Huawei's redesigned MateBook X laptop packs the 'world's first' cooling hinge

Huawei is kicking off its 2020 Developer Conference (HDC) with a deluge of new hardware. The headliner is a MateBook X laptop that promises solid performance while remaining extra-quiet.

HUAWEI also unveiled a new version of its MateBook 14 laptop, the Watch GT 2 Pro smartwatch, and FreeBuds Pro wireless earbuds. That’s in addition to the Watch Fit and HUAWEI FreeLace Pro that were also recently revealed and showcased at HDC 2020.

HUAWEI MateBook X and MateBook 14 (2020)

The redesigned laptop’s centerpiece isn’t its thin-bezel 3K by 2K touchscreen. Rather, it’s a “world’s first” thermal hinge that dissipates heat — it’s a fanless system despite the presence of a quad-core U-series Core i7. The magnesium aluminum alloy unibody also weighs a light 2.2lbs. There are also glittery new Forest Green and Silver Frost colors to catch your attention.

You can also expect a 26% larger trackpad on the 2020 MateBook X, with a wide NFC detection area to link your HUAWEI phone to your laptop. You’ll find a fingerprint reader, four speakers, and Wi-Fi 6 support, too. If there’s a soft spot, it’s the 42Wh-rated battery that provides an estimated nine hours of video playback or office work, and 7.5 hours of web browsing.

The MateBook X (2020) starts at €1,599 for the Core i5 variant and goes on sale from October.

The new MateBook 14 is a 14-inch system revolves around an eight-core Ryzen 7 4800H chip cooled by a new “shark fin” fan that provides 39% more airflow, but is still 40% thinner. It shares a similarly enlarged trackpad with the MateBook X and boasts a 56Wh battery good for a claimed 10 hours of video or productivity, or 8.5 hours of browsing.

The MateBook 14 (2020) also goes on sale in October alongside the MateBook X (2020). Pricing starts from €849 for the R5 4600H variant.

HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro and FreeBuds Pro

The other new products announced by HUAWEI are more iterative but still welcome.

The Watch GT 2 Pro smartwatch adds wireless charging that can power from any Qi pad or phones with reverse charging. You’ll also find a more effective and power efficient heart rate sensor alongside outdoor-ready features like a dedicated assistant, data-free weather alerts, and an offline Route Back feature like in the HONOR Watch GS Pro.

The Watch GT 2 Pro is priced at €329 for the Sport version and €349 for the Classic model and is available from September. Be sure to read our Watch GT 2 Pro review for more.

HUAWEI also has some answers to the latest trends in wireless earbuds. The FreeBuds Pro are a clear counter to Apple’s AirPods Pro, with active noise cancellation that includes dynamic strength levels (a first, HUAWEI claims) and modes to amplify the outside world. The true wireless buds pack 11mm dynamic drivers and 30 hours of total playback between them and the obligatory battery case.

The FreeBuds Pro will be available from October priced at €199. You can check out our FreeBuds Pro review at the link.

Availability for all of the devices was not available at the time of writing. We’ll update this article as soon as we have all the details.