Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 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 Fold3 5G emerges as the more practical choice. Its significantly superior battery endurance (75h vs 49h) and brighter display (922 nits vs 725 nits) outweigh the Mate Xs 2’s faster charging, especially considering both utilize the same Snapdragon 888 chipset.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 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 | 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, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 - Europe | 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, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | - |
| 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, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 11 | 2022, April 28 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 27 | Available. Released 2022, May 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame | - |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4 mmFolded: 158.2 x 67.1 x 14.4-16 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 | 271 g (9.56 oz) | 255 g / 257 g (8.99 oz) |
| IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus support | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1768 x 2208 pixels (~374 ppi density) | 2200 x 2480 pixels (~424 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.6 inches, 179.9 cm2 (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 7.8 inches, 195.8 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | Foldable OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz |
| Cover display: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 6.2 inches, 832 x 2268 pixels, 25:9 ratio | Folded cover display: OLED, 6.5 inches, 1176 x 2480 pixels | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 | 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), HDR10+ | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/240fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 4 MP, f/1.8, 2.0µm, under display 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 | 5.2, 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/6e, 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 4400 mAh | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 4600 mAh (w/ 8GB RAM)· Li-Po 4880 mAh (w/ 12GB RAM) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, Thom Browne Edition, Wooyoungmi Edition | Black, White, Purple |
| Models | SM-F926B, SM-F926B/DS, SM-F926U, SM-F926U1, SM-F926W, SM-F9260, SM-F926N | PAL-AL00, PAL-LX9 |
| Price | € 453.57 / $ 367.74 / £ 449.99 | About 2000 EUR |
| SAR | 0.73 W/kg (head) 1.22 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 1.04 W/kg (head) 1.44 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 75h | Endurance rating 49h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) | -25.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 635918 (v8), 752218 (v9) GeekBench: 12719 (v4.4), 3239 (v5.1) GFXBench: 38fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 641608 (v9) GeekBench: 3131 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
- Superior battery life (75h endurance)
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- 5G connectivity for faster data speeds
- More refined software experience
- Slower wired charging (25W)
- Inward-folding design may feel less innovative
Huawei Mate Xs 2
- Faster wired charging (66W)
- Unique out-folding display aesthetic
- Potentially more durable hinge mechanism (outward fold)
- Sleeker profile when unfolded
- Significantly shorter battery life (49h endurance)
- Lacks 5G connectivity
- More vulnerable display to scratches and damage
- Less established software support
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G boasts a 922-nit peak brightness, offering superior visibility under direct sunlight compared to the Huawei Mate Xs 2’s 725 nits. While both utilize OLED technology, the Z Fold3’s inward-folding design offers inherent screen protection when closed. The Mate Xs 2’s outward-folding display, while visually striking, is more susceptible to scratches and damage. Both lack specified refresh rates in the provided data, but the Z Fold3 is known to have a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, a feature likely absent on the Xs 2. The Mate Xs 2 advertises an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, a typical OLED characteristic, but this doesn't translate to a meaningfully better viewing experience than the Z Fold3’s excellent contrast.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but specific details are absent. Given the market positioning, the Z Fold3 likely offers a more versatile camera system with advanced software features. The Snapdragon 888 ISP is identical on both, but Samsung’s image processing algorithms are generally more refined. Without sensor size or aperture information, a direct comparison is difficult, but the Z Fold3’s broader software support and potential for future updates give it an edge. The absence of detail suggests neither phone prioritizes camera innovation as a primary selling point.
Performance
Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (Samsung) and 888 4G (Huawei) fabricated on a 5nm process. However, the crucial distinction is the 5G vs 4G modem. The Z Fold3 offers significantly faster cellular data speeds where 5G is available. While the CPU and GPU architectures are identical, the Z Fold3 benefits from Samsung’s software optimizations and potentially better thermal management, though detailed thermal data isn’t provided. The lack of 5G on the Mate Xs 2 is a significant limitation in modern networks, impacting download speeds and streaming quality.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G achieves an endurance rating of 75 hours, a substantial improvement over the Huawei Mate Xs 2’s 49 hours. This difference is critical for foldable phones, which often have larger displays and thus higher power consumption. While the Mate Xs 2 boasts 66W wired charging – significantly faster than the Z Fold3’s 25W – this speed advantage is offset by the smaller battery capacity and lower overall endurance. The Z Fold3’s 11W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging offer added convenience, features the Mate Xs 2 only partially matches with 5W reverse wired charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G if you prioritize all-day battery life, a brighter and more visible display in outdoor conditions, and a more established software ecosystem. Buy the Huawei Mate Xs 2 if you specifically desire the unique aesthetic and feel of an out-folding display, and faster wired charging is a critical requirement, accepting the trade-off in battery longevity.