The MateBook X Pro and MateBook 14 prove that Huawei still makes good laptops. However, the uncertainty surrounding the brand will not disappear quickly and the devices are therefore subject to it.

Despite all the odds, Huawei still has big ambitions. Huawei is not letting go of the European market, but there is no denying that the company’s relevance in Europe, especially as a hardware supplier, has significantly decreased. For example, the once successful smartphones have almost completely disappeared from the scene.

Make no mistake: Huawei is still releasing electronic devices for consumers and business users. For example, the company launched two new Intel laptops this year, the MateBoox X Pro and the MateBook 14. Huawei is selective about which markets it brings its devices into. The laptops are not currently sold through official channels in Belgium and Huawei cannot confirm whether this will change.

In anticipation of this, our editors received a test copy of the MateBook X Pro and MateBook 14. Can the laptops convince us that Huawei still plays a significant role in the laptop industry? The answer to this question is more complex than a simple yes or no.

MateBook 14: balanced all-rounder

We first take a closer look at the MateBook 14. The configuration tested included an Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD storage and would cost you 908 euros (plus VAT). We like the mint green casing; A neutral gray color option is also available. Huawei is generous when it comes to connections, but at the same time it doesn’t recognize that USB-C is the standard these days. Only one USB-C port is provided for the charger.

The OLED screen (14.2 inches) is one of the strengths of this device. The image spec package is very balanced with a 2.8K resolution (2,880 x 1,920), a brightness of just under 450 nits and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The touch support also works smoothly. The audio isn’t at the same level, but the audio is clear enough for a video conference.

The MateBook 14 is equipped with a robust interior. The device is available in two configurations with either an Intel Core Ultra 7 or an Intel Core Ultra 5. For most office applications this choice makes little difference, and in simulations with the MateBook the difference is so big. The Huawei laptops are competitive with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X laptops.

Huawei claims that you can use the 70W battery for up to 19 hours, but we didn’t achieve that in our tests. The 65W charger ensures that you quickly have a full battery again. All in all, the MateBook 14 manages to offer interesting and balanced specifications at an attractive price.

MateBook X Pro: lightweight powerhouse

We continue with the MateBook X Pro. This device is aimed more at business people than the MateBook 14. That’s why Huawei sticks with more subtle color options (gray, black, white). What is immediately noticeable is the compact size: the notebook weighs less than one kilogram (981 g).

This makes it one of the lightest business laptops we have tested so far. The port selection is a little less extensive and Huawei now relies on the USB-C card (3x). An audio jack is missing: Something the laptop industry hopefully won’t adopt en masse from smartphones.

The MateBook X Pro also has a 14.2-inch screen with 3K resolution (3,120 x 2,080). We measured a very high brightness of up to 584 nits and the same refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. Thanks to the six-way speaker, you get sound worthy of the picture quality. For video calls, the notebook has a few AI tricks up its sleeve to optimize image and sound.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 processor sounds impressive on paper, as does 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. The laptop is light but can carry some weight. The performance difference is not much greater than with the MateBook 14 with Intel Core Ultra 7. The thermal limitations of a thin laptop play a role here, meaning the processor cannot maintain its theoretical clock speed for long.

One disadvantage of the Intel Core Ultra 9 is that it is not the most economical processor. This is also reflected in the battery life, although the difference to the MateBook 14 is not that big. The charging process is surprisingly quick. In less than an hour the plane is almost completely refueled.

Uncertain future

Looking at the devices themselves, we can only conclude that Huawei has not forgotten how to make Windows laptops. The manufacturer gets the best out of Intel’s Core Ultra chips in a compact form factor. Overall, the devices perform as expected, if not better. That makes it good, but not phenomenal when compared to what Qualcomm is currently doing in the thin and light laptop segment.

The Huawei MateBook 14 and MateBook X Pro are more than powerful work laptops. We wonder what would be possible if Huawei made laptops with Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips, but then the issues surrounding the company inevitably resurface. Both Qualcomm and Intel are no longer allowed to supply chips to Huawei due to US trade restrictions.

Microsoft is keeping the Windows doors open for Huawei laptops, but there’s no guarantee it will stay that way forever. Huawei is reportedly working on its own operating system to replace Windows. The brand’s smartphones and other smart devices have already been (forced) switched to its own HarmonyOS and Huawei is now also examining this option for its laptops.

It remains to be seen how Huawei will assert itself in the laptop market. The company has already shown that it can make good chips, but this is just the beginning. Huawei needs to convince not only users but also software developers to join the ecosystem. Not an easy task, as Huawei itself knows all too well.

With the exception of a few watches and earphones, HarmonyOS is not launching in Europe because users are loyal to the well-known operating systems. This is no different with Windows. Despite all the praise that Qualcomm chips receive, the ARM ecosystem still has a lot of growing pains. Building an ecosystem with your own hardware and software requires a lot of patience, and PC users don’t have that patience.

It’s difficult to separate the MateBook laptops from this bigger picture. Huawei cannot currently be described as a stable and long-term choice. That’s a shame, because in any other situation we could have recommended these laptops without reservation.