Huawei Mate X2 review

Kirin 9000 5G pushing pixels on two different panels

The Kirin 9000 5G is still the top-god in Huawei's in-house chipset roster. The 5nm chip has a 1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 GHz Cortex-A55 processor setup, alongside a potent Mali-G78 MP24 GPU. On top of that, there is the excellent Da Vinci NPU in its full-featured state, with two Big Cores and one Tiny Core. It chews through machine learning tasks.

The Mate X2 has a fast UFS 3.X controller, hooked up to either 256GB or 512GB of storage (256GB on our review unit) and 8GB of RAM. For connectivity, the Balong 5000 modem is baked into the chip and has a versatile Sub-6 5G support, both SA and NSA.

The thing about the Kirin 9000 5G, however, is that its ultimate fate is rather unclear. It is one of the most unfortunate victims of the US sanctions against Huawei. If industry chatter is to be believed, Huawei still somehow has sufficient supplies of the chip and even intends to use it in the upcoming Huawei P50 flagship device line. Perhaps even the next Mate 50 one as well. Availability concerns are not really much of a consideration for the Mate X2, though, seeing how it is a very limited-run device as a whole anyway.

Properly benchmarking the Mate X2 was no easy task, since we had to cover all of our bases and run all of the benchmarks on both the main big foldable display, as well as the cover one. We actually discovered a few interesting things, so you might want to keep on reading. Let's kick things off with some pure-CPU loads and GeekBench 5.

GeekBench 5 (multi-core)

Higher is better

• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  3704
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  3636
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  3518
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  3489
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  3389
• Huawei Mate X2
  3389
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  3294
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  3275
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  3244
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  3203
• Realme X7 Pro
  2997
• Huawei Mate Xs
  2980
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  2715

GeekBench 5 (single-core)

Higher is better

• OnePlus 9 Pro
  1126
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  1109
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  1107
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  1085
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  1020
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  988
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  956
• Huawei Mate X2
  956
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  950
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  920
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  781
• Realme X7 Pro
  756
• Huawei Mate Xs
  751

Unsurprisingly, the CPU setup in the Kirin 9000 5G gets outperformed by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 888 and Samsung's Exynos 2100. It is trading blows with the Snapdragon 865+. It outpaces the Dimensity 1000+ and, naturally, the Kirin 990 5G. Though not by a whole lot, mind you.

It does seem that the Mate X2 is leaving a bit of CPU performance on the table compared to the Mate 40 Pro, which runs the same chipset. We didn't find an option for enabling Performance mode on the Mate X2.

On the positive side, the Mate X2 has good thermal management, does not throttle in any major way and does not get overly hot under load.

On to AnTuTu and its more compound testing runs that take into account things like display resolution as well as memory and storage speed. It seems to be more favorable towards the Mate X2 overall. This is also the first test that showcases the delta between testing on the main and the cover display.

AnTuTu 8

Higher is better

• OnePlus 9 Pro
  691055
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  686835
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  668722
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  657273
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  657150
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  639914
• Huawei Mate X2
  632818
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  571312
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  564907
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (cover display)
  562403
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (inside 60Hz)
  555340
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  531270
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  529687
• Realme X7 Pro
  510317
• Huawei Mate Xs (Unfolded)
  461406
• Huawei Mate Xs
  459274

Continuing the same train of thought, we can move on to GPU tests and GFX where some other interesting observations can be made.

GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• OnePlus 9 Pro
  174
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  166
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  155
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  142
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  141
• Huawei Mate X2
  140
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  136
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  135
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  128
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (inside 60Hz)
  128
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (cover display)
  128
• Realme X7 Pro
  119
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  118
• Huawei Mate Xs
  115
• Huawei Mate Xs (Unfolded)
  115
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  92

GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  114
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  102
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  88
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  86
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  84
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  83
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  78
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  70
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  67
• Realme X7 Pro
  64
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (inside 60Hz)
  60
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (cover display)
  60
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  60
• Huawei Mate Xs
  59
• Huawei Mate X2
  57
• Huawei Mate Xs (Unfolded)
  51

May we direct your attention to the off-screen tests where a huge variance can be observed between running on the main and cover display. This is a scenario where the display resolution is not at play. Looking at the numbers, our best guess is that Huawei is pushing the GPU and perhaps even the entire Kirin 9000 chipset less hard in certain scenarios. This is likely a strategic step to save on battery, and the behavior does persist in other off-screen runs.

