The MateBook X Pro 2020 is still one of the best notebooks on the market maintaining the line of its previous generation, but with new finishes and chipset inside.
Huawei MateBook X Pro (2020): is it worth your purchase?
Punctuation:
Huawei has not changed much the appearance of the MateBook X Pro 2020, but why do it if the previous model was already one of the best laptops you could buy?
The update with tenth generation chips and the new finishes keep it on our recommended product list within the list of the best laptops.
- Retail price (RRP)
- From $1638
Review Huawei MateBook X Pro 2020
The manufacturer continues to wage a tough battle to demonstrate that it is still worth buying its smartphones despite not having full Google support, a problem that fortunately does not affect laptops running Windows 10.
The 2020 edition of Huawei’s flagship notebook doesn’t change much from the previous generation, but an increase in specs and a new green finish are enough to remind us why we’re fans of these MateBook X Pro.
Design and build quality
If you choose to buy the MateBook X Pro with its gray or silver finishes, you will find it difficult to distinguish between this year’s model and that of the previous year. The laptop features the same ultra-slim chassis at just 14.6mm thick and weighing 1.33kg.
It is light enough to glide smoothly through the padded compartment of your backpack in the blink of an eye. Its screen offers a 3: 2 aspect ratio, with frames that you will hardly see are there when you download the webcam to the keyboard to save space.
We must say that we do not find this location of the webcam uncomfortable, since anyway it is little used, something more these days of videoconferences and use of Zoom. However, the chin angle is never flattering, plus if you take notes during the call, all they will see is your fingers.
Still, there are privacy benefits to having the webcam physically locked by key, with the novelty that it’s still pretty fun. It is not practical to log in with Windows Hello, but there is an integrated fingerprint sensor on the power button.
The keyboard feels very spacious and comfortable, with a shallow but satisfying ride that ensures balance between click and keystroke. It is one of the best keyboards we have used, as well as the wide trackpad, something that has not changed from the previous version.
They have not changed their ports and connectors either, offering the 3.5mm headphone jack, plus two USB-C ports (with Thunderbolt 3 support on one of them) and a single USB-A 3.0 port on the other side which is all an achievement on such a slim laptop.
So if everything is the same as last year, why do we recommend it? Let’s say that Huawei has improved what needed to be changed, such as the generation of chips and their finishes, emulating what it has been doing with its line of smart phones.
With the new dark green finish, we see that the MateBook X Pro wins integers and becomes the most attractive model in the family, resulting elegant for professional or business environments, and also to be among the youngest and most casual public.
We really wish every laptop would look like this.
Bright and amazing display
The fact that it uses the same panel as last year’s model does not prevent it from being one of the best screens that you will see integrated into a laptop today. The 3: 2 aspect ratio is somewhat rare, being higher than the 16: 9 which is the tonic.
This does not mean that it is a very grateful value when working, since you can fit a few more rows if you move spreadsheets, more rows in word documents, as well as some additional space in the lines of code.
With a 13.9-inch size and 3000 x 2000-pixel resolution, the FullView 3K touchscreen provides efficient and intuitive interaction with the ability to swipe three fingers down to capture the screen effortlessly.
Also, sharing content has been intelligently simplified since interactions between PCs and mobile devices have never been so easy. It is even possible to record the PC screen or copy text from one device to another.
Also, sharing content has been intelligently simplified since interactions between PCs and mobile devices have never been so easy. It is even possible to record the PC screen or copy text from one device to another.
It may not be 4K quality, unlike the Dell XPS 13, but its resolution is high enough for most jobs, whether you’re using photo and video editing, or just to view multimedia content.
It is high contrast and high gloss, and covers a wide range of colors. Beyond its slightly shiny finish, there’s little room for improvement. The screens of the best laptops do not differ in what the new MateBook X Pro from 2020 offers right now.
Specifications and performance
The other real change that comes associated with the laptop is the increase in RAM memory and the update in the use of the tenth generation Intel Core processors. The base model is now a Core i5-1020U with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
From here, it is possible to upgrade and add an Nvidia GeForce MX 250 GPU for an additional $218, while for $327 more you can improve performance and opt for a Core i7-10510U and upgrade storage to 1TB (setup here analyzed).
Huawei MateBook X Pro 2020 benchmarks
The graph shows benchmarks where the notebook’s performance is solid and shows that it is on par with its big rivals, although oddly it lags behind last year’s model as tenth-generation chips boost energy efficiency.
