Huawei’s Mate XTs, the company’s second tri-fold, arrives with stylus support, a 10.2-inch fully open display, and a striking purple pleather finish, signaling an aggressive push in the ultra-premium foldables market. The device pairs a Kirin 9020 chipset with HarmonyOS 5.1 and starts at 17,999 yuan, about $2,520, undercutting expectations for a debut of this complexity and size [1][2]. With upgraded cameras and a hinge designed to minimize the crease, Huawei is pressing its lead in tri-fold hardware as rivals scramble to match its cadence [1][4].

Key Takeaways

– Shows Mate XTs pricing spans 17,999–21,999 yuan, including an aggressive 17,999 yuan entry and a 22,499 yuan option bundling the M-Pen 3 stylus. – Reveals three panel states: 10.2 inches fully open, 7.9 inches partially folded, and 6.4 inches folded, with a 1,800 nits peak brightness specification. – Demonstrates stylistic and functional upgrades, adding purple pleather, a Tiangong hinge to reduce the crease, and HarmonyOS 5.1 stylus optimizations. – Indicates performance and endurance gains: Kirin 9020, a 5,600mAh battery, plus 66W wired and 50W wireless charging, emphasizing daily productivity. – Suggests swift rollout in China with preorders from September 5 and deliveries from September 12, while Europe is projected for early 2026.

Mate XTs pricing, configurations, and availability

Huawei positions the Mate XTs at 17,999 yuan on entry, with higher configurations reaching 21,999 yuan, a noteworthy stance for a tri-fold flagship with stylus support. For buyers who want the in-box pen, Huawei is offering a bundle at 22,499 yuan that includes the M-Pen 3, simplifying the workflow pitch for creatives and professionals [2][3]. The Verge pegs the 17,999 yuan price near $2,520 for reference, underscoring how aggressively Huawei is pricing a device with this screen real estate and hinge complexity [1].

Availability begins immediately in China: preorders opened September 5, with first deliveries slated for September 12, narrowing the lag between announcement and availability to a single week. That brisk timeline reinforces Huawei’s confidence in its second-generation tri-fold supply chain and hinge yield improvements [3]. Outside China, analysts cited by Spanish business daily Cinco Días expect broader European availability in early 2026, reflecting a phased international rollout common to Huawei’s recent premium devices [4].

India Today additionally frames the Mate XTs as a price refinement over Huawei’s first tri-fold, describing the new model as “lowering price” while adding stylus support—a combination that typically moves the needle for adoption among productivity-focused buyers [2]. For Huawei, that balance between premium capability and more accessible pricing per square inch of display is one more lever to keep the category momentum on its side [2].

Mate XTs display, hinge, and durability upgrades

The Mate XTs offers three defined display states: 10.2 inches fully unfolded for tablet-style tasks, 7.9 inches partially folded for split-screen work, and 6.4 inches folded for standard phone use. Coupled with a peak brightness of 1,800 nits, Huawei’s tri-fold panel aims to remain legible outdoors while spanning significantly different usage modes without sacrificing clarity or responsiveness [2]. The contrasting sizes also point to specific workflows—note-taking or timeline editing in full mode, reading and messaging in partial mode, and one-handed calls and navigation in phone mode [2].

A redesigned Tiangong hinge is central to Huawei’s pitch. The company highlights reduced crease visibility and improved durability, long-standing pain points for foldable buyers sensitive to both the tactile and visual feel of hinge engineering. This hinge iteration is intended to complement the tri-fold’s multiple resting angles while resisting wear over time, particularly across repeated fold-unfold cycles that stress complex, multi-axis mechanisms [4]. While Huawei has not detailed cycle counts here, the engineering emphasis signals a maturing approach to tri-fold mechanics [4].

Aesthetically, the Mate XTs adds new shades including a purple pleather option that leans into the premium fashion angle often used to differentiate foldables from slab phones. That finish pairs with the expanded canvas to reinforce the device’s hybrid role between tablet and phone—now with a stylus to match the professional look [1]. Combined, the panel sizes, brightness figure, and hinge claims outline Huawei’s case for both practical usability and elevated design in everyday scenarios [1][2][4].

