by Huawei has been making waves in the foldable market for years, and the reveal of the new Mate X3 – alongside the conventional Candybar P60 series – has certainly got tongues wagging, with specs sheets packed for both.
While the Huawei P60 and its Pro and Art variants seek to deliver a more traditional smartphone experience, the Mate X3, meanwhile, looks like the next exciting step in foldable phones. That’s thanks to a massive drop in weight from devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and the fact that it offers an impressive spec sheet that’s worth checking out for any tech enthusiast out there.
Although they’re currently limited to China, chances are the initial hubbub over the Mate X3 will see it move to other regions. With that in mind, we’ve found all currently known information about the Huawei Mate X3; including a release window, impressive weight, screen refresh rate and much more.
cut to hunt
- What is this? Huawei’s next foldable phone
- When did he come out? Announced March 23, on sale April 13 (China). Announced May 9 (Europe)
- How much does it cost? From CNY12,999 (about $2,000 / £1,620 / AU$2,990)
Huawei Mate X3: release date and price
The Huawei Mate X3 was unveiled on March 23 for the Chinese market, while the company’s VMall online store lists an April 13 delivery date.
As for pricing in the region, the handset is available from CNY¥12,999 (about $2,000 / £1,620 / AU$2,990) for the 256GB version.
If you thought that was a lot, then beware – the 512GB version will set you back CNY¥13,999 ($2,050 / £1,660 / AU$3,065), and 1TB of storage is CNY¥15,999 ( $2,340 / £1,895 / AU$3,500).
As you’d expect, these direct currency conversions are unlikely to entirely reflect actual retail prices, but luckily we won’t have to wait too long to find out what the true international numbers will be. While the Mate X3 will be in users’ hands by April 13 in China, the company has also confirmed when to expect the foldable’s global launch.
Huawei told TechRadar that “overseas versions will be announced on May 9 in Munich, Germany”, presumably referring to the trio of P60 devices. And the Mate X3.
Earlier Huawei devices took just under six months to emerge in other territories beyond the company’s homeland, but that naturally doesn’t mean they’re coming anywhere. Ongoing US sanctions mean interested parties in the US will have to import them, while Australia also tends to be overlooked on the list of streaming locations.
Naturally, we’ll update this page as we find out where the Huawei Mate X3 is coming, when, and at what price.
Huawei Mate X3: design and display
Given that the Huawei Mate X3 is a foldable phone, it offers not just one, but two screens – and both are impressive in their own right.
Each OLED panel offers a 120Hz refresh rate, with a 6.4-inch cover screen with a resolution of 2504×1080 (and an aspect ratio of 20.9:9). Open the phone and you’re greeted with a 7.85-inch screen with a resolution of 2496 x 2224 and a “so close to square” aspect ratio of 8:7.1.
The “cover” display sports reinforced Kunlun glass to help protect against breakage and scratches, too – returning from the Mate 50 Pro (and also found on the P60 range).
Huawei dubs these screens “X-True” – the brand’s not-quite-catchy moniker for shatter-resistant glass, plus certified color accuracy and color projection. All in all, that’s a nice way of saying you’re getting an accurate yet sturdy set of screens, and we’re all for it.
The company promises Kunlun Glass protection for the outer screen makes it up to ten times more drop resistant than the equivalent cover screen on the previous Mate X2, while the main flip-up screen is now four times stronger to shocks than before.
As for the rest of the design, the Huawei Mate X3 is now water resistant – with IPX8 certification, that means the Galaxy Z Fold 4 finally has a notable competitor in this department. This continuing theme of durability also persists down to the hinge of the phone. It’s meant to be more flexible and allow for a flatter open display, but it also allows the phone to be opened like a laptop, for video calls and selfies.
There are five colorways to choose from, with basic black, white, and gold options, as well as purple or dark green finishes. The black, gold, and dark green options are rendered in vegan leather, while the other X3 variants sport a glass back.
Huawei Mate X3: camera and battery
We’ve already mentioned that hinge that makes it easier to take pictures on a flat surface or video calls, but it still depends on awesome cameras. From the spec sheet, it looks like the Huawei Mate X3 is ready to hold its own in this regard.
There are 8MP selfie cameras on each of its screens, meaning you’ll be able to easily chat with your loved ones whether it’s open or closed.
Naturally, the rear snapper is incredibly powerful, with a 50MP f/1.8 main camera, delivering plenty of work. There’s also a 13MP ultrawide with an f/2.2 aperture and a 12MP telephoto lens that uses periscope lenses to achieve 5x optical zoom in that relatively slim chassis.
The usual amenities are also included, with 4K video recording available at 30 or 60 fps.
Perhaps most notable about the camera setup is its rectangular layout, rising from the chassis on a circular bump.
The Huawei Mate X3 comes with a 4,800mAh lithium-polymer battery, which is a fraction smaller than the 4,815mAh cell in the P60 and P60 Pro.
Although we haven’t tried to test its battery life, we do know that it supports 66W fast charging via wired connection or up to 50W wirelessly.
Once the battery hits 1 per cent, the low battery emergency mode can last for 12 minutes on a call or three hours on standby – something you’ll never want to use, but it’s nice to have it there.
There’s also reverse charging, with 7.5W wireless power output for charging other devices.
Huawei Mate X3: specs and features
Although there are a trio of P60 devices, aside from storage options, the Huawei Mate X3 comes in just one flavor; including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset.
It’s the same silicon found in the P60, with the 4nm chip paired with 12GB of RAM. Unfortunately, that means there’s no 5G connectivity here, which can be a deal breaker for those looking for the fastest connection.
This chip suggests power similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 or the Realme GT 3, neither of which are outdone.
Here’s the full spec breakdown between the models:
| Row 0 – Cell 1 | |
| Dimensions (folded): | 156.9 x 72.4 x 11.8mm |
| Dimensions (unfolded): | 156.9×141.5×5.3mm |
| Lester: | 239 grams |
| Main display: | 7.85 inch 120Hz 8:7.1 2504×1080 OLED |
| Cover display: | 6.4 inch 120Hz 20.9:9 1080×2504 OLED |
| Chipset: | Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 4G |
| RAM: | 12 GB |
| Storage: | 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB. Expandable via NM up to 256 GB |
| SE: | HarmonyOS 3.1 (China), EMUI 13.1 (Global) |
| Main camera: | 50MP, f/1.8 with OIS |
| Ultra-wide camera: | 13MP, f/2.2 |
| Telephoto camera: | 12MP, f/3.4 5x optical periscope zoom with OIS |
| Front cameras: | Two 8MP, f/2.4 (one on each screen) |
| Battery: | 4,800mAh |
| Loading: | 65W (wired), 50W (wireless) |
| Colors: | Black, white, gold, purple, dark green |
HarmonyOS 3.1 is preloaded on the Chinese versions of the Huawei Mate X3, but it looks like the international version will offer EMUI.
This means that whichever version you buy, you will be missing the Google Play Store and associated Google services.
The Chinese variant maintains the Mate 50’s BDS satellite connectivity for messaging and calling, primarily for emergency use. It’s not currently an international option, however.
We’ll be looking forward to more information to update this page in the coming days leading up to the international release of ins, and we can’t wait to see how the Huawei Mate X3 stacks up against the best Huawei phones available today.
