Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The HUAWEI Mate XT is the world’s first triple-screen foldable. It costs over $2,800 to buy in China.
- The device’s repair costs are equally high, with a screen replacement costing over $1,125 and a motherboard replacement costing over $1,500.
- In contrast, the latest Galaxy Z Flip 6 costs $1,120 in China.
The HUAWEI Mate XT is the world’s first dual-folding, triple-screen foldable phone, and it’s absolutely impressive. The combination of one inward folding hinge and one outward folding hinge gives us a phone that can be an ordinary smartphone when folded, a large-screen foldable when half unfolded, and a full-blown tablet when completely unfolded. That’s three different form factors in one convenient device in your pocket. But that convenience comes at a cost, and as expensive as the Mate XT is, its repairs are equally eye-watering.
The HUAWEI Mate XT is currently available in China for 19,999 Chinese yuan (~$2,810) for the 16GB/256GB variant, 21,999 Chinese yuan (~$3,090) for the 16GB/512GB variant, and 23,999 Chinese yuan (~$3,370) for the 16GB/1TB variant. This is the bleeding edge of smartphone technology, so the prices are naturally high.
As spotted by GSMArena, HUAWEI has published the official price list for repairs of the HUAWEI Mate XT. If you want to replace the expansive screen of the device with a new one, it will cost you 7,999 Chinese yuan (~$1,125). The price goes up to 9,799 Chinese yuan (~$1,375) if you want to keep the old display with you. If you opt for a refurbished screen instead of a new one, you can bring it down to 6,999 Chinese yuan (~$985).
If your Mate XT’s motherboard dies, replacing it can cost up to 10,699 Chinese yuan (~$1,500) for the 1TB variant.
For reference, the latest flip-style Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at $1,100 in the US and 7,999 Chinese yuan (~$1,120) in China. It will cost just as much to buy a Galaxy Z Flip 6 instead of replacing the HUAWEI Mate XT’s display.
The motherboard and the display are usually the most expensive parts of a smartphone, so the rest of the repairs are relatively cheaper. A battery swap will cost 499 Chinese yuan (~$70), while camera repairs can cost up to 759 Chinese yuan (~$105), depending on the camera.
HUAWEI hasn’t shared any plans to launch this foldable outside of China. If you intend to buy this phone, we recommend taking good care of it as repairs are quite expensive.
