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
| Laptop | MateBook X Pro | Surface Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2018 | 2017 |
| Screen size | 13.9 inches | 13.5 inches |
| Resolution | 3000 x 2000 (259 ppi) | 2256 x 1504 (201 ppi) |
| Aspect | 3 x 2 | 3 x 2 |
| Touch | Yes | Yes |
| Pen | No | Yes |
| Processor | 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8250U or Core i7 8550U | 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U or i7-76660U |
| Graphics | NVIDIA MX150 + 2GB GDRR5 RAM | HD620 |
| RAM | 8GB or 16GB DDR3 | 4GB, 8GB, 16GB DDR3 |
| Storage | 256GB or 512GB SSD | 128GB, 265GB, 512GB, 1TB SSD |
| Windows Hello | Yes (fingerprint) | Yes (IR camera) |
| Ports | 2x USB-C (1x Thunderbolt 3), 1x USB-A, audio jack | 1x USB-A 3.0, 1x Mini DisplayPort., audio jack |
| Audio | Quad-speaker array, quad-mic array | 2x Omnisonic speakers, Dolby Premium |
| Dimensions | 11.97 x 8.54 x 0.57 inches | 12.3 x 7.93 x 0.33 inches |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) | 2.76 lbs (1.25 kg) |
| Price | Starting $1,199 | Starting $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.
