Huawei has officially unveiled its latest triple-fold smartphone, the Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design, marking the third generation in this innovative series. Following the Mate XT Ultimate Design (2024) and Mate XTs Ultimate Design (2025), the new model introduces a significantly different folding mechanism that prioritizes screen protection and durability.
A Fresh Fold Approach
The Mate XT 2 departs from the single-screen design of its predecessor, adopting a dual-screen folding mechanism similar to that of the Galaxy Z TriFold. When the device is fully closed, the external display on the rear becomes the primary screen. This new hinge design fully protects the main foldable display when closed, but it eliminates the partial-fold mode that offered a mid-sized screen (around 8 inches). Users now have two clear states: the compact external screen or the expansive main display when fully opened.
Design and Build
The rear of the phone houses a distinctive octagonal camera module containing three lenses. The module protrudes noticeably, a consequence of the device’s remarkable thinness. When fully unfolded, the Mate XT 2 measures just 3.5mm thick, and 12.3mm when folded. It stands 157.2mm tall, with a width of 77mm folded and 219.2mm unfolded, weighing 299 grams.
Performance and Hardware
Under the hood, the Mate XT 2 is powered by the Kirin 9050 Pro processor, paired with a Maleoon GPU that supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. All configurations come with 16GB of RAM, and storage options range from 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, up to 2TB.
Display Excellence
The foldable main screen is a standout feature, measuring 10.2 inches with 3K resolution and protected by UTG glass. The external display is 6.5 inches, offering a peak brightness of 6500 nits and a resolution of 2442 x 1140 pixels. Both screens use LTPO OLED technology with a 120Hz refresh rate. The external screen also boasts a 300Hz touch sampling rate, while the main screen offers 240Hz.
Software and Battery
The device runs on HarmonyOS 7.0 and is equipped with a 5600mAh battery. It supports 66W wired fast charging and 50W wireless fast charging. The phone carries IP58 and IP59 ratings for water and dust resistance, and includes eSIM support, Bluetooth 6.0, and satellite calling capabilities.
Camera System
The Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design features a triple-camera setup on the back. The primary camera is a 50MP sensor with a variable aperture ranging from f/1.49 to f/4.0, optical image stabilization (OIS), and an RYYB sensor sized at 1/1.28 inches. The second camera is a 40MP ultra-wide shooter with an f/2.2 aperture and RYYB sensor. The third is a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with an f/2.2 aperture, RYYB sensor, and OIS, offering 3.5x optical zoom, up to 7x optical-quality zoom, and up to 100x digital zoom.
For selfies, there are two 8MP front cameras—one on the main display and one on the external screen—both with f/2.4 apertures.
Pricing and Availability
The Huawei Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design starts at 20,000 CNY (approximately $3,000) for the 16GB RAM + 256GB storage variant, with prices increasing for higher storage tiers. The phone was announced for the Chinese market, and no global release date has been confirmed yet. It is expected to reach international markets later, likely at a higher price than in China.