Huawei Mate Xs 2 vs Honor Magic Vs: The Ultimate Foldable Face-Off

Foldable phones are becoming increasingly sophisticated, offering a unique blend of portability and screen real estate. Today, we're pitting two contenders against each other: the Huawei Mate Xs 2 and the Honor Magic Vs. Both offer impressive features, but which one comes out on top?
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Honor Magic Vs emerges as the overall winner, boasting superior performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, significantly better battery life, and a brighter display. While the Mate Xs 2 has a unique outward-folding design, the Magic Vs offers a more refined and practical experience.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate Xs 2 Honor Magic Vs
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41
5G bands-1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO CDMA2000 1x
Launch
Announced2022, April 282022, November 23
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, May 07Available. Released 2022, December 30
Body
Build-Glass front, glass back or eco leather back, magnesium alloy frame, titanium alloy folding mechanism
DimensionsUnfolded: 156.5 x 139.3 x 5.4 mmFolded: 156.5 x 75.5 x 11.1 mmUnfolded: 160.3 x 141.5 x 6.1 mmFolded: 160.3 x 72.6 x 12.9 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight255 g / 257 g (8.99 oz)261 g / 267 g (9.21 oz)
Display
Resolution2200 x 2480 pixels (~424 ppi density)1984 x 2272 pixels (~382 ppi density)
Size7.8 inches, 195.8 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio)7.9 inches, 199.5 cm2 (~87.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeFoldable OLED, 1B colors, 120HzFoldable OLED, 1B colors, 90Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits
 Folded cover display: OLED, 6.5 inches, 1176 x 2480 pixelsCover display: OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits, 6.45 inches, 1080 x 2560 pixels, 431 ppi
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.5 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 660Adreno 730
OSEMUI 12, no Google Play Services (International); HarmonyOS 2.0 (China)Android 13, MagicOS 7.1 - InternationalAndroid 12, MagicOS 7 - China
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS-
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDRDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Single10.7 MP, f/2.2-
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 81mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide)54 MP, f/1.9, 27mm (wide), 1/1.49", 1.0µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 81mm (telephoto), PDAF, 3x optical zoom, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), AF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/240fps4K@30/60fps (10-bit), 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single10.7 MP, f/2.216 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide)
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30/240fps1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYesYes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG, Display Port 1.2
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging66W wired 5W reverse wired66W wired 5W reverse wired
TypeMarket-dependent versions:· Li-Po 4600 mAh (w/ 8GB RAM)· Li-Po 4880 mAh (w/ 12GB RAM)Li-Po 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, White, PurpleCyan, Black, Orange
ModelsPAL-AL00, PAL-LX9FRI-AN00, FRI-NX9
PriceAbout 2000 EURAbout 2940 EUR
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 49h Endurance rating 85h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -25.8 LUFS (Very good) -23.4 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 641608 (v9) GeekBench: 3131 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 831175 (v9) GeekBench: 3971 (v5.1), 4497 (v6) GFXBench: 50fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate Xs 2

  • Unique outward-folding design
  • Relatively lightweight
  • Decent camera system

  • Older chipset (Snapdragon 888)
  • Shorter battery life
  • Potential software limitations (Huawei ecosystem)

Honor Magic Vs

  • Superior performance (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1)
  • Excellent battery life
  • Brighter display
  • More refined hinge mechanism

  • Design less unique than Mate Xs 2
  • Potentially higher price

Display Comparison

The Honor Magic Vs takes the display crown with a measured peak brightness of 876 nits, significantly brighter than the Mate Xs 2's 725 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), but the Magic Vs's higher brightness makes it more usable outdoors. Both utilize flexible OLED panels, providing vibrant colors and deep blacks.

Camera Comparison

Camera performance is subjective and requires more in-depth testing. Both phones feature versatile camera systems, but the Magic Vs likely benefits from the more powerful processor for image processing. Both offer photo and video capabilities, but detailed comparisons would require side-by-side testing.

Performance

The Honor Magic Vs's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset is a clear winner here. It offers a substantial performance boost over the Mate Xs 2's Snapdragon 888, resulting in smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance. The Magic Vs handles demanding tasks with ease.

Battery Life

Battery life is a major advantage for the Honor Magic Vs. Its endurance rating of 85 hours significantly surpasses the Mate Xs 2's 49 hours. This translates to noticeably longer usage times between charges, making the Magic Vs a more practical choice for heavy users.

Buying Guide

The Huawei Mate Xs 2 is ideal for users who prioritize a unique, outward-folding design and are comfortable with potential software limitations. The Honor Magic Vs is a better choice for those seeking a more balanced foldable experience with top-tier performance, longer battery life, and a brighter, more vibrant display.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which foldable phone is more durable?
The Honor Magic Vs generally has a more robust hinge mechanism and feels more durable overall. However, both foldables are susceptible to dust and debris.
❓ Does the Huawei Mate Xs 2 support Google services?
Due to US sanctions, the Huawei Mate Xs 2 does not natively support Google services. Users rely on Huawei's AppGallery and workarounds for accessing Google apps.