Not a surprise, as a tablet-cum-laptop from Huawei has already been expected for quite a few months, the Chinese manufacturer has officially introduced its first ever computer running the Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 OS – the Huawei MateBook.
The convertible tablets are now a common fashion format for manufacturers – specifically mobile manufacturers and Huawei has just stepped into the category without loosing the time. Its new MateBook has been launched at MWC 2016 conference today that is actually being considered as a right contender amongst the Microsoft’s Surface Pro and Apple’s iPad Pro and pricing starts from $699 excluding taxes – Full pricing and availability detail after the break.
Huawei’s MateBook is clearly powered by Windows 10 officially, and unlike expected it doesn’t offer dual-boot option and will not allow you to run Android along side the Microsoft’s platform. However Huawei acknowledged that it may be possible if consumer wants and tries to do so, but didn’t recommend.
Coming over to the specifications, the MateBook weighs 640 grams and has a 12 inch display offering 2560 x 1400 resolution and giving a 160-degree wide angle. The screen-to-body ratio is 84% while the pixel density is around 243 PPI.
Running on Windows 10, the MateBook features 6th Generation Intel Core m-series processor that varies amongst six product models of the tablet for consumer’s choice – they are Core M3, M5 and M7. The device offers 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR3 memory and an SSD with capacities ranging from 128GB, 256GB and 512GB.
The tablet is packed with 33.7Wh high-density Lithium battery which is supposed to allow you to work for for nine hours, 9 hours of Internet usage and 29 hours of music playback. The device also features Huawei’s exclusive power-saving technology to meet the needs of business users. The MateBook’s battery can be fully charged in just 2.5 hours. 60 percent of which can be attained in just 1 hour.
The MatePen
MateBook supports an accompanying MatePen stylus offers 2,048 levels of sensitivity, perfectly capturing users’ subtle and diverse pen-tip actions with zero delay. MatePen also supports graphics and mathematics functions and even can be used as a laser pointer for delivering presentations. Unpleasantly, the MatePen is an additional add-on accessory to buy that costs $59 excluding taxes or (€69 including taxes)
The Keyboard
The MateBook keyboard case is made of a soft PU leather which is said to be durable and protective. The keyboard features a 1.5 mm keystroke and a chiclet keycap design, which allows for larger key surfaces to minimize typing errors. The keyboard also has a built-in touchpad that uses multi-touch technology. The keyboard is also separately sold for $129 excluding taxes or (€149 including taxes)
The MateDock
The Matebook uses the new USB Type-C port so to facilitate with additional connectivity there’s also an accessory – MateDock, that lets you connect the device to VGA, HDMI, USB 3.0 and Ethernet for several purposes but you have to buy the MateDock additionally if you really need it – it costs $89 excluding taxes or (€99 including taxes)
The MateBook will be available in Asia, Europe and North America in the coming months and will be available in two colors including grey and golden. Full pricing detail is listed below.
MateBook Pricing
Note: The pricing in USD are before any taxes. The prices in EUR include taxes.
| Processor | RAM | Storage SSD | USD | EUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th Core™ m3 | 4 GB | 128 GB | $699 | €799 |
| 6th Core™ m3 | 4 GB | 256 GB | $849 | €949 |
| 6th Core™ m5 | 8 GB | 256 GB | $999 | €1,149 |
| 6th Core™ m5 | 8 GB | 512 GB | $1,199 | €1,349 |
| 6th Core™ m7 | 8 GB | 256 GB | $1,399 | €1,599 |
| 6th Core™ m7 | 8 GB | 512 GB | $1,599 | €1,799 |
The prices are not yet told for regions however they can be estimated by the European prices that include taxes. Likewise in Pakistan you can expect the prices of the above MateBook models, in order, as Rs. ~92,000/-, Rs. 110,000/-, Rs. 130,000/-, Rs. 156,000/- Rs. 185,000/-, Rs. 208,000/-
