Even without Mobile World Congress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Huawei remained faithful to its technological calendar and unveiled in March the Mate Xs, the brand's second foldable smartphone. But how does the successor of Mate X compare with proposals from Samsung or Motorola when it comes to repairability? The experts at iFixit decided to do the work and found that, although it is tougher than its "rivals", Mate Xs is a "headache" to repair.
As usual, iFixit asked for help from Creative Electron, an X-ray specialist company, to be able to look inside the Mate Xs Pro. Even before opening it, technicians were faced with a complex interior construction, especially in the new hinges with Falcon Wing Design.
Although they did not have to attack the screen soon to be able to reach the internal components, experts revealed that the adhesive used to glue the rear panels is much stronger than that used, for example, in Samsung folding. The typical application of heat can even make the panels more malleable, something that could imply a possible replacement.
After removing some connections, the experts noticed that the batteries are in different positions, one being unlike the other. In order to be able to disconnect the vast majority of cables and reach the motherboard, technicians needed to first remove dry where the cameras are. Along the way, they are faced with even more adhesive and also with large amounts of thermal paste.
Like Samsung's folding Galaxy, the glue that holds the Mate Xs batteries in place makes the repair process complicated. In the case of Huawei's smartphone, the sticker used seems to be the most resistant, leading the iFixit specialists to have to apply some force in order to remove them. As if the outlook was no longer bad enough, the second battery ended up being damaged when trying to remove the first.
The process of disassembling the display also proved to be difficult, as in order to be able to remove it, iFixit needed to disassemble the hinges. Even after much force and having managed to remove the falco wings from Mate Xs and a shield that was part of the display, the experts finally arrived at their intended destination.
In short, iFixtit indicates that the solid construction of the Mate Xs makes it more resistant than the foldable smartphones previously reviewed by the company. However, when it comes to repairability, Huawei's equipment receives a score of 2 out of 10, due to its semi-modular construction, large amounts of glue and difficulty in accessing and removing essential components such as the battery or even the screen. .
SAPO TEK already had the opportunity to "get his hands on" Huawei's Mate XS right after the launch of the foldable smartphone.
With a price of 2,499 euros, the new foldable smartphone inherits some of the concepts of Mate X and arrives with the promise of a tougher design and better performance. The chipset was upgraded to the Kirin 990 5G, promising 23% more performance than the previous version, as well as more energy savings. Also highlighted are its 8 GB of RAM memory and its 512 GB of storage and octaves of 5G connectivity, that is, twice the previous model. The battery also promises 21% more autonomy, being able to charge 85% in 30 minutes.
The smartphone has a new design with regard to its hinges: the Falcon Wing Design. Mate Xs features 8 inches when opened, the rear at 6.38 inches and the front at 6.6 inches. The chassis was built with a metal based on zirconium, and promises to be 30% stronger than the titanium alloy.
