The Huawei Huawei Mate XT Ultimate is one of the most ambitious smartphones released in recent years. Instead of a traditional foldable design, Huawei introduced a tri-fold smartphone that transforms from a standard phone into a large tablet-sized device with a massive display.
During a brief hands-on experience, the Mate XT immediately stood out thanks to its unique form factor and extremely slim profile.
Ultra-Thin Tri-Fold Design
One of the most impressive aspects of the Mate XT is its thinness. When fully unfolded, the device measures only 3.6mm thick, making it remarkably slim for a foldable device.
Even when folded completely, the phone is still relatively compact at 12.8mm thick, which is surprisingly close to the thickness of modern foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6.
The device uses two hinge mechanisms, allowing it to fold in multiple ways and enabling different screen configurations.
Three Different Screen Sizes
The Mate XT offers three usable display modes, making it highly versatile:
- 6.4-inch display when fully folded (standard smartphone mode)
- 7.9-inch display when one hinge is opened
- 10.2-inch display when fully unfolded (tablet mode)
The large screen is an LTPO OLED panel with a 3184 × 2232 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. In the fully unfolded state, the screen uses a 16:11 aspect ratio, making it ideal for watching videos or multitasking.
There is also a small punch-hole camera in the corner housing an 8MP selfie camera.
While the display looks bright and vibrant, the crease across the dual hinges is noticeable, especially compared to newer foldables that have minimized crease visibility.
Built for Media and Multitasking
Thanks to the massive display, the Mate XT is excellent for media consumption and productivity.
Several Chinese apps, including Douyin, are already optimized for the device’s three screen modes. Apps can automatically adjust their layout as the phone unfolds, providing seamless transitions.
Huawei also optimized its keyboard, which splits across the screen when unfolded, making typing easier on the large display.
The included case even features a kickstand, allowing the phone to act like a portable monitor when placed on a table.
Premium Build Quality
The Mate XT features a metal frame with a textured faux leather back, giving it a premium look and feel.
The dual hinges feel strong and smooth, allowing the device to stay stable at various angles. Users can even place the device in a zig-zag position on a flat surface.
However, the device is fairly heavy at just under 300 grams, which means it is usually more comfortable to use with two hands.
Cameras and Hardware
Huawei equipped the Mate XT with a flagship-level camera system, including:
- 50MP main camera with variable f/1.4 – f/4.0 aperture
- 12MP periscope telephoto camera with 5.5× optical zoom
- 12MP ultrawide camera
The phone is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 9010 chipset and comes with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage, delivering strong performance for multitasking and productivity.
Battery capacity is 5,600mAh, with support for 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Durability Concerns
Despite its innovation, there are some durability concerns.
The display remains partially exposed even when folded, and one side slightly extends above the frame, raising questions about long-term protection. The phone also lacks an official IP rating, which is expected given its complex folding mechanism.
Price and Availability
The Huawei Mate XT Ultimate starts at CNY 19,999 (around $2,800), placing it in the ultra-premium smartphone category.
For now, the device is available in limited quantities in China, and Huawei has not officially confirmed a global release yet. However, reports suggest the company could ship around one million units, hinting that a wider launch might be possible.
About the Author
