Prior to the HUAWEI Mate X7, the Chinese Tech Giant was one of the first to come up with a foldable phone in 2019. I was not able to see the Mate X in person, but I got to check out its improved version – the Mate Xs. Up to now it’s the most uniquely designed foldable phone with its outward-folding mechanism.
As much as I liked the design, they eventually adopted the more conventional inward-folding mechanism now used in the HUAWEI Mate X7. I am very delighted our friends from HUAWEI accepted my request to review their latest foldable phone.
Table of Contents
HUAWEI Mate X7 SPECS:
| OS: | EMUI 15 |
|---|---|
| Processor: | 2.75 GHz Kirin 9030 Pro Nona-Core processor; Maleoon 935 GPU |
| Display: | Cover Screen – 6.49″ 1080 x 2444 pixels LTPO OLED 120Hz Kunlun Glass 2 Inner Screen – 8.0″ 2210 x 2416 pixels Foldable LTPO OLED 120Hz |
| Wireless Connections: | 4G, Bluetooth 6.0, Wi-Fi 7, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, NFC, IR |
| Memory: | 16GB+512GB |
| Connectors: | USB Type-C, OTG |
| Cameras: | Rear Camera: Main – 50MP, f/1.5-f/4.0 Periscope Telephoto – 50MP, f/2.2 Ultrawide – 40MP, f/2.2 Cover Front Camera: 8MP, f/2.4 Inner Front Camera: 8MP, f/2.2 |
| SIM Card Slots: | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), 1 eSIM support |
| Battery: | 5,600mAh 66W Wired Charging 50W Wireless Charging |
| Price: | Php 119,990 |
The Unboxing
Packaging of HUAWEI’s Mate series hasn’t changed in years. It’s still in a premium-looking black box which reflects the Mate X7’s luxurious design.
Unboxing reveals the HUAWEI Mate X7, a premium protective case, type-C USB cable and 66W charger.
The Built and Design
This is my first time to review a foldable from HUAWEI and having used foldables from two other brands, I wanted to know if the HUAWEI Mate X7 would give me a different experience.
As I’ve expected, the HUAWEI Mate X7 feels very solid. Its Vegan leather back cover does make it luxurious to hold. I love it! However, it does give me doubts if its solid enough for accidental drops. I always tend to drop my phones whenever I fall asleep, and unfortunately the Mate X7 was not spared from my being a dozer.
The good news is the built quality of the HUAWEI Mate X7 is indeed tough as advertised. There were a few times I dropped the phone’s screen facing the ground and not a single scratch is found. This is because it is protected by the Crystal Armour Kunlun Glass. Its frame is made of aviation-grade aluminum — strong enough to shield the Mate X7 against accidental drops. The foldable is rated IP59 and IP58 protection against splashes, spills, and even submerging in water up to 2 meters of water depth for 30 minutes or exposure to high-temperature water.
Opening and closing the Mate X7 is somewhat different from the other foldables I’ve reviewed and owned. It opens slowly and closes with a light snap. Perhaps it is a feature of its Advanced Precision Hinge to prevent itself from getting damaged easily, which is a common problem with foldables.
Volume Controls and Power Button are found on the right side of the Mate X7. The latter doubles as a fingerprint scanner for security.
On top are the noise-cancelling microphone and stereo speaker.
At the bottom are the SIM tray card slots for 2 Nano-SIM cards (also supports eSIM), another mic, type-C USB port and a second stereo speaker.
Red is my favorite color so if ever I would own a HUAWEI Mate X7, it would be the Nebula Red. HUAWEI called the camera module “Gate of Time and Space” which is kinda similar to the Mate X6’s except it is shaped like a star-diamond octagon.
The Display and Sound
Since the HUAWEI Mate X7 is a foldable phone, there are two displays to mention in this review. The cover screen is a 6.49″ LTPO OLED with a resolution of 1080 x 2044 and 120Hz refresh rate. For the inner screen, it comes with an 8″ LTPO OLED with a resolution of 2210 x 2416 and also with a 120Hz refresh rate. You can expect the display quality to be superb like most flagship phones in the market. Colors were vivid and sharp it kept me glued to the screen watching WWE shows on Netflix. I had no problems reading articles on its inner screen under broad daylight too.
