Up close with the Huawei Matebook

This is the Huawei Matebook, a 12-inch tablet running Windows 10. But that's only part of the story...

The Matebook is just 0.27 inches (6.9mm) thick -- as thin as an iPad. That's impressive for a Windows computer.

All by itself it's a fairly boring silver (or gold) slate, but it does have a few claims to fame -- like this lightning-fast fingerprint sensor to sign into Windows easily. It's one of the fastest we've ever tested.

And around top, there are a pair of surprisingly awesome stereo speakers that I don't mind listening to tunes on. That's rare for any tablet computer.

Thinness comes at a price, and one of them is ports. The Matebook's only ports are this USB-C one, for both data and charging, and a 3.5 mm audio jack near the top.

If you're willing to pay more than the $899 base price, the Matebook becomes far more useful. Here it is with the $129 keyboard folio and the $59 stylus pen. (UK and Australian prices are yet to be announced, but the base price converts to around £680 or AU$1,225.)

In other words, it's very much like the Apple iPad Pro...

...but it's a little bit smaller than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro...

...and significantly bigger than the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

Huawei decks out all its accessories in black or brown leather. What's that accessory at right, the one that looks like a sunglasses case?

It's got a white cable sticking out of it...

Aha! It's the $89 docking station for this tablet. One USB-C cable goes into the tablet, and you can plug in power, two USB devices, an Ethernet cable for wired internet, and a monitor into the HDMI or VGA jacks around back (not pictured).

If you open up the leather flaps, you'll find storage for the Matebook's included, ridiculous, two-part USB-A dongle that'll let you connect a flash drive or mouse.

The keyboard cover is a little stiff, but surprisingly easy to type on.

It's got an excellent smooth texture to the touchpad, too. My fingers just glide across.

The keys don't have much depth, but there's some. Also, the keyboard is backlit.

The optional stylus has a frickin' laser pointer built right in. It charges with a Micro-USB cable underneath the cap.

The stylus comes with a little magnetic leather loop to stick it to a specific spot on the keyboard folio.

Sadly, it's better at holding onto the pen than it is at holding onto the folio. Good luck not losing it.

Speaking of things falling off, the tri-fold folio stand for the tablet has two positions. This one's fairly strong...

...but the second viewing angle is weak. It's easy to accidentally bump it and make the whole tablet assembly fall apart.

And remember, the Matebook doesn't come with either the stylus or the keyboard out of the box. If we had to pick, we'd definitely pick the keyboard -- using it with the stylus alone is awkward.