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Huawei's MateBook will draw the inevitable copycat comments from fans of both the Microsoft Surface Pro and the iPad Pro.

But really, who copied who? Everyone copied Microsoft. The original Surface, as big a flop as it was, had the new portable-PC concept right from the start.

The idea then and today remains the same: a tablet that transforms into a laptop with a detachable keyboard. Tablets — iPads in particular — are great for many people, but when it comes to getting "real" work done, a device with a proper keyboard (and for some, a stylus) is a must.

Apple caved to this vision and released the iPad Pro, complete with Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil, in late 2015. While it may validate Microsoft's mobile tablet-PC vision, it's nowhere near as versatile as a Surface Pro 4 since it runs iOS and not OS X (soon to be called macOS).

Cheaper than Surface Pro 4

The MateBook has more in common with the Surface Pro 4 than an iPad Pro. It runs Windows 10, and its entry-level specs are the same as Microsoft's tablet. Starting at $700, it's $200 less than what the Surface Pro 4 starts at, too.

On the baseline, you get a dual-core Intel Core m3 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal SSD storage. 

I tested the more powerful $850 MateBook with an Intel Core m5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD and based on how it performed, I don't think anyone should buy the Core m3 model.

A 'real' computer for work

At first glance, the large 12-inch screen looks sharp and capable. Its 2,160 x 1,440 resolution may not be as high-res as the iPad Pro's 2,732 x 2,048 display or the Surface Pro 4's 2,736 x 1,824, but it's at least on par with Samsung's TabPro S's screen. 

Huawei kept the bezels around the display nice and slim. Photos and videos look great at first glance, and the screen looks perfectly fine in well-lit situations like the office. But I found its brightness insufficient and the viewing angles too weak when I used it at home in my dimly lit bedroom.

With Windows 10, the Huawei MateBook is immediately a more useful computer for me than the iPad Pro. For work, I need full-featured Chrome, with extensions, to get anything done. That's impossible with an iPad Pro. 

The Core m5 processor provides good-enough performance for the usual web browsing, video and music streaming, and document editing. But if you're looking for a mobile video editing or gaming machine, you should look elsewhere.

Windows 10 has really grown on me over the last six months and while I could juggle a dozen open Chrome tabs fine, the 4GB of RAM quickly bottlenecks when you do more resource-intensive things like streaming video while multiple apps and tabs are open. One night, the MateBook struggled to stream a 480p video clip on YouTube without dropping frames. 

The MateBook even supports login with Windows Hello via its fingerprint sensor between the volume buttons (which are too flat in my opinion). Once configured, unlocking the MateBook is as easy as touching the sensor with a registered fingerprint. The best part is there's no silly swiping required. It works just like the sensors on many flagship smartphones and is a much better login alternative to typing in a password. 

Unfortunately, the 5-megapixel camera on the front doesn't support Windows Hello's facial recognition.

The MateBook supports fingerprint login with Windows Hello via its fingerprint sensor.

The MateBook, like virtually all tablet hybrids, doesn't actually come with its accompanying keyboard in the box — you have to buy it separately. Samsung seems to be the only company with the sense to bundle the keyboard in with its TabPro S.

Huawei sells a "Portfolio Keyboard" for $130. It attaches securely to the MateBook via a seven-pin port using magnets. The back of the keyboard, which is also a protective folio-style case, can be positioned at two angles via magnets in the back. It's OK, but not nearly as versatile as the Surface Pro 4's hinge when it comes to "lapability." Still better than the iPad Pro, though.

The keyboard itself is... not the best. The keys are large, but they're too close to each other, which made it really easy to hit the wrong keys during a rapid-fire typing session. 

The trackpad works, but out of the box there's a slight lag to the pointer. But again, at least it has a trackpad unlike the iPad Pro.

The MateBook's screen supports multi-touch with up to 10 fingers and the responsiveness is spot-on. Huawei also sells a stylus for $60. I'm not a fan of styli because they're easy to lose and there's usually no way to keep them attached to the tablet. In comparison, the Surface Pro 4's stylus attaches magnetically to the side of the tablet.

It's a good stylus that's responsive and I like the two buttons (one for ink and one for an eraser) and how the other end is a laser pointer. It's also pressure-sensitive, which means the harder you press, the thicker the digital ink will be.

Additionally, you can buy a $90 dock which includes two USB 3.0 ports, a USB-C port, HDMI and VGA ports, and an Ethernet port and plugs into the MateBook's single USB-C port. Yet another added cost to get more out of the MateBook.

Boo for battery life

Battery life is the MateBook's weakness. Huawei advertises battery life as up to 9 hours, but I didn't get anywhere close to that.

I got around 3 to 4 hours using it as my work machine at work, at home and even during my commute. 

You will see longer battery life if you turn all the usual settings down or off (i.e. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, audio, etc.), but that's not how most people are going to use the MateBook. 

If you're considering the MateBook, you're looking at it as a laptop replacement, not just a tablet alternative. Battery life needs to be a lot longer.

Room for improvement next time

I can, without hesitation, tell you the MateBook is a beautiful tablet. The aluminum build quality is top-notch, it's super thin, and the specs sound solid on paper. It's even $200 cheaper than the entry-level Surface Pro 4.

But Huawei dropped the ball on bringing the hardware and software together. The MateBook has weak battery life and stutters when you throw a handful of apps at it. Not to mention the entire device gets hot even you're not doing anything intensive (like typing this in a Chrome tab).

The MateBook is a good first try, but I'll wait for the next-gen model.

Like so many rising Chinese tech companies, Huawei's goal is to topple the existing top tech players. The company's made tremendous strides in the last few years to establish itself as a quality hardware maker (i.e: Nexus 6P and P9 and P9 Plus smartphones), but that's not enough.

As the smartphone scene has taught us, any company, big or small, can build premium devices with the latest processors and storage. But few can optimize software to work seamlessly and powerfully while maintaining solid battery life.

The Surface Pro 4 is still the gold standard when it comes to 2-in-1 devices. The iPad Pro is a good alternative if Windows 10 isn't your thing, but you won't get the same kind of productivity from iOS the way you would with OS X (soon to be called macOS) on a MacBook.

Huawei's here for the long haul. The MateBook is a good first try, but I'd recommend waiting for the next-gen model, which will hopefully deliver more juice.

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