Huawei’s first attempt at a computer won’t be its last, and while the MateBook X impressed, if you’re after something smaller, Huawei is hoping its MateBook 13 does the same.
Phone makers are showing they’re more than just one-trick horses lately, branching out into other areas.
You probably already know that Samsung and LG have been making more than phones for the longest time, but they’re not alone. Oppo has been dabbling in wireless earphones lately (interesting given its headphones were among the best in the world when it was Oppo Digital), while Xiaomi has announced that it is coming to Australia with headphones and appliances, more than just the smartphone and power bank it has become known for.
Over at Huawei, there’s also more happening than merely phones, as the company starts pushing into computers.
We’ve heard about them for quite some time, and when we recently checked out the MateBook X, we found a computer that managed to surprise, achieving a score close to perfection that only needed a smidgen of work.
And now there’s a new model to possibly pick from, as Huawei slims down slightly, dropping back from a 13.9 inch machine to something just that little more portable, sitting at 13 inches instead.
That’s not the only change, with slightly fewer ports, using only two USB Type C and one 3.5mm headset jack, skipping out on the classic USB port (Type A) found on the original. There’s also a camera, but unlike the MateBook X, it’s not found under a random F-key on the keyboard, with Huawei opting for the standard location of just above the screen where cameras normally go.
“Huawei is committed to providing a truly seamless experience for users, and the Huawei MateBook 13 is a great example of this,” said Larking Huang, Managing Director for Huawei’s Consumer Group in Australia, adding that the MateBook 13 “combines FullView display, user friendly features, a top-end processor and so much more”.
Judging by the look and design, it’s about as close as a Huawei laptop could possibly be to a MacBook Air without being one, complete with a fingerprint-enabled power button to use alongside the standard passcode or PIN. The MateBook 13 is also relatively slim, tipping the scales at around 1.28 to 1.3kg, and about 14.9mm thin, with Huawei clearly going for a size, or lack thereof with this one.
Huawei estimates the battery life should hit around ten hours, making it one of the more useful features, with the power adaptor able to give a good two hours of life from a fifteen minute charge. There’s also a metal chassis, eighth-gen Intel Core chips, and an option for discrete graphics from NVidia, as well.
You’ll find it in the Microsoft Store online and in Sydney this week in both silver and grey, available from $1799.
