Huawei P50 Pocket Foldable Phone Review: Beautiful Symmetry of Tech and Art

Beauty and power that fits in the palm of your hand, literally.

Smartphones are, at their heart, computing devices, but thanks to advancements in technology, manufacturing, and design, manufacturers are free to go beyond utilitarian purposes. These gadgets have, in fact, become so ingrained in our lives that they are now almost an extension of ourselves. They have become expressions of our personalities and uniqueness, reflecting tastes, passions, aspirations, and perception. We are now in an age where the design of a smartphone is becoming more than just a marketing point but a critical part of a buyer’s decision-making process. Sometimes, the things that people want are on opposing sides: large screen but pocket-friendly, luxurious but affordable, powerful but uncomplicated. It’s a delicate balancing act that very few smartphone makers have managed to achieve but which the Huawei P50 Pocket manages with the grace of royalty.

Designer: Huawei and Iris van Herpen

Aesthetics

We’ve seen our fair share of luxury phones, particularly from companies whose business revolves around coating regular smartphones with extravagant pieces and designs. To say that those often look gaudy and almost garish wouldn’t be an understatement. The Huawei P50 Pocket, the brand’s first foldable phone in clamshell form, is thankfully none of those, exuding a aura that is almost ethereal yet also sublime in its beauty.

The secret to the Huawei P50 Pocket is the symmetry that permeates its design, both in concept and in execution. As a phone, it folds horizontally exactly in half, resulting in a nearly perfect square device you can easily slip in and out of your pocket or bag. Each half of the phone is also symmetrical, aside from the presence of buttons, and the two circles on its cover form a perfectly balanced square.

You can both feel and see the balance all throughout the phone’s design and form, particularly with the Premium Gold edition. Gold is not something you would easily come by in nature, often used as a product of mechanical and artificial processes. It is often a symbol of affluence and the power of technology, like the technology that is used to engrave 3D micro patterns on glass. Yet at the same time, the delicate and flowing patterns on the back of the phone resemble leaves and the irregularity of life. Designed in collaboration with famed haute couture designer Iris van Herpen, this motif represents a symbiosis, a balance and symmetry, between two seemingly opposing ideas, the power of cutting-edge technology and the artistic beauty of nature.

Even when the surface of the P50 Pocket’s surface is broken by two circles, there is still an unmistakable element of harmony and symphony. These two circles is a nod to the groundbreaking Huawei P9 that raised the company’s profile in the field of mobile photography. The two circles are perfectly identical in size yet also distinctly contrasting. One lies flush against the phone’s back, displaying vibrant colors and dynamic images. The other is mostly black and unchanging yet rises from the surface to put itself in focus, literally and figuratively as it houses the phone’s powerful cameras.

The Huawei P50 Pocket is truly a work of art but its elegance isn’t loud or overbearing. It conveys its presence in harmony and symmetry, both in shapes and in themes, pulling in opposites to dance on its surface in a delightful play for form and light, the latter thanks to Huawei’s innovative 3D micro-sculpture design that creates a unique double-sided 3D design. And just as important, it also brings that balance that smartphone users need, delivering a powerful piece of technology that looks stylish, especially when they fold it close and slip it into their pocket in style.

Ergonomics

A well-designed smartphone shouldn’t just be a beauty to behold but also to hold. As a tool that you will use day in and day out, fold and unfold multiple times a day, a foldable phone such as this needs to be comfortable to use and inspire confidence in its longevity. In other words, ergonomics also plays a critical role, and, fortunately, the Huawei P50 Pocket doesn’t disappoint here either.

The point of a foldable phone, particularly a clamshell phone, is to enhance the device’s portability without sacrificing its usefulness. Thanks to the P50 Pocket’s slim profile and foldable design, it does exactly that, whether it’s opened or closed. When unfolded, its lightweight and slender body won’t weigh your hand down, though some might prefer holding it with two hands, just like any phablet these days. When folded shut, the P50 Pocket is a glamorous pocket device that you can still be able to use, thanks to that Cover Screen beneath the camera island.

Opening and closing the phone is something you will naturally do multiple times a day, and there’s no reason to be worried about the hinge giving out, which we will get to in a bit. Suffice it to say, the hinge is strong and gives a satisfying feeling whenever you fold and unfold the phone. While it is certainly possible to do those actions using only one hand, some people might find it difficult or a bit worrying. To open the phone with one hand, you’ll have to wedge your finger into that tight space in between the two halves, and some might be concerned that they will accidentally damage the foldable screen. To fold the phone closed, you might have to adjust your hand a bit to push down the top half, which could lead to some unfortunate accidents.

