Huawei Mate XT 6-Month Review: The Trifold Phone's Enduring Pros and Noteworthy Cons

Summary:

After six months of daily use, the Huawei Mate XT, the world's first trifold phone, presents a mixed but generally positive experience.

The Huawei Mate XT unfolded into its 10.2-inch tablet form factor, displaying its home screen. [ 00:00:11 ]

Pros: It boasts an omnidirectional fingerprint scanner that learns over time and is incredibly fast. The camera system is exceptional, producing high-quality photos with usable optical zoom up to 10x and digital zoom up to 20x. The lock screen media player is highly functional, and the volume buttons offer a premium tactile feel. Its unique folding mechanism with strong magnets provides a sense of quality, and the 5600 mAh battery delivers impressive longevity, maintaining 98% health even with consistent fast charging. The device retains a significant "wow" factor due to its transformation from a phone to a 10.2-inch tablet.
Cons: Noteworthy downsides include a temporary video quality drop when notifications or volume pop-ups appear. The presence of two visible screen creases, exacerbated by a cheap screen protector, is also a concern. The cumbersome process of manually installing Google services (Micro G) is required for access to essential apps. The 90Hz refresh rate, while paired with a 3K display, feels choppier compared to 120Hz competitors. Additionally, the control center is inaccessible when a notification is on screen, and the notification order is not chronological, making it difficult to find recent alerts.

The unfolded screen of the Huawei Mate XT clearly shows two horizontal creases across its display, a result of its trifold design. [ 00:07:33 ]

Despite its flaws, the reviewer considers the Huawei Mate XT their favorite phone, significantly enhancing their daily routine.

Introduction to Huawei Mate XT and 6-Month Review [00:00:00]

The Huawei Mate XT is introduced as the world's first trifold phone, featuring a dual-hinge design. This video presents a 6-month review detailing the pros and cons of daily usage.

A person's hands demonstrating the dual-hinge mechanism of the Huawei Mate XT. [ 00:00:05 ]

Pros of the Huawei Mate XT [00:00:35]

1. Lock Screen Accessibility [00:00:39]

The lock screen allows users to swipe up from anywhere to access the PIN pad.

The lock screen of the Huawei Mate XT showing the PIN pad accessible by swiping up. [ 00:00:50 ]

2. Fast and Adaptive Fingerprint Scanner [00:00:56]

The fingerprint scanner is exceptionally fast, unlocking the 10.2-inch tablet with a single tap.

The home screen of the Huawei Mate XT immediately after being unlocked by the fingerprint scanner. [ 00:01:05 ]
- It learns the user's fingerprint over time, adapting from partial finger scans to full finger recognition.
  
  A partial fingerprint being used on the Huawei Mate XT's side scanner. [ 00:01:50 ]
- The reviewer prefers to hit the scanner with their fingernail to ensure the lock screen notifications are shown instead of immediately going to the home screen.
  
  A fingernail pressing the fingerprint scanner, a method the reviewer uses to ensure the lock screen notifications are shown. [ 00:02:01 ]
The scanner is omnidirectional, capable of recognizing fingerprints from various angles, including upside down.

A finger placed on the side-mounted fingerprint scanner, highlighting its omnidirectional recognition capability. [ 00:02:12 ]

3. Exceptional Cameras [00:02:23]

The camera system delivers impressive image quality.

A close-up view of the distinctive circular rear camera module on the Huawei Mate XT. [ 00:02:25 ]
- 2x Portrait Shot: A clear portrait of a cat (named Biscuit) was captured with excellent bokeh despite the subject being in motion.
  
  A 2x portrait shot of a cat on green grass, showcasing good bokeh effect and detail. [ 00:02:35 ]
- 1x Macro-like Shot: A 1x shot of leaves demonstrated natural bokeh, appearing close to a macro shot.
- Usable Zoom Capabilities:
  - A 1x wide shot of a backyard provides context for the zoom demonstration.
    
    A 1x wide shot of a backyard scene to provide context for zoom examples. [ 00:03:01 ]
  - A 10x zoom shot showcased the usability of this magnification, attributed to the phone's 5.5x optical lens.
    
    A 10x zoom shot into dense green foliage, demonstrating clarity at high magnification. [ 00:03:04 ]
  - A 0.5x wide-angle shot captured significant detail, even towards the edges of the frame.
  - A 20x zoom shot, taken "just for fun," surprisingly retained a lot of detail.

