Test of the Huawei Matebook X Pro 2022, the champion of 3/2 screen ultraportables
In just a few years, Huawei has managed to do with its Matebook X Pro what Dell did with its XPS 13: an iconic ultraportable. Respecting the codes of its forebears, notably the 3/2 ratio touchscreen and curved chassis, the Matebook X Pro 2022 goes one step further in terms of power, with an unclamped Intel Core i7-1260p processor (read more below) and continues to shave off grams, weighing in at just 1.2 kg. Subjectively very pretty with its dark blue color – treated against fingerprints! – this high-end laptop is, however, conservative when it comes to memory: 1TB SSD and 16GB.
In this area, Huawei could have been more generous, as 16 GB has been the maximum available on the range for some time now. And with the explosion of browser-based Web applications, Chrome and Firefox can sometimes prove a little too greedy. At 2,000 euros a machine, we hope the next iteration will come with 32 GB as standard!
Testing such a machine logically begins with the main element that has made it such a success: the screen.
A 3/2 screen that’s as convincing as ever
The Matebook X Pro range now reaches 14.2 inches with this latest iteration, which features a superb LTPS panel in 3/2 format, a ratio that offers extra verticality compared to 16/10, itself already more comfortable than the very (too!) narrow 16/9 that we still too often find.
This panel is still touch-sensitive and still “3K”, with its 3120 x 2080 pixel definition. Without being an OLED panel, it nevertheless boasts high-end specifications, with refresh rates of up to 90 Hz (set to 60 Hz by default), 544 cd/m² measured (574 cd/m² in peak HDR light) and a contrast ratio of 1511:1, according to 01Lab. Advertised with a Delta E 2000 of less than 1, we nevertheless measured 1.52. Which isn’t a big deal, since it’s excellent. The device is only surpassed by the MacBook and Gigabyte Aero, which are renowned for their fastidious factory calibration.
This panel alone is a buying argument, as the ratio is so comfortable to work on and the image quality is so good. But Huawei now has competition in terms of usable surface area in ultraportables, notably with the arrival in Europe of the LG Gram 16(LG Gram 16Z90P and LG Gram 16Z90Q). These machines are just as light, but feature 16/10e 16-inch screens that are not as tall (and not as shiny), but with more surface area.
A processor finally unleashed…
Between overheating 14nm+++ chips(2020 version) and a limited 10nm chip (2021), the Matebook X Pro has recently had problems with CPU choice and configuration. As for Huawei, internal sources have told us several times that the company doesn’t have a free hand when it comes to choosing processors – being a Chinese group blacklisted by the USA doesn’t help, that’s for sure. But we also have to admit that the company has had trouble managing the high energy consumption of its beautiful 3/2 touch screens.
Also read: 12th-generation Core: Intel reveals the inner workings of the next Core processors
In terms of performance, this 2022 edition is the one of deliverance: whereas last year’s Core i7 1165G7 quickly dropped into the 15 W range (for a nominal TDP of 28 W) due to the excessive temperature in the chassis, this 2022 edition features a Core i7-1260P that heats up less than the previous generation. It can therefore be fully utilized at 28 W. Average performance scores in benchmarks are between 10% and 15% higher than the previous iteration, and even 40% higher in creation (thanks to the Xe GPU).
Even better: the 12th-generation Core architecture and extra E-Cores deliver even more power for highly multi-threaded applications (performance quadruples under CineBench 2023!). The result is an ultraportable that’s more powerful and therefore far more responsive than the previous generation. With no noticeable slowdowns in everyday tasks.
… at the price of the battery (but it recharges quickly)
While performance is up, this comes at the expense of one thing: battery life. Huawei’s switch to a more powerful chip resulted in a loss of almost 1h45 of endurance in our “all-purpose” autonomy test. 7h32 is fair, but too little by today’s ultraportable standards. You can expect more than 8h or even 9h in pure text and web browsing configurations, when the processor isn’t overtaxed. But with a bit of intense use, the Matebook X Pro 2022 lasts a full half-day, then needs some juice.
And while the drop from one generation to the next in streaming video playback is more moderate (5h53 vs. 6h38 for the Matebook X Pro 2021), the reality is that being under 6h in video playback is really not much for some users. The fault may lie with the software drivers, or with the screen: although this very fluid slab is 90 Hz compatible, all our tests were carried out at 60 Hz. Huawei therefore has work to do in optimizing the energy consumption of its components – or in choosing the quality and/or density of its battery cells.
