HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4

HUAWEI Mate XS 2 still stands as the Ideal Foldable Phone: Ultra Light, Ultra Flat and Super Durable

Samsung just unveiled its new generation of foldable smartphones bringing some iterative improvements. Naturally, the first question that popped into our heads was whether the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 could measure up to the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2. When the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 came out, we loved its thin and light design and the ultra-flat display with no visible crease. Huawei basically solved the chunkiness problem plaguing foldable smartphones with its innovative design. And that’s a high bar to reach. So let’s go ahead and compare the two phones.

Design

Both HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 are folding phones that share many similarities in design. But there is one striking difference. The way HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 implements the folding mechanism with its new generation Double-rotating Falcon Wing design with the screen folding outwards is just better. This gives it two big advantages. One, the display on HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is ultra-flat and smooth. This makes for a much more immersive experience as there is no crease that takes your attention away from the screen content. The second benefit is that instead of having two separate displays, the former has an expansive 7.8-inch display that becomes a much more modest 6.5-inch display with a familiar aspect ratio of 19:9 when folded.

Despite the durable build, HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is also surprisingly thin and light for a foldable phone. Even with a colossal screen, it only weighs 255g; not much more than a typical non-folding phone with a case on. This lightness is the result of the clever use of Innovative Light Materials such as ultra-light glass fibres for the phone’s backplane, as well as aerospace-grade titanium alloys and ultra-light, high-strength steel for its structure. These cutting-edge materials lower the phone’s overall weight and improve its strength and fracture toughness. HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 has excellent resistance against impacts thanks to the use of a Composite Screen, inspired by anti-collision systems in cars.

When it comes to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4, the main 7.6” screen folds in like a book, and the crease in the middle is quite visible. There is a second smaller 6.2” screen on the outside with a 23.1:9 aspect ratio. When compared to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold3, which weighed 271g, the Galaxy Z Fold4 is lighter at 263g, but it is still heavier and thicker compared to the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2.

So, when it comes to the design, HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 still maintains the advantage with its thin and light body and is easier to use overall.

Cameras

For the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2, the camera system is excellent. The 50MP True-Chroma Camera System of the phone is capable of capturing true-to-life colours with plenty of details. It takes full advantage of the improved HUAWEI XD Optics and its information recovery technology to further elevate image clarity. Moreover, HUAWEI XD Fusion Pro True-Chroma Image Engine, the 10-Channel Multi-Spectrum Sensor and the colour calibration of more than 2000 colours in the P3 full-colour gamut, combined with the all-around leading software and hardware, help the phone capture stunning images. You can also make better use of the camera system using the Mirror Shooting smart function that lets you preview shots in real-time through the digital viewfinder of the camera on both screens simultaneously.

Samsung Galaxy Fold4 has a 50MP main camera, a 10MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide. The telephoto lens gives you a 3x zoom. It also has a 4MP under-display camera as well as a 10MP selfie camera on the cover display. Besides, you can also take selfies with the 50MP main camera using the outside screen as the viewfinder.

Innovative software features

With HUAWE Mate Xs 2, Huawei has taken great care to make sure that users have a seamless experience while using the device. It uses the brand-new dynamic folding visual effect for a smooth transition between the two modes of operation. When unfolded, the desktop screen will automatically expand, and, when folded, the screen remains clear and smooth. While the Split-screen feature facilitates running two apps simultaneously to increase efficiency and free operation, the enhanced Smart Multi-Window function makes interactions simpler and more effective. Swipe allows simple control and access to the floating windows, allowing multitasking with one quick swipe. With its large screen and coupled hands-free function, it brings an immersive communication experience during HD video calls.

The Galaxy Z Fold4 features some cool software features too, especially with regards to multitasking, like the addition of a Taskbar that helps to switch between apps easily. Even more significant is that it is now running on the Android 12L operating system, which is designed for larger-screen devices. And as like every other modern Samsung Smartphone, there is also the OneUI. On the Galaxy Z Fold4, you will get OneUI 4.1.1 right out of the box.

Battery

The HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is powered by a 4600mAh battery that supports the distributed 66W  HUAWEI SuperCharge. Galaxy Z Fold4, on the other hand, has a battery with a capacity of 4400mAh and a wired charging speed of 25W. It also supports 15W wireless charging. Here, the HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 clearly dominates with a bigger battery and faster wired charging speed.

Our Verdict

Starting from the design to the display and the overall user experience, HUAWEI Mate Xs 2 is still the ideal foldable phone. It is also to note that it comes pre-installed with AppGallery you can download a wide selection of global and local apps, as well as Petal Search, Petal Maps, HUAWEI Video, HUAWEI Browser, GameCenter, and more.