Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a new competitor. And it looks like the smartest folding phone we've ever seen.

Huawei seems to have copied some of Samsung's design when moving from the first-generation to the second-generation foldable, but offers some unique features. While the software, availability, and price may be a deal-breaker for many shoppers, there is no denying that today's launch showcased an impressive phone.

Huawei has priced the Mate X2 at RMB 17,999 for the 256GB version and RMB 18,999 for the 512GB version. Converted to U.S. dollars, this translates to $2,784 and $2,939, respectively. This will add nearly $1,000 more to the already expensive Galaxy Z Fold 2 price.

If you want to spend nearly $3,000 on a phone, pre-orders for the Mate X2 will open in China on February 25. However, while there is no news yet on whether the phone will reach the UK, it is essentially certain that this phone will not reach the US.

Like the Galaxy Z Fold 2, the Mate X2 has a normal-sized 6.45-inch display on the front, which expands to reveal a much larger 8.01-inch display. This is a major difference from the Mate X, which had a single screen folded around the outside of the phone and around the hinge. [Both displays operate at 90 Hz, but the Z Fold 2 has an external display at 60 Hz and an internal panel at 120 Hz.

By comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a 6.2" outer display, which is 7.6" when expanded. Furthermore, the Mate X2 does not have a built-in camera, so the view is completely unobstructed from the 8-inch panel.

The phone's shape is also interesting. Huawei has given the Mate X2 a wedge-shaped design, tapering from right to left when opened. This was done both to allow Huawei to fit an impressive selection of cameras on the back and to manipulate the phone's center of gravity. Huawei claims that the uneven design makes it easy to use with one hand.

Huawei also boasts that the Mate X2 is "perfectly" foldable. This is thanks to a water-drop-like cavity in the hinge that wraps around the display. This reportedly allows the phone to close without gaps, eliminating the typical display creases found in current foldable phones like the Z Fold 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip.

The Mate X2 comes in four color variations: crystal blue, crystal pink, white, and black.

Being Huawei's flagship model, the Leica-branded camera appears again. The rectangular block on the back houses four sensors. The main one is a 50MP RYYB sensor, Huawei's proprietary camera that excels in low-light photography.

In addition to this main shooter, there is a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera and two telephoto cameras: a 12MP lens with 3x optical zoom and an 8MP camera with 10x optical zoom. This is a much better setup than the triple-camera system on the back of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, even though Samsung has a selfie camera on the inside display as well.

On the front, there are two more cameras in the pill-shaped punch-hole notch in the upper left corner. These are a 16MP selfie camera and a color temperature sensor. If that's not enough for your selfie needs, the quad camera can also be used as a front camera by opening the phone and viewing the shot on the front display.

Running the show is Huawei's Kirin 9000 chipset, a 5G-enabled chip that first appeared in the Huawei Mate 40 Pro. It offers performance similar to the Snapdragon 888 chipset found in Samsung's Galaxy S21 series. This is coupled with 8GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage, depending on the version.

The only OS is Android 10, but Android 10 is becoming obsolete now that Android 11 is widely available and Android 12 is on its way. Still, that did not stop Huawei from applying its own foldable-specific optimizations to the software, such as a split keyboard that allows typing with the phone open and the option to open multiple app windows for multitasking.

The Mate X2 is powered by a 4,500mAh battery. If it runs out of power, it can be charged with a 55W fast wired charger, which is faster than the Z Fold 2's 25W charger.

Of course, one cannot ignore the fact that the phone will not have Google's apps built in, thanks to ongoing US sanctions that prevent Google from working with Huawei. However, as a final note to this announcement, Huawei has stated that it will offer a new operating system, HarmonyOS, on its phones starting in April. Hopefully it will be able to offer all of your favorite apps without the help of Google.

It is encouraging that problems with the U.S. government have not stopped Huawei from producing its ambitious foldable phone, and even if the Mate X2 does not make it big outside of China (which is highly unlikely at this price point), it shows that Huawei is a force to be reckoned with.

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