Valentina Palladino

Regardless of firm turmoil, Huawei continues to go after a slice of the US Laptop Computer market. Following the discharge of the Matebook X Professional final 12 months, the Chinese language firm debuted the Matebook 13 at the moment. The skinny-and-light pocket book guarantees to be lighter on prospects’ wallets than final 12 months’s extra premium mannequin however nonetheless sturdy in design and specs.

Many (together with myself) could also be losing interest of MacBook-esque laptops, however Huawei is utilizing the design of the Matebook 13 to its benefit. The corporate needs to snag prospects’ consideration with a well-known, high-end design after which provide them options and specs that different 13-inch notebooks do not have, comparable to a 25W Nvidia MX150 graphics card. However this house is crowded with related Home windows gadgets, and the Matebook 13’s stand-out options is probably not sufficient to supply many converts.

Appear and feel

The Matebook 13, just like the Matebook X Professional, is a minimalist’s dream laptop computer by way of its design. Its aluminum-alloy unibody has a easy satin end, and the diamond-cut edges give the machine simply sufficient aesthetic “edge” to seem premium however not ostentatious. Solely the huge, raised Huawei brand within the heart of the lid messes up this aesthetic, and whereas not distinctive, it could be sufficient for a few of the most design-focused amongst us to show up their noses at this machine. Total, although, the Matebook 13 is a sturdy laptop computer that does not bend beneath stress, and its understated design will attraction to those that desire a easy but enticing laptop computer.

SPECS AT A GLANCE: Matebook 13 (as reviewed)

SCREEN
13-inch 2160×1440, 200ppi touchscreen

OS
Home windows 10 Dwelling

CPU
Intel Core i7-8565U

RAM
8GB LPDDR3

GPU
Intel UHD Graphics 620, 2GB Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU (25W)

STORAGE
512GB PCIe SSD

NETWORKING
802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.four/5GHz 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.zero

PORTS
2 x USB Sort-C port, 1 x headphone jack

SIZE
11.26×eight.31×zero.59 inches (286×211×15mm)

WEIGHT
2.87 kilos

BATTERY
41.7Whr

STARTING PRICE
$999

PRICE AS REVIEWED
$1,299

OTHER PERKS
Energy button with built-in fingerprint sensor (Home windows Howdy-ready), Dolby Atmos sound system, included MateDock 2

Engaged on the Matebook 13 was nice thanks partly to its 13-inch, 2160×1440 touchscreen and its three:2 facet ratio that lessened the quantity of scrolling essential to browse webpages and paperwork. It isn’t as immersive of a display as that on the Matebook X Professional due to its smaller measurement and the marginally bigger prime bezel, which holds the webcam. Huawei didn’t put the recessed digicam button on this machine, so you may get a daily webcam expertise (however no IR digicam) at the price of slightly extra bezel atop the show.

The Matebook 13’s chassis measures 15.9mm at its thickest level, and with its 2.87-pound weight, it is each skinny and light-weight sufficient to slide into your bag virtually unnoticed. Every backside nook has a rubberized foot to raise the laptop computer when it is on a flat floor. I respect that the again two ft are bigger than these on the entrance corners, as a result of they elevate the Matebook 13 at a slight angle, making it extra snug to make use of for lengthy durations of time.

The Matebook 13 consists of Dolby Atmos sound, and its audio system sit on the underside of its chassis. Sound is not obstructed when the laptop computer sits on a desk or a desk (doubtless because of the assist of these rubber ft), however sound muffles instantly when the laptop computer is propped up in your lap. The distinction between Dolby sound and common sound is equally noticeable, however fortunately Dolby options are on by default. Dolby Atmos offers completely different sound profiles so that you can select from relying on the kind of media you are watching or listening to and the way you favor to listen to it.

No matter whether or not you utilize Dolby Atmos options or not, the Matebook 13’s audio system will solely have the ability to fill a small room with sound. They do not get almost as loud as I anticipated, so I could not hear music clearly once I stepped out of my dwelling workplace.

The place the Matebook 13 actually mimics Apple’s MacBook is in its scant port choice: simply two USB-C ports, one on both aspect of the chassis. A headphone jack sits subsequent to the USB-C port on the left edge. Neither has Thunderbolt three capabilities, and they don’t seem to be created equal, both. The best-side USB-C port helps knowledge switch and DisplayPort connectivity, whereas the left-side port helps knowledge switch and charging. Those that want non-USB-C ports can use the MateDock 2.zero that comes with every Matebook 13.

It appears counterproductive to gloss over Thunderbolt three in a laptop computer just like the Matebook 13. It might be the mid-tier laptop computer in Huawei’s line, however different notebooks priced between $999 and $1,299 embrace not less than one Thunderbolt three port. Arguably extra irritating is the truth that you may’t make use of the positions of the USB-C ports for handy charging. Since solely the left-side port can energy up the machine, you may doubtless be caught in an uncomfortable place when the one free outlet is in your proper aspect.

Keyboard and trackpad

The Matebook 13’s keyboard seems to be like that of the Matebook X Professional, simply with out the recessed digicam button. It additionally sits on a smaller chassis space because of the general smaller measurement of the Matebook 13. It resembles Apple’s butterfly-mechanism keyboard solely in aesthetic, as these keys are barely extra snug to sort on with their 1.2mm of journey. That may attraction to those that just like the look of the MacBook or the brand new MacBook Air however don’t need something to do with butterfly keys.

