Surface Laptop vs. MateBook X Pro video smackdown

The rate of innovation around laptops and Ultrabooks is now so rapid that what was revolutionary just twelve months ago is quickly outpaced.

Take the Microsoft Surface Laptop – arguably one of the best Ultrabooks on the market even if there are some glaring gaps. The Huawei MateBook X Pro, which came out of nowhere, is in many ways a better laptop.

In my video review smackdown above, I go over the pros and cons of each. By the end, it should be obvious which is better and why. Of course, you really can't go wrong with either, but in my opinion, there's a clear winner here.

Our Surface Laptop vs. MateBook X Pro tech specs

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LaptopMateBook X ProSurface Laptop
Year20182017
Screen size13.9 inches13.5 inches
Resolution3000 x 2000 (259 ppi)2256 x 1504 (201 ppi)
Aspect3 x 23 x 2
TouchYesYes
PenNoYes
Processor8th Gen Intel Core i5 8250U or Core i7 8550U7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U or i7-76660U
GraphicsNVIDIA MX150 + 2GB GDRR5 RAMHD620
RAM8GB or 16GB DDR34GB, 8GB, 16GB DDR3
Storage256GB or 512GB SSD128GB, 265GB, 512GB, 1TB SSD
Windows HelloYes (fingerprint)Yes (IR camera)
Ports2x USB-C (1x Thunderbolt 3), 1x USB-A, audio jack1x USB-A 3.0, 1x Mini DisplayPort., audio jack
AudioQuad-speaker array, quad-mic array2x Omnisonic speakers, Dolby Premium
Dimensions11.97 x 8.54 x 0.57 inches12.3 x 7.93 x 0.33 inches
Weight2.9 lbs (1.3 kg)2.76 lbs (1.25 kg)
PriceStarting $1,199Starting $799

Future is bright for PC users

We're starting to hear rumors that Microsoft may refresh Surface Laptop before the fall, possibly in time for back to school season. If accurate, we could realistically expect newer Intel 8th Gen processors at the very least. Microsoft could even ditch that old Mini DisplayPort for a more modern USB Type-C one instead.

The real winner here though is you, the consumer. Never has there been such amazing laptops for people to buy. The Surface brand was meant to inspire – consumers and manufacturers – and that is happening. HP, Dell, Lenovo, Razer and even newcomer Huawei are all releasing outstanding PCs, which is exactly what Microsoft wants.

As we watch Computex this week and IFA in the fall, we'll only see more, and crazier PCs hit the market. I can't wait.

Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.