Likewise, the trackpad isn’t as large as the one Apple puts on the MacBook Pro, but it’s still plenty big enough and is perhaps the best trackpad I’ve used on any Windows computer, including Microsoft’s own Surface Book line. It’s comfortable to use and doesn’t have any weird issues like a too-small Enter Key or difficult to access Function keys. The keyboard has low travel (1.22mm), but it’s not as low profile or annoying to type on as the keyboard on a MacBook Pro. It has everything I look for in a non-gaming laptop screen.īelow the screen are two other basics done right: a lovely, backlit, low-profile keyboard with a great layout and a massive, smooth, glass trackpad that supports all of Windows 10’s gestures and Precision drivers.
The MateBook’s screen is a stunner, too: it’s a high-resolution, vibrant, and bright touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio that makes productivity tasks such as working with documents or browsing the web much easier than on widescreen displays. The net effect is not only a great and immersive viewing experience, but it means the footprint of the MateBook is the same as most computers with a 12-inch screen, only with a noticeably larger display. Huawei claims a screen-to-body ratio of 91 percent, which is even more than you’ll get on smartphones with full-screen displays. Of course, the MateBook is way more interesting when you open it because then you see it has a 13.9-inch touchscreen display with the trimmest bezels you’ll find on any laptop. You can get lighter computers, but I’ve had no issues toting this thing back and forth to the office on my long commute.
The MateBook is under 15mm thick when closed and weighs just under three pounds, which makes it just as portable as Microsoft’s Surface Laptop, Dell’s XPS 13, and Apple’s MacBook Pro. Another clever trick: the power button has an integrated fingerprint scanner that makes logging in a breeze. If I need to plug in a video cable, like HDMI or VGA, Huawei throws an adapter in the box for no extra charge.
In addition, the MateBook has two USB-C ports (one of which supports Thunderbolt 3), plus a USB-A port, so I can plug in most accessories without needing a dongle. That’s something most laptops can’t accomplish. The smooth metal finish is as premium as it gets, the tolerances are tight, there’s no flex in the chassis or display, and the display hinge works exactly like it should: I can lift it open with just one finger and the whole laptop stays put. (Even the color is called “space grey,” which might be the most unoriginal thing I’ve seen since smartphone notch mania.) But I don’t really have a problem with the MateBook’s appearance because Huawei did basically everything right when it comes to design. In fact, I’d call it a wholesale ripoff of Apple’s MacBook Pro. The MateBook X Pro’s design is not original.