Huawei Mate Xs 2 hands-on review

Huawei's new Mate Xs 2 foldable flexes with a sky-high price and 50MP imaging

Huawei Mate Xs 2 product photo
(Image: © Basil Kronfli)

Early Verdict

Huawei's been pioneering imaging tech for almost a decade but with no Google or 5G in its priciest smartphones, there's a real need for something more standout than a good camera to differentiate. Luckily, that's exactly what the Mate Xs 2 brings to the table: a standout design (and price). It upgrades the durability of the Mate Xs, adds fresh internals, but costs more than pretty much anything else on the market.

Pros

  • +

    Thin, light and premium design

  • +

    Sharper, larger screen than competition

  • +

    Promising camera on first impression

Cons

  • -

    Exposed screen could be prone to damage

  • -

    Incredibly expensive

  • -

    No Google or 5G

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

Two years after testing out the Huawei Mate Xs, an innovative foldable with a killer camera, it's time to take a look at the Mate Xs 2 – an evolution of the Xs's design with upgraded imaging and a more robust build.

Launched in Europe for an eye-watering €1,999, Huawei's bold pricing is matched only by its defiance in the face of relentless sanctions against it. The brand can't use Google services on its phone – no Google Chrome, Docs, Play, YouTube app support or WhatsApp backups to name a few limitations. In addition, its latest flagships – the P50 Pro and P50 Pocket aren't 5G enabled. 

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Basil Kronfli

Basil Kronfli is a freelance technology journalist, consultant, and content creator. He trained in graphic design and started his career at Canon Europe before moving into journalism. Basil is also experienced in video production, independently running the YouTube channel TechEdit, and during his time at Future, he worked alongside the Digital Camera World team as a senior video producer.