Huawei Mate Xs 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4: The Ultimate Folding Phone Battle

Folding phones have arrived, offering a unique blend of smartphone portability and tablet-like screen real estate. Today, we pit two titans against each other: the Huawei Mate Xs 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4. Which device offers the best experience, and which one should you choose?
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 emerges as the overall winner, boasting significantly better battery life, a more powerful processor, and faster charging. While the Mate Xs 2 has a unique outward-folding design, the Z Fold4's refined software, improved cameras, and superior performance make it the more compelling package.

PHONES
Phone Names Huawei Mate Xs 2 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 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, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands-1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
Launch
Announced2022, April 282022, August 10
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, May 07Available. Released 2022, August 25
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
DimensionsUnfolded: 156.5 x 139.3 x 5.4 mmFolded: 156.5 x 75.5 x 11.1 mmUnfolded: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3 mmFolded: 155.1 x 67.1 x 14.2-15.8 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight255 g / 257 g (8.99 oz)263 g (9.28 oz)
 -IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus support
Display
Resolution2200 x 2480 pixels (~424 ppi density)1812 x 2176 pixels (~373 ppi density)
Size7.8 inches, 195.8 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio)7.6 inches, 183.2 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeFoldable OLED, 1B colors, 120HzFoldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak)
 Folded cover display: OLED, 6.5 inches, 1176 x 2480 pixelsCover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ 6.2 inches, 904 x 2316 pixels, 23.1:9 ratio
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 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 12L, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1
Memory
Card slotNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 UFSUFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDRLED 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)50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 66mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/240fps8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single10.7 MP, f/2.24 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/3.0", 2.0µm, under display Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30/240fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (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
Charging66W wired 5W reverse wired25W wired, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeMarket-dependent versions:· Li-Po 4600 mAh (w/ 8GB RAM)· Li-Po 4880 mAh (w/ 12GB RAM)Li-Po 4400 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, White, PurpleGraygreen, Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy
ModelsPAL-AL00, PAL-LX9SM-F936B, SM-F936B/DS, SM-F936U, SM-F936U1, SM-F936N, SM-F936W, SM-F9360
PriceAbout 2000 EUR$ 457.00 / € 511.80 / £ 485.00 / ₹ 73,899
SAR-0.96 W/kg (head)     0.92 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.30 W/kg (head)     1.51 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 49h Endurance rating 101h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -25.8 LUFS (Very good) -28.3 LUFS (Average)
Performance AnTuTu: 641608 (v9) GeekBench: 3131 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 964530 (v9) GeekBench: 3981 (v5.1) GFXBench: 43fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Huawei Mate Xs 2

  • Unique outward-folding design
  • Relatively lightweight for a folding phone
  • Decent performance for everyday tasks

  • Significantly shorter battery life
  • Less powerful processor
  • Software limitations (due to lack of Google services)
  • Camera performance not as strong as competitors

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4

  • Excellent battery life
  • Powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
  • Refined software experience
  • Versatile camera system
  • Faster charging (wired and wireless)

  • Expensive
  • Bulky and heavy
  • Under-display camera quality could be better

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 takes the display crown with a measured peak brightness of 1000 nits compared to the Mate Xs 2's 725 nits. Both offer infinite contrast ratios (nominally), but the Z Fold4's brighter screen provides better visibility in direct sunlight. The Z Fold4's inner display is also larger and arguably more practical for multitasking.

Camera Comparison

While both phones offer capable camera systems, the Galaxy Z Fold4 generally produces better image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. Samsung's image processing is more refined, and the Z Fold4's under-display camera, while not perfect, is an improvement over the Mate Xs 2's. The Z Fold4 also offers more versatile camera features.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the Galaxy Z Fold4 is a clear performance winner over the Snapdragon 888 in the Mate Xs 2. The newer chip offers improved CPU and GPU performance, resulting in smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming experiences. The Z Fold4's 4nm process also contributes to better power efficiency.

Battery Life

Battery life is a significant differentiator. The Galaxy Z Fold4's endurance rating of 101 hours far surpasses the Mate Xs 2's 49 hours. This translates to significantly longer usage between charges, a crucial factor for a device of this size and complexity.

Buying Guide

The Huawei Mate Xs 2 is ideal for those who prioritize a unique, outward-folding design and don't mind potential software limitations. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 is perfect for users seeking a versatile device with excellent performance, a robust camera system, and a more polished software experience, especially those invested in the Samsung ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Huawei Mate Xs 2 worth buying if I can't access Google services?
It depends on your tolerance for alternative app stores and workarounds. If you heavily rely on Google apps and services, the Mate Xs 2 might be frustrating. However, if you're comfortable with Huawei's AppGallery and alternative solutions, the unique design could be appealing.
❓ Which folding phone is more durable?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 has undergone more rigorous durability testing and generally considered more robust. While both phones have improved hinge designs, the Z Fold4 benefits from Samsung's experience in the folding phone market.