As someone who's been hooked on foldable phones for a while – I'm currently rocking the Pixel 10 Pro Fold daily – I'm always on the lookout for the next big thing in the foldable world. I think foldables will be a trend in the future, due to its versatility. While my current device is pretty good, its camera isn't quite up to par with regular flagship phones. However, when I heard about the HUAWEI Mate X7, I got really excited because it promised camera quality that could rival those top-tier slab phones.

So, does the Mate X7 live up to the hype? I've spent some time with it, and here's what I've found.

Design and Build Quality

First off, let's talk about the design. There's a real competition among manufacturers to create the thinnest foldable phone with a barely visible crease. HUAWEI claims the X7 has a minimal crease, and while you can still see it, it's definitely less noticeable than on some other book-style foldables. The phone feels great in hand, weighing just 236 grams and measuring 4.5mm unfolded and 9.5mm folded. To me, it feels way better than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. I can describe its feeling very similar to holding a premium passport in your hands.

The build quality of the Mate X7 is also impressive, especially in the Nebula Red vegan leather finish that I have. I'm not usually a fan of vegan leather, but I actually really like it on this phone. The only minor downside is that the hinge feels a bit looser compared to the Galaxy Z Fold and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, offering less resistance. It's something you might notice, but it doesn't detract too much from the overall experience.

Camera Performance

Now, let's get to the main event: the camera. HUAWEI's claim that the Mate X7's camera is on par with flagship slab phones seems to hold true. The 50MP main sensor, 50MP telephoto lens, and 40MP ultrawide lens deliver excellent results, especially the telephoto lens. I was really impressed with the dynamic range, and the phone handled tricky lighting situations really well. I took a shot of an amazing sunset, and the results were stunning.

The ultra-chroma sensor and true-to-color camera produce accurate colors and great nighttime photos. However, the 3.5x zoom requires a steady hand to avoid blurry shots, something to keep in mind. I did notice that photos of food in low light were a bit soft, but overall, I really enjoyed using the Mate X7's cameras. I think, for photographers, it will be a very interesting phone.

Other Notable Features

Beyond the camera, the Mate X7 has some other impressive features. It boasts IP58 and IP59 water- and dust-resistance ratings, second-gen Kunlun glass, and a vibrant 6.49-inch display with 3,000 nits of peak brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate. The battery life is also excellent. The 5300mAh battery is larger than those in the 10 Pro Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, and the Mate X7 supports 66W wired and 55W wireless charging.

I used it for a full day, and the battery was still at 69%. However, the chipset is one area where the Mate X7 falls short. The Kirin 9030 Pro limits the phone to 4G, not 5G, which could be a deal-breaker for some people who rely on fast mobile internet speeds.

As it's a HUAWEI phone, there's also the issue of Google Play services availability. Officially, you can't use them, meaning no Play Store or other crucial Google services like Google Pay. There is a workaround – installing microG to access apps via the Aurora Store – but it's not an official method, and Google Wallet still won't work.

Despite these drawbacks, the Mate X7 is probably the best-built foldable phone I've used. However, without native Google app support, I can't fully switch to it, even if the cameras are the best I've tried on a foldable. If you don't use Google services, or you can use the workarounds, this phone is definetly for you.