Huawei Mate X2: What it's like using the nearly $3,000 foldable phone

[MUSIC] So far, the promise of foldable phones has been more beta than blockbuster. Although Huawei is making a stronger case for these bendy gadgets taking the movement a step closer to the mainstream with With the recent launch of its third generation foldable, [BLANK_AUDIO] you're looking at the mate x two, it costs nearly $3,000 and was launched in China only earlier this year. After using it for a week, I can say it's probably the best foldable phone hardware around. It has some excellent cameras too along with other top shelf specs. But going beyond that, it demonstrates the Potential of foldable phones and where it might take the industry. Admittedly, it's not perfect but I'll get into that later on. For those watching my videos for the first time some housekeeping know that Huawei sent me the matrix to on loan and by the time you're watching this video it will have been sent back or to another reviewer. [MUSIC] Now let's start with the most obvious part, the design and And displays. This year Huawei put the Mate X2 through a Samsung inspired redesign. The device opens and closes like a book instead of folding outwards like last year's Mate X. The switch in design also means Mate X2 has two screens instead of one. Starting with the 6.45 inch outer panel which also has a notch housing two front facing cameras. It's the size of a regular phone, so it can be relied on for day to day use without needing to open up. And there's of course the second inner display. It's eight inches and it's as big as a tablet and is entirely free of notches. And this is where the real fun begins with nadex to especially if you're a big screen lover. And even if you're not it's tough not to Marvel at its inner screen and the engineering feat, it represents. Here the redesign is the so-called teardrop hinge was describes. How the scream curves to avoid creasing. It uses a zirconium based liquid metal that while we says is twice as strong as the Falcon wing hinge from previous models, the hinge motion feels steady and doesn't allow you to set the phone to any angle there's closed open. And there's also this somewhere in between. As for the crease well I didn't really see one most of the time, at least when I was looking at the device head on, but when peering over from the right or left of the device from a wider angle solely for the purpose of Was spotting the crease. I didn't see it, but is it feelable kind of, although it's still a smooth screen. It's not as smooth as say regular glass. There's a bit of an indent, but it really didn't bother me at all. [MUSIC] In fact, my favorite things to use this phone for was multitasking. The eight inch inner screen provided ample space to do different tasks. One thing I almost forgot to mention though, is that the inner screen does lack a camera. I mean, it is Nautilus. So that means you can't use the inner screen for video calls and you have to use the smaller front screen. Now using a phone with two displays has obvious trade offs. The MATE X2 is thick and heavy weighing 295 grams and measuring 14.7 millimeters at its biggest point when folded. So the phone can't comfortably be used one handed But it's not as heavy as you might think. Huawei found a crafty workaround to help reduce the hefty feeling of the phone by employing a wedge shaped design kind of like a doorstopper made x two is thick is near the camera module that gradually slim's down to four millimeters on the other side. It makes it easier to hold the phone one handed not that you would much and it pushes the centre of gravity to the thicker side of the phone. Now beyond offering a smooth folding phone experience Huawei has made sure to stack the made x two. With some hard hitting features. There's also a powerful processor in the form of the Kirin 9000 And as always a marvelous camera system to both some of the best smartphone cameras money can buy. And it's the only foldable with a Periscope style telephoto lens of a mountain stake in the cameras to have excellent photos and all kinds of lighting conditions, the Periscope style telephoto lens, which can zoom in 10 times. Captured incredible detail in faraway objects and some really crisp shots. Here's one example going from default of the sunset to three times zoom, to 10 times zoom of the ship. Night mode was pretty epic to, this picture was taken in a dark room. I couldn't see the colors of the painting with my own eyes. It was too dark, but the matrix to capture the color and its image somehow, there's also a macro mode. Here's a photo of my shorts on default versus using the automatic macro mode. And here's the selfie camera and action. So lots can be done with this camera as you can see and it captured beautiful and true to live photos. Now given its astronomical price tag I'm glad Huawei didn't skimp on accessories. You'll find a bundle fast charger as well inside the box, wired headphones and a very functional leather like case which has a kick stand for prepping up the phone [MUSIC] [MUSIC] As you can probably tell, I'm pretty impressed with the Mate X2 now beyond offering that smooth folding phone experience, Huawei made sure to stack it with some of those excellent features I just spoke about. Admittedly the Mate X2 has some obvious drawbacks. It's a pretty big phone for starters, so not the most portable. That sky high price I mentioned puts it out of range for many people. And it only got a China launch though I do suspect Huawei will make the next generation version available internationally. And due to those crippling US sanctions, Google apps like Gmail and Google Maps do not run on the Madex 2, though I was able to access Gmail for instance. On the web browser. Now even with those imperfections I still do think the Mate X2 is a phone that deserves and demands your attention even if you can't or don't buy it. Like I said earlier, it demonstrates the potential of foldable phones and where am I take the smartphone industry The street. Thanks for watching and I'll catch you in the next one. [MUSIC]