Performance, battery, and charging figures

Under the hood, the Mate XTs runs Huawei’s in-house Kirin 9020, aligning with the firm’s broader strategy to vertically integrate silicon, software, and hardware features in its flagship stack. This chipset anchors the experience on HarmonyOS 5.1, which has been visibly tuned to support stylus input, window management, and multi-mode display transitions across the tri-fold’s three configurations [1][3]. The synergy is particularly relevant for latency-sensitive stylus tasks like handwriting, lasso selection, and precision edits [1][3].

Powering the tri-fold is a 5,600mAh battery, a capacity calibrated to the larger pixel count and the higher brightness demands that come with a 10.2-inch maximum canvas. Huawei pairs this pack with 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, a combination that aims to minimize downtime even for heavy stylus and multi-window users [2][5]. While real-world endurance will vary by mode and brightness, those numbers set a clear performance target in the foldable class, especially when juggling camera use, sketching sessions, and video calls [2][5].

Huawei also highlights satellite communication capability on the Mate XTs, a feature that broadens connectivity options beyond terrestrial networks in challenging environments. Though usage specifics will depend on service availability and regional policies, the inclusion underscores the flagship brief for communications resilience and emergency scenarios [4]. Tying these pieces together, HarmonyOS 5.1 provides the orchestration layer for pen input, windowing, and device connectivity—core to the Mate XTs proposition as a mobile productivity platform [3][5].

Cameras, stylus workflows, and software

On imaging, Huawei upgrades the ultra-wide camera to 40MP, complementing a 50MP main sensor that features variable aperture—an approach designed to adapt depth-of-field and low-light performance to scene demands. The combination seeks to deliver both expansive field-of-view for landscapes or documents and superior detail and bokeh control for portraits and product shots [1][4]. Given the device’s size and stylus integration, Huawei is positioning the camera system not just for casual photography but for quick markup, document scanning, and content creation use cases [1][4].

Stylus support is anchored by the M-Pen 3, which integrates across HarmonyOS 5.1 with functions such as circle selection and voice-to-text, bridging visual and audio workflows for faster capture and editing. Huawei references three-key controls for rapid access to selection, annotation, and input modes, aiming to reduce taps and swipes when moving between apps or adjusting tool settings [3][5]. The pitch is clear: the Mate XTs isn’t merely a larger canvas; it is a pen-first productivity device that treats the tri-fold display as a flexible workspace [3][5].

In practice, this means one-handed note capture in 6.4-inch mode, dual-pane research and markup at 7.9 inches, and full-document or design canvas at 10.2 inches. The stylus becomes a throughline across these states, with Huawei emphasizing “professional tool capabilities” as a differentiator from purely media-centric foldables [5]. For creators and field professionals, that blend of pen precision, camera versatility, and windowing could compress workflows that typically require a laptop-tablet pairing [1][3][5].

Mate XTs display, hinge, and durability upgrades

The Mate XTs’ tri-fold design directly targets common foldable pain points: crease visibility, brightness in sunlight, and comfortable use across multiple tasks. The Tiangong hinge is the centerpiece of Huawei’s argument, and while the company has not disclosed cycle figures here, the emphasis on a reduced crease and better durability suggests incremental but tangible progress over its first tri-fold [4]. Paired with 1,800 nits peak brightness, the device is better equipped for actual outdoor use, an area where early foldables often stumbled [2][4].

This design evolution is not solely functional; it’s also aesthetic. The addition of a purple pleather finish aims to elevate the in-hand feel, distinguishing the device from glass-and-metal slabs while recognizing the variety of contexts—business meetings, design sessions, commutes—where a tri-fold may appear [1]. In effect, Huawei is insisting that a foldable can be both a technical showcase and a fashion object, and the Mate XTs’ material choices reinforce that case [1].

