Samsung Z-fold 5 against Huawei mate: We are faced with two of the best current options on the foldable cell phone market, smartphones that at first glance may look like any other, but when folded they have a tablet-like screen and which, thanks to increasingly complex designs, tend to become an increasingly sought after option in the high range.
We have put these mobile phones head to head to give you a fair comparison between the Samsung Galaxy Z Folds and the Huawei Mate X3.
Samsung Z Fold 5 vs Huawei Mate X3: specifications
| Samsung Galaxy Z Foldable 4 | Huawei mate | |
| Screen | Foldable dynamic AMOLED display 7.6 inches, 120 Hz (2176 x 1812 pixels), 373 ppi
6.2″ OLED, 120Hz (904 x 2316p) |
7.85″ OLED drop-down display, 120Hz (2224 x 2496 pixels), 426 ppi
6.4″ 120Hz OLED (1080 x 2504p) |
| Cameras | Main 50 MP f/1.8, telephoto 10 MP f/2.4 and wide-angle 12 MP / selfie 4 MP under the screen and 10 MP on the chassis | Main 50 MP f/1.8, telephoto 12 MP f/3.4 and wide-angle 13 MP / selfie 8 MP on the screen and 8 MP on the chassis |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SM8550-AC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G SM8475 |
| RAM and storage | 12 GB/256 GB | 8 GB/256 GB |
| Battery | 4400 mAh, fast charging 25 W. | 4800 mAh, fast charging 66 W. |
| Dimensions | 154.9 x 129.9 x 6.1 mm unfolded, 8.92 oz (253 g)
154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4 mm folded |
156.9 x 141.5 x 5.3 mm unfolded, 8.43 oz (239 g)
156.9 x 72.4 x 11.1 mm folded |
| OS | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14 | HarmonyOS 3 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3, NFC | Bluetooth 5.2, NFC |
| Networks | 2G – 3G – 4G – 5G | 2G – 3G – 4G |
| Price | $1619 on Amazon | $1999 on Amazon |
Screen and design: getting closer to a “regular” smartphone
On the side of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 we see a 7.6-inch screen with AMOLED technology, while the Huawei Mate X3 offers a 7.85-inch OLED display. We noticed higher pixel density in the Huawei foldable cell phone, so if you need to go for the sharpest screen, the Mate X3 is your best option.
It’s true that each screen uses different technologies. AMOLED in the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OLED in the Mate X3. Although every manufacturer fills every screen with marketing phrases, the truth is that the differences are more on the technical side and in terms of energy efficiency, so for the average user AMOLED and OLED do not make any difference.
In terms of design, both smartphones have very refined aspects, although when folded like a “traditional” cell phone, the thickness of each is still noticeable. For this reason, we highlight the Huawei Mate design in terms of thickness, which makes the Huawei variant as close as possible to a “regular” smartphone.
Good cameras, but not the best in the premium segment
The camera systems in both the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Huawei Mate X3 are fantastic and deliver outstanding results, but they are definitely a step behind their premium counterparts, the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Huawei P60 Pro.
On paper, both foldable phones have very similar specs, with slight differences in the resolution of the telephoto, wide-angle and selfie cameras. We think that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has evolved poorly by retaining the 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, or that the Huawei Mate X3’s interface still has shortcomings such as automatic QR code recognition.
Either way, we insist that both devices have outstanding cameras, but it’s the folding screen that’s the attraction here, not the photography. If you are looking for the best cameras, then you should go for the Galaxy S23 Ultra or Huawei P60 Pro.
Two folding ones that fold completely
On paper, there are noticeable differences in the processors of both handsets, and due to the differences in their release dates, this comparison is somewhat unfair since it is meant to compare the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Huawei Mate X4.
However, the truth is that in AnTuTu or GeekBench performance tests, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will perform better than the Huawei Mate X3, but this difference in performance is not noticeable. Of course, we cannot overlook the fact that due to Google’s restrictions on Huawei, some of its applications run in a virtualized manner.
Battery lasts all day, but…
We can’t help but think that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 lacks improvements over the previous generation. Yes, its battery will last all day even if you’re a demanding user, but the specs are exactly the same as last year, which seems like a liability in this industry.
Huawei Mate X3 even has a slightly larger battery capacity and, above all, much faster charging.
Choose wisely
If you are involved in this comparison, you must have made a decision about advantages and disadvantages of foldable mobile phones. Because of the design, we suggest Huawei Mate. And in this sense, Samsung undoubtedly offers the best Android experience in a foldable device with multiple light sources.
Source: Digital Trends
