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Huawei introduced one of the best-looking and feeling book-style foldables earlier this year, the Huawei Mate X3. That phone launched in more markets not long ago, and it’s time to compare it to the best Samsung has to offer. In this article, we’ll compare the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Huawei Mate X3. Granted, the Fold 5 is right around the corner, as it’s coming next month, but until it does, the Fold 4 is the foldable we’re aiming at.
Both of these phones are book-style foldables, but they’re quite different, in a number of ways. Even their designs are quite different, despite the fact they have similar display sizes. There’s a lot to talk about here. We’ll first list their specs, and will then move to compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. So, let’s get started.
Specs
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 | Huawei Mate X3 | |
| Screen size | Main: 7.6-inch fullHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (foldable, 120Hz) Secondary (Cover): 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (flat, 120Hz) |
Main: 7.85-inch QHD+ OLED (foldable, 120Hz) Secondary (Cover): 6.4-inch fullHD+ OLED display (flat, 120Hz) |
| Screen resolution | Main: 2176 x 1812 Secondary (Cover): 2316 x 904 |
Main: 2224 x 2496 Secondary (Cover): 2504 x 1080 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| RAM | 12GB (LPDDR5) | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable | 256GB/512GB/1TB, expandable |
| Rear cameras | 50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) 10MP (telephoto, f/2.4 aperture, 67mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom) 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 123-degree FoV, 12mm lens, 1.12um pixel size) |
50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 23mm lens, PDAF, OIS) 13MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 13mm lens) 12MP (periscope telephoto, f/3.4 aperture, OIS, 5x optical zoom) |
| Front cameras | Main: 4MP (f/1.8 aperture, 26mm lens, 2.0um pixel size, under-display) Secondary: 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.22um pixel size) |
Main: 8MP (wide, f/2.4 aperture) Cover: 32MP (wide, f/2.4 aperture) |
| Battery | 4,400mAh, non-removable, 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, 4.5W Wireless PowerShare Charger not included |
4,800mAh, non-removable, 66W fast wired charging, 50W wireless charging, 7.5W reverse wireless charging Charger included |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3mm Folded: 155.1 x 67.1 x 15.8mm |
Unfolded: 156.9 x 141.5 x 5.3mm Folded: 156.9 x 72.4 x 11.8mm |
| Weight | 263 grams | 239/241 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 4G LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Security | Side-facing fingerprint scanner | Side-facing fingerprint scanner |
| OS | Android 12 (upgradable) One UI 4.1.1 |
Android EMUI 13.1 |
| Price | $1,799 | €2,199 ($2,376) |
| Buy | Samsung | Huawei |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Huawei Mate X3: Design
Both of these phones are made out of metal and glass (though the Mate X3 also comes in an eco leather variant), and both are book-style foldables. The thing is, the Huawei Mate X3 does fold flat, and it also has a much less noticeable crease. It even has the same water and dust resistance as the Galaxy Z Fold 4, so it’s not lacking in that regard either. As if all that wasn’t enough, its displays are larger, but the phone is considerably thinner and lighter.
The Huawei Mate X3 weighs 239 or 241 grams, depending on the model you get (eco leather or glass), compared to 263 grams of the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The Fold 4 is 6.3mm thick when unfolded, and 14.2-15.8mm when folded. The Huawei Mate X3, on the other hand, is only 5.3mm thick when folded, and 11.8mm when unfolded. Both phones have thin bezels, while the Huawei Mate X3’s outer display is wider than the Fold 4’s, and thus easier to type on.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has three cameras on the back, aligned vertically, in the same camera island. The Huawei Mate X3 has a camera oreo on the back, which is centered in the upper portion of the phone. Both phones do include thin bezels, and hinges that allow them to be placed in a number of different angles. Both phones are IPX8 certified for water resistance. The Huawei Mate X3 definitely feels more like a regular phone when folded, due to its thin form factor, weight, and wider display, most of all. It does seem like a more modern product due to a number of factors, but its thin profile, the fact it folds flat, and the fact its crease is much less noticeable, are the main ones.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Huawei Mate X3: Display
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 includes a 7.6-inch 1812 x 2176 Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. That panel supports a 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ content. It gets up to 1,200 nits of brightness at its peak. The cover display, on the other hand, measures 6.2 inches, and it has a 2316 x 904 resolution. That is also a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, but not a foldable one. It also offers a 120Hz refresh rate, and it’s protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus+.
