Under the motto “Smart Office Launch”, Huawei presented new solutions for networked work at this year’s Mobile World Congress. The company also had several new devices in its luggage.
Huawei is currently having a hard time with smartphones in Europe due to the US embargo. The Chinese manufacturer relies all the more on its other product lines. At the MWC 2022, Huawei didn’t spill, but rather splurged and presented several new devices at the same time. Included is the MateBook E, which is half tablet, half laptop, and an e-ink tablet.
Huawei SmartOffice
Providers such as Samsung and Google are increasingly relying on cross-device connectivity. New software solutions should make it even easier to transfer data from a smartphone to a laptop or vice versa. Huawei is also following this path and is connecting the Windows and Android systems even more closely. With the “Mobile App Engine” from Huawei, the manufacturer allows, for example, access to mobile apps and the in-house app store “App Gallery” from the laptop. The display of a MatePad can also be mirrored on the MateBook to show content larger and in real time. A tablet can also be used wirelessly as an additional monitor for the laptop.
At the MWC 2022, Huawei presented several devices for smart working, both mobile and stationary, that support these new functions. There is an overview in the video:
Huawei MateBook E – the 2-in-1 notebook
The MateBook E is a laptop that can be used like a tablet thanks to the touchscreen and pen operation. The display can also be detached from the keyboard, which further increases the tablet character. Huawei itself describes the device as a 2-in-1 notebook. It is the manufacturer’s first laptop with “OLED Real Color FullView Display”. The new display technology offers a maximum brightness of 600 nits, which is quite a good value for a laptop. The screen should be easy to read even in direct sunlight. TÜV Rheinland has awarded the display with its integrated blue light filter the Full-Care Eye Care 2.0 certification for being particularly easy on the eyes.
With a diagonal of 12.6 inches, the MateBook E is slightly more compact than the classic laptops with 13 inches and more. The device, which is almost 8 millimeters thick, weighs 709 grams. Huawei has also placed an 8-megapixel front camera for video calls in the narrow edges. There is also a 13-megapixel camera on the back. AI-controlled noise reduction is intended to help make the audio in video conferences even clearer and easier to understand.
The MateBook E is powered by an 11th generation Intel processor, so Huawei does not use the more current 12th generation chip here. Nevertheless, the laptop promises good and fast performance with this equipment, which also includes the Intel Iris Xe graphics card. Depending on the model, users can access up to 16 GB RAM and up to 512 GB SSD. The battery offers 42 Wh, which is fine. Thanks to the 65-watt power supply, it can be charged extremely quickly.
Equipment in detail
| Huawei MateBook E | |
|---|---|
| screen | 12.6 inch OLED 2560 x 1600 pixels, 260 ppi, up to 600 nits |
| processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i3 or i5 |
| Storage | 8 / 16GB RAM 128 / 256 / 512GB SSD |
| links | Wifi 6 (ax), Bluetooth 5.1 |
| connections | 1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x USB-C, jack socket |
| battery pack | 42Wh Fast charging with up to 65 watts |
| camera | Front camera: 8 MP Rear camera: 13 MP |
| measurements and weight | 286.5 x 184.7 x 7.99mm; 709 grams |
| miscellaneous | Fingerprint sensor in power button |
| Prices | from 649 euros |
Huawei will sell the MateBook E presented at the MWC in two versions from March 14th. The variant with i5 processor, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB memory and the associated keyboard is available for 1199 euros. The model with i3 processor, 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage is available for 649 euros.
MateBook X Pro 2022
Also part of the MWC presentation was the MateBook X Pro 2022 – Huawei’s current premium laptop. It was already unveiled in China in December. Compared to the predecessor, the manufacturer has increased the display size from 13.9 to 14.2 inches. The touchscreen has a resolution of 3120 x 2080 pixels, is up to 500 nits bright and has a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The color display is said to be even more natural than in previous versions. Huawei describes it as its best touch display to date.
The case of the laptop is made of metal, measures 5.4 millimeters at the thinnest point and 15.5 millimeters at the thickest and has a total weight of 1.38 kilograms. As with the MateBook E, Huawei also relies on the cooperation with Intel and has installed 11th generation processors. However, the MateBook X Pro 2022 uses an Intel i7, which is more powerful than the i3 or i5. A newly developed cooling system with triple air intake is designed to protect the laptop from overheating even under heavy loads.
The large TouchPad has received a new feature called “Free Touch Gestures”. With it, for example, the volume can be regulated via the TouchPad, users can spool videos or take a screenshot with a double tap with their knuckle – almost like on the Huawei smartphones. The manufacturer has also improved the sound. There are six loudspeakers and a back-to-back woofer design in the housing.
The laptop has four USB-C ports, which can also be used to charge the G device. The MateBook X Pro 2022 supports Super Charge with up to 90 watts. The matching charger weighs just 180 grams and is included in the scope of delivery.
Huawei offers the MateBook X Pro 2022 with i7 processor, 16 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD for 1899 euros.
Huawei MateStation X and MatePad Paper
Huawei also had an all-in-one PC based on the Apple iMac with the MateStation X at the MWC 2022. However, the device is no longer brand new – Huawei had already shown it in September 2021. The 28.2-inch 4K display responds to touch inputs. There are also built-in speakers that have been designed in cooperation with the hi-fi specialist Devialet. The PC is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5000 H-Series. It comes with 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of internal storage (SSD). The MateStation X will be available for 2199 euros.
Huawei presented another hybrid – half tablet, half e-ink reader – with the MatePad Paper at MWC 2022. The device has a 10.3-inch e-ink display that can also be operated with a pen, making it so energy-efficient that it can last up to four weeks on standby. With its monochrome display, the MatePad Paper is primarily intended for reading. It specifically grants users access to the Huawei Book Store with up to two million books in different languages. The ePub format is supported. Unlike normal e-book readers, documents can also be created and edited, videos played and calendar entries created. With 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, it offers far better storage than conventional e-readers. It even supports Wifi 6.
However, the MatePad Paper is also quite expensive at 499 euros. The M-Pencil (2nd generation) and a cover from Huawei are included in the scope of delivery. However, Huawei did not reveal whether and when the e-ink tablet will come to Germany at the MWC.