Chinese electronics giant Huawei has entered the Windows 2-in-1 market with its newly announced MateBook. This is a 12-inch device which is constructed with a metal unibody and weighs just 640g and is just 6.9mm thick. Buyers receive the Portfolio Keyboard, weighing 450 grams its metal oxide frame. Inside the processing is taken care of by a 6th gen Intel Core M processor (ranges up to 3.1GHz) with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM and choice of 128/256/512GB SSD. Overall this Windows 10 convertible looks and sounds highly attractive for someone in the market for such an ultraportable hybrid device. Pricing starts from $699/€799.
"With this landmark device, Huawei is demonstrating our industry-leading design and manufacturing expertise by bringing a beautifully crafted flagship product to market," said Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group. Yu added that the "highly efficient" MateBook could equally be used for entertainment or business. A Microsoft exec welcomed Huawei's entry to the premium portable Windows 10 devices market.
Huawei MateBook specs:
- Model: HZ-W09 / HZ-W19 / HZ-W29
- Display: 12-inch 2160x1440 IPS TFT LC
- CPU: 6th Gen Intel Core m processor, dual core up to 3.1GHz
- Memory: RAM: 4 GB / 8 GB LPDDR3
- Storage SSD: 128 GB (HZ-W09) / 256 GB (HZ-W19) / 512 GB SSD (HZ-W29)
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro
- Network: Wi-Fi: 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac MIMO, Bluetooth: 4.1
- Sensors: Ambient light sensor, fingerprint, accelerometer, gyroscope, Hall effect sensor
- Camera: 5 MP, fixed focus
- MIC: Dual digital MIC
- Speaker: Dual speakers
- Ports: Headset jack x1, USB 3.0 Type-C x1
- Battery: 33.7Wh (4430mAh@7.6V)
- Power Adapter: 12V/2A USB Type-C power adapter, USB Type-C power port
- Size: 278.8x194.1x6.9mm
- Weight: 640g
- Colours: MateBook: Grey / Golden, MateBook Case: Black / Brown / Orange / Beige
- In the Box: MateBook, Charger, USB Type-C Data Cable, USB Type-C to Micro-USB Cable, Micro-USB to USB-A adaptor, Safety and Warranty Documents
Flashing out some of the specs above; the screen is of the IPS type with multitouch sensitivity, it offers a resolution of 2160x1440, a 160-degree wide viewing angle and 85 per cent colour reproduction gamut. The Huawei MateBook's backlit keyboard accessory features keys offering a 1.5mm keystroke and a chiclet keycap design while the touchpad supports multi-touch technology. For battery life you can expect "enough power for nine hours of work, nine consecutive hours of Internet use and 29 hours of music playback," says Huawei.
You can use the Huawei MateBook as a mobile hotspot and it is configured for drag and drop file transfer to Android smartphones. Fast fingerprint recognition is built-in for your convenience with a sensor positioned on the side. Huawei is selling a number of accessories to make your MateBook even better; there's the elastomer tipped MatePen with 2,048 levels of sensitivity which can also be used as a laser pointer in presentations, and the MateDock designed for convenient desk use boosts connectivity to include Ethernet, HDMI, VGA and further USB sockets.
The MateBook will be available in Asia, Europe and North America in the coming months. Please check the price and spec matrix below.
|
Processor |
RAM |
SSD |
USD |
EUR (inc tax) |
|
6th gen Core m3 |
4 GB |
128 GB |
$699 |
€799 |
|
6th gen Core m3 |
4 GB |
256 GB |
$849 |
€949 |
|
6th gen Core m5 |
8 GB |
256 GB |
$999 |
€1,149 |
|
6th gen Core m5 |
8 GB |
512 GB |
$1,199 |
€1,349 |
|
6th gen Core m7 |
8 GB |
256 GB |
$1,399 |
€1,599 |
|
6th gen Core m7 |
8 GB |
512 GB |
$1,599 |
€1,799 |
Additional Keyboards cost $129, €149, the MatePen is priced at $59, €69, and the MateDock costs $89, €99.
