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rubber_otter
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With the growing popularity of foldable smartphones, manufacturers are constantly pushing the limits of technology to deliver a seamless user experience.
In addition to improving the durability of foldable displays, developing a thinner chassis is a top priority. The ultimate goal is to create a foldable smartphone that feels like a regular bar-type phone when held, but unfolds to reveal a significantly larger display.
Huawei is taking significant steps towards achieving this with the Mate X3, aiming to make users feel like they are holding a conventional smartphone that reveals its true potential when unfolded.
Design and Construction
First and foremost, the Huawei Mate X3 impresses with its remarkable thinness, measuring just 5.3mm. It currently holds the title of the thinnest smartphone available on the market. Huawei's previous device that boasted such thinness was the Huawei P8 back in 2015, which measured 6.4mm.
When folded, the Mate X3 remains the thinnest among foldable smartphones, although it is still slightly on the chunkier side at 11.8mm. Ideally, foldables should break the 10mm or 9mm barrier when folded to eliminate any concerns about thickness.
The device features two large speaker grills at the top and bottom, a SIM tray on the left side, and a volume rocker and power button with an integrated fingerprint sensor on the right side. At the top, there's a noise-cancelling microphone and an IR blaster, while the bottom end houses the primary microphone, a secondary mic, and a Type-C charging port.
The polished metal frame of the Mate X3 is equipped with a total of 12 antenna bands to ensure optimal signal reception, whether the phone is folded or unfolded.
With a slightly curved cover display and tapered edges, the Mate X3 offers a comfortable grip and feels manageable in one hand.
The Mate X3 utilizes a dual-track, wing-shaped hinge with a high-precision cam-drive system, enabling smooth and effortless folding and unfolding of the screen. The hinge easily flexes at any angle and securely holds the device in place. When folded, the display panels are so close to each other that there is no noticeable gap.
Huawei proudly claims the Mate X3 to be the only foldable phone with an IPX8 rating for splash and water resistance, allowing it to withstand depths of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
Display, Multimedia, and Biometrics
Externally, the Mate X3 boasts a 6.4-inch OLED Cover Display with a resolution of 2504 x 1080 pixels. This display is protected by durable Kunlun Glass, which Huawei claims is five times more drop-resistant than the glass used in the previous Mate X2. Internally, it features a large 7.85-inch foldable OLED Inner Display with a resolution of 2496 x 2224 pixels.
The screen refresh rate varies depending on the specific app or game being used. The adaptive refresh rate of the LTPO exterior screen can go as low as 1Hz or as high as 120Hz, while the LTPS interior screen offers refresh rate options of 60Hz, 90Hz, or 120Hz.
Both the expansive interior display and the external display deliver impressive visuals, with bright and vibrant colors, deep contrast, and minimal visibility of the crease on the inner display, except when viewed from an angle or under glare.
Gaming on the cover display is satisfactory, but the experience is completely different on the inner display. While playing games like Mobile Legends, the wider field of view enhances the gaming experience, but with games like Genshin Impact, the visibility is somewhat limited.
The Mate X3 features stereo speakers that deliver excellent audio quality with a balanced sound profile. While the bass is moderate, the treble is notably prominent.
In terms of biometrics, the device offers a standard fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button on the right side. Additionally, Face Recognition is available. The Smart Unlock feature allows for unlocking the phone using a trusted Bluetooth wearable device within close proximity.
OS, Apps, and UI
The Huawei Mate X3 runs on EMUI 13.1, based on Android 12. As expected, it operates on Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) instead of Google Mobile Services (GMS). Consequently, native Huawei apps such as Petal Maps, Petal Search, Huawei Health, and Huawei Cloud come pre-installed.
Most apps and games can be obtained through the Huawei AppGallery, and for those who require Google apps, the device integrates GBox, a background feature that provides GMS support.
Huawei's practice of pre-loading numerous apps onto the device and including shortcuts for recommended app downloads may initially seem overwhelming, but users will quickly realize that they are simply links to download the actual apps.
Several pre-installed apps, such as Bing search, Trip.com, Microsoft Start, MS Office, Translator, Booking, and Agoda, are also included.
Camera
The Huawei Mate X3 is equipped with a 50MP Ultra Vision main camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 12MP periscope telephoto camera with an f/3.4 aperture, enabling 5x optical zoom.
Despite its incredibly thin body, Huawei managed to include the telephoto lens by incorporating an extended camera module that protrudes from the back, providing ample space for the stacked lenses.
Following the end of their partnership, Huawei developed their own in-house camera technology called XMAGE. The native camera app offers a choice between three XMAGE styles: Original, Vivid, and Bright.
Sample photos taken with the Mate X3 demonstrate impressive results, with vibrant colors, sharp edges, enhanced contrast in skies, and rich saturation in photos of food, flowers, and nature. The Night Mode feature is also commendable.
Connectivity and Battery Life
Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS, and an IR blaster. However, it is worth noting that the Mate X3 lacks a 5G modem and supports only 4G connectivity. This limitation might pose an issue for users who heavily rely on 5G networks.
The device offers two nano SIM card slots, with the second slot also supporting an NM card with storage capacity of up to 256GB.
The Mate X3 is powered by a 4,800mAh Li-Po battery, which supports 66W SuperCharge for wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Conclusion
The Huawei Mate X3 stands out as an impressively designed and engineered foldable smartphone. Its ability to offer water resistance and enhanced durability compared to other foldable devices on the market is a significant advantage.
However, the absence of 5G connectivity and limited support for Google apps through GBox may deter some potential buyers. Nevertheless, for those who can overlook these inconveniences, the Huawei Mate X3 represents an excellent foldable smartphone that showcases Huawei's engineering ingenuity and photography expertise.
