Currently the segment of foldable devices is no longer foreign among consumers and manufacturers. In fact, the 'war' of such devices has also started a long time ago with various manufacturers rushing to produce them. For example, like Samsung through the Galaxy Fold and Flip series, then Huawei with the Mate X series and several other brands such as Oppo, Honor and Vivo. All of them are also interesting with their own uniqueness which can be seen from the way and approach of the manufacturer to produce them.
Huawei Mate X3 is the most recent device with a foldable screen and its launch is seen to be able to give new hope to the segment. It has been given a new lease of life to function well, while also being empowered with features and functions that today's users need. For example, thinner, lighter and waterproof design. It's no exaggeration to say, if this new Huawei smartphone can be a challenger to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Why? We will share it in the first look article below.
SPECIFICATIONS
Huawei Mate X3
Inside Screen – 7.8″ OLED
External – 6.4″ OLED
2200 x 2480 pixels, 120Hz, 1.07 billion colors
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G processor (4 nm)
1 x 3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 chip
3 x 2.75 GHz Cortex-A710
4 x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A510
Adreno 730 Graphics Chip
RAM 12GB LPDDR5
Internal Storage up to 512 UFS 3.1
Primary Camera 50MP, f/1.8, (wide)
12MP, f/3.4, OIS, 5x optical zoom
13MP, f/2.2, (ultra-wide)
4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
8MP Selfie Camera (Inner)
8MP (External)
Battery 4800mAh (Global) & Silicon-carbon 5060 mAh (China)
Wired 66W
Wireless 50W
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 4G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
IPX8 Waterproof
Scan System Side finger scanner
Sale Price Starts at RMB 12,999 (RM8,418)
DESIGN AND SCREEN
If followed, the Mate X3 is the sixth foldable screen device released by Huawei since 2019. The biggest change this time is the design of the device which is very different from the previous generation. It can be clearly seen that the elements used all resemble a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold with a folding screen on the inside along with a secondary screen on the outside. This means no more folding-back screens that we once said were prone to damage if placed directly on a table surface.
Meanwhile, the thick side that previously functioned as a camera grip was replaced by a relatively large and thick camera bump. It is placed in the middle to make it look symmetrical.
The back panel is a bit rough with an all-black glossy finish like the unit we received. It is however quite slippery when held hence a special frame is needed for more protection. This is different from the Mate X3 with an emerald green finish that uses a leather back panel. It reminds us of the back panel of one of the Huawei Mate50 Pro devices which is also equipped with the same material. This is not only able to provide a good level of grip, but also avoids the issue of fingerprint dirt easily sticking.
The new generation multi-dimensional hinge used makes the device easy to open without any strange noises although it may raise questions about its durability over time. It is however more flexible and allows the role panel to open wider and flat.
In the open position the 7.85-inch screen used on the device is the same as its predecessor Mate Xs 2 but larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The same is true of the 6.4-inch secondary screen used on this device at the same time making it have many uses that can used by users. The screen is entirely from OLED that supports a maximum resolution of 2496 X 2224 pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz.
It's beautiful and pleasing to the eye, even high-resolution content that looks alive and charming can also be enjoyed. This experience is improved when the screen also has the ability to display up to 1.07 billion colors which is also helped by Huawei X-True technology to ensure that the screen is always clear with the right colors.
Then the screen has a kind of hole in the middle on the secondary screen with kunlun glass protection to protect against breakage and scratches. Huawei also promises durability up to ten times better than before. Meanwhile, the selfie camera on the main screen is placed in the upper right corner with a special composite glass.
It is not only able to reduce the effect of visible wrinkles. In fact, this main display is said to be four times more impact resistant than the previous generation. This is further matched with thin bezels on both sides of the screen for a more enjoyable viewing experience.
We think the change in concept this time makes it easier to adapt to using this smartphone. It is not as complex as before and is even capable of providing an enjoyable user experience. The sturdy body makes it feel good in the hand when in use. It is not only easy to hold because it is wide enough with rounded sides, it is also lighter (239g) and thinner (5.3mm).
In addition, the device is also very comfortable to use for typing and reading websites without having to open the screen completely. We also noticed that there is no gap to be found between the two screens which allows the device to close tightly. The screen folding effect also doesn't look very real unless it's viewed closely from the side.
