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Huawei Matebook X Pro sets sights on the MacBook Pro at MWC

Huawei's latest laptop adds more ports and privacy features.

Xiomara Blanco Associate Editor / Reviews - Tablets and monitors
Xiomara Blanco is an associate editor for CNET Reviews. She's a Bay Area native with a knack for tech that makes life easier and more enjoyable. So, don't expect her to review printers anytime soon.
Xiomara Blanco
2 min read

If last year's Matebook X laptop was comparable to the Apple Macbook , the new Huawei Matebook X Pro is suitable competition for the Macbook Pro .

Debuting at MWC 2018,  the laptop is similarly slim and sleek with an all aluminum body. This new version is bigger than the Matebook X thanks to the extra selection of ports it offers. It also adds a slick new touchscreen with anti-fingerprint coating.

In the US market it will come with Windows 10 Home Signature Image Edition, Office 365 (one year's access), Matedock 2.0. Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.

A new privacy feature that makes for a cool party trick is the laptop's recessed camera. Hidden in plain sight as a spring-loaded button between the F7 and F8 keys, it's a clever workaround that means you won't need to use tape to cover your webcam due to privacy concerns. Unfortunately, the wide-angle camera is at an unflatteringly low angle.

huawei-matebook-x-pro-5531

The Matebook X and its 13.9-inch screen.

Josh Miller/CNET

Huawei squeezes a 13.9-inch screen in a 12-inch chassis, giving the Matebook X Plus a 91 percent screen-to-body ratio. It also has super-narrow bezels, adding to its luxe appeal.

Screen specs

  • 3,000x2,000-pixel resolution
  • 450 nits of brightness

The Matebook X Pro features a full-size chiclet keyboard and an extra-large touchpad made with graphic designers in mind. It's also got the same fingerprint reader as Huawei phones , which is chip-set based. That means it securely stores your fingerprint on the computer, not on a cloud.

According to Huawei, the laptop is made of the same type of sturdy high-grade aluminum alloy that's used for aviation purposes, so bending shouldn't be an issue.

At 14.6mm thick and 2.93 pounds heavy, it looks more compact than it feels. Its fashionable beveled edges give it a high-end touch. The laptop will come in "space grey" and "mystic silver."

Huawei estimates the laptop's battery life at 12 hours of 1080p video playback. It comes with a fast-charging charger that purportedly provides 6 hours of battery life after a 30 minutes charge.

Additional specs

  • 7th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU
  • 8GB or 16GB of RAM
  • 256 or 512 SSD
  • Nvidia GeForce MX1502GB GDDR5
  • Two Type-A USB
  • Type-C USB
  • Quad-speakers with Dolby Atmos

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