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Review: Huawei Mate 20 X (5G)

The Huawei Mate 20 X (5G) is a massive smartphone-in fact, it is more of a phablet, since there’s no way it can be used with one hand, it’s that big. The device retains much of the features of the impressive Huawei Mate 20 Pro, the only core difference being the inclusion of 5G connectivity.

Like its predecessor the Mate 20 Pro, the back cover has a curved design and a square arrangement with a finger sensor underneath, and the one we had for review came in a shimmery Emerald Green color. For all its bulk, it feels slippery and delicate, so one would do well to handle it with care.The Mate 20 X (5G) has an enormous 7.2in OLED screen. Let’s get one thing clear: It does NOT fit into any pocket. The display has an aspect ratio of ratio of 18.7:9, it is FHD+ and comes with a resolution of 1080 x 2244. However, despite its size, its edge-to-edge display is not too different from most other recently launched flagship phones. There is a front camera that is shaped like a teardrop notch, and it hangs like a little circle from the top centre of the screen.

The 5G phone has a Kirin 980 processor with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage, but Huawei has paired it with the Balong 5000 7nm 5G chipset for cutting edge mobile connectivity. Unlike its original, the battery has been reduced to 4,200mAh, but supports 40W fast charging.  The major downside is that there is no support for wired headsets in the form of a headphone port, but this is probably necessitated by the addition of 5G hardware, we think.The phone is equipped with Huawei’s SuperCool technology comprising graphene and special vapor chambers, to ensure that it doesn’t overheat. Another USP of the phone is that there are no network related glitches and works fairly fast and efficiently. In fact, even poorly optimized websites are far easier to read and navigate on this phone, than most of its competitors.

Ergonomically, it is pretty impressive. The fingerprint sensor at the back is perfectly placed and the EMUI lets you shrink the screen and keyboard down to the bottom left or right corner, making it easier to type and navigate. Its 233 grams of weight is evenly distributed, so the phone doesn’t feel heavy.

As with every other smartphone it’s released, Huawei has made the Mate 20 X (5G) with Leica cameras. The optical zoom is brilliant and the same as the original with a triple camera array on the rear in a distinctive squared layout, and a single 24MP snapper on the front. The three Leica camera lenses are identical to the setup used on the Mate 20 Pro. That means a 40-megapixel main lens with an f/1.8 aperture, a 20-megapixel f/2.2 aperture ultra-wide lens, and an 8-megapixel, f/2.4 telephoto lens. It has a 3x optical zoom, a night mode, a wide-angle mode, and all the usual ‘intelligent’ features. The camera quality is breathtaking- the phone can produce stunning day and night shots. Videos are no exception-the visuals pack quite a punch.

The large screen makes it a pleasure for gaming, and the phone supports some brilliant graphics. Fast, eye-friendly and powerful, this device is sure to be a crowd pleaser. A powerful, modern phone with a host of cutting-edge features. Go for it, if the bulk and lack of a wired headphone port isn’t a problem.

Price: AED 3,699.00