Mate XTs pricing, configurations, and availability

Pricing remains an essential lever for a product as ambitious as the Mate XTs. The 17,999–21,999 yuan range places it firmly at the top of the smartphone market, yet Huawei’s positioning—especially with the 22,499 yuan stylus bundle—responds to a familiar concern among pen-first buyers who prefer one-stop packages over piecemeal accessories [2][3]. That structure also clarifies cost of ownership: buyers can weigh base pricing against the operational value of stylus-enhanced workflows from day one [2][3].

China availability is rapid: preorders opened September 5, with deliveries commencing September 12, indicating a tight logistics pipeline for a complex device. In the premium segment, shortening this gap matters because early adopters are often willing to move immediately; conversely, long delays can dampen momentum [3]. European availability is expected in early 2026, offering Huawei time to scale production and gather real-world feedback from Chinese users on hinge wear, battery longevity, and stylus latency [4].

Market context: Huawei’s trifold lead and outlook

Relative to rivals, Huawei’s pace on tri-fold devices stands out. The Verge points to Huawei’s lead over competitors like Samsung, while India Today frames the Mate XTs as beating Samsung to a second-generation tri-fold, bolstered by stylus support and price refinement [1][2]. This cadence matters: being first with a viable second-generation design—and adding meaningful features like M-Pen 3 integration and a brighter, large canvas—can lock in developer attention and accessories momentum [1][2][3].

The broader strategy appears consistent: marry proprietary silicon (Kirin 9020), software (HarmonyOS 5.1), and hardware (Tiangong hinge, tri-fold panel, stylus) to make the Mate XTs more than the sum of its parts [1][3][4]. That integration helps justify the premium, particularly for professionals who measure value by hours saved and friction removed in daily workflows [5]. With satellite communication capability and camera upgrades in tow, the Mate XTs rounds out a specification sheet that is unambiguously flagship—and intentionally differentiated from traditional slab phones [4][5].

Taken together, the numbers tell a clear story. You get a 10.2-inch canvas at up to 1,800 nits, a 5,600mAh battery with 66W/50W charging, a 50MP main camera with a 40MP ultrawide, and an aggressive 17,999 yuan entry point—plus an option to bundle the M-Pen 3 at 22,499 yuan. For a second-gen tri-fold that aims to be a daily tool, not just a concept phone, those are consequential figures [1][2][3][5].

Sources: [1] The Verge – Huawei’s second trifold adds stylus support and purple pleather: www.theverge.com/news/771122/huaweis-second-trifold-adds-stylus-support-and-purple-pleather” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.theverge.com/news/771122/huaweis-second-trifold-adds-stylus-support-and-purple-pleather [2] India Today – Huawei beats Samsung to the punch with second trifold Mate XTs, adds stylus and lowers price: www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/huawei-beats-samsung-to-the-punch-with-second-trifold-mate-xts-adds-stylus-and-lowers-price-2782039-2025-09-04″ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/huawei-beats-samsung-to-the-punch-with-second-trifold-mate-xts-adds-stylus-and-lowers-price-2782039-2025-09-04 [3] HardwareZone – Huawei’s second trifold phone packs stylus support, upgraded ultra-wide cam, and comes in new shades: www.hardwarezone.com.sg/mobile/smartphones/huawei-mate-xts-tri-fold-phone-specs-launch-price/” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/mobile/smartphones/huawei-mate-xts-tri-fold-phone-specs-launch-price/ [4] El País (Cinco Días) – El plegable Huawei Mate XTs tiene fecha oficial de llegada: irá directo a la gama alta: https://cincodias.elpais.com/smartlife/smartphones/2025-08-27/huawei-mate-xts-fecha-llegada-posibles-caracteristicas.html [5] Yanko Design – Huawei Launches New Mate XTs with Enhanced Tri-Fold Design and M-Pen 3 Stylus: www.yankodesign.com/2025/09/04/huawei-launches-new-mate-xts-with-enhanced-tri-fold-design-and-m-pen-3-stylus/” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.yankodesign.com/2025/09/04/huawei-launches-new-mate-xts-with-enhanced-tri-fold-design-and-m-pen-3-stylus/

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