Huawei Mate Xs 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G: A Detailed Comparison

The Huawei Mate Xs 2 pushes the boundaries of smartphone design with its innovative folding form factor, while the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G remains a powerhouse of traditional flagship features. But which phone offers the better overall experience? We're diving deep into a head-to-head comparison to help you decide.

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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G takes the crown for overall value and longevity, boasting superior battery life and a more established ecosystem. However, the Mate Xs 2’s unique folding design and impressive display offer a compelling, albeit pricier, alternative for those seeking innovation.

PHONES
Phone Names	Huawei Mate Xs 2	Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 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, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-N986U
5G bands	-	2, 5, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-N986U
Speed	HSPA, LTE	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
	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO	41, 66, 71 Sub6 - SM-N986W

Launch
Announced	2022, April 28	2020, August 05
Status	Available. Released 2022, May 07	Available. Released 2020, August 21

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), stainless steel frame
Dimensions	Unfolded: 156.5 x 139.3 x 5.4 mmFolded: 156.5 x 75.5 x 11.1 mm	164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm (6.49 x 3.04 x 0.32 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	255 g / 257 g (8.99 oz)	208 g (7.34 oz)
	-	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 9ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)

Display
Protection	-	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution	2200 x 2480 pixels (~424 ppi density)	1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~496 ppi density)
Size	7.8 inches, 195.8 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio)	6.9 inches, 116.7 cm2 (~91.7% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Foldable OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+
	Folded cover display: OLED, 6.5 inches, 1176 x 2480 pixels	Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x3.0 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm)	Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) - USA
GPU	Adreno 660	Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA
OS	EMUI 12, no Google Play Services (International); HarmonyOS 2.0 (China)	Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5

Memory
Card slot	Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
	UFS	UFS 3.0

Main Camera
Features	Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR	Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single	10.7 MP, f/2.2	3.15 MP
Triple	50 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)	108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.0, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom, 50x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/240fps	8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	10.7 MP, f/2.2	10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/240fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps

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	5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX
Infrared port	Yes	-
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	No	FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)
USB	USB Type-C 3.1, OTG	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	-	Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support

Battery
Charging	66W wired 5W reverse wired	25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type	Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 4600 mAh (w/ 8GB RAM)· Li-Po 4880 mAh (w/ 12GB RAM)	Li-Ion 4500 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, White, Purple	Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Mystic White
Models	PAL-AL00, PAL-LX9	SM-N986B, SM-N986B/DS, SM-N986U, SM-N986U1, SM-N986W, SM-N9860, SM-N986N, SC-53A
Price	About 2000 EUR	€ 381.00 / $ 248.44
SAR	-	0.71 W/kg (head) 1.18 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.34 W/kg (head) 1.47 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 49h	Endurance rating 88h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-25.8 LUFS (Very good)	-27.8 LUFS (Good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 641608 (v9) GeekBench: 3131 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 508760 (v8) GeekBench: 2603 (v5.1) GFXBench: 42fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate Xs 2

Innovative folding design
Bright display
Fast charging (66W)

Shorter battery life
Potentially limited software support
Higher price

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G

Excellent battery life
Superior camera zoom
Established ecosystem
Brighter display

Less innovative design
Slower charging (25W)
Can be bulky

Display Comparison

The Note20 Ultra’s 1024 nits brightness gives it a clear edge in outdoor visibility. While the Mate Xs 2’s 725 nits is still respectable, the Note20 Ultra’s larger screen size and slightly better color accuracy contribute to a more immersive viewing experience. Both offer excellent contrast ratios, nominally infinite.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer versatile camera systems. The Note20 Ultra’s zoom capabilities are superior, with a dedicated 5x optical zoom lens. The Mate Xs 2’s camera is good, but often struggles in low light compared to the Note20 Ultra. Video recording quality is comparable on both.

Performance

The Snapdragon 888 in the Mate Xs 2 is a capable performer, but the Note20 Ultra, depending on region (Snapdragon 865+ or Exynos 990), generally offers slightly smoother performance, especially in demanding tasks. The Note20 Ultra's RAM management is also typically more refined.

Battery Life

The Note20 Ultra’s 88h endurance rating significantly surpasses the Mate Xs 2’s 49h. This translates to noticeably longer battery life for the Note20 Ultra, making it a more practical choice for heavy users.

Buying Guide

The Huawei Mate Xs 2 is ideal for tech enthusiasts and early adopters who prioritize a cutting-edge, foldable design and are comfortable with potential software limitations. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G is perfect for users who want a reliable, feature-rich flagship with excellent camera capabilities, long battery life, and seamless integration with the Samsung ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Huawei Mate Xs 2 worth the price?

The Mate Xs 2 is a premium device with a unique design. Its value depends on how much you prioritize innovation and a foldable form factor over battery life and software support.

❓ Which phone has better software support?

The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra generally receives more timely software updates and has a more robust ecosystem of apps and services.