In addition to improving the durability of foldable displays, developing a thinner chassis is a top priority. The ultimate goal is to create a foldable smartphone that feels like a regular bar-type phone when held, but unfolds to reveal a significantly larger display.
Huawei is taking significant steps towards achieving this with the Mate X3, aiming to make users feel like they are holding a conventional smartphone that reveals its true potential when unfolded.
Design and Construction
First and foremost, the Huawei Mate X3 impresses with its remarkable thinness, measuring just 5.3mm. It currently holds the title of the thinnest smartphone available on the market. Huawei's previous device that boasted such thinness was the Huawei P8 back in 2015, which measured 6.4mm.
When folded, the Mate X3 remains the thinnest among foldable smartphones, although it is still slightly on the chunkier side at 11.8mm. Ideally, foldables should break the 10mm or 9mm barrier when folded to eliminate any concerns about thickness.
The device features two large speaker grills at the top and bottom, a SIM tray on the left side, and a volume rocker and power button with an integrated fingerprint sensor on the right side. At the top, there's a noise-cancelling microphone and an IR blaster, while the bottom end houses the primary microphone, a secondary mic, and a Type-C charging port.
The polished metal frame of the Mate X3 is equipped with a total of 12 antenna bands to ensure optimal signal reception, whether the phone is folded or unfolded.
With a slightly curved cover display and tapered edges, the Mate X3 offers a comfortable grip and feels manageable in one hand.
The Mate X3 utilizes a dual-track, wing-shaped hinge with a high-precision cam-drive system, enabling smooth and effortless folding and unfolding of the screen. The hinge easily flexes at any angle and securely holds the device in place. When folded, the display panels are so close to each other that there is no noticeable gap.
Huawei proudly claims the Mate X3 to be the only foldable phone with an IPX8 rating for splash and water resistance, allowing it to withstand depths of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
Display, Multimedia, and Biometrics
Externally, the Mate X3 boasts a 6.4-inch OLED Cover Display with a resolution of 2504 x 1080 pixels. This display is protected by durable Kunlun Glass, which Huawei claims is five times more drop-resistant than the glass used in the previous Mate X2. Internally, it features a large 7.85-inch foldable OLED Inner Display with a resolution of 2496 x 2224 pixels.
The screen refresh rate varies depending on the specific app or game being used. The adaptive refresh rate of the LTPO exterior screen can go as low as 1Hz or as high as 120Hz, while the LTPS interior screen offers refresh rate options of 60Hz, 90Hz, or 120Hz.
Both the expansive interior display and the external display deliver impressive visuals, with bright and vibrant colors, deep contrast, and minimal visibility of the crease on the inner display, except when viewed from an angle or under glare.
Gaming on the cover display is satisfactory, but the experience is completely different on the inner display. While playing games like Mobile Legends, the wider field of view enhances the gaming experience, but with games like Genshin Impact, the visibility is somewhat limited.
The Mate X3 features stereo speakers that deliver excellent audio quality with a balanced sound profile. While the bass is moderate, the treble is notably prominent.
In terms of biometrics, the device offers a standard fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button on the right side. Additionally, Face Recognition is available. The Smart Unlock feature allows for unlocking the phone using a trusted Bluetooth wearable device within close proximity.
OS, Apps, and UI
The Huawei Mate X3 runs on EMUI 13.1, based on Android 12. As expected, it operates on Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) instead of Google Mobile Services (GMS). Consequently, native Huawei apps such as Petal Maps, Petal Search, Huawei Health, and Huawei Cloud come pre-installed.
Most apps and games can be obtained through the Huawei AppGallery, and for those who require Google apps, the device integrates GBox, a background feature that provides GMS support.
Huawei's practice of pre-loading numerous apps onto the device and including shortcuts for recommended app downloads may initially seem overwhelming, but users will quickly realize that they are simply links to download the actual apps.
Several pre-installed apps, such as Bing search, Trip.com, Microsoft Start, MS Office, Translator, Booking, and Agoda, are also included.
Camera
The Huawei Mate X3 is equipped with a 50MP Ultra Vision main camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 12MP periscope telephoto camera with an f/3.4 aperture, enabling 5x optical zoom.
Despite its incredibly thin body, Huawei managed to include the telephoto lens by incorporating an extended camera module that protrudes from the back, providing ample space for the stacked lenses.
Following the end of their partnership, Huawei developed their own in-house camera technology called XMAGE. The native camera app offers a choice between three XMAGE styles: Original, Vivid, and Bright.
Sample photos taken with the Mate X3 demonstrate impressive results, with vibrant colors, sharp edges, enhanced contrast in skies, and rich saturation in photos of food, flowers, and nature. The Night Mode feature is also commendable.
Connectivity and Battery Life
Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS, and an IR blaster. However, it is worth noting that the Mate X3 lacks a 5G modem and supports only 4G connectivity. This limitation might pose an issue for users who heavily rely on 5G networks.
The device offers two nano SIM card slots, with the second slot also supporting an NM card with storage capacity of up to 256GB.
The Mate X3 is powered by a 4,800mAh Li-Po battery, which supports 66W SuperCharge for wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Conclusion
The Huawei Mate X3 stands out as an impressively designed and engineered foldable smartphone. Its ability to offer water resistance and enhanced durability compared to other foldable devices on the market is a significant advantage.
However, the absence of 5G connectivity and limited support for Google apps through GBox may deter some potential buyers. Nevertheless, for those who can overlook these inconveniences, the Huawei Mate X3 represents an excellent foldable smartphone that showcases Huawei's engineering ingenuity and photography expertise.
