Huawei Mate X6: The Foldable That Feels Like a Swiss Army Knife (But With Tradeoffs)
Let’s get one thing out of the way: Foldables are still weird. They’re thicker, heavier, and pricier than your average slab phone. But the Mate X6? It’s the first foldable I’ve used that makes the weirdness feel worth it – if you’re the right kind of user.
The Screen: A Pocket Cinema That (Mostly) Disappears
Unfold that 6.45" OLED, and you’re greeted with a screen so bright (2,500 nits!) it’s like carrying a mini IMAX panel. Watching Dune: Part Three on this thing? Glorious. The 1440Hz PWM dimming means no eye strain during late-night doomscrolling, and the LTPO panel’s 1-120Hz refresh rate adapts so smoothly you’ll forget you’re holding a folding phone. But here’s the rub: That 85% usable surface percentage means the crease is still there. It’s less “Grand Canyon” and more “gentle riverbed,” but your thumb will notice it when swiping across apps.
Performance: Kirin 9020 – A Phoenix Rising
Huawei’s Kirin chips were stuck in limbo for years, but the 9020 is a comeback story. This deca-core beast chews through Genshin Impact at max settings without breaking a sweat. The lack of a cooling system? Surprisingly not an issue – the faux leather back stays cool to the touch, though I’d worry about sustained performance during summer heat. HarmonyOS 4.3 is where things get… interesting. The app gap is real (no Google services, remember?), but the multitasking features? Pure magic. Drag three apps into split-screen like you’re Tony Stark analyzing schematics, and the phone doesn’t even blink.
Cameras: Leica’s Magic Meets Foldable Physics
That 50MP f/1.4 main sensor? It’s a low-light monster. I shot dimly lit street food at night, and the images looked like they’d been bathed in moonlight – zero noise, insane detail. The 48MP telephoto with 4x optical zoom is shockingly good (100x digital zoom is still a party trick), but here’s the catch: Foldables inherently struggle with lens alignment. My test unit had slightly soft edges in macro shots. And that under-display 8MP selfie cam? Serviceable for Zoom calls, but don’t expect influencer-level sharpness.
Battery Life: The Jekyll and Hyde of Charging
5110mAh sounds massive, but foldables are power-hungry beasts. With moderate use (2 hours of TikTok, 1 hour of navigation, constant Slack), I hit 20% by 8 PM. The 66W wired charging? 0-100% in 38 minutes flat – I timed it while making coffee. Wireless charging at 50W is witchcraft (faster than most wired phones!), but reverse charging feels like solving a problem that doesn’t exist. Who’s really topping up their earbuds with a $1,800 phone?
The Elephant in the Room: HarmonyOS’s App Desert
Let’s be real: No Google Play Services is a dealbreaker for many. I spent 20 minutes sideloading a workable YouTube alternative (NewPipe, if you’re curious). Banking apps? Hit or miss. But if you live in Huawei’s ecosystem (or China), the app gallery has improved dramatically. Petal Maps is now legitimately good, and Huawei’s cross-device sharing makes Apple’s AirDrop look clunky.
Who Should Buy This (And Who Should Run)
Buy it if: You’re a tech adventurer who values screen real estate over app convenience, need a productivity beast for multitasking, or just want the best foldable camera system money can buy.
Avoid it if: You’re glued to Google services, need 5G (it’s missing crucial bands for North America), or think “faux leather” sounds like a cheap car interior.
My Verdict: A Contender With an Identity Crisis
Here’s the thing: I love using the Mate X6. The hardware feels like holding the future – that buttery-smooth hinge! The Leica camera colors! But every time I hit an app wall, it’s like tripping over a hologram. If Huawei ever cracks the app ecosystem, this could be the perfect phone. Right now? It’s like dating someone amazing who only speaks Klingon.
Would I buy it? As a secondary device for creative work? Absolutely. As my daily driver? Not until Huawei bridges the app gap. But damn, do I respect what they’ve built here.
