MateBook 13: This is the best chipset for the Huawei laptop

The most obvious difference between the two base configurations of the Huawei MateBook 13 (2020) that are available in Europe is the price. While the model with the Intel Core i5 (10th generation) costs 899 Euros (~$1,010), the version with the AMD Ryzen R5 3500U is already 100 Euros (~$112) cheaper. Those who don't need that much storage either can save another 50 Euros (~$56).

Externally, the two devices are identical, but the cheaper Huawei laptop weighs 17 grams more. The configuration as such is also identical: 8 GB of RAM, a 512 GB NVMe SSD, a fingerprint scanner and Wi-Fi 5 are on board. However, there are differences in the details of the RAM; in this way, LPDDR3 is used in the Intel model, while the Ryzen CPU has access to LPDDR4. The WLAN modules also differ (Realtek 8822CE vs. Intel Wireless AC 9560) but show similar transmission speeds and ranges in the test.

The MateBook 13 duel: Price-performance vs. battery life

Differences can be seen, above all, in terms of performance. The Intel model is often ahead in the PCMark benchmark, as long as the graphics performance plays a secondary role in the test scenario. This is mainly due to the better memory controller, which allows the WDC SSD to achieve better access rates, among other things. As soon as the graphics unit is required, the Ryzen CPU pushes past the Intel processor, since AMD's iGPU is considerably more powerful, which is also clearly reflected in the game benchmarks.

Big differences are also apparent when it comes to the battery life. The Huawei laptop with the Core i5 is clearly ahead here. Consequently, if you want to use the MateBook 13 a lot on the road, you're well advised to invest the additional 100 Euros (~$112). On the other hand, if you can cope well with the reduced battery life, you should rather choose the AMD model, which offers the more-balanced performance and an even better price-performance ratio. In contrast, we recommend the variant with the smaller storage device less; the additional 50 Euros (~$56) needed to double the storage space is well invested.

However, it's a pity that Huawei doesn't offer the full product portfolio of the MateBook 13 series in Europe. As a result, there aren't any additional color variants, models with a touchscreen or with the stronger Core i7 as well as options with 16 GB of RAM. The latter is especially annoying because the RAM can't be expanded by the user.