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• OnePlus 9 Pro
  70
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  67
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  66
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  64
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  64
• Huawei Mate X2
  61
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  57
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  56
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  56
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  55
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (inside 60Hz)
  55
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (cover display)
  55
• Realme X7 Pro
  46
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  44
• Huawei Mate Xs
  36
• Huawei Mate Xs (Unfolded)
  36

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  51
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  46
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (cover display)
  46
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  43
• Realme X7 Pro
  40
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  36
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  33
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  33
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  33
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (inside 60Hz)
  33
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  33
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  31
• Huawei Mate Xs
  30
• Huawei Mate X2
  29
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  25
• Huawei Mate Xs (Unfolded)
  16

However, in the GFXBench Car chase test (OpenGL 3.1), we can see a smaller variance in the off-screen test and a massive one in the on-screen scenario. Mind you, we ran all of these tests multiple times to verify the results.

Here is our best guess as to what is happening - we are still not giving up on our guess about the strategic power-saving strategy. Perhaps it's only active when rendering exceeds a certain FPS threshold (60fps or something else). As for the on-screen gap in frames, which we also confirmed, we believe that it's just a case of bad compatibility with the weird aspect of the internal display.

GFX Aztek Vulkan High (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  34
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (cover display)
  33
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  27
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  25
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  24
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  23
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  22
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (inside 60Hz)
  22
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  21
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  19
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  17
• Huawei Mate Xs
  16
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  16
• Huawei Mate X2
  12
• Huawei Mate Xs (Unfolded)
  10

GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  36
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  34
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (cover display)
  33
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  32
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  26
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  24
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  24
• Huawei Mate Xs
  23
• Huawei P40 Pro+
  23
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  23
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  22
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (inside 60Hz)
  22
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  22
• Huawei Mate X2
  20
• Huawei Mate Xs (Unfolded)
  12

GFX Aztek Vulkan High (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Huawei Mate X2
  31
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  31
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  29
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  28
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  28
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  25
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  23

GFX Aztek ES 3.1 High (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  29
• Huawei Mate X2
  29
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  28
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  26
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  25
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  25
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  22

It is far from uncommon to experience graphics issues on the main display of the Mate X2 with certain games we tried, especially when in their default state where they are left to themselves to scale on to the entire display.

As far as our benchmarks go, in particular, AnTuTu 8's 3D portion clearly looked bugged, and so did Car Chase run in GFXBench. And before you ask, we did try to run AnTuTu 9, and that one failed to start the 3D portion altogether, further proving our point that many apps are simply not able to cope with the aspect ratio of the Mate X2. It's just a fact right now.

3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Huawei Mate 40 Pro (perf. mode)
  6679
• Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  6170
• Huawei Mate X2 (cover display)
  5751
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  5701
• Huawei Mate X2
  5693
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  5691
• Xiaomi Mi 11
  5673
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  5547
• Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
  4194
• Realme X7 Pro
  3938

Generally, the newer a game and its rendering engine is, the less problems we seemed to experience with it in full-screen mode on the main display. For any app that did have rendering issues, Huawei's built-in App scaling feature fixed things right up. We are counting that as a win.

Taking all of that into consideration, we would say that the Mate X2 is far from the best mobile gaming device out there. The allure of the huge display is real, and indeed when a game works without issues, it is a glorious experience. However, many games had at least some minor issues scaling. Even if they are not functional in nature, graphics often end up looking stretched and weird. You can mitigate all of that, most of the time, by forcing scaling, but then a big portion of the 8-inch display gaming experience is lost.

The Mate X2 really shines in productivity, which is its raison d'etre. The raw performance for gaming is there, but in our experience, gaming has its ups and downs here.