Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G vs. Huawei Mate Xs 2: A Deep Dive into Foldable Futures
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G emerges as the stronger choice. While the Mate Xs 2 boasts faster charging, the Z Fold2’s significantly superior battery endurance, coupled with a more mature software experience and wider availability, makes it the more practical daily driver.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G | Huawei Mate Xs 2 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - SM-F916B | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - SM-F916B | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 77, 78 Sub6 - SM-F916B | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 - SM-F916U1 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, August 05 | 2022, April 28 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, September 18 | Available. Released 2022, May 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back, aluminum frame | - |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9 mmFolded: 159.2 x 68 x 13.8-16.8 mm | Unfolded: 156.5 x 139.3 x 5.4 mmFolded: 156.5 x 75.5 x 11.1 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 282 g (9.95 oz) | 255 g / 257 g (8.99 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1768 x 2208 pixels (~373 ppi density) | 2200 x 2480 pixels (~424 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.6 inches, 180.8 cm2 (~88.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 7.8 inches, 195.8 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Foldable OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz |
| Cover display: Super AMOLED, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 6.23 inches, 816 x 2260 pixels, 25:9 ratio | Folded cover display: OLED, 6.5 inches, 1176 x 2480 pixels | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.09 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1.1 | EMUI 12, no Google Play Services (International); HarmonyOS 2.0 (China) |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | - | 10.7 MP, f/2.2 |
| 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 | 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) |
| Video | 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+ | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/240fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm | 10.7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/240fps |
| 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 | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 | USB Type-C 3.1, 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 (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 | 25W wired 11W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless | 66W wired 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 4600 mAh (w/ 8GB RAM)· Li-Po 4880 mAh (w/ 12GB RAM) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Thom Browne Edition, Aston Martin Racing Edition | Black, White, Purple |
| Models | SM-F916B, SM-F916U, SM-F916U1, SM-F916N, SM-F9160, SM-F916W, SCG05 | PAL-AL00, PAL-LX9 |
| Price | About 960 EUR | About 2000 EUR |
| SAR EU | 0.86 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 81h | Endurance rating 49h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) | -25.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 564907 (v8) GeekBench: 12607 (v4.4), 2715 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 641608 (v9) GeekBench: 3131 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
- Superior battery life (81h endurance)
- 5G connectivity for faster data speeds
- More mature software ecosystem with Google Play Store access
- Visible crease in the inner display
- Slower charging speed (25W)
Huawei Mate Xs 2
- Faster 66W wired charging
- Creaseless out-folding display
- Potentially stronger camera image processing
- Significantly shorter battery life (49h endurance)
- Lacks 5G connectivity
- Limited software ecosystem and potential app compatibility issues
Display Comparison
Both devices feature impressive displays, with the Huawei Mate Xs 2 marginally edging out the Z Fold2 in peak brightness at 725 nits versus 714 nits. However, the difference is minimal and likely imperceptible in most real-world scenarios. The Mate Xs 2’s out-folding design eliminates the crease present on the Z Fold2, offering a flatter viewing experience. The Z Fold2, however, benefits from a more protected inner display when folded, reducing the risk of scratches. While both lack specified refresh rates in the provided data, the Z Fold2’s market positioning suggests a 120Hz panel, offering smoother scrolling and animations, a feature not confirmed for the Mate Xs 2.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, offering limited insight. However, considering Huawei’s historical strength in mobile photography, the Mate Xs 2 likely prioritizes image processing and computational photography. The Z Fold2, while capable, may lean towards a more natural image profile. Without sensor size or aperture data, a definitive camera comparison is impossible. The absence of detail suggests neither phone is positioned as a camera-centric flagship.
Performance
The Huawei Mate Xs 2 utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G, a 5nm chipset, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G employs the Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7nm+). Despite the smaller node size of the 888, the 865+’s optimized architecture and 5G capabilities provide a competitive edge. The Mate Xs 2’s CPU features a Cortex-X1 prime core, potentially offering a slight advantage in single-core performance, but the Z Fold2’s more efficient chipset and potentially better thermal management could lead to sustained performance in demanding tasks. The lack of 5G on the Mate Xs 2 is a significant drawback for users in areas with 5G coverage.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the Z Fold2 5G truly shines. Its endurance rating of 81 hours significantly surpasses the Mate Xs 2’s 49 hours. This difference is likely due to the more efficient Snapdragon 865+ and potentially a more optimized software experience. While the Mate Xs 2 boasts a blazing-fast 66W wired charging, allowing for a rapid 0-100% charge, this is offset by the smaller battery capacity and lower overall endurance. The Z Fold2’s 25W charging is slower, but the longer battery life reduces the need for frequent top-ups. The Mate Xs 2 also offers 5W reverse wired charging, a feature the Z Fold2 complements with 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G if you prioritize all-day battery life, a polished software experience with access to the Google Play Store, and a robust ecosystem of accessories. Buy the Huawei Mate Xs 2 if you value extremely fast charging, prefer an out-folding display for a more seamless transition, and are comfortable with the limitations of the Huawei ecosystem and potential software constraints.