Huawei Matebook X Pro packs more graphics than the rest

Huawei’s MateBook X Pro is about to be released in South Africa, at a time when people are constantly moving between working from home and in-office. For many professions, like engineering and graphic design, the MateBook X Pro may be the ideal successor for those looking to upgrade their HP Spectre, Dell XPS, or MacBook Pro machines.

The MateBook X Pro comes in the standard clamshell form factor that one would expect from a laptop. The design closely resembles the latest MacBooks in terms of matching the large trackpad with a fully backlit keyboard. But there are significant differences. Among other, Huawei has put a fingerprint reader on the power button for convenient wake and unlocking of the computer, with a single touch.

At an overall weight of 1.3kg, the laptop is easily one of the lightest professional laptops on the market right now.

When opening the lid, the most striking aspect of the laptop is the FullView Display – a 14” 3000×2000 panel that takes up 91% of the surface of the inner lid, thanks to ultra-thin bezels. On other equivalents, like the HP Spectre x360 and Dell XPS (7390), these displays are 13.3” and take up only 80% of the inner lid, in a similar sized lid.

In terms of CPU, the MateBook X Pro diverges from the MateBook D line by using Intel instead of AMD processors. The X Pro houses a 10th generation Intel Core i7 Processor (10510U), which is in line with the Dell XPS 13 and HP Spectre x360. Performance will likely be similar to the latest Dell and HP pro laptops.

For professional graphics processing, the X Pro features an Nvidia GeForce MX250. This will help engineers and motion graphics professionals fly through renders and workflows. Compared to the integrated Intel UHD Graphics that comes with the latest Dell XPS 7390, it’s a no-brainer to go for the MateBook X Pro.

The MateBook X Pro’s base configuration comes with 16GB of memory and a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive. This will allow users to run several applications at once, as well as open files at blazing fast speeds.

As for included software, the X Pro comes with Windows 10 Pro, while the other closest options come with Windows 10 Home. While this may sound like a small detail, Windows 10 Pro allows users to encrypt their drives with BitLocker – the Home edition does not come with BitLocker. If one’s laptop is stolen, the files are easily accessible from a Home edition PC and virtually impossible to read from a Pro edition PC.

According to manufacturer battery tests, the X Pro’s 15 hours wins again against the XPS’s 11 hours. However, the manufacturers may have been testing under different conditions, and real-life workflows differ from professional to professional.

Now for the big question: how much? The MateBook X Pro, with similar or better specs compared its competition, starts at R34,999. For perspective, the Dell XPS 13 starts at R39,999 before it’s spec’d with a graphics card.

Overall, the MateBook X Pro seems like one of the best options for those upgrading to a pro laptop for intensive workflows.