Folding the Future: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 2024 vs. Huawei MateBook Fold Final Design

Why revisit the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold in 2025? The reply lies within the fast evolution of foldable computing. When Lenovo launched its second-generation foldable PC final 12 months, it represented the head of what was potential on this rising class. The gadget mixed a flexible 16.3-inch OLED show with sturdy engineering and the acquainted Home windows ecosystem. It set benchmarks for construct high quality, show know-how, and flexibility that opponents would wish to surpass.

Designer: Lenovo
Designer: Huawei

Quick ahead to at present, and the panorama has shifted dramatically. Huawei has unveiled its MateBook Fold Final Design, a tool that challenges our understanding of what foldable laptops can obtain. With an 18-inch show that folds to a 13-inch kind issue, a chassis measuring simply 7.3mm when open, and a proprietary working system constructed particularly for foldable {hardware}, Huawei has raised the stakes significantly.

This comparability arrives at a pivotal second for foldable computing. The class has matured past proof-of-concept to ship genuinely helpful productiveness instruments. Now that we’ve got seen what Lenovo achieved with the X1 Fold 2024, allow us to study how Huawei’s MateBook Fold Final Design responds and doubtlessly redefines the way forward for moveable computing.

Design Philosophy and Bodily Presence

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 2024 embodies the ThinkPad ethos of reliability and purposeful design. Its magnesium alloy body and recycled PET woven cloth cowl create a tool that feels substantial and sturdy. The fold-flat hinge eliminates gaps when closed, defending the show whereas sustaining a clear profile. At 8.6mm when open and 17.4mm when closed, the X1 Fold is just not the thinnest laptop computer accessible, however its building conjures up confidence. The gadget weighs roughly 2.9 kilos with out equipment, rising to 4.3 kilos with the keyboard and stand connected. This weight displays Lenovo’s prioritization of sturdiness over absolute portability.

Huawei takes a dramatically totally different strategy with the MateBook Fold Final Design. The gadget measures an astonishing 7.3mm when open and 14.9mm when closed, making it considerably thinner than the X1 Fold. At simply 1.16kg (2.56 kilos) for the bottom unit and 1.45kg with the keyboard, the MateBook Fold is remarkably gentle for a tool with an 18-inch show. This achievement comes from Huawei’s use of carbon fiber reinforcement and a zirconium-based liquid steel hinge. The 285mm “water-drop” hinge design supplies easy folding motion and elevated sturdiness, with Huawei claiming a 400% enchancment in hovering torque in comparison with typical designs.

Essentially the most vital bodily distinction between these units turns into obvious of their strategy to equipment. Lenovo requires a separate kickstand for desk use, including bulk and complexity to the general bundle. Huawei integrates a sturdy kickstand instantly into the MateBook Fold, eliminating the necessity for added equipment and streamlining the person expertise. This built-in answer permits for extra versatile positioning and reduces the variety of elements customers have to handle.

Each units rework between a number of modes, however their bodily dimensions create distinct experiences. When folded, the X1 Fold turns into a 12-inch laptop computer, which many customers discover cramped for critical multitasking. The MateBook Fold gives a extra beneficiant 13-inch workspace in laptop computer mode, offering extra display actual property for productiveness duties. This distinction could seem small on paper, but it surely considerably impacts the sensible usability of those units of their folded configurations.

The supplies chosen for every gadget reveal totally different priorities. Lenovo emphasizes sustainability with its recycled PET cloth cowl and plastic-free packaging. This strategy aligns with rising company environmental considerations and supplies a tactile heat that distinguishes the X1 Fold from typical metal-clad laptops. Huawei focuses on premium supplies that allow excessive thinness, utilizing superior alloys and composites all through the chassis. Each approaches lead to distinctive aesthetics that can enchantment to totally different person preferences.

Show Know-how and Visible Expertise

Show know-how represents the center of any foldable gadget, and each producers have made vital investments on this vital part. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold includes a 16.3-inch OLED panel with a decision of 2560 x 2024 and a 4:3 side ratio. This show delivers 400 nits of brightness for normal content material, rising to 600 nits for HDR materials. The panel helps DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, overlaying 100% of the DCI-P3 shade gamut. An anti-smudge coating helps preserve visible readability throughout prolonged use.

Huawei pushes show know-how additional with the MateBook Fold Final Design. Its 18-inch LTPO OLED display boasts a decision of 3296 x 2472, sustaining the identical 4:3 side ratio because the Lenovo. Nonetheless, the MateBook Fold achieves a peak brightness of 1600 nits, greater than double that of the X1 Fold. The twin-layer LTPO know-how reduces energy consumption by 30% in comparison with customary OLED panels whereas supporting adaptive refresh charges from 1Hz to 120Hz. This mixture of measurement, brightness, and effectivity creates a visible expertise that surpasses the X1 Fold in almost each measurable side.

Each shows exhibit a visual crease on the fold, although the severity varies. Lenovo’s hinge design minimizes the crease when the gadget is totally open, but it surely turns into extra noticeable at sure viewing angles. Huawei claims its water-drop hinge reduces crease visibility, although unbiased verification is restricted. In sensible use, each creases turn out to be much less distracting