Quick Comparison: Huawei MateBook vs Surface Pro 4

At Mobile World Congress, Huawei jumped back into the Windows fold with its very first Windows 10 product, the MateBook. It's a premium 2-in-1 targeting people who want to get stuff done while still having a full day's battery life and something that looks and feels great to use.

Sounds familiar, right?

Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 is a premium 2-in-1 that offers long battery life, high-end design and specs and a full-sized physical keyboard. The Surface was always supposed to act as a yardstick and kick start the ecosystem, and here we are.

The MateBook is a gorgeous piece of hardware, with perhaps only its brand value in question compared to the relatively strong appeal that Surface has built up. Nevertheless, the MateBook is firmly in Surface Pro territory.

We'll need to spend a lot more time with one to really dive deep, but what we can do at least right now is see how the raw hardware stacks up. Which is exactly what we've done in the table below.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
CategorySurface Pro 4Huawei MateBook
Operating SystemWindows 10 ProWindows 10 Pro
CPU6th Generation Intel Core m3, i5, or i7 (Skylake)6th Generation Intel Core m3, m5, m7
Display12.3-inch PixelSense Display
2763 x 1824
12-inch IPS TFT LCD
2160 x 1440 (QHD)
Storage128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB SSD options128GB, 256GB or 512GB SSD
RAM4GB, 8GB or 16GB4GB or 8GB
Rear Camera8MP
Full HD (1920 x 1080)
None
Front Camera5MP5MP fixed focus
Windows HelloIR Camera for facial scanningSingle touch fingerprint scanner
Dimensions11.50 x 7.93 x .33 in (292.10 x 201.42 x 8.45 mm)10.97 x 7.64 x 0.27 in (278.8mm x 194.1mm x 6.9mm)
Weighti5/i7: 1.73lbs (786g), m3: 1.69lbs (766g)1.41 lbs (640g)
PortsFull-size USB 3.0, microSD card reader, 3.5mm headset jack, Mini DisplayPort, Type Cover port, Surface Connect3.5mm headset jack, USB-C, Keyboard docking pins
WiFi802.11ac WiFi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatibleWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac MIMO,
BatteryUp to 9 hoursUp to 10 hours
PenSurface Pen
1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity
Magnetic storage
Optional Mate Pen, 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity
Laser pointer
OtherStereo microphones, stereo speakers with Dolby audio, ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, MagnetometerDolby Audio, optional keyboard cover with LED backlighting

While the Surface Pro 4 pulls away at the high end on specs, the MateBook, for the most part, keeps up. Of course, spec sheets tell only a portion of the story and we'll be looking forward to spending more time with the MateBook in the future to see what it's really all about.

So, what do you think of the Huawei MateBook? Let us know in the comments below! Or head to our main Huawei MateBook news page for all the latest info.

More: Hands-on with the Huawei MateBook at MWC 2016

Richard Devine
Managing Editor - Tech, Reviews

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine