Mate X foldable phone: Here's what it's really like to use

Yes, those are my hands on the Mate X, Huawei's first foldable phone.

In a tiny meeting room at Huawei's booth at MWC 2019, two CNET colleagues and I got to see the $2,600 foldable phone in action.

This was an early model that's been handled extensively, so it's possible that some minor design elements could change before the phone arrives this summer, as early as June (likely for China).

One thing I was interested in was exactly how it opens and shuts. I also wanted to know how the screen felt to use, and how quickly the screen snapped to a different configuration as you moved it.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it felt to hold it in one palm.

It's solid and compact, but felt more premium than you'd expect for a plastic device.

And the screen felt slick. Not exactly like glass, but not like cheap plastic either.

A latch secures the sides when you close it, supported by two small magnets.

To open it, you need to push a button to release the latch. I like that Huawei added just a touch of texture to that hardware nub.

Here's a closer look.

I opened and closed it a bunch. It's not exactly stiff, but you do need to be deliberate about what you're doing. 

Joining the Mate X's two ends takes a little effort, but it isn't difficult. 

It isn't a flimsy toy, and that's good.

One unique thing about the Mate X's design is that you can preview yourself when someone takes a photo, or when you take a selfie.

That's because Huawei has programmed the single wrap-around display to activate certain screen zones when you open the camera. 

That lets you fix a wayward hair, adjust your posture or get rid of the spinach in your teeth.

We took a bunch more fun photos of our session with the Mate X. Keep clicking through and enjoy.

More about the Mate X:

Galaxy Fold vs. Huawei Mate X: Battle of the foldable phones

Using the Mate X made me a foldable phone believer