Huawei brought the new foldable Mate Xs 2 back in Mayand we reported on the ground with the first impressions and hands on experience. At the time, the device had limited availability, but now Huawei is bringing it to store shelves and we’ve got our hands on one device.
The Mate Xs 2 comes in three colors and our unit is white. The finish on the back is leathery, but because the phone folds outwards, the color is more of an afterthought. Still, it feels nice on the hands when the Mate is unfolded.
We like how thin the phone is at its base – it’s just 5.4mm, with the camera bump doubling to 11.1mm, which is also the overall thickness of the phone when folded. The panel is manufactured by BOE and we love the fact that it has virtually no folds – we had to search hard to find some.
The unfolded 7.8-inch screen has no glass to protect it from the elements, but it has a pre-applied plastic protector. It already has some small signs of use that are fortunately not visible when the device is in use.
When the Huawei Mate Xs 2 is folded, the front becomes a 6.5” screen, while the back remains dark. However, it can be used as a viewfinder for taking selfies with the main cameras. We’ll dig deeper into our full review to determine if HarmonyOS 2.0 has features that enable the second screen.
Fortunately, there is a special protective cover in the box that covers the back part of the screen.
The Huawei ecosystem is getting richer in features and this phone comes with Petal Search, Petal Maps and AppGallery and even brings app suggestions to download right to the home screen.
Huawei Mate Xs 2 has an attractive form factor and promising cameras. The folding design is a little fragile as the entire screen is visible, but there’s no denying the impressive looks and functionality benefits. We’ll go through all the use case scenarios in our review to determine if it’s worth the $1,999 price tag. The tests are already underway, so stay tuned.