Huawei Mate X3 Review: The Next Level of Foldable Innovation

The Huawei Mate X3 represents the latest innovation in Huawei’s foldable smartphone lineup, pushing the boundaries of technology, design, and user experience. As a successor to the highly acclaimed Mate X2, the Mate X3 refines the foldable smartphone concept with improved durability, cutting-edge performance, and a sleek design. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a professional, or someone who enjoys the latest mobile technology, the Huawei Mate X3 offers a unique and powerful solution. In this detailed review, we’ll dive into the design, performance, camera system, battery life, and other key features that make the Mate X3 stand out in the competitive foldable smartphone market.

Design and Display: A Sleek, Durable Foldable Marvel

The Huawei Mate X3 continues Huawei’s tradition of creating foldable devices that combine cutting-edge design with high-end materials. When unfolded, the Mate X3 boasts a large 8-inch OLED display with a 2200 x 2480 pixels resolution, offering vibrant colors and crisp details that make media consumption, gaming, and multitasking a joy. The display’s 120Hz refresh rate provides fluid scrolling, smooth animations, and responsive touch inputs, offering an incredibly dynamic experience.

When folded, the Huawei Mate X3 features a 6.4-inch OLED cover display with a 2504 x 1080 pixels resolution. This secondary display allows users to interact with the phone without unfolding it, making it perfect for quick tasks like checking notifications, replying to messages, or browsing social media. The compact design of the cover display is especially useful for one-handed operations, making the phone feel more like a traditional smartphone when closed.

One of the standout features of the Mate X3 is its impressive durability. The device is equipped with a new, robust Falcon Wing hinge, which ensures that the foldable mechanism is both smooth and resilient. The hinge is engineered to provide long-lasting durability without compromising on design, making the Mate X3 one of the most reliable foldable devices in the market.

Huawei has also made improvements in terms of weight and thickness, making the Mate X3 lighter and thinner than its predecessor. The device feels less bulky when unfolded and more comfortable to use, striking a balance between premium design and practicality.

Performance: Powerhouse for Productivity and Entertainment

The Huawei Mate X3 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, one of the most powerful processors available in 2024 smartphones. With 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage, the Mate X3 offers exceptional performance that handles everything from intensive multitasking to resource-heavy gaming.

Whether you’re juggling multiple apps, editing documents, or playing graphically demanding games, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ensures smooth and responsive performance. The Adreno 740 GPU paired with this chipset delivers an outstanding gaming experience, supporting titles like PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact, and Call of Duty Mobile with ease.

The Huawei Mate X3 is available in multiple storage configurations, starting from 256GB and going up to a massive 1TB, making it a great option for users who store a lot of apps, media, or files. The phone does not support expandable storage via microSD, so users will need to select their preferred storage option carefully when purchasing.

Running on HarmonyOS 3.1, the Mate X3 offers a smooth and intuitive user experience. HarmonyOS seamlessly integrates with the Huawei ecosystem, providing users with features like multi-screen collaboration, Huawei Share, and AppGallery, where users can download and manage apps. However, the absence of Google services might be a downside for some users, although Huawei’s ecosystem and the growing AppGallery provide ample alternatives.

Camera System: A Versatile Photography Experience

The Huawei Mate X3 features a powerful camera setup that is designed to impress both photography enthusiasts and casual users. The primary camera is a 50MP wide sensor with a f/1.8 aperture, offering stunning clarity and detail across a wide range of lighting conditions. The camera system also benefits from Huawei’s AI-assisted photography, which automatically adjusts settings to optimize shots based on the environment, lighting, and scene.

In addition to the main camera, the Mate X3 includes a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. The ultra-wide lens allows users to capture sweeping landscapes and group photos, while the telephoto lens provides excellent detail at a distance, making it ideal for close-ups and distant subjects.

One of the standout features of the Mate X3 camera system is its AI-enhanced image processing, which improves dynamic range and color accuracy, even in low-light conditions. Whether you’re shooting during the day or at night, the Mate X3 captures clear, vibrant images with impressive color reproduction and contrast.

For selfies, the Mate X3 features a 13MP front camera housed in the cover display, offering sharp, detailed self-portraits. The front camera benefits from AI enhancements, ensuring your selfies look natural and well-lit. The foldable design also allows users to take creative photos, as the device can be used in both unfolded and folded modes for unique angles.

The Mate X3 can record 4K video at 60fps, delivering smooth, high-quality footage. Video recording is stabilized, ensuring that your videos remain steady even in motion. The device supports AI video enhancements, such as automatic scene adjustments and real-time beautification for video calls or vlogs.

Battery Life and Charging: Long-lasting Power for a Foldable

The Huawei Mate X3 comes equipped with a 4800mAh battery, which is impressive for a foldable device. The battery is capable of supporting a full day of moderate to heavy use, including browsing, media consumption, gaming, and multitasking. Given the large screen size and power-hungry components, the Mate X3’s battery performs admirably, ensuring you stay productive or entertained throughout the day.

When it’s time to recharge, the Mate X3 supports 66W SuperCharge, which provides fast and efficient charging. The phone can be charged from 0% to 50% in just 20 minutes, and a full charge is completed in around 45 minutes. While the phone does not support wireless charging, the wired fast charging technology is more than sufficient for quick top-ups.

Connectivity and Additional Features

The Huawei Mate X3 offers a range of modern connectivity options, including 5G support, ensuring you have fast and reliable internet speeds for browsing, streaming, and downloading. It also supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC for seamless connections to other devices, as well as contactless payment solutions.

For security, the Mate X3 includes an in-display fingerprint sensor for fast and secure unlocking. Additionally, face recognition is available for an added layer of convenience.

Conclusion: Should You Buy the Huawei Mate X3?

The Huawei Mate X3 is a standout in the foldable smartphone category, offering premium design, exceptional performance, and a versatile camera system. With its sleek, durable foldable design, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, 50MP camera, and 66W fast charging, the Mate X3 is a powerful and reliable device for users who seek innovation and high-end features.

While the absence of Google services and the lack of expandable storage may be a concern for some, the Huawei Mate X3 offers plenty of alternatives through Huawei’s ecosystem. Whether you’re looking for a phone with a large display for productivity, a portable device for media consumption, or a reliable smartphone for everyday use, the Mate X3 stands out as one of the best foldable devices currently available.

If you’re in the market for a foldable smartphone that combines cutting-edge technology with a premium design, the Huawei Mate X3 is definitely worth considering. It’s a true testament to Huawei’s innovation and commitment to delivering top-tier mobile experiences.