ve folded the Mate X2, a separate external OLED display (2,700 x 1,160, 21:9) ensures you can use the foldable device as a phone. Both displays offer a 90Hz refresh rate, HUAWEI confirmed. This isn’t quite as high a refresh rate as the Z Fold 2’s 120Hz main screen, but at least both screens get the high refresh rate love here.

Otherwise, the rest of the device is suitably flagship-level, featuring a Kirin 9000 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB or 512GB of storage (expandable via NM card), a 4,500mAh battery, and 55W wired charging. It doesn’t seem like we’ve got wireless charging here though.

Huawei’s phones generally stand out for their camera capabilities, and the Mate X2 is no different. The phone sports a quad rear camera setup, featuring a 50MP RYYB main camera (with OIS), a 16MP ultra-wide shooter, a 12MP 3x telephoto lens (with OIS), and an 8MP 10x periscope zoom camera (with OIS).

Selfies are handled by a 16MP camera in a punch-hole on the smartphone screen. There doesn’t appear to be a way to take selfies with the main screen opened, but this does mean you’ve got a tablet-sized display that’s free of any notches, punch-holes, and other distractions.

Other notable specs include a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, an IR blaster, NFC, EMUI 11 atop Android 10, and USB-C (no 3.5mm port here). And yes, you’re still getting a charger in the box.

Unfortunately, the phone lacks Google support, as has been the case with every new HUAWEI phone since late 2019. So apps like the Play Store, Uber, and others won’t work properly or at all.

The HUAWEI Mate X2 starts at 17,999 yuan (~$2,785) for the 256GB model, while the 512GB variant will set you back 18,999 yuan ($2,940). In other words, this is significantly more expensive than the $2,000 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. Chinese pricing for smartphones also tends to be cheaper than European pricing, which suggests the device will have a steeper price tag if it leaves its home market.

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