Huawei Mate Xs 2 foldable phone released: 120Hz display, but no 5G

Huawei has just announced its new foldable smartphone is available, introducing the new Mate Xs 2 foldable smartphone with its huge 7.8-inch OLED display.

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The new Huawei Mate Xs 2 foldable smartphone rocks a 7.8-inch OLED with a 2480 x 2200 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Huawei announced the new Mate Xs 2 foldable phone earlier this year, but now it's available in China starting now... and then Europe and other western markets.

What makes the Huawei Mate Xs 2 different to the leader of the foldable smartphone race: Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 -- is that the Chinese manufacturer uses a foldable panel that folds outwards. Samsung, and others, have their displays fold in... keeping the internal (the larger) display protected when closed and in your pocket.

Huawei's foldable on the other hand, will get scratched up just being put in and out of your pocket, or on a table or bench somewhere. Still, when folded up the Huawei Mate Xs 2 foldable smartphone has a 6.5-inch display, which is much better for single-handed use. As a personal owner of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, one of the most-used ways of handling the phone is in single-handed mode.

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There is no 5G here at all, because China isn't allowed to source 5G-capable chips since there are US sanctions stopping Huawei. Instead, Huawei is using Qualcomm's last-gen Snapdragon 888 4G, which is still going to be fine, as I truly don't think you need 5G.

Inside, Huawei has two models: one for China, and then the global version. The global version has 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, while the Chinese version has 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Huawei is using a slightly smaller 4600mAh battery in the global version of the Mate Xs 2, while the Chinese version packs a larger 4880mAh battery. All models will support 66W fast-charging.

As for the camera array. we're looking at a 50-megapixel main sensor, 13-megapixel ultrawide, and 8-megapixel 3x telephoto with optical image stabilization (OIS). Up front, Hauwei is using a 10-megapixel front-facing snapper... but like the Z Fold 3, you can use the main cameras when the screen is unfolded.