The consolation in terms of energy is to be found in recharging. As with the Honor (as luck would have it!) MagicBook 14 we recently tested, charging time is record-breaking, with just 1h18 to go from 0 to 100%. A poor consolation prize for us, who were expecting at least 8-9h of autonomy in all scenarios.
Excellent touchpad
An engineering war machine, Huawei is also a marketing quiche: the brand sometimes “stupidly” clones Apple-ian rhetoric, rather than building on its strengths. And the world’s number 2 R&D company (behind Alphabet/Google) has plenty of strengths to spare. Not least of which is its lost-edge touchpad. It’s 100% developed in-house, including materials and surface, while almost everyone else buys solutions from Synaptics and others. A touchpad that’s physically large, but also highly responsive and pleasant. Which, even in our recent tests, proves to be one of the best in the PC world.
However, our first experience with it was disappointing. Right out of the box, the “exposed” function (which displays thumbnails of all windows by moving up three fingers), caused a slowdown. This was due to certified graphics drivers that were too old (March 2022). By updating the machine with the latest Xe drivers – which can only be done by forcing their installation and removing the graphics card from the list of peripherals (!) – the slowdown disappeared. Without causing any instability, and with a clear improvement in graphics performance.
As for the keyboard, it remains a Huawei classic, both comfortable and quiet. Key travel is pleasant, neither too long nor too short. The infamous webcam of previous generations (see – again – below) has been replaced by a shortcut: call up the audio dictation function. A tool that will come in very handy for scribes (which seems to be an excellent situation) and all other professions that write all day long.
Decent graphics performance
Like (almost) all notebooks with an integrated GPU, the Matebook X Pro’s performance is nothing like that of an entry-level gaming PC with a dedicated GPU, such as the recently tested Honor MagicBook 14. Nevertheless, Intel’s integrated GPU (iGPU) doesn’t fall short of the mark, and even recent games can be played if expectations are kept modest.
CyberPunk 2077 runs very well at 1280 x 1024 and stays around 20-30 fps in low detail. Not enough to plug into a 4K TV and scream your joy, but enough to relax with a controller in a hotel room. Unlike the LG Gram 16, whose TDP is limited, performance is constant and well within 100% of the chip’s capabilities. Note that a keyboard shortcut enables you to enjoy extra performance: Fn + P. This mode can only be activated when connected to the mains. However, the Xe chip is now showing its age, particularly in the face of the excellence of the Radeon 680M, AMD’s iGPU integrated into the Ryzen 7 6800U that we were able to try out in the latest Asus ZenBook S13 OLED.
The webcam finally in its (rightful) place
Finally! That’s what Matebook X Pro connoisseurs immediately exclaim at the sight of this miniature webcam (barely 2 mm in diameter) integrated into the top edge of the screen. While we’d have preferred a slightly higher definition than the 720p integrated, we’re nonetheless delighted that Huawei has abandoned its previous device. Namely, a webcam integrated into one of the function keys at the top of the keyboard, which could be deployed at will, making us all ugly. It’s worth remembering that, while low-angle framing, like Dell’s at the time, made faces unattractive, Huawei’s technique was good in context. At a time when digital technology (mass espionage, the PRISM scandal, etc.) and China are not in the odor of sanctity in our tropics, having a camera that you could be sure didn’t see anything when it wasn’t open was a form of anti-spying guarantee.
But in the end, aesthetic shortcomings had the last word: nobody likes to be out of focus and look (even) uglier in videoconferencing. So the webcam is right where it belongs, at the top of the screen. And since Dell, Gigabyte and Huawei have finally stopped integrating webcams into keyboards, let’s hope we never have to deplore this strange design again…
Connectivity limited to USB-C
As an ultraportable, the Matebook X Pro 2022 is light and thin. A little too thin for our taste – and that’s a matter of personal taste. To achieve its waspish size, it’s equipped with just one type of port: USB-C. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports to the left of the keyboard, two USB 3.2 ports to the right. To compensate for this limitation, the Matebook X Pro comes with a poor USB-C <> USB A adapter.
A little more thickness on the rear would have benefited from the integration of a full-size HDMI port and a USB-A. These two sockets are useful in professional environments, both for sharing USB keys and for connecting the device to a projector or TV without having to think about a dongle or multi-adapter. This wouldn’t have detracted from the device’s design – previous models were already very pretty – but Huawei would also have had a little more room to integrate… a slightly thicker battery, for example!