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Huawei’s MateBook X Pro was announced a few months ago, but it’s finally a somewhat different model that will be released in Europe, with newer components and a revamped design. We picked it up at IFA for a preview.
The MateBook X Pro is a promising and truly high-end laptop from Huawei, which we already saw at MWC in Barcelona several months ago. Strangely, the manufacturer has not released this version in Europe, and it is a slightly different model that will finally see the light of day here. Presented at the IFA in Berlin, we were able to see it and take it in hand, enough to give you an overview of the machine.
The chassis is made of magnesium with a matte blue coating. © The Digital
On the chassis side, instead of the aluminum of the previous model, we will find magnesium here, which makes it possible to lighten the PC to 1.26 kg. It remains very thin and the finishes are excellent, especially since the screen has very thin borders with an occupancy rate of 92.5%. The coating is quite original, soft, but not anodized as usual. A new blue color will be offered, which is reminiscent of a certain… MacBook Air M2.
The new MateBook X Pro. © The Digital
Change of processor
One of the regrets we had with the MateBook presented at MWC was its 11th generation Intel processor, but these few months have given Huawei the possibility of integrating a newer chip: a 12th generation Core i7. It will be a 1260P, a processor that has proven itself so far in our tests, which will be accompanied by 1 TB of SSD and 16 GB of DDR5 RAM. For connectivity, good surprise: there are four USB-C ports on the edges, even if it lacks variety (HDMI, SD card reader, etc.).
There are four USB-C ports on the edges. © The Digital
An original touchpad
The touchpad is one of the elements that makes this computer different from the others, since specific gestures allow you to control some settings. A slide of the finger on the right side of the touchpad authorizes for example to manage the sound or the brightness. Swiping it up offers to browse a video, and double-tapping with the knuckle in the middle of the pad will take a screenshot. Interesting shortcuts, which however do not revolutionize the use of a laptop and require to be tested on a daily basis.
The touchpad offers shortcuts activated with certain gestures. © The Digital
A high-end screen
The PC’s 14.2-inch (3120 x 2080 pixel) touch screen is refreshed at 90 Hz and Huawei announces that it has greatly reduced panel reflections – a recurring problem on touch models. We should check this information in the lab, as well as the colorimetry announced with a delta E of less than 1. This is in any case very precise on the manufacturer’s high-end PCs.
To ensure optimal videoconference quality, the webcam films in Full HD and four microphones have been inserted in the front of the chassis. The audio is not outdone with six speakers, but we will have to put our ears in a quiet environment to really analyze their intrinsic quality.
To afford this PC which has high-end characteristics, you will have to pay 2199 € all the same. A high price that puts it in front of a MacBook Air M2, certainly a little more expensive in 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of SSD.