Huawei Mate XT Ultimate vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5: A Deep Dive into Foldable Supremacy

The foldable phone market is maturing, with Samsung leading the charge and Huawei re-entering the fray. We pit the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, the established champion, against the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate, a newcomer aiming to disrupt the status quo. This comparison focuses on real-world performance, battery endurance, and the core differences that will dictate which device suits your needs.

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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is the better choice. Its significantly longer battery life (12:01h active use vs 7:48h) and brighter 1257 nit display provide a more consistently enjoyable experience. However, the Mate XT Ultimate’s 66W wired charging offers a compelling advantage for those prioritizing speed.

PHONES
Phone Names	Huawei Mate XT Ultimate	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

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	LTE	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands	SA/NSA	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G

Launch
Announced	2024, September 10	2023, July 26
Status	Available. Released 2024, September 20	Available. Released 2023, August 11

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame
Dimensions	Unfolded: 156.7 x 219 x 3.6-4.8 mmFolded: 156.7 x 73.5 x 12.8 mm	Unfolded: 154.9 x 129.9 x 6.1 mmFolded: 154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4 mm
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight	298 g (10.51 oz)	253 g (8.92 oz)

Display
Resolution	2232 x 3184 pixels (~381 ppi density)	1812 x 2176 pixels (~373 ppi density)
Size	10.2 inches, 315.5 cm2 (~91.9% screen-to-body ratio)	7.6 inches, 183.2 cm2 (~91.1% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Tri-foldable LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 90Hz	Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x2.3 GHz Taishan Big & 3x2.18 GHz Taishan Mid & 4x1.55 GHz Cortex-A510)	Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
Chipset	Kirin 9010 (7 nm)	Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPU	Maleoon 910	Adreno 740
OS	HarmonyOS 4.2 (China)	Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM	256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR	LED flash, HDR, panorama
Triple	50 MP, f/1.4-f/4.0, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 5.5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9", 1.24µm, PDAF	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
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, OIS, HDR Vivid	8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	8 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm	4 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
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS

Sound
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers

Comms
Bluetooth	5.2, A2DP, LE, L2HC	5.3, 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, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Battery
Charging	66W wired 50W wireless 7.5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired	25W wired, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless
Type	Si/C Li-Ion 5600 mAh	Li-Po 4400 mAh

Misc
Colors	Red, Black	Icy Blue, Phantom Black, Cream, Gray, Blue
Models	GRL-LX9, GRL-AL10	SM-F946B, SM-F946B/DS, SM-F946U, SM-F946U1, SM-F946N, SM-F946W, SM-F9460
Price	$ 4,662.58	€ 660.00 / $ 607.00 / £ 520.69 / ₹ 86,000
SAR	-	1.16 W/kg (head)
SAR EU	-	1.24 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body)

Huawei Mate XT Ultimate

Blazing-fast 66W wired charging
50W Wireless Charging
Potentially strong camera performance (based on Huawei's reputation)

Significantly shorter battery life
Older 7nm Kirin 9010 chipset
Limited software ecosystem compared to Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

Exceptional battery life (12:01h active use)
Bright 1257 nit display
Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset

Slower 25W wired charging
Lower reverse wireless charging speed
Higher price point (typically)

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 immediately distinguishes itself with a measured peak brightness of 1257 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Mate XT Ultimate’s display specs are not provided, Samsung’s LTPO display technology dynamically adjusts refresh rates for improved efficiency. The Z Fold5’s refined hinge and minimized bezel contribute to a more immersive viewing experience, a crucial factor for a foldable device. The lack of detailed display information for the Mate XT Ultimate makes a direct comparison difficult, but Samsung clearly leads in measured brightness.

Camera Comparison

While both devices feature camera systems, the context data is limited for the Mate XT Ultimate. The Z Fold5’s camera is expected to deliver strong photo and video quality, leveraging Samsung’s image processing expertise. The absence of sensor size or aperture details for the Mate XT Ultimate makes a direct comparison challenging. However, given Huawei’s historical strength in mobile photography, it’s reasonable to expect competitive image quality, though likely with a different processing style. We’d need sample images to assess the true differences.

Performance

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) in the Galaxy Z Fold5 represents a significant leap in efficiency and performance over the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate’s Kirin 9010 (7nm). The Snapdragon’s Cortex-X3 prime core, clocked at 3.36 GHz, delivers superior single-core performance, while its optimized architecture minimizes thermal throttling during sustained workloads. The Kirin 9010, while capable, is built on an older process node, potentially leading to higher temperatures and reduced sustained performance. The Z Fold5’s LPDDR5x RAM further enhances responsiveness and multitasking capabilities. This translates to smoother gaming, faster app loading, and a more fluid overall user experience for the Z Fold5.

Battery Life

Battery life is where the Galaxy Z Fold5 truly shines. Its active use score of 12:01h significantly surpasses the Mate XT Ultimate’s 7:48h. While the Mate XT Ultimate compensates with incredibly fast 66W wired charging (and 50W wireless), the Z Fold5’s endurance means fewer trips to the charger. The Z Fold5 can reach 50% charge in 30 minutes with its 25W wired charging, but the Mate XT Ultimate will likely achieve a full charge in a similar timeframe. The Mate XT Ultimate also offers 7.5W reverse wireless and 5W reverse wired charging, while the Z Fold5 provides 4.5W reverse wireless – a minor difference for emergency top-ups.

Buying Guide

Buy the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate if you prioritize incredibly fast charging and are comfortable with the Huawei ecosystem. Its 66W wired and 50W wireless charging are unmatched in this comparison. Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 if you value all-day battery life, a brighter and more refined display, and the broader software support and app compatibility of the Android ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Kirin 9010 chipset in the Mate XT Ultimate struggle with demanding games like Genshin Impact?

The Kirin 9010, while capable, is likely to exhibit more thermal throttling than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in prolonged gaming sessions. Expect potentially lower frame rates and reduced graphical settings to maintain stable performance in graphically intensive titles. The Z Fold5’s superior thermal management provides a more consistent gaming experience.

❓ How much faster is the 66W charging on the Mate XT Ultimate compared to the Z Fold5’s 25W charging in real-world scenarios?

The Mate XT Ultimate’s 66W charging will significantly reduce charging times. While the Z Fold5 reaches 50% in 30 minutes, the Mate XT Ultimate will likely achieve a full charge in a similar timeframe. This is a major advantage for users who frequently need to quickly top up their battery.

❓ Is the lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) on the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate a significant drawback for most users?

Yes, the absence of GMS means no direct access to the Google Play Store and core Google apps. Users will need to rely on Huawei’s AppGallery and sideloading apps, which can be inconvenient and may not offer the same level of compatibility or security.

❓ How does the hinge durability compare between the Z Fold5 and the Mate XT Ultimate?

Samsung has refined its hinge design over several generations of Fold devices, resulting in a robust and reliable mechanism. Details on the Mate XT Ultimate’s hinge durability are currently limited, but it’s a critical area to assess in long-term reviews. The Z Fold5’s hinge is generally considered to be more durable and reliable.