It also suffers a bit in the longer and more demanding PCMark 10 test, likely reflecting the challenges of cooling down such a slim chassis, which clearly results in slight acceleration of its fans to prevent overheating.
However, there is nothing to worry about, because this is what this machine is intended for, guaranteeing daily productivity and moderate work, without having to tackle 4K video editing or a full gaming or gaming experience.
At the time of testing this laptop, the company offers a single model on its website, to which you can add another series of accessories such as mouse, MateDock 2 hub hub or FreeBuds 3 headphones, but without great offer in its configuration.
Battery and charge to last
While Huawei’s early MateBook suffered from integrating tiny batteries, the company has changed this on the latest models so that now the MateBook X Pro 2020 lasts 15 hours in our continuous video battery discharge test.
With these times it is positioned as one of the best notebooks we have seen, where the average 8 hours comes to be the average value of notebooks with this high configuration. So, you can not worry about calling the charger daily everywhere.
Using a USB-C port for charging means, of course, you can also use your phone’s charger to charge it at any given time, or even a USB-C powerbank with enough amperage.
Obviously, you will not get the best charging speeds or reach the 65 W that the charger supplied with the equipment guarantees, but it will allow you to face unforeseen events. With its original charger we managed to charge the battery to 45 percent in just 30 minutes, to face four more hours.
Software with additional functions
The MateBook X Pro comes with full Windows 10 Home support, so there’s no need to worry about lack of access to important Windows services or features. Everything is here, as expected, without restrictions of any kind.
You also get a couple of Huawei benefits, as long as you own a brand-new mobile phone or tablet from the company. Touch a compatible device with the Huawei Share tag next to the touchpad and you can link them by NFC.
It is the fastest and easiest way to share files between your phone and laptop. You can also display the screen of your phone on the computer, allowing you to use your phone as if it were an application with mouse and keyboard support.
You’ll have to keep the phone close to your MateBook laptop, of course, but don’t worry, since it won’t have to be with the ‘Share’ function constantly activated.
Premium laptop price
As expected, the Huawei MateBook X Pro 2020 is not cheap, but neither does it raise its price compared to last year’s version, despite incorporating the new generation of tenth-generation Intel Core chips.
The model that you can buy in the official Huawei store costs $1,638 and has an Intel Core i5-10210U chip with 8 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage. It is possible to double the RAM to 16 GB, as well as the storage up to 1 TB of capacity.
You should pay special attention to the configurations, since the Huawei MateBook X Pro New model with eighth generation processors is still listed, which is a clear indication that it is not the now presented model of 2020.
There are other alternatives such as the HP Dragonfly that we analyzed last month with a similar configuration at a sale price of $1,857.29 which is accompanied by a digital pen to operate along with its touch screen.
If you are convinced that you want to buy a Huawei laptop, the MateBook D14 starts at a recommended price of $818 with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor configuration, 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage.
Discover with our article the complete selection of the best laptops of 2020, where we bring you the best models from top brands.
Final verdict
Huawei has not modified much the new 2020 edition of the MateBook X Pro, something that we see is positive since why change something that works like a charm and is valued by users. It was one of the best laptops you could buy last year.
The processor upgrade is evident, and we would appreciate the fact that Huawei allows you to customize your RAM, storage or even graphics chip much more, something that the major brands offer, in order to diversify the offer according to your needs.
For the rest, if you are looking for a light and efficient laptop, that you can comfortably carry everywhere, and forget to accompany it with the power charger, this should be your choice, guaranteeing more than 15 hours of use in normal conditions.
Specifications
- 13.9-inch LTPS touchscreen and
- 3K resolution of 3000 x 2000 pixels and 260 dpi
- Intel Core i5-10210U or i7-10510U processor
- Intel UHD or Nvidia GeForce MX250 graphics
- 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR3 RAM
- 512GB or 1TB SSD storage
- 1Mp pop-up webcam
- Ports: 1x USB-A 3.0, 2x USB-C (1x Thunderbolt 3) and headphones
- Fingerprint Power Button 2.0
- Connectivity Wifi, Bluetooth 5.0
- Speakers with Dolby Atmos and microphones
- Windows 10 Home Operating System
- Dimensions of 304 x 217 x 14.6 mm
- Weight 1.33 kg