Not so long ago the term “phablet” used to describe a smartphone with an oversized display. But smartphones have been steadily growing in size over the past few years, to a point where now we consider 5-inch phones to be compact (see Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact).
Well, Huawei wants to bring back the “phablet” this year. During its press event earlier this week for the Mate 20 series, the Chinese company also unveiled a ginormous smartphone with a 7.2-inch display.
Back in the day, this would have been called a tablet, alas Huawei is marketing the Mate 20 X as a smartphone designed for gamers and Netflix addicts.
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Specs
- 7.2-inch FHD+ display with 18:7:9 aspect ratio
- 2.6GHz Kirin 980 octa-core processor
- 6GB of RAM
- 128GB storage (nanoSD available for expansion up to 256GB)
- Triple 40MP+20MP+8MP main camera
- 24MP front camera
- 5,000 mAh battery
- GPU Turbo 2.0
- Android 9.0 with EMUI 9 on top
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Top things to know about the Huawei Mate 20 X
The Huawei Mate 20 X is a tremendous device which packs a lot of interesting features. There’s so many of them, actually that some can slip right under the radar. Which is why we’re going to highlight some of the most intriguing in what follows.
Massive display with dewdrop notch
The waterdrop-style (or drewdop as Huawei calls it) notch is the next evolution of the regular notch we all know and love (or love to hate). And it’s present on the Mate 20 X’s huge 7.2-inch display that pushes all the way to the top and bottom of the device.
Compared to the already large Galaxy Note 9, the Huawei Mate 20 X is even taller, wider and even a bit heavier. It’s definitely a device you need to utilize with both hands, although Huawei is offering a one-handed mode baked into the software, as well.
The AMOLED panel on the front has a resolution 1080 x 2244 pixels and 345ppi.
Related: Why buy Huawei Mate 20 over Pixel 3 and why not
Stereo speakers on board
The Mate 20 X is the only model in the Mate 20 series to offer stereo speakers on board. That’s because Huawei is marketing this device as a gaming and media consumption device.
Huawei claims that the Dolby Atmos-enabled dual speakers can deliver super dynamic amplitude with dual large back-cavity 120% stronger bass than the iPhone Xs Max.
The Mate 20 X also packs a large number of codes including AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, and HWA Audio. This means that no matter which codecs support your wireless headphones; they will play nice with the phone too.
Related: Huawei Mate 20 Pro cases
SuperCool system
The Huawei Mate 20 uses a new Supercool technology, which employs a vapor chamber and graphene film to dissipate heat. This way the phone will not heat up or throttle during prolonged gaming sessions.
Huawei M-Pen
To better compete with the Galaxy Note 9, the Huawei Mate 20 X also comes equipped with the M-Pen which is compatible with only the Mate X.
Huawei says the smart stylus boasts 4096 pressure levels, and from what we’ve seen so far, it seems like a worthy competitor for Samsung’s S Pen.
Gamepad
Huawei plans to add some external accessories to the Mate 20 X starting with a Gamepad. This is a D-Pad and joystick especially designed for the phone that will provide gamers with precise control and comfortable feel in hand.
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Huge battery
To support this monster, Huawei has packed a large 5,000 mAh battery under the hood of the Mate 20 X. According to the company, the phone can sustain up to 6 hours and a half of constant gameplay or 24 hours of video playback on a single charge. It’s quite impressive to say the least.
Wireless projecting
The Huawei 20 X also acts like a wireless projector that lets you project presentations or games/videos to a larger display. In this mode, you can still send messages or make phone calls if you want.
Is it worth it?
If you’re looking for a smartphone that can handle an intense gaming session, but also lets you doodle and scribble notes, then the Mate 20 X is certainly for you. Couple that with powerful stereo speakers, great display for media streaming and triple-camera setup (the same as on the Mate 20 Pro), and we have a real winner.
The not so great part is the price. In Europe, the handset will go on sale for €899 (or INR 75,998 / $1,033), so many customers won’t be able to afford it, unfortunately.
