While the foldable phone market is limited to Samsung in the US, that’s not the case elsewhere — especially in China and other parts of Asia. Huawei has been participating in the foldable market almost as much as Samsung, and it has unveiled its brand new foldable Mate X3 in China. It’s also thinner and lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy Z Fold 4.
The Huawei Mate X3 folds book-style, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, which opens to reveal a 7.85-inch screen. This screen features an adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2496 x 2224. On the outside is a 6.4-inch display, with a 120Hz refresh rate and FHD resolution.
The Mate X3 is also the lightest foldable phone commercially available, weighing just 8.4 ounces (239 grams). The iPhone 14 Pro Max weighs 8.47 ounces (240 grams), and the Z Fold 4 weighs 9.28 ounces. The X3 is also weaker than the Huawei Mate XS 2, which weighs 8.99 ounces and previously held the title of lightest foldable phone.
While the difference in this weight is minimal between the Mate X3 and the iPhone, it’s still a remarkable achievement. Especially considering how massive Samsung’s current foldable flagship is.
The Mate X3 is also noticeably thinner in its unfolded state, measuring 0.2 inches (5.3 mm) thin. Apple’s most premium model is 0.31 inches thick, while the Z Fold 4 is 0.24 inches thick in the same configuration. For comparison’s sake, the Mate XS 2 was 0.21 inches thick when unfolded.
Other features of the Mate X3 include a triple-lens camera module, complete with a 50MP main lens, a 13MP ultrawide lens and a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. There are also two 8MP cameras, each on one of the phone’s two screens.
The CPU is a bit disappointing, with the Mate X3 packing in the Snapdragon 8 Plus 4G chipset. It’s not the oldest chip out there, but given that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will likely come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy device, it looks like Huawei should have gone for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. At least it includes 5G, because this isn’t 2018 yet. now.
Other points of note include a 4,800mAh battery, 66W fast charging, 50W wireless charging, 7.5W reverse wireless charging, IPX8 water resistance, dual SIM, and a free-stop hinge that lets you fold the phone into a variety of positions.
Of course, Huawei doesn’t sell phones in the US, so you won’t be able to buy the Mate X3 unless some serious policy changes happen in the next few months. You’ll also have to go without Google services, including access to the Google Play Store, which isn’t a particularly attractive prospect.
Still, it’s nice to see the foldable phone business evolving, even if not many of these devices are sold in the US. Someone should keep Samsung on their toes while we patiently wait for the likes of the Google Pixel Fold, iPhone Flip, and OnePlus V Fold.
