The Huawei Mate X is a foldable phone that looks better than it feels

The exposed flexible display is a major concern and it requires a surprising amount of force to fold compared with the Samsung Galaxy Fold

Reading Time:3 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

There’s no notch or front-facing camera cutout on the 8-inch screen of the Mate X.

Chris Chang

Published: 10:00am, 18 Dec 2019Updated: 10:00am, 18 Dec 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

After reviewing the Samsung Galaxy Fold, I finally got a chance to try out its biggest competitor coming out of China: The Huawei Mate X.

Unlike the Galaxy Fold, the folding screen of the Mate X is on the outside of the device. This means it looks like a relatively normal smartphone when it’s folded, putting it in stark contrast with the Galaxy Fold's small display on the front.

The downside of this design, though, is that the foldable screen is always exposed, potentially making it more prone to damage. The Galaxy Fold already faced controversy and delays because of how delicate these foldable screens are. So even though I only used the Mate X for a short period of time, I was really nervous about using it.

To fold up the phone, I have to apply some force to get the screen reach the back.

Folding and unfolding the Mate X also isn’t easy. To start to unfold it, you have to press a button on the back of the phone. This releases the back portion of the foldable display, which unfurls into an 8-inch tablet.

The folding hinge feels solid, but it’s a little stiff.

The folding hinge is a little stiff, so I didn't enjoy folding and unfolding the phone. When I did unfold it, I had to use a bit of force to bend the display. That makes me more nervous about breaking the phone at some point. The folding and unfolding action doesn’t feel smooth at all.