The Huawei Matebook is a 2-in-1 tablet with a 12 inch, 2160 x 1440 pixel display, an Intel Core M Skylake processor, and a starting price of $699… although that price doesn’t include the optional keyboard cover and digital pen accessories Huawei will offer.
Huawei unveiled the tablet in February, and now the company is getting ready to launch it in North America. Huawei is holding a press event on June 20th, but I got a chance to spend a few minutes with the tablet a little early at an event in New York City.
Update: Huawei has announced that the tablet will be available starting July 11th. It’s already up for pre-order from the Microsoft Store.
While I didn’t have time to give the tablet a thorough test (it didn’t even have an internet connection), it certainly has a very nice looking display which looks pretty good from all angles (although the lighting at this event made it hard to get a really good photo of the glossy screen that wasn’t shrouded in glare).
The Huawei Matebook has a fanless design, measures 0.27 inches thick and weighs 1.4 pounds. It’s light enough to hold comfortably in one hand, although the 12 inch screen is large enough to make me think I’d be most likely to put the Matebook on my lap when using it to surf the web, play games, or watch videos.
The optional magnetic keyboard cover is also pretty thin and doesn’t add much bulk to the tablet. You can fold the back of the cover into a triangle and use it as a stand for the tablet, allowing you to use the Matebook like a laptop… assuming your definition of a laptop is something that you use on a desk or table. It’d probably flop around a bit if you tried to place it on your lap.
The keyboard is spillproof and features full-sized keys that have just (barely) enough travel to make me think I could get used to typing on it after a while.
Huawei will also offer an optional Mate Pen with 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity for writing or drawing. The pen can also be used as a presentation clicker or laser pointer. Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to see the pen.
The tablet has stereo speakers on the top, a USB Type-C port on the side (which is used for charging or for connecting peripherals), and a fingerprint scanner located between the volume buttons. There’s also a headset jack.
The $699 entry-level model has an Intel Core m3 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Huawei will also offer models with up to a Core m7 chip, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage.
Prices are expected to range from $699 to $1599, depending on the configuration.
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Chromebooks getting Google Play puts this mistake into perspective.
Huawei made this low perf high price device instead of a ChromeOS device with a Kirin 955.
In China they would have had the opportunity to help develop and host apps for the platform, taking the lead in this new segment. China has been struggling to find alternatives for Wintel , Huawei had the opportunity to try to lead the entire country on this alternative path.
If they are gonna make a PC ,they might as well do something that makes a difference for Huawei and their customers.They already have their own chip and that would have been a big advantage.They understand the developing world better than others, they have a great image in China, they really shouldn’t be missing opportunities like this.
No one would buy it if it was ChromeOS and having Android apps wont change that. I too am looking forward to Android apps on ChromeOS but it wont do anything to help sales.
This is by far the best 2-in-1 ever created, even better than the Samsung (Windows) & iPad Pro.
This undercuts the Surface Pro 4’s starting price by $200, has a slightly larger screen and weights 20% less. To me, this seems like a pretty good introduction to the US market.
I’m in the market for a 12.1 to 13.3 inch laptop, but I want a real keyboard that’s permanently attached and a screen that doesn’t need a Kickstand to hold it up. All these 2-in-1 devices are making the MacBook Air look better and better every day.
that and: one usb-c port? really? one?
Just like apple then.
Except there are plenty of plain laptops out there (including ultra portable). If you don’t want a 2-in-1, comparing them to an apple laptop (which doesn’t even have a touchscreen, something I find useful on ultra portable laptops, let alone the stupidity of not only one port for USB and charging) is pointless.
Apple have a tablet that needs a stand too! I might as well say the ipad “pro” makes ultrabooks look better and better every day.
You’re acting like there are no laptops out there to compare to the Macbook Air. It’s like saying “All these Porsche SUVs are making the Mustang look better every day” The Macbook Air is swimming in a sea of competitors, and they’re the only one thats sinking. The Macbook Air is so out of date, I’ve grown tired of pointing it out. The Air has had the same shitty 1440×900 LCD panel since 2010 (1366×768 in the 11″ model), and the CPU is still from Intel’s last generation (its approaching being 2 generations old in a few months). Right now the Macbook Air’s only purpose is to catch buyers at the $999 pricepoint. Compare the Macbook Air to the i5-powered Asus UX305. For $250 less, you get a full 1080 FHD screen, double the SSD size, a newer and more powerful Skylake i5, and most of all, a Windows 10… Read more »
Don’t want to buy items from a company that has stolen
Cisco router code, and is banned from doing business with the
US government. Now the company is reported to have done
businesses in violation of sanctions.
http://www.reuters.com/article…
I’m usually a fan of Chinese brand tablets. They don’t have the fit-and-finish, and the quality of mainstream brands, but if you want to fart around with a $99 Windows 10 tablet, why not?
When it gets to the higher-end, I’m a little reluctant. Looking at this product, I’m leaning towards the Asus Transformer 3 (the non-Pro model).
For only $100 more, I get the backlit keyboard cover included in the price, double the storage space, and most of all, Thunderbolt 3. But more important than specs, is that I can buy it from a local retailer (with a return policy), and the Warranty is handled here in North America.
Brad,
According to Huawei website yu you are citing, the screen is 12 inches, just like in Surface Pro 3. You say in the article it is 12.9 and other news sites referencing you are repeating the error.
Huh, could have sworn they said 12.9 in February, but it looks like I was mistaken
I was surprised when I actually saw it because it seemed a little smaller than I had expected. Will update the post now.
It’s too expensive. I think the 12 inch 2160×1440 Chuwi Hi12 is a great choice.