Apple’s MacBook dominates, but is it time for Huawei’s MateBook X to take the crown?
Huawei is launching a laptop. Just let that one sink in a little bit – the once smartphone/tablet only firm is venturing into the workspace, and in 2017 no less. It’s a seriously strange move – especially when most manufacturers are moving towards the 2-in-1 space, but Huawei says otherwise.
Huawei’s shiny new MateBook X launched hand in hand with its other Windows-powered device at this year’s Berlin unveiling: the MateBook E. While the latter is a 2-in-1 alternative, this here MateBook X is a fully fledged clamshell laptop, poised to snatch the MacBook’s crown.
Huawei MateBook X review: UK price, release date and specifications
- Processor – Intel Core i5-7200U / Intel Core i7-7500U
- RAM – 4GB / 8GB
- Storage – 256GB / 512GB SSD
- Display – 12in 2,160 x 1,440 IPS
- Dimensions – 286 x 12.5 x 211mm
- Weight – 1.05Kg
- UK price – €1,399 (i5, 8GB, 256GB SSD); €1,599 euro (i5, 8GB, 512GB SSD); €1,699 euro (i7, 8GB, 512GB SSD)
- UK release date – Summer 2017
Huawei MateBook X review: Design and first impressions
You’ll be pleased to hear then, that Huawei’s MateBook X is one of the most stunning devices I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Heck, it even rivals Apple’s beauty, with that ultra-thin 12.5mm chassis alluding to some wonderful prospects of portability. It’s a sheer joy to look at (and feel), and is available in gold, rose gold and grey colour schemes.
But that’s not all – the MateBook X’s footprint is smaller than a sheet of A4 paper. Remember when the MacBook Air released? And Steve Jobs was banging on about fitting it in an envelope? Well, this raises the bar even higher (or smaller).
Oh, and another trump card? This here MateBook X is also one of the first laptops to launch with Dolby Atmos audio. It’s not just a name slapped on the box either – this offers a significant audio upgrade from anything we’ve seen before.
And it’s a punchy audio experience at that. Watching the intro to Mad Max: Fury Road alluded great depth and volume to the sound blaring through those ‘dual motor’ speakers. This soundstage breadth is wonderful, and I hope other firms incorporate this tech in their upcoming devices.
Now, there’s no touch bar, mind – but there is a fingerprint reader nestled within the big circular power button, which you’ll find just above the right side of the keyboard. In general – it’s a seriously well put together little machine, and one that screams quality.
That 13in IPS display outputs a resolution of 2,160 x 1,440, and I was left impressed with my (albeit short) first impressions. A busy show floor is hardly the time and place to put a screen through its paces, but at first glance it seemed incredibly bright – with some beautifully rich colours. Oh, and it’s protected with Gorilla Glass for a little more peace of mind.
Keyboard-wise, each Scrabble-tile key had a nicely positive click when pressed, and it didn’t feel all that cramped either, despite that relatively small real estate. The touchpad too, is incredibly generous – so you might not have to rely on a USB-powered mouse for your day-to-day.
It’s so slim that there isn’t quite enough space for ports – not as much as I’d like to see anyway. You’ll spot a pair of USB-C ports on either side, as well as a 3.5mm headset jack. That’s your lot – although a MateDock 2 will be included in the box free of charge, complete with VGA, HDMI, another USB-C port and a regular USB-A port.
Now, as my time spent with the MateBook X was all-too-brief, I couldn’t run our usual suite of benchmarks. Regardless, I can’t see this being a slouch by any stretch of the imagination – shipping with a choice of two processors: a full-fat Intel Core i5-7200U or a Core i7-7500U. Each are paired with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and 256GB or 512GB of SSD storage.
Huawei MateBook X review: Early verdict
Despite too much of a passing glance, I’m remaining optimistic about Huawei’s MateBook X. While the MateBook E targets the 2-in-1 game, the MateBook X looks to be the flagship package; it’s small, lightweight and looks like it’ll pack a punch, so it’s well worth popping on your radar this summer.
The sticking point is – as always – is the price. Its success (and potential MacBook domination) lies on keeping the cost down – but it doesn’t look like that’ll be the case. We haven’t any official UK pricing just yet, but expect to pay at least €1,399 for the base model. Apple’s cheapest starts at £1,249, so the MateBook X may prove a tricky sell come launch.
Sоurсе: expertreviews.co.uk
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