Huawei Mate X2 4G vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G: The Ultimate Folding Phone Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G takes the crown thanks to its superior software support, 5G connectivity, faster charging, and more refined hinge. While the Mate X2 boasts a stunning design and powerful Kirin chipset, Samsung's overall package is more polished and feature-rich.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei Mate X2 4G | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, June 28 | 2021, August 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, July 15 | Available. Released 2021, August 27 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 161.8 x 145.8 x 8.2 mmFolded: 161.8 x 74.6 x 14.7 mm | Unfolded: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mmFolded: 158.2 x 67.1 x 14.4-16 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 295 g (10.41 oz) | 271 g (9.56 oz) |
| - | IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 2200 x 2480 pixels (~414 ppi density) | 1768 x 2208 pixels (~374 ppi density) |
| Size | 8.0 inches, 205.0 cm2 (~86.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 7.6 inches, 179.9 cm2 (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable OLED, 90Hz | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| - | Cover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 6.2 inches, 832 x 2268 pixels, 25:9 ratio | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Kirin 9000 (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP24 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | HarmonyOS 2.0 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 8 MP, f/4.4, 240mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide), AF | - |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | 4 MP, f/1.8, 2.0µm, under display Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 55W wired | 25W wired 11W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4400 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Light Blue | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, Thom Browne Edition, Wooyoungmi Edition |
| Models | TET-AL00 | SM-F926B, SM-F926B/DS, SM-F926U, SM-F926U1, SM-F926W, SM-F9260, SM-F926N |
| Price | About 2290 EUR | € 453.57 / $ 367.74 / £ 449.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.73 W/kg (head) 1.22 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.04 W/kg (head) 1.44 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 75h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 635918 (v8), 752218 (v9) GeekBench: 12719 (v4.4), 3239 (v5.1) GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Huawei Mate X2 4G
- Stunning outward-folding design
- Powerful Kirin 9000 chipset
- Excellent build quality
- Fast 55W charging
- Limited software support (due to US sanctions)
- No 5G connectivity
- Less versatile camera system
- Slower charging compared to Z Fold3
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
- Excellent software support and updates
- 5G connectivity
- Versatile camera system
- Faster 25W wired charging
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Adaptive 120Hz display
- More expensive
- Outward folding design can be bulky
- Hinge durability concerns (though improved in Z Fold3)
Display Comparison
The Z Fold3's display shines with a measured 922 nits brightness, offering excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. The Mate X2's display is also impressive, but lacks the same peak brightness. Samsung's adaptive refresh rate (120Hz) further enhances the viewing experience. Both offer vibrant colors and sharp resolution, but Samsung edges ahead.
Camera Comparison
The Z Fold3's camera system is more versatile, offering a wider range of features and generally better image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions. The Mate X2's camera is capable, but lacks the same level of refinement and software processing. Samsung's video recording capabilities are also superior.
Performance
The Kirin 9000 in the Mate X2 is a powerhouse, delivering flagship-level performance. However, the Snapdragon 888 5G in the Z Fold3 benefits from Qualcomm's optimization and broader software support. While both handle demanding tasks with ease, the Z Fold3's software integration feels more seamless.
Battery Life
Both phones offer endurance ratings of 75h, suggesting comparable battery life in typical usage. However, the Z Fold3's 25W wired charging is significantly faster than the Mate X2's 55W. The Z Fold3 also includes wireless and reverse wireless charging, adding to its convenience.
Buying Guide
The Huawei Mate X2 4G is ideal for users prioritizing a sleek, outward-folding design and powerful performance, particularly those comfortable with Huawei's ecosystem and potential software limitations. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is best suited for users seeking a versatile device with excellent software support, 5G connectivity, and a more mature folding phone experience.