I’ve examined a number of flip telephones up to now, however I by no means caught to any. My life-style would not require a cellphone that folds right into a smaller footprint to suit inside my pocket. There’s a marketplace for them, little question, however when I’m utilizing a foldable cellphone, I would like it to develop the capabilities of my present cellphone. And that is why I’ve cherished utilizing the Huawei Pura X.Most flip telephones are narrower and taller than conventional smartphones. They have huge 6.9-inch screens with a 21:9 facet ratio, however the Pura X is exclusive by design. It has a smaller 6.3-inch show with a wider 16:10 facet ratio, making it a really perfect display screen for studying and video consumption. The Huawei Pura X is a refreshing tackle flip telephones. It is nearer to a mini book-style foldable than a flip cellphone. In reality, I’ve loved utilizing it greater than the Motorola Razrs and Galaxy Z Flips of the world.Huawei Pura X: What’s it like to make use of a wide-screen flip cellphone? I like studying on the Pura X. Prakhar Khanna/CNETI could not use the Pura X as my major cellphone as a result of it’s a China-only system. So, most of its preloaded apps are in Chinese. I put in a number of Google apps like Chrome and YouTube, amongst others, to make the expertise as shut as attainable to my foremost system.In the final 10 days, I’ve cherished consuming content material, each video and written, on the Huawei flip cellphone. It combines the pocketability of a flip cellphone with the readability of a book-style fold in a single system — whereas additionally delivering a greater video-watching expertise than each of them. Using the Pura X is an all-new expertise. Prakhar Khanna/CNETThe Pura X unfolds to a 6.3-inch AMOLED show with assist for a dynamic 120Hz refresh fee, 2,120×1,320-pixel decision and a pair of,500 nits peak brightness for supported HDR content material. These specs might sound just like the iPhone 17, Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 10, however the Pura X has a wider 16:10 facet ratio (versus 20:9 on slab telephones). Its largest profit is instantly noticeable when watching films and YouTube movies.The video consumption expertise on foldable telephones sometimes is not supreme. They often have large letterboxing (thick black borders) on both high and backside (on the Galaxy Z Fold 7) or left and proper (on the Galaxy Z Flip 7). Movies shot in 21:9 fare higher on flip telephones however worse on book-style foldables. The Huawei Pura X minimizes this letterboxing with its 16:10 display screen, whereas additionally providing the same on-screen watchable space. The Huawei Pura X has minimal letterboxing for 16:9 movies, when in comparison with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, Z Fold 7 and the Huawei Mate XT. Prakhar Khanna/CNETThis may shock many, however as you possibly can see from the above photograph, you get a bigger video viewing space on Huawei’s 6.3-inch show than Samsung and Motorola’s 6.9-inch flip cellphone screens. In reality, 16:9 YouTube movies on the Pura X are virtually as huge as on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (within the barely wider horizontal orientation). This is barely the second time I’ve cherished watching movies on a foldable cellphone (the primary was the Huawei Mate XT trifold cellphone, additionally for its elevated viewing space with a 16:11 facet ratio, when absolutely unfolded). It additionally gives a lovely studying and internet looking expertise — you simply must rotate the cellphone in vertical orientation. By design, the Pura X is slippery, and its wider design would not assist the in-hand grip. Thankfully, it weighs below 200 grams, so it is not as heavy as fashionable flagship telephones. I acquired used to it inside a number of hours.Another studying curve was getting used to the position of buttons and unfolding it like a Fold (from the best facet) as a substitute of a Flip (from the underside). The latter was straightforward, however I nonetheless battle with the previous. It may take a bit getting used to however I like this design. Prakhar Khanna/CNETWhen you unfold the Pura X, it’s good to rotate it by 90 levels to alter its orientation to make use of vertically. Huawei’s person interface would not can help you use the cellphone horizontally. So, each time I open the Pura X, its quantity rockers and energy button (with a built-in fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication) swap locations.The fingerprint sensor that resides on the pure resting place on my thumb (when the cellphone is folded) strikes to the highest of the cellphone when it’s unfolded. I’ve added my index finger information to unlock the cellphone, and it won’t be a giant deal in the long run, as soon as my muscle reminiscence has gotten used to it. But to date, it has been barely bothersome to get a point out right here.The remainder of the specs and options It has a purposeful cowl display screen. Prakhar Khanna/CNETThe Huawei Pura X has a 3.5-inch OLED cowl display screen with a 980×980-pixel decision and the identical dynamic 120Hz refresh fee. It is not as massive as Samsung and Motorola flip telephones, however it may run a full-fledged browser and a number of first-party apps. This 1:1 show can be ok to seize selfies utilizing the rear cameras, of which you get three.Huawei has included a 50-megapixel major digital camera with an f/1.6 aperture. It is accompanied by a 40-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide-angle sensor and an 8-megapixel telephoto digital camera with assist for a 3.5x optical zoom. It’s good to have the digital camera versatility of slab telephones on a flip cellphone. Prakhar Khanna/CNETFor context, most flip telephones have solely two rear cameras, however the Pura X’s optics are as versatile as a slab cellphone. The digital camera efficiency is just like what you’d anticipate from a Huawei cellphone: easy and brightened pores and skin tones, good dynamic vary and wealthy particulars.The Huawei Pura X is powered by final yr’s Kirin 9020 chipset and has as much as 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. My unit runs on HarmonyOS 6.0, which is easy and fluid in day-to-day use. It packs a 4,720-mAh battery with assist for 66-watt wired superfast charging and 40-watt wi-fi quick charging. The Pura X doubles as a pocket-size e-reader. Prakhar Khanna/CNETThe Pura X is for many who need one of the best video consumption expertise on a foldable cellphone, with out compromising portability and cameras. It was launched earlier this yr at a beginning value of 7,499 yuan (roughly $1,065) for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage model. However, it acquired a value minimize not too long ago and is now promoting for 6,899 yuan (roughly $980).After utilizing the Huawei Pura X, I can confidently say that wide-screen foldable telephones have their very own place within the area of interest class. It has made me extra excited for the rumored 4:3 iPhone Fold and Samsung “Wide Fold” in 2026.
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