No audio system sit on both aspect of the keyboard, and solely the hybrid fingerprint reader and energy button sit at its top-right nook. This enables for one-push energy and signal on—the Matebook 13 powered on and signed me in inside 10 seconds of urgent the button each time. The precision trackpad is longer than it’s tall, however it’s nonetheless a spacious trackpad. It seems to be slightly squished because of the massive house that the keyboard takes up, however I wasn’t hampered by its placement or its measurement.

Efficiency

Huawei sells two fashions of the Matebook 13: one with a Core i5-8265U processor, Intel UHD Graphics 620, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of PCIe SSD. Our assessment unit is the top-tier mannequin, which features a Core i7-8565U processor, a 2GB Nvidia MX 150 GPU (25W), 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of PCIe SSD. It carried out effectively on our benchmark checks, beating Huawei’s personal Matebook X Professional on almost each one.

Judging on specs alone, the Matebook 13 is definitely higher than the Matebook X Professional, regardless that Huawei is classifying it as its mid-tier Ultrabook. Whereas the Matebook 13 has a lower-resolution show, much less RAM, and a smaller battery than the X Professional, it is higher than final 12 months’s flagship in virtually each different means.

Most customers can do with out the 3000×2000 show that the X Professional has (even whether it is gorgeous), however I’d have appreciated to have a 16GB reminiscence possibility, contemplating the opposite updates, notably the inclusion of the 25W Nvidia GPU. Whereas the MX150 card does not make the Matebook 13 appropriate for hardcore gaming at excessive body charges, it can enable the machine to play most video games effectively and assist in video and photograph enhancing. Together with greater than 8GB of RAM would make these processes even smoother.

The Matebook 13 additionally has Huawei’s “Shark Fin 2.zero” cooling answer inside, which locations the followers on the heart of the chassis, between the CPU and GPU. That is supposed to assist disperse warmth extra effectively, and Huawei claims it offers about 25 p.c extra airflow than different cooling options in competing laptops. Nonetheless, the back-center of the chassis, proper beneath the hinge, at all times felt heat to the contact throughout intense work durations (like when the Matebook 13 ran our benchmark checks). It wasn’t scalding, however it was sufficient to heat my legs when the Matebook 13 was propped on my lap.

Huawei additionally claims that the brand new cooling answer is designed to maintain fan noise at a minimal, however that is not the case. The Matebook 13 was roaring a lot throughout our benchmark checks that I wanted to show up the quantity of my different techniques to listen to something once I had the Matebook 13 beside me on my desk. It is secure to say that the Matebook 13 will produce a twister of noise when performing any laborious job.

Battery life

Whereas the Matebook X Professional shone with its 15-hour battery life, the Matebook 13 does not come near that bar. Huawei estimates the Matebook 13 will final about 9.6 hours on a single cost; our assessment unit lasted a mean of 540 minutes (or 9 hours) on our Wi-Fi take a look at and a mean of 445 minutes (about 7.5 hours) on our WebGL take a look at. That is on the decrease finish of the Ultrabook spectrum, with most rivals just like the HP Spectre 13 and the Dell XPS 13 lasting a half hour to an hour longer than that.

Huawei might imagine these numbers are acceptable as a result of the Matebook 13 is its middle-of-the-road pocket book. Nonetheless, the Matebook 13’s design, efficiency, and even its value recommend that it might rightly be in comparison with different top-tier laptops. Its battery life, whereas not horrible, is not going to do it any favors when prospects make these comparisons.

Transfer over, Matebook X Professional?

Huawei needed to increase its laptop computer household with the Matebook 13, however I am unable to assist considering that the corporate could find yourself cannibalizing it. The Matebook 13 has a whole lot of issues going for it: a superbly acceptable Ultrabook design, a cushty keyboard with a hybrid energy button and fingerprint reader, and nice efficiency that outmatches the dearer Matebook X Professional. Huawei’s choice to incorporate the 25W Nvidia MX150 GPU will please many customers who needed the more-powerful discrete graphics card and did not get that possibility within the Matebook X Professional (which included the 10W GPU).

Nonetheless, Huawei made disappointing and complicated sacrifices. The Matebook 13’s lackluster battery life is unlucky however comprehensible contemplating its smaller body. However the lack of Thunderbolt three and the variations between its USB-C ports will solely make prospects scratch their heads. They could be small issues (actually and figuratively), however they are going to frustrate Matebook 13 customers who imagine they bought an Ultrabook with the identical customary capabilities as rivals just like the XPS 13 or the Spectre 13.

However, I query why most would even contemplate the Matebook X Professional when the Matebook 13 now exists. Will customers be prepared to spend round $300 extra for Thunderbolt three, killer battery life, and a bigger, higher-resolution display? Particularly when that doesn’t include elevated efficiency? I am unsure, and that leads me to have uncertainties concerning the Matebook X Professional’s future. The Matebook 13 is a strong laptop computer, and its higher-end mannequin could also be compelling sufficient to sway prospects away from Huawei’s dearer machine. Nonetheless, it is probably not sufficient when confronted with different producers’ rivals. The 12 months of 2019 remains to be younger, so these searching for a brand new 13-inch Ultrabook ought to wait till rivals like Dell, HP, and Lenovo launch their latest gadgets earlier than going all-in on the Matebook 13.

The Good

Minimalist but sturdy design.
Snug keyboard.
Comes with Matedock 2.zero for further connectivity.
Nvidia MX150 GPU included in top-tier mannequin.
Strong efficiency.

The Dangerous

No Thunderbolt three.
Just one USB-C port helps charging.
No USB-A ports.
Each fashions solely assist 8GB of RAM.
Lackluster battery life.

The Ugly