Huawei just dropped a foldable laptop that costs more than most gaming PCs, runs none of the software you’re used to, and doesn’t care. The Huawei MateBook Fold 2026 — officially the “Ultimate Design” edition — launched on August 5 in China with the company’s new Kirin X90 Plus processor, an 18-inch OLED display, and HarmonyOS 6.1. It’s available for pre-order now and ships August 14.
On paper, this is a spec refresh. In practice, it’s Huawei proving that six years of U.S. trade restrictions haven’t slowed its hardware ambitions — they’ve reshaped them entirely. Here’s what’s actually worth paying attention to.
What the Kirin X90 Plus Actually Changes
The headline upgrade is the processor. The Kirin X90 Plus replaces the original X90 and operates at a 28-watt TDP, which Huawei says delivers roughly 25% smoother overall performance. That gain comes from a combination of hardware optimization, an ultra-thin vapor chamber cooling system, and deep software-level integration with HarmonyOS 6.1.
Buyers can configure the machine with up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. Three variants are available: 24GB + 512GB at CNY 24,999 (~$3,700), 24GB + 1TB at CNY 26,999 (~$4,000), and the full 32GB + 2TB at CNY 29,999 (~$4,445).
What Huawei doesn’t say publicly is equally important. The Kirin X90 Plus is manufactured by SMIC, China’s largest chip foundry, using older DUV lithography — not the EUV tools that power cutting-edge chips from TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. A recent teardown of Huawei’s Kirin 9030 Pro found that SMIC’s process matched Intel’s 18A on one narrow density metric but still fell behind in overall performance. For a laptop focused on productivity rather than benchmark chasing, that tradeoff is easier to absorb than it would be in a smartphone.
The Display Is Still the Star
The 18-inch dual-layer LTPO OLED panel carries over from last year: 3,296 × 2,472 pixels, 4:3 aspect ratio, 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness, and a 92% screen-to-body ratio. Fold it and you’re carrying a 13-inch footprint at 1.16 kg.
Huawei upgraded the hinge with zirconium-based liquid metal and claims 10x better bending resistance. New additions include M-Pen 3 stylus support, a pop-out kickstand, and an 8MP camera. No competitor currently ships a foldable laptop with an 18-inch OLED at this weight — Lenovo’s X1 Fold tops out at 16.3 inches, and Samsung’s foldable laptop remains unreleased.
The HarmonyOS Question
Here’s where opinions split. The MateBook Fold 2026 runs HarmonyOS 6.1. That means no Windows apps, no macOS apps, and no Android sideloading. If you need Photoshop, Excel, or any other Western productivity suite, this machine won’t run it natively.
Huawei claims over 20,000 Harmony-native apps across its platform, but the PC-specific catalog is thin by Western standards. Independent reporting found even store employees couldn’t fully clarify which desktop apps are available.
We think this is the product’s most interesting tension. Huawei isn’t pretending HarmonyOS replaces Windows for global consumers — not yet. The MateBook Fold is China-only, priced at luxury levels, and aimed at buyers already embedded in Huawei’s ecosystem. It’s a proof of concept: Huawei chip, Huawei OS, Huawei apps, Huawei cloud.
Why This Matters Beyond the Specs
Huawei was placed on the U.S. Entity List in 2019, cutting it off from Intel, Microsoft, and ASML’s EUV tools. Most analysts expected its PC business to stall. Instead, Huawei built its own chips, launched its own OS, and is now shipping premium hardware that competes on design if not raw compute.
In May 2026, Huawei announced its chips would reach transistor density equivalent to 1.4nm processes within five years. Its LogicFolding architecture, which stacks logic circuits vertically across wafers, is central to that roadmap. Whether those claims survive independent testing is another question, but the ambition is clear.
The competitive landscape is shifting fast, too. Samsung is developing its Gaia AI chip for laptops that could eat into Huawei’s AI silicon demand. The MateBook Fold isn’t just a product — it’s Huawei staking its claim before the next wave arrives.
FAQs
What is HarmonyOS and can it run Windows apps?
HarmonyOS is Huawei’s proprietary operating system built on a microkernel architecture. It does not run Windows or Android apps natively, though Huawei is reportedly exploring virtualization workarounds for limited compatibility. The current app library is growing but remains small compared to Windows or macOS.
How does SMIC manufacture chips without EUV lithography?
SMIC uses older DUV (Deep Ultraviolet) equipment and pushes multi-patterning techniques to achieve competitive transistor densities. A teardown of the Kirin 9030 Pro showed SMIC matching Intel on one density metric, but the process requires more manufacturing steps and silicon area than cutting-edge EUV nodes.
What is Huawei’s LogicFolding chip architecture?
LogicFolding is Huawei’s 3D chip-stacking technology that layers logic circuits vertically across two bonded wafers. Announced at ISCAS 2026, it aims to achieve performance comparable to 3nm-class chips without relying on next-generation lithography tools that U.S. sanctions have blocked.
Are other companies making foldable laptops in 2026?
Yes. Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold (16.3-inch) and ASUS’s ZenBook 17 Fold are currently available. Samsung has a foldable laptop in development but hasn’t announced a launch date. The foldable laptop market is projected to grow at over 30% CAGR through 2030, driven by display and hinge innovation.
How does the Kirin X90 Plus compare to Intel and Apple chips?
The Kirin X90 Plus operates at 28W TDP and prioritizes efficiency over raw power. It trails current Intel Core Ultra and Apple M-series chips on benchmark performance due to SMIC’s manufacturing limitations. However, Huawei compensates through deep hardware-software optimization with HarmonyOS.
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