Stereo speakers are good, but not as good as the other flagships, both foldable and non-foldable phones. It could still pass for some users but as a flagship of HUAWEI, it could’ve been better.
The Performance
Powering the HUAWEI Mate X7 is a 2.75 GHz Kirin 9030 Nona-Core processor paired with a Maleoon 935 GPU. Our review unit has a configuration of 512GB storage and 16GB memory, the only variant being sold in the Philippine market.
Here are the benchmarks scores of the Mate X7:
To be honest, these scores can already be achieved by phones in the mid-range level. Techies would definitely think that the foldable by HUAWEI is not worth buying. The way I see it, benchmark scores are not always the basis of buying a phone. It also boils down on how it performs in the real world.
In my two weeks of using the HUAWEI Mate X7, I didn’t find any problems at all with its performance. It was always working fine with multi-tasking tasks and never screwed up my usage.
Speaking of multi-tasking, the reason why I felt I can’t live without a foldable phone is because of its ability to multi-task with a large screen. I open two windows most of the time with combinations of Facebook and e-mails or browsing websites and messenger app. There are times I had to open a third app like a notepad or a calculator.
Even gaming with heavy graphics is also possible with the Mate X7. It’s possible to maximize the graphic settings on Genshin Impact to Highest at 60fps. I do think though that it’s best to set it to High for stability.
On the software side, EMUI 15 is the OS installed on the HUAWEI Mate X7. I am not certain why they installed EMUI when I thought they’ll be going with HarmonyOS. My guess is the latter is for the China market while the other is for international markets. This was the same strategy for the Mate X6.
While I am not bothered anymore by the bloatware that comes with the EMUI, what does is the uncertainty of future software updates. I can only wish HUAWEI will change their mind about this and offer software support for their flagship foldable.
What adds to my disappointment is the lack of 5G connectivity. Mate X7s in China have 5G and they’re using the same processor as we do. From what I’ve gathered, due to some restrictions, countries like the Philippines are only limited to 4G LTE. It’s a shame because, again, why would a brand offer a flagship foldable priced at six figures without 5G? I know I can live without it, but I would end up envying those who have that connectivity.
The Cameras
What the HUAWEI Mate X7 lacks in performance, it makes up for in its cameras. It comes with a triple camera system composed of a 50 Megapixel main camera, 50 Megapixel Telephoto and a 40 Megapixel and a 40 Megapixel Ultra-wide.
I know HUAWEI is taking photography seriously, but I was still surprised with the photos that came out from the Mate X7. They were absolutely stunning! Seriously, I didn’t have this kind of photo quality with the other foldables I’ve owned and used.
Let me share with you some sample photos:
HUAWEI Mate X7 Sample Photos
Who would’ve thought these images were taken by a flagship foldable phone? Telephoto is only up to 3.5x which is pretty much okay for me since it can still take good photos at mid-range zoom. Pushing further may result to some obvious AI enhanced images. Depending on your judgement, some may still look good to share for social media.
Selfies taken with its cover and inner display’s 8 Megapixel camera looked natural. There’s an option to use the main camera by using the cover display as the viewfinder.
These are the kinds of cameras anyone would love to have on their foldable phones, and I applaud HUAWEI for their efforts for applying this on their Mate X7.
The Battery
The battery capacity of the HUAWEI Mate X7 is rated at 5,600 mAh, well enough to last at least a day of use. We did a battery test with the Mate X7 unfolded and set to performance mode. The result was an impressive 16 hours and 51 minutes! I haven’t seen a result this long for a foldable in the flagship range. Using the 66W charger can fully charge the Mate X7 in less than an hour.
DR’s CONCLUSION
There are shortcomings indeed, but the HUAWEI Mate X7 is still a good option for people who needs a foldable phone for productivity. I can live without 5G, but the uncertainty of software updates still bothers me. Those who want to purchase a high-priced flagship phone might expect for this too.
Nevertheless, I would still recommend it for its luxurious design, durable hardware and flagship-level cameras.
Purchase the HUAWEI Mate X7 here: https://consumer.huawei.com/ph/offer/category/smartphones/mate-x7-buy/
