Huawei’s new Matebook range (with new Matebook X Pro) is amazing and we got some hands on at MWC 2019

Obviously there’s a lot of mobile phone hardware on show and released at Mobile World Congress each year and that’s primarily what we cover, but there’s a lot of other general hardware on show as well.

Huawei released some new laptop hardware at this year’s MWC, and we’ve had some hands on time with their new models.

Matebook 13 and Matebook 14

Starting with the 13-inch and 14-inch variants, these are definitely the most exciting of the range. Yes, they’re not the Matebook X Pro, but with solid specs and great pricing, these are going to be very appealing to many users.

Perhaps very importantly, if the European pricing is anything to go by – they will offer a very affordable option for users who need some reasonable grunt in a workhorse capable of lasting a full day.

They’re a 13-inch or 14-inch screen that runs at 2160 x 1440 (some models have touchscreen capabilities) resolution with a genuinely tiny bezel (4.9mm) which maximises the available space and make another small reduction in weight.

The screens of both the 13-inch and 14-inch Matebook were delightfully easy on the eyes with the resolution, automated light levels and colour saturation. Huawei claims that with the hardware and combined software optimisation, they can deliver up to 15 hours of use. This will be quite the feat if it can be delivered regularly without shutting everything off, which some other devices need.

There are a number of CPU and memory options available in the Matebook range, with the top of the range coming equipped with the 8th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor and a 2GB Nvidia MX250 GPU. The connectivity range is also pretty important for laptops in the current era and Huawei have done a good job of delivering on the middle of the road with the 13-inch and 14-inch variants of the Matebook offering Fingerprint reader (essential for Windows Hello), USB 3.0, an HDMI connection and a Headphone Jack.

We didn’t have enough time to put any of them under any significant load, but on paper both models have significant cooling upgrades over the previous models which will keep the hardware in good working order for longer by preventing overheating.

They keyboard has a wonderful touch to it that made typing a pleasure. The touch is definitive enough for someone like myself who tends to skim the keys.

While the Australian pricing and availability hasn’t been confirmed yet, the €999 for the 13-inch i5 and €1299 euros for the 13-inch i7 is a reasonably good indication of what we’ll be looking at ,and the 14-inch model will set you back €1199 for the i5 and €1499 for the i7 model.

Matebook X Pro

The 2019 Matebook X Pro is an outstanding piece of kit: Premium hardware and at a premium price, there’s no other way to put it. Unlike the models referred to above, the starting point for the Mate X Pro is far more high-end hardware starting with an i5 Processor, 512GB storage, an MX250 video card with 8GB of RAM for €1599 (we’re waiting on confirmation of the Aussie price and expected delivery time).

If you’ve got the cash and want the latest, top end hardware then you’re up for a whopping €1999 for the top Matebook X Pro model that sports an i7 processor, 1TB SSD storage, 16GB RAM and the same MX250 video running 2GB RAM as the lower option. This is very close to a no-compromise desktop replacement system, which particularly for mobile workers would be a huge win.

Both versions of the Matebook X Pro have a 13.9-inch Fullview display that will run up to 3K (3000 x 2000) resolution with Multi-touch support and weigh in at 1.33kg. For such a powerhouse of a machine, the weight is quite staggeringly low.

I tried Huawei’s new One Hop instant sharing feature, and though I only gave it a quick go, I found it very powerful; being able to instantly share photos from my phone to the laptop (and vice versa) is something that many people would find very helpful. The same easy process can be used to transfer files, videos and more, and given how often we do precisely this, transferring content to/from mobile to make Ausdroid work, we can only imagine how useful this would be to other industries as well.

All in all, the design and presentation of all three machines are gorgeous and offer options from affordable performance machines through to top end indulgences, all you need to do is made the decision on which one suits your needs and budget.