Look Out, Switch: New Smartphone Doesn't Shy Away From Pinpointing Its Competition

Chinese networking and mobile giant Huawei introduced a new smartphone this week that it claims is a competitor in the video game space to the Nintendo Switch. The Mate 20 X is a 7.2-inch smartphone that CEO Richard Yu boasted as "the best portable mobile gaming machine."

Variety reports that the event was ostensibly to debut two new phones, but Huawei finished its presentation with the surprise announcement of the Mate 20 X as well. After comparing its performance to phones like the Galaxy Note9, Yu showed a gamepad add-on and began comparing the Mate to the Switch, complete with side-by-side comparisons.

Yu said the Mate 20 X has a larger screen than the Switch at 7.2 inches, higher resolution with a 1080p OLED screen, and a larger battery. It features a vapor chamber and graphene film designed to keep the chips working at lower temperatures. As a phone, it comes equipped with a 40 MP camera. And it comes in two colors, Phantom Silver and Midnight Blue. You can check out the full specifications here.

"We bring you an extra display, extra power and also extra performance," Yu said.

The Mate 20 X is priced at €899 or around $1,040. That makes it significantly more than a Nintendo Switch, and aligned more with the price of higher-end iPhone models.

The Switch has provided a financial boom for Nintendo, joining its mobile and console markets. It's clear enough why a mobile manufacturer would want to position its latest device as a direct competitor. Some of Nintendo's success, though, comes down to Nintendo's own first-party games and third-parties getting on-board with specialized software. Huawei is a huge name in China, so it may use that leverage to attract its own development community.