Huawei Mate X6

The Huawei Mate X6 arrives fashionably late to the foldable phone party but makes a bold entrance. Launched at the tail end of 2024 and hitting users’ hands in early 2025, this flagship foldable promises premium design, solid performance, and a versatile camera system. However, for all its hardware achievements, a few key compromises still hold it back. Available in vegan leather or composite fibre finishes, the Mate X6 feels as luxurious as it looks. At 239g, it is lightweight for a foldable, and with a slim frame and second-gen Kunlun Glass, it is built to endure daily wear. The phone's hinge is a standout, rivalling even Samsung’s for stability across angles. The device feels secure when open or closed, and an included half-case with a kickstand adds functionality and protection. With a 6.45-inch outer OLED screen and a 7.94-inch inner OLED display, both running at 120Hz, the Mate X6 offers a spacious, immersive viewing experience. The outer display hits 2500 nits of brightness, while the inner reaches 1800 nits, both vivid and crisp. Huawei also includes advanced eye care features like 1440Hz PWM dimming and ultra-low brightness for night-time use. Despite its slim profile, the Mate X6 packs a 5110mAh battery, offering solid all-day use. It supports 66W wired and 50W wireless charging, outpacing many rivals. While it doesn’t set new battery life records, charging is quick and efficient, getting you from 0 to 100% in under 45 minutes with the included wired charger.

Due to U.S. sanctions, Huawei leans on its in-house Kirin 9020 chip, which cannot match the latest Snapdragon or Dimensity processors on benchmarks. Yet, Huawei’s software optimizations shine, making everyday use feel fast and fluid. Apps launch quickly, multitasking is smooth and even demanding games like Genshin Impact run respectably with minimal heat buildup. However, there is no 5G support and no Google services with the latter being a major drawback for many users. Huawei fits the Mate X6 with a versatile triple camera system which includes a 50MP main sensor with adjustable aperture, a 48MP 4x telephoto with macro, and a 40MP ultrawide. The adjustable aperture allows for better control of depth and low-light shots, while the telephoto lens excels in macro photography, aided by Huawei’s new eDOF tech for enhanced focus stacking. Selfies are handled by 8MP cameras on both screens which is adequate, but not standout. Huawei’s natural image processing remains a strong point, offering lifelike colours and reliable low-light and action shots. Still, sensor sizes are smaller than competitors’, which may limit extreme dynamic range or depth. The Huawei Mate X6 delivers some of the best hardware in a foldable phone today, with its refined design, smooth displays, long battery life, and impressive camera flexibility. Yet, it is held back by a lack of Google services, no 5G, and a high price tag. For hardware lovers, it is a dream device. For the average user, the compromises might outweigh the rewards.

Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam