Presentation

We recently tested the Huawei MateBook D16, the Chinese manufacturer's new mid-range notebook. Here it is the MateBook X Pro, a premium computer with an attractive technical data sheet that passes on our test bench. Neat finishes, 3K touch screen in 3:2 format, ultra-thin borders, latest generation Intel processor... this PC is a serious competitor to the Dell XPS 13 and the Apple MacBook Air. The new MateBook X Pro is available for pre-order at the price of 1800 € for the most muscular configuration with the Intel Core i7 processor that we are testing here. The one with an Intel Core i5 and a lesser capacity SSD is 1500 €. Let's see the changes that this 2021 model brings compared to the previous version…

Construction

No aesthetic evolution on this MateBook Pro of 2021, Huawei retains, so to speak, the same chassis as that of previous years. This is not a bad thing since the anodized aluminum construction of the PC is neat. It seems sober and solid, all the more so thanks to the three hinges of the 13.9 screen – against only two on most computers.

The touchpad is of excellent quality and benefits from a novelty: the Huawei Free Touch. This technology does not offer an actual click when pressure is exerted on the pad, but a haptic feedback that mimics the feeling of the click. In practice, it works very well. In addition, the manufacturer has integrated an NFC chip under the keypad. It allows you to use Huawei Share by simply approaching a smartphone of the brand. A very convenient tool that offers to share the screen of the smartphone or files in a simplified way directly with the computer. The major problem being that you have to have a Huawei brand phone to take advantage of it…

The keyboard is also very pleasant to use. Typing is responsive and really quiet, although we regret a somewhat dim backlight, adjustable to only two levels. The PC can be unlocked using the fingerprint sensor present on the power button, which is good practical on a daily basis.

The webcam, on the other hand, does not have an infrared module and Windows Hello facial recognition is not available. This webcam is unfortunately always located at the level of the keyboard: just click on the key under which it hides to make it appear. This location allows Huawei to offer extremely thin borders to its MateBook X Pro, with the disadvantage of filming from an unflattering angle; the chin and the nose will be in the spotlight.

The connection may seem limited (a single USB-A port on the right side, two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports accompanied by a mini-jack socket on the left edge), but Huawei provides the MateDock 2 with this high-end model. This is a hub that adds a USB-A port (on the back), a USB-C port, an HDMI port, and a VGA port. The latter is a bit outdated, but can still be used to connect an old monitor, for example.

To access the components, simply unscrew 8 Torx screws under the chassis. The removed base reveals an inaccessible RAM. On the other hand, you can change the M.2 SSD in the event of a problem or to increase the storage capacity.

In terms of temperature, the MateBook X Pro cuts a good figure: in-game, the thermal camera reveals a hot spot at 42°C. This is perfectly acceptable and most of the chassis stays below 40°C. This allows the ventilation to be very quiet, whether in office automation or during more demanding use. We noted a peak at 35.2 dB, a very low sound level that the ears will appreciate.

Performance

This is undoubtedly the part that disappointed us the most on this ultraportable and which lowers its rating. Despite a serious configuration (16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD and 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor with a 4.7 GHz turbo), its performance clearly lags behind that of other PCs with of the same processor that we analyzed. The explanation lies in the thermal envelope (the TDP) of the processor that Huawei has decided to limit to 18 W on tasks that last more than a few seconds. We cannot therefore take full advantage of the 28 W of the processor and the performance is strongly impacted. In return, the computer does not heat up very much and remains silent, but that is a shame for a model that is intended to be premium. In the end, its performance is more at the level of an Intel Core i5-1135G7, and even then…

This limitation of the TDP is also felt in game. We noted about thirty images per second on Diablo III and Overwatch. The latter – which should normally be closer to 60 fps – suffered from major jerks and the experience was really not fluid. However, we have set the game to Full HD, because using the screen's native definition (3000 x 2000 px) would prove far too difficult. On this MateBook X Pro, it will therefore be necessary to be satisfied with small independent games that do not consume a lot of resources.

Screen

Despite a few minor flaws, the Huawei MateBook X Pro's 3:2 aspect ratio 3K screen is excellent. Ultra-thin bezels are still there and the 87% screen occupancy rate is impressive. The contrast of 1850:1 is also one of the highest in our database (excluding Oled screens of course). The average color temperature at 6800K is close to the video standard (6500K) and the displayed colors are accurate (Delta E of only 1.9). The 25ms ghosting is a bit high, but typical for laptops. We are used to reflections on touch screens and this Huawei is no exception to the rule with an average reflectance rate of 49%. It will therefore be necessary to expect to have a lot of reflections outdoors, even if the panel compensates with high brightness (measured at 566 cd / m²). This PC loses points on its frankly average gamma. The dark grays are blocked and the graphic designers and photographers will have to go through a calibration probe to find an irreproachable gamma. It's a shame, because laptops usually don't have this problem.

Audio

The audio part of this 2021 edition of the MateBook X Pro seems identical to the previous iteration. The speakers clearly copy competitor Apple, with two grilles positioned on either side of the keyboard. If the sound reproduction is not bad, it does not, however, equal that of the MacBooks. The stereophonic space is well restored for a laptop computer, however, the bass is lacking and the treble is a little too garish.

On the other hand, the quality of the headphone output is always there. Distortion is low (0.01%), dynamic range quite high, and crosstalk imperceptible (-73 dB). The power level raised to 220 mVRMS is excellent and allows the use of any nomadic headphones, even monitoring headphones.

Mobility / Autonomy

Compact and lightweight (30 x 22 x 1.46 cm for 1.33 kg), the Huawei MateBook X Pro 2021 is very easily transportable. Its charger is barely bigger than that of a smartphone and is therefore very practical to carry.

Autonomy has somewhat disappointed us. The laptop lasted 7 h 20 min in video playback on Netflix, screen set to 200 cd / m², keyboard off, headphones plugged in with the volume at 50%. It's not so bad for a screen with such definition, but other high-end competitors do much better, even if their panel is often limited to Full HD. The 2020 edition had also reached 9 hours during our test...