Huawei MateBook X Pro: A Lightweight Powerhouse

The Huawei MateBook X Pro is a stunning leap forward in the ultraportable laptop market, blending featherlight design, cutting-edge performance, and a jaw-dropping OLED display. Launched in May 2024, this laptop has garnered praise for its sleek aesthetics and robust specs, positioning it as a formidable rival to the MacBook Air and other premium ultrabooks. Priced at around ₹1,79,999 in India for the top-spec model, it’s aimed at professionals, creators, and tech enthusiasts who demand power without the bulk. In this review, we’ll dive into its design, performance, display, and more to see if it lives up to the hype, with a focus on its appeal for Indian consumers.

Design: Featherlight Elegance

Weighing just 980 grams and measuring 13.5mm at its thickest, the MateBook X Pro is one of the lightest laptops on the market, undercutting even the MacBook Air M3 (1.24 kg). Its magnesium alloy chassis, dubbed a “skin-soothing metallic body” by Huawei, feels premium and durable, with a Micro-arc oxidation process that resists fingerprints and stains. Available in Morandi Blue, Black, and White, the pastel blue model stands out with its matte finish and subtle elegance, making it a stylish choice for Indian professionals who want a laptop that looks as good in a boardroom as it does in a café.

The design is minimalist yet functional, with a symmetrical keyboard deck, a large glass trackpad, and a Huawei logo on the lid. Its compact 14.2-inch footprint, thanks to a 93% screen-to-body ratio, makes it ideal for Indian users who prioritize portability for commuting or travel. However, the port selection is limited—two Thunderbolt 4 ports (left) and one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port (right), plus a webcam privacy switch. The lack of a headphone jack or HDMI port may frustrate some, requiring dongles for legacy devices, which could be a minor inconvenience in India’s diverse tech ecosystem.

Performance: Power Packed into a Slim Frame

The MateBook X Pro is powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 9 185H or Ultra 7 155H processors, paired with up to 32GB DDR5 RAM and a 2TB NVMe SSD. The top-spec model (₹1,79,999 in India) uses the Ultra 9 with Intel Arc graphics, delivering a 40W TDP for robust performance. It’s Intel Evo-certified, ensuring fast boot times, responsive performance, and solid battery efficiency. Huawei’s Super Turbo and AI-powered resource allocation optimize multitasking, making it ideal for Indian professionals juggling video calls, coding, or photo editing.

Benchmarks show it outpaces rivals like the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro in single-core tasks, with Cinebench scores rivaling high-end ultrabooks. It handles light creative work (e.g., Photoshop, Premiere Pro) with ease, but the lack of a discrete GPU limits its suitability for heavy 3D rendering or gaming, a potential drawback for Indian creators working on intensive projects. The Huawei Shark Fin cooling system, with 22% larger fans and a 3D air ventilation setup, keeps thermals in check, though fans can get audible in Performance mode.

Display: OLED Brilliance

The star of the MateBook X Pro is its 14.2-inch flexible OLED touchscreen, boasting a 3:2 aspect ratio, 3120x2080 resolution, and 120Hz refresh rate. With 1000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 100% sRGB, DCI-P3, and Adobe RGB coverage, and TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort 3.0 certification, it’s a visual treat for Indian content creators and media enthusiasts. Whether you’re editing photos, watching Netflix, or scrolling through documents, the display delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and sharp details. Its anti-reflective coating reduces 70% of reflections, making it usable in India’s bright outdoor settings, from Mumbai’s sunny streets to Delhi’s coworking spaces.

The 3:2 aspect ratio is a boon for productivity, offering more vertical space for coding or reading, a feature Indian students and professionals will appreciate. The 10-point touchscreen is responsive, supporting gestures like pinch-to-zoom, though the glossy finish can attract some glare indoors.

Audio and Input: Premium Experience

The MateBook X Pro’s quad-speaker system, with 22% larger driver chambers, delivers clear, loud audio, ideal for video calls or music streaming. While it lacks the bass depth of a MacBook Pro, it’s impressive for a sub-1kg laptop, catering to Indian users who value multimedia on the go. The chiclet keyboard offers 1.5mm key travel, providing a tactile, comfortable typing experience—perfect for writers or coders. The oversized, pressure-sensitive trackpad supports Huawei’s knuckle gestures (e.g., screenshot capture), adding a premium feel that rivals Apple’s Force Touch.

The 1080p webcam, now in the top bezel with IR sensors for Windows Hello, supports AI features like eye correction and noise-canceling mics, enhancing virtual meetings for India’s remote workforce. However, the beauty filter can feel artificial and should be disabled for natural video calls.

Battery Life: Decent but Not Stellar

The 70Wh battery is a 15% upgrade over the 2023 model, but real-world tests show about 8–10 hours of mixed use (web browsing, video streaming, productivity) at 50% brightness. This lags behind the MacBook Air M3’s 12+ hours, a consideration for Indian users working remotely without constant access to power. The included 90W USB-C charger is compact (236g) and supports rapid charging, hitting 50% in 30 minutes, a plus for busy professionals in India’s fast-paced cities.

Connectivity and Ecosystem

With Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, the MateBook X Pro offers fast, reliable connectivity, though its Wi-Fi speeds (up to 1731 Mbps receive) trail some rivals like the HP EliteBook. Huawei’s Super Device feature allows seamless integration with Huawei phones or tablets, a perk for Indian users in the Huawei ecosystem. However, this is less useful for those with non-Huawei devices, common in India’s diverse market.

Who Is It For?

The MateBook X Pro is ideal for Indian professionals, students, and creators who need a lightweight, powerful laptop for productivity and light creative work. At ₹1,79,999 (starting at ₹1,49,999 for the Ultra 7/16GB/1TB model), it’s a premium investment, but its portability, OLED display, and performance make it a strong MacBook Air alternative. It’s less suited for gamers or those needing heavy 3D rendering due to integrated graphics.

Pros:

• Ultra-Light Design: At 980g, it’s perfect for portability in India’s busy lifestyle.
• Stunning OLED Display: 120Hz, 1000 nits, and vibrant colors for creators and media lovers.
• Powerful Performance: Intel Core Ultra 9 and 32GB RAM handle multitasking effortlessly.
• Premium Build: Durable magnesium alloy with a fingerprint-resistant finish.
• Responsive Input: Tactile keyboard and gesture-rich trackpad enhance usability.

Cons:

• Limited Ports: Only three USB-C ports, no headphone jack or HDMI.
• Battery Life: 8–10 hours lags behind MacBook Air M3.
• Pricey: ₹1,79,999 is steep for Indian buyers compared to ASUS or Lenovo alternatives.
• No Discrete GPU: Limits gaming and heavy 3D workloads.

Verdict: Should You Buy?

The Huawei MateBook X Pro is a masterpiece of engineering, offering unmatched portability and a gorgeous OLED display for Indian users who prioritize style and productivity. It’s perfect for professionals in cities like Bangalore or Mumbai, where a lightweight, powerful laptop is a game-changer. However, its high price and limited ports may deter budget-conscious buyers or those needing legacy connectivity. Compared to the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED or MacBook Air M3 , it’s a premium choice that shines for its display and build but requires compromises on battery and ports.