MateBook Fold

Huawei unveiled the MateBook Fold Ultimate Design on May 19, 2025.^[3] The launch marked an expansion of the company's product portfolio into a new category of foldable computing and represented the debut of its HarmonyOS NEXT platform for PCs.^[4] The device was initially released exclusively in the Chinese market, with a starting price of ¥23,999 (approximately $3,300 USD).^[5] In November 2025, Huawei released a visual refresh of the device, adding a new "Ruihong" (Auspicious Red) color variant for the high-end storage model.^[6]

The MateBook Fold's primary feature is its 18-inch flexible OLED display, which folds at a 90-degree angle to transform the device into a compact form with two 13-inch screens.^[5] When fully unfolded, the device is 7.3 mm thick, making it thinner than many contemporary smartphones, and weighs 1.16 kg.^[3] A "zirconium-based alloy" hinge allows the screen to be set at angles between 30 and 150 degrees. The rear of the device incorporates an integrated kickstand and is finished in artificial leather.

Display

The foldable display is a dual-layer ("tandem") OLED panel.^[7] Key specifications include a 3.3K (3296 x 2472) resolution, a peak brightness of 1600 nits, support for the P3 wide color gamut, and an LTPO backplane for adaptive refresh rates.^[3] Huawei states the display uses a non-Newtonian fluid buffer layer and a carbon fiber support layer to improve durability and impact resistance.^[3]

The MateBook Fold is the first PC to ship with HarmonyOS 5.^[4] The operating system is designed to adapt to the foldable form factor, reorganizing application windows when the device is folded or unfolded.^[10] It also enables deep integration with other Huawei devices (phones, tablets) for features like cross-device file sharing, app continuation, and multi-screen collaboration.^[3][10][4]

The launch of the MateBook Fold was covered as a significant industry event, with commentary centering on its foldable technology, its position within Huawei’s ecosystem, and its geopolitical context.^[10] From a technology and design perspective, reviewers emphasized the device’s engineering, particularly its thin profile and large, dual-layer foldable OLED display, with outlets such as The Verge and New Atlas highlighting its physical design and specifications.^[5][6] Supply-chain analysis from Omdia identified China Star as the display manufacturer.^[7] In terms of form factor and portability, the device weighs approximately 80 grams less than the 2025 MacBook Air, placing it within the same class of ultra-portable laptops typically associated with frequent business travel.^[11] It has described the MateBook Fold as part of Huawei’s effort to establish an alternative personal computing platform through HarmonyOS, positioning it outside the dominant Windows and macOS ecosystems.^[4][10] Geopolitical analysis focused heavily on the Kirin X90 processor and ongoing U.S. sanctions, confirming fabrication on SMIC’s 7 nm process, showing Huawei’s move towards semiconductor self-sufficiency, and the remaining technological gap compared to leading-edge nodes.^[9] The MateBook Fold’s China-only release was commonly attributed to regulatory constraints and trade dynamics associated with this geopolitical environment.^[4][10]

• Huawei MateBook – The main series page for Huawei laptops.
• Foldable smartphone – Overview of foldable display technology.
• HarmonyOS – Huawei's proprietary operating system.