Fortunately, the phone isn’t as fragile as its luxurious appearance might suggest, and is made from durable materials all around. It doesn’t have a formal IP rating for dust and water resistance, but that doesn’t mean it will die at its first encounter with water. Huawei has taken measures to protect the phone from ingress, and might have decided that the expensive certification wasn’t worth the cost. Its glass back might make it feel slippery for some people, but its narrow frame also makes it easier to grip with your hand. Huawei also provides a clear case to offer added protection without hiding the P50 Pocket’s eye-catching visage.

Performance

Of course, the Huawei P50 Pocket isn’t just a fashion accessory. It is a smartphone that has to meet people’s needs when it comes to Web browsing, communication, social media, and even gaming. Huawei provides this foldable beauty with all the power to deliver that and then some. Given how lightweight and slim it is, it’s almost unbelievable that it manages to cram a 4,000 mAh battery inside. Don’t let the numbers fool you, it’s enough to get you through a day’s worth of use. And when you do need to reach for that charger, the fast 40W charging tech will minimize the downtime so you can be up and about your day as soon as possible.

While the phone’s intricate patterns and luxurious finish gives it its personality from the back, it’s the foldable screen that gives it its defining feature from the front. After all, what would a foldable phone be without a foldable screen. As one of the pioneers in this field, Huawei has been able to advance the technology and the design of flexible panels ahead of the competition. The result is a large and equally beautiful screen that brings delight and comfort to the eyes, whether you’re flicking through social media, watching your favorite shows, or simply reminiscing your last “revenge travel” experience. Best of all, that flexible screen barely shows any crease that tends to plague others of its kind.

That feat was made possible by Huawei’s newest Multi-Dimensional Hinge that creates that famed waterdrop-shaped cavity when the screen is folded. This is also the reason why, unlike other foldable clamshells, the P50 Pocket is able to fold completely flat without any gap. At the same time, a new Multi-Dimesnional Linkage Lifting design is responsible for elevating that part of the screen and remain flat without increasing the weight of the phone with unnecessary components. Watching the screen rise and fall is almost mesmerizing, and you don’t have to worry about doing it over and over again thanks to the use of Zirconium-based liquid metal and 2,100MPa Ultra-High Strength Steel to build the hinge, bringing both durability and reliability to the mechanism.

The hinge offers just enough resistance to avoid making it feel flimsy, but it won’t get in your way when using the phone. It doesn’t, however, support variable angles and will either fold shut or lie completely flat unless you leave it open at a right angle. This position is best for taking selfies or multi-tasking with a video, and it’s unlikely that there will be an important use for leaving the phone open at odd angles anyway.

Value

It’s hard to fully compare the Huawei P50 Pocket with other foldable phones, because while they share the same basic form and function, Huawei’s piece goes above and beyond being just a gadget that fits your pocket. At a time when smartphones have started looking alike and are becoming extensions of our own personalities, the P50 Pocket is both a statement and a testament to what these devices can and should be. It is, just like its overall design, a symphony of art and technology, one that you can proudly put on display and then fold and hide in your pocket.

It’s not inexpensive, mind, and there are other considerations beyond the scope of this review that may make or break people’s decisions. It is a rather weighty investment, one that is fortunately made to last a very long while. As far as design is concerned, with its definitely worth its weight in gold, even if you grab the equally elegant White edition with its shimmering diamond-inspired design.

Verdict

It’s hard to fully compare the Huawei P50 Pocket with other foldable phones, because while they share the same basic form and function, Huawei’s piece goes above and beyond being just a gadget that fits your pocket. At a time when smartphones have started looking alike and are becoming extensions of our own personalities, the P50 Pocket is both a statement and a testament to what these devices can and should be. It is, just like its overall design, a symphony of art and technology, one that you can proudly put on display and then fold and hide in your pocket.

It’s not inexpensive, mind, and there are other considerations beyond the scope of this review that may make or break people’s decisions. It is a rather weighty investment, one that is fortunately made to last a very long while. As far as design is concerned, with its definitely worth its weight in gold, even if you grab the equally elegant White edition with its shimmering diamond-inspired design.