4. Useful Lock Screen Media Player [00:03:42]

The media player on the lock screen is highly functional.
- It allows users to precisely navigate to any point within a song.
- It displays the remaining time of the song.
  
  The media player widget displayed prominently on the lock screen of the Huawei Mate XT, showing track controls and remaining time. [ 00:03:44 ]

5. Tactile Volume Buttons [00:04:01]

The volume buttons are "clicky" and tactile, providing a premium feel that aligns with the phone's price tag.

A close-up of the side of the Huawei Mate XT, highlighting the tactile volume buttons. [ 00:04:04 ]

6. Unique Folding Mechanism and Strong Magnets [00:04:20]

The phone displays a "spring back" action when closing after being open for a prolonged period, indicating robust hinge quality.

The Huawei Mate XT partially folded, showing the "spring back" action of its hinges. [ 00:04:44 ]
The magnets holding the phone closed in its book-style foldable mode are exceptionally strong.

The Huawei Mate XT folded into its compact phone form, showcasing the strength of its magnets. [ 00:04:49 ]
There is an intentional design choice with weaker magnets at the top edge, making it easier to initiate the unfolding process.

A hand points to the top edge of the folded Huawei Mate XT, indicating the area with intentionally weaker magnets for easier opening. [ 00:05:23 ]
- This strategic placement requires users to pull from the top to open it, emphasizing the device's build quality.
Attempting to open the phone from the side demonstrates the powerful magnetic hold.

Hands attempting to open the Huawei Mate XT from the side, demonstrating the strong magnetic hold. [ 00:05:38 ]

7. Excellent Battery Life [00:05:54]

The phone is equipped with a large 5600 mAh battery.
It maintains good battery performance even when used extensively in its 10.2-inch tablet mode.
After six months, the battery health remains at 98%, despite consistent fast charging.
- Tip for Battery Health: The reviewer advises using a slower 5W charger overnight to preserve battery health, as fast charging tends to degrade it over time.
  
  The battery health screen of the Huawei Mate XT shows a 98% capacity after 6 months of use, despite consistent fast charging. [ 00:06:13 ]

8. "Honeymoon Phase" / Wow Factor [00:06:37]

The ability of a regular phone to unfold into a 10.2-inch tablet provides a significant "wow" factor and a unique user experience.

Cons of the Huawei Mate XT [00:06:57]

1. Video Quality Drop with Notifications/Volume Pop-ups [00:07:09]

A noticeable con is the temporary drop in video quality when a notification or volume pop-up appears and then disappears while watching content.

A video playing on the Huawei Mate XT screen before a notification or volume pop-up appears. [ 00:07:06 ]

A video playing on the Huawei Mate XT screen showing a brief drop in quality when a volume adjustment pop-up disappears. [ 00:07:08 ]

2. Two Creases on the Screen [00:07:30]

Unlike most foldable phones that have one crease, the trifold design of the Huawei Mate XT results in two visible creases on the screen.
- The reviewer notes that a cheap, self-installed screen protector exacerbates the visibility of these creases.
  
  The unfolded screen of the Huawei Mate XT clearly shows two horizontal creases across its display, a result of its trifold design. [ 00:07:33 ]

3. Manual Installation of Google Services (Micro G) [00:08:26]

Users must manually install "Micro G" to access Google services like YouTube, Gmail, and Maps.
This process requires strict adherence to step-by-step instructions without skipping any.

4. 90Hz Refresh Rate Display [00:08:51]

While the display is a high-resolution 3K panel, its 90Hz refresh rate feels less smooth compared to the 120Hz displays found on many other foldable phones.
- The reviewer, coming from a 120Hz device, found the transition noticeable and "choppier."
  
  The Huawei Mate XT in its folded phone mode, displaying the home screen and illustrating the 90Hz refresh rate. [ 00:09:17 ]

5. Control Center Inaccessibility with Notifications [00:09:33]

The control center cannot be accessed by swiping down while a notification is actively displayed on the screen; it must first be dismissed.

6. Disorganized Notification Order [00:09:48]

The notification panel does not display notifications in chronological order.
Recent notifications are often not at the top, requiring users to scroll to "more notifications" to find them.

A list of notifications on the Huawei Mate XT screen, demonstrating that the most recent notification is not at the top of the list. [ 00:09:57 ]

Conclusion [00:10:16]

The reviewer states that the Huawei Mate XT is their favorite phone they have ever owned, emphasizing its significant impact on their daily routines despite its drawbacks.