The power and volume buttons are placed on the right side of the device. Both are made of sturdy metal. A physical fingerprint scanner is also used which is built into the power button with a position that is very easy to access with the finger to be scanned. It may be considered old-fashioned but still fits the device and is able to scan fingerprints faster than usual.
The left side houses the SIM slot without micro SD support. Meanwhile the device also contains two stereo audio grilles on the top and bottom. It's big enough with HUAWEI Histen audio support for a more immersive experience. The package becomes even more interesting when the device is finally given IPX8 waterproof capability which is still rare for a foldable device. This means Samsung devices now have competitors to watch out for. There is also a wet hand mode offered together which allows the device to be able to recognize touch input without problems even when the fingers are wet.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
Next, the device is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G chip which is paired with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. This is an improvement over the previous Mate Xs 2 which offered 8GB of RAM memory. However no 5G support given the device turns out to be a major shortcoming of the device. The chip used may also be a generation behind but still powerful enough so far. At the same time it is also the same chip used in Galaxy Z Fold4 and Honor Magic Vs.
On the initial unit received, it was not the final software according to a Huawei Malaysia spokesperson. Therefore, we cannot give the final word whether its use on the Mate X3 final version is good or not. Then the Mate X3 was announced with HarmonyOS 3.1 on the version in China. But a check through Huawei's official website shows that the latest EMUI launcher is still used on the global version just like it was on the Mate Xs 2 last year.
Huawei also focused more on software this year with the support of more interesting functions such as Video Calling/ Shooting in Flex-Stop Mode which allows the device to be placed freely without holding it while making video calls or taking pictures. It also allows multiple settings to be made in the same screen. Not to be left out, the Always On Display feature is also now built on the Flex Mode feature, which aims to easily access various important notifications such as the weather, time and more.
Next, the Horizontal/Vertical Split Screen feature allows two different applications to be launched simultaneously. Users are also given the choice of whether to display both top/bottom or side by side easily. In addition, it can also be customized (Customized Screen Combo) which allows favorite applications to be displayed as temporary notifications.
CAMERA
On the back there is a large round-shaped hump that houses three XMAGE wide-angle 50MP cameras with F1.8 aperture, 13MP ultra-wide-angle f/2.0 and 12MP telephoto f/3.5 that support up to 5X optical zoom and up to 50X digital zoom. The periscope mechanism is used in conjunction with the OIS stabilization system. Periscope cameras are rare on foldable phones, so we're glad to see them on this device. Next, an 8MP selfie camera is also used on both sides of the outer and inner screen.
The camera app interface has been redesigned. There is a built-in camera mode divider provided through the camera application such as Night, Super Macro, Macro, High-res, Time-Lapse, Aperture, Dual-View Video, Portrait, Pro, Monochrome and so on. Three XMAGE styles consisting of normal, vivid and bright are also included for more interesting color reproduction. Then the camera also allows recording up to 4K on both sides of the camera.
BATTERY
The 4,800mAh battery is larger than the 4,600mAh used on the Mate Xs 2. It is interesting because the device is able to offer better battery capacity in a thin device body. Not only that, the charging system on the device is also faster with an output power of 66W that also supports 55W wireless charging.
CONCLUSION
Our experience with the Huawei Mate X3 is too short to give a verdict on whether its use is good or not. In addition, the software on the given unit is still not fully optimized giving other constraints to determine further. However some positive signs that the Mate X3 does not disappoint in terms of design can be clearly seen here.
With its design that is now sexier, light and thin has added value to the device itself. Not only that, the interesting improvements given also show that Huawei is getting more mature in devices of this segment, for example such as the much-needed waterproof rating.
So far only Samsung has dared to put this feature on its released devices, now Huawei is also following suit. Huawei says this device will be offered in Malaysia later but there is no official date yet. The sale price also remains a secret but it is most likely not much different from its predecessor Mate Xs 2.
Pro
The design is very thin for a phone with a foldable screen.
Smooth 120Hz screen.
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip with memory up to 12GB RAM.
Camera performance is satisfactory.
66W wired and 55W wireless fast charging system.
IPX8 waterproof standard.
Cons
There are still crease marks on the screen.
The software features are not quite complete at this time.