Huawei MateBook Pro S: The 798g Laptop with a Mechanical Privacy Switch

Huawei took the wraps off the MateBook Pro S at a launch event on August 5, 2026 in China . The headline numbers are impossible to ignore: a 14.2-inch OLED laptop that weighs just 798 grams, powered by an in-house Kirin XE90 processor, and featuring a hardware-based privacy screen with a physical toggle switch. But there is an equally important fine print: it runs HarmonyOS 6.1, not Windows, which dramatically limits international appeal.

Kirin XE90: Huawei's First Public ARM PC Chip

The MateBook Pro S marks the first public showing of the HiSilicon Kirin XE90, an ARM-based processor designed specifically for HarmonyOS PCs . Compared to the Kirin X90, Huawei claims a 23% improvement in single-core performance, 25% better energy efficiency, and a 40% uplift in NPU (neural processing unit) performance .

• Core design: Most sources report a 9-core configuration with boost clock speeds up to 2.75 GHz . (One earlier leak listed 10 cores at 2.45 GHz , but the 9-core figure is more widely cited after official publication.)
• Thermal envelope: The sustained performance target is approximately 20W, achieved through a ceramic composite thermal solution that includes a 3D stepped fan with 102 blades and a vertical graphene thermal interface .
• Operating system: HarmonyOS 6.1 .

This is not a chip designed to rival top-tier Intel or Apple Silicon in raw multi-core throughput. Its strengths are energy efficiency and integration with Huawei's ecosystem. The 20W sustained power limit means it will handle productivity tasks and media consumption comfortably, but heavy workloads like video rendering or large-scale code compilation will push its limits.

A 798-Gram Chassis: How Huawei Shed the Weight

The MateBook Pro S weighs just 798 grams and measures 11.9 mm thick . To put that in context, it is roughly 35% lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air .

• Material: A magnesium-lithium alloy chassis .
• Colors: Smoke Gray, Velvet White, Midsummer Purple, Dawn Yellow, and Feather Black . A Collector's Edition adds a leather back cover .
• Internal design: Huawei uses a three-section motherboard and a screw-free unibody construction to save both weight and space .

The Display and the Mechanical Privacy Switch

The 14.2-inch flexible OLED touchscreen features a 3,120 x 2,080 resolution at a 3:2 aspect ratio, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a peak HDR brightness of 1,600 nits . But the marquee feature is the Privacy Screen Edition, which uses an innovative dual-pixel array structure .

Here is how it works: the display integrates two distinct sets of sub-pixels within the same screen zone. One set handles normal wide-angle viewing, while the second set limits side-angle light emission. When privacy mode is active, on-screen content becomes difficult to read from an angle, preventing shoulder surfing .

What makes this different from typical software-based privacy filters is the physical mechanical toggle switch built into the side of the chassis . The switch lets the user instantly turn privacy mode on or off with a click, without needing to navigate through menus.

Additionally, the chassis includes a physical camera privacy shutter control . The camera system itself is dual: two 1080p cameras on the lid (for rear-facing or document capture) plus the standard webcam above the display .

RAM, Storage, and Pricing Configurations

Huawei offers at least four editions of the MateBook Pro S: Standard, Soft Light Screen, Privacy Screen, and Collector's. Pricing and configurations are as follows :

Variant	RAM	Storage	Price (CNY)	Approx. USD
Standard / Base	16 GB	512 GB	¥7,999	~$1,180
Mid-tier	24 GB	512 GB	¥8,999	~$1,330
Mid-tier	24 GB	1 TB	¥10,499	~$1,550
Privacy Screen Edition	24 GB	1 TB	¥11,799	~$1,745
Collector's Edition (maxed)	32 GB	2 TB	¥14,999	~$2,220

Note: One source lists the base model starting at 24 GB of RAM , but multiple other reports consistently place the entry-level SKU at 16 GB / 512 GB. Exact prices for the Soft Light Screen Edition were not fully detailed at launch .

Battery, Charging, and Connectivity

• Battery capacity: 54 Wh with a high-silicon anode, delivering 15% higher energy density than conventional cells .
• Claimed battery life: Up to 18 hours of 1080p video playback .
• Charger: A compact 66W USB-C charger is included in the box .
• Ports: 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (one on each side). Only one port can drive a 4K display at 60Hz .
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 .

Availability and the HarmonyOS Caveat

The MateBook Pro S launched in China on August 5, 2026, with sales beginning later that month . As of the launch event, Huawei has not announced any plans for a global release .

The key constraint is the operating system. The MateBook Pro S runs HarmonyOS 6.1, not Windows . This means standard Windows x86 software will not run natively. Compatibility is limited to HarmonyOS-native apps or whatever emulation layers Huawei provides. For users outside of China who rely on Windows-only productivity, design, or development tools, this is a dealbreaker.

Huawei's ongoing US trade restrictions also complicate the availability of components and services outside China, making a wide international launch even less likely .