At a time, buying the Huawei MateBook meant you were getting a PC that could function like a MacBook for a lower price. However, the 2021 version of the Huawei MateBook performs poorly at the major purpose it was intended for. Don’t get it twisted; it still performs decently, but it is not as great as expected.
The MateBook X Pro offers an elegant 13.9-inch display, a strong battery life, top-notch touchpad and keyboard experience, and an SSD with great speed. However, you will have to endure an average performance, low connectivity options, and a poorly placed webcam.
The price isn’t also great, as you could afford a MacBook for over $2,000. Though if you prefer the Windows alternative over a macOS, then the Huawei MateBook X Pro 2021 is not a wrong choice but is not the best.
Design
The Huawei MateBook X Pro primarily spots a grey colour, but there is also the Emerald Green alternative. The alternative colour feels refreshing as it breaks the norm of silver, grey or black. The
The Huawei MateBook X Pro’s interior is the blend of the Surface Laptop and a MacBook. It features a wide touchpad, a sleek keyboard with two lengthy speaker vents by the sides, and a power button/ fingerprint reader above it. Practically, there bezels are non-existent on the beautiful 3:2 display.
The Huawei MateBook X Pro is lightweight and slim, weighing 2.9 pounds and measuring 12 by 8.5 by 0.6 inches.
Display
The display on the Huawei MateBook X Pro is pleasant and bright. It has a 13.9-inch screen and a 3000 by 2000 pixel resolution, enhanced by its aspect ratio of 3:2. Though the colour is not the best, it is not far from the PCs in its category.
The display has a peak brightness of 493 nits, exceeding the average in its category (393 nits). The 74.7 percent DCI-P3 colour-gamut is also decent, though not up to the premium rating of 85.1 percent.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The Huawei MateBook X Pro has a clicky keyboard, though it typing on it could be somewhat shallow. Uring the typing test, I averaged 67 words/minute, which isn’t the best I get to. The key spacing is good, but the enter key is oddly shaped and placed on the keyboard’s right side.
The MateBook has the edge over the MacBook in this aspect is the touchscreen-enabled function. The glossy panel of the touchscreen was surprisingly smooth to touch during usage.
The touchpad is wide, smooth and has easy usage. It measures 4.5 by 3.0-inch and comes with a unique Huawei tech – the Free-Touch. With this tech, you can click on any part of the touchpad and you will get a clicky feel.
Performance
The Huawei MateBook X Pro comes with the Core i7 CPU made by Intel, a 16GB memory, and 1TB of solid-state drive. You can easily navigate 30 browsing tabs and watch four videos at once without getting a lag.
However, the GPU is not that great, as the Huawei MateBook X Pro cannot do a lot with the Iris Xe GOU from Intel.
Connectivity
Huawei tried to emulate the MacBook, and it did at connectivity, as you will not find many ports on the Huawei MateBook X Pro 2021.
Though, the left side has two Type-C USB ports and the headphone jack. On the right, there is only one Type-A USB port.
You will need to buy a hub to enjoy connectivity on the Huawei MateBook X Pro 2021.
Battery Life
The Huawei MateBook X Pro has a great battery life, averaging over 10 hours, more than the premium average of 10 hours 17 minutes.
Final Verdict
Though the Huawei MateBook X Pro 2021 is quite decent, it doesn’t deliver as much as expected. Many users saw the MateBook as a MacBook alternative, but it disappoints in this regard. The keyboard, bright display, solid battery life, and quick SSD are great. But the average performance, lack of ports, and high price cannot be neglected. I’m not convinced and I’m not going to sell MacBook that own for sure.
The price is not far off from that of a MacBook Pro, and the performance levels, more extended battery, and better webcam of the MacBook makes saving a little more worth it. However, if you despise the macOS so much, then the Huawei MateBook X Pro is a decent choice. But the experience and price don’t offer a great value.
If you hate macOS, the MateBook X Pro is a fine choice, but you’re paying more money for a less sophisticated machine in my opinion.
