On August 5, 2026, Huawei unveiled the second generation of the MateBook Fold Ultimate Design. The device folds an 18-inch OLED display down to a 13-inch format, weighs 1.16 kg, and runs on the new Kirin X90 Plus with HarmonyOS 6.1. Prices start at 24,999 yuan, equivalent to about 3,200 euros—though for now, it’s only available in China.
Key Features at a Glance
- 18-inch foldable OLED with 3,296 × 2,472 pixels, 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness, and a 92 percent screen-to-body ratio.
- New Kirin X90 Plus with a 28-watt TDP and, according to Huawei, 25 percent more performance than its predecessor.
- Weighs 1.16 kg, features a 74.69 Wh battery, and supports 140-watt fast charging.
- No physical keyboard: Bluetooth keyboard with trackpad or on-screen keyboard on the lower half of the display.
- Three models ranging from 24,999 to 29,999 yuan; set to launch in China on August 14, 2026.
Two devices in one chassis
The concept behind the Huawei MateBook Fold remains the same: when unfolded, you have an 18-inch tablet in a 4:3 aspect ratio in front of you; when folded, the whole thing looks like a 13-inch laptop. A fold-out stand on the back keeps the panel upright in landscape mode when you want to use it as a monitor or second screen.
The physics behind it remain particularly impressive. When open, the device measures just 7.6 mm; when closed, 14.9 mm. By comparison, a MacBook Air is around 11 mm thick—and that’s without any folding mechanism. The total weight of 1.16 kg is remarkable for an 18-inch panel anyway.
Huawei has redesigned the hinge. It still uses the waterdrop design but is now made of a zirconium-based liquid metal. The display features an UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) layer combined with a non-Newtonian fluid. Huawei claims a 90 percent increase in impact resistance and ten times the bending strength compared to the first generation, as certified by SGS. It remains to be seen whether this holds up in practice. The crease has so far remained the Achilles’ heel of foldable displays.
Kirin X90 Plus: 25 Percent More Performance at 28 Watts
The most interesting part is under the hood. The HiSilicon Kirin X90 Plus replaces the Kirin X90 from the previous model and, according to Huawei, is expected to deliver about 25 percent more overall performance at a TDP of 28 watts. The manufacturer provides specific figures only in the context of specific applications: WPS Office opens documents 30 percent faster, CapCut Pro renders videos 23 percent faster, and image processing is 25 percent faster.
Independent benchmarks are not yet available. Cooling is handled by an exceptionally thin vapor chamber, which is likely necessary given the device’s 7.6 mm height when unfolded.
For storage, users can choose between 24 or 32 GB of LPDDR5X, along with a 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB SSD. Huawei also touts a storage compression feature that is said to compress files 50 percent faster and provide 40 percent more storage capacity for large files.
Technical Specifications at a Glance
| Feature | Huawei MateBook Fold Ultimate Design (2026) |
|---|---|
| Display | 18-inch dual-layer foldable OLED, 4:3, 3,296 × 2,472 pixels |
| Brightness | 700 nits (across the entire screen), 1,600 nits (HDR peak) |
| When Folded | 13 inches, 2,472 × 1,648 pixels |
| Processor | HiSilicon Kirin X90 Plus, 28 watts TDP |
| RAM | 24 or 32 GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB SSD |
| Battery | 74.69 Wh (6,400 mAh), 140-watt charging |
| Operating system | HarmonyOS 6.1 |
| Camera | 8 megapixels (front) |
| Ports | 2 × USB-C, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.6 mm (open), 14.9 mm (closed) |
| Weight | 1.16 kg |
| Colors | RadianGold, Sky White, Phantom Black |
| Price (China) | 24,999 to 29,999 yuan (approx. 3,200 to 3,850 euros) |
Typing Without a Keyboard
There is no built-in keyboard. Instead, Huawei includes a wireless Bluetooth keyboard with a trackpad that you place on the lower half of the display. If you don’t have the accessory with you, a software keyboard appears directly on the lower panel.
New to this generation is stylus support. The included M-Pencil allows for handwritten notes, system-wide annotations, and split-screen work across both halves of the display. The stylus and keyboard are included in the package—but at a price exceeding 3,000 euros, that’s to be expected.
HarmonyOS 6.1 switches between tablet, notebook, and desktop modes depending on the device’s orientation. The AI assistant Xiaoyi handles task automation, research, and note-taking functions, though Huawei plans to roll out some of the features via an OTA update in September.
Pricing and Availability
Huawei offers the MateBook Fold in three configurations:
- 24 GB + 512 GB: 24,999 yuan (approx. 3,200 euros)
- 24 GB + 1 TB: 26,999 yuan (approx. 3,460 euros)
- 32 GB + 2 TB: 29,999 yuan (approx. 3,850 euros)
Pre-orders have been open since August 5, and general sales will begin on August 14, 2026. So far, the market is limited to China, and there has been no official announcement regarding Europe. Even the first generation was reserved for the Chinese market, which is understandable given that HarmonyOS lacks Google services and Windows compatibility.
Other Huawei products, on the other hand, have made the leap to Germany without any issues. The HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max has been available here since the end of June, and the MatePad Air (2026) was also launched globally right away.
How is the competition faring?
Foldable laptops remain a niche product to this day. Lenovo was an early entrant with the ThinkPad X1 Fold, but struggled with price, weight, and software. At the time, we took a look at the second generation of the foldable ThinkPad. Asus and HP have also showcased foldable concepts, though none have yet led to a mass market.
Huawei is taking a different approach: a larger display, its own ARM chip, and its own operating system. This bypasses the Windows-on-ARM issues that stood in the way of other manufacturers, but comes at the cost of app compatibility outside the HarmonyOS ecosystem. Huawei is taking the same approach with smartphones, such as the Pura 80 Ultra.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Huawei MateBook Fold
How much does the 2026 Huawei MateBook Fold cost?
Prices start at 24,999 yuan (about 3,200 euros) for 24 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. The top-of-the-line model with 32 GB and 2 TB costs 29,999 yuan (about 3,850 euros).
When will the Huawei MateBook Fold 2026 be released?
Pre-orders have been open since August 5, 2026, and sales will begin on August 14, 2026—initially exclusively in China.
Will the MateBook Fold be available in Germany?
Huawei has not yet announced a launch outside of China. The first generation was also reserved for the domestic market.
What processor is in the MateBook Fold 2026?
The HiSilicon Kirin X90 Plus with a 28-watt TDP. It’s expected to deliver about 25 percent more performance than the first-generation Kirin X90.
Does Windows run on the MateBook Fold?
No. The device runs on HarmonyOS 6.1, Huawei’s own operating system. Windows applications do not run on it.
Conclusion
The second-generation Huawei MateBook Fold is less of a reinvention and more of a thorough overhaul: a more powerful chip, a more durable display, and—finally—stylus support. Technically, it’s currently the most ambitious foldable laptop on the market, and weighing just 1.16 kg for an 18-inch panel is still quite a feat.
The catch is the same as with its predecessor. Over 3,000 euros, available only in China, HarmonyOS instead of Windows—that adds up to a device that’s primarily interesting here as a technology demo. Still, anyone who wants to see where mobile form factors are headed should take a look. And if Huawei does eventually make its way to Europe, the market would finally have a laptop that doesn’t look like every other one out there.
Sources: Huawei