The Huawei Mate X3, on the other hand, has a 7.85-inch 2224 x 2496 Foldable OLED main display. That panel offers a 120Hz refresh rate, and it can project up to 1 billion colors. The cover display measures 6.4 inches, and it’s an OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. That display offers a resolution of 2504 x 1080, and it’s protected by the Huawei Kunlun Glass, which has proven to be great on the Mate 50 Pro.
Both phones have excellent displays. They’re vivid, more than sharp enough, and all of them offer a high refresh rate. The viewing angles are also great on all of them, and the blacks are deep. The crease on the Huawei Mate X3’s main display is less noticeable, and you’ll barely feel it under your finger, which is not something we can say for the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s crease. Either way, all of these displays are more than good enough, and offer good touch response.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Huawei Mate X3: Performance
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC fuels both of these phones. The thing is, it’s limited to 4G connectivity inside the Huawei Mate X3, as a result of the US restrictions. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 supports 5G connectivity. That phone also has 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Mate X3 offers 12GB of RAM, and either UFS 3.1 or 4.0 flash storage. We’re also not sure if LPDDR5 or 5X RAM is used, Huawei did not disclose that info.
Having said that, both phones perform admirably. They’re very fluid, regardless of what you do on the phones. One could argue that the Mate X3 is even a bit more fluid in day-to-day tasks, with less stutters, but both perform great. The same goes for games, actually. One thing to note is that the Mate X3 does come without Google services, and thus without the Play Store. Huawei’s services and app store are pre-installed, though.
Both phones can handle even the most demanding Android games, without a problem. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is an outstanding processor, even though it’s no longer Qualcomm’s best offering at the moment. It is the company’s second-best chip, though, and there’s really not much to complain about here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Huawei Mate X3: Battery
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 includes a 4,400mAh battery, while the Mate X3 has a 4,800mAh battery on the inside. That’s not surprising considering that it has slightly larger displays. What’s the battery life like, though? Well, the battery life on the Fold 4 was not the best at first, in fact it was a bit disappointing. It did improve since launch, quite a bit. The Mate X3 still offers more in that regard, though.
It’s hard to give out exact battery life numbers for either device, as it all depends on your usage. With foldables, it’s even tougher to predict as there are two displays included in the equation. With mixed use, you should be able to have enough battery until the end of the day, on both devices, even with more intense use. Do note that gaming is not thrown into the mix, and it could force you to charge before the end of the day. Getting around 7 hours of screen-on-time with mixed usage is achievable on the Mate X3, while the Fold 4 will provide a bit less than that. As I said, your mileage may vary quite a bit, it all depends on your usage.
Now, when charging is concerned, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is humbled by the Mate X3. The Huawei Mate X3 supports 66W wired, 50W wireless, and 7.5W reverse wireless charging. The Galaxy Z Fold 4, on the other hand, supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Mate X3 also comes with a 66W charger in the box, while the Galaxy Z Fold 4 does not include a charger at all.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Huawei Mate X3: Cameras
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (123-degree FoV), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom). The Huawei Mate X3, on the other hand, has a 50-megapixel main unit, a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 12-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (5x optical zoom).
So, what’s the performance like? Well, during the day, the Huawei Mate X3 does take more natural-looking photos, but the dynamic range is a bit better on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 more often than not. The sharpening is aggressive on the Mate X3, but it never goes beyond what’s necessary. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 can go a bit too far with camera processing. Ultrawide units do a great job of keeping up with the color profile of the main cameras. The Mate X3 does have an advantage here, and the same goes for the telephoto camera.
Both phones do a good job in low light, but they’re not the best out there. The Mate X3 could use slightly better dynamic range in these shots as well. It does handle noise a bit better than the Galaxy Z Fold 4, though. Ultrawide cameras on both phones are a step below the main ones in low light, as expected. The Mate X3’s telephoto camera does a better job in low light, however.
Audio
There is a set of stereo speakers on both devices. Despite the fact the speakers inside the Mate X3 are rather thin, the sound output is really good. They are louder than the Galaxy Z Fold 4 speakers, while the sound quality is good on both. You won’t notice any notable distortion, even at the highest volume settings.
The audio jack is not present on either phone. You will need to use their Type-C ports for wired audio connections. If you prefer to go wireless, do note that Bluetooth 5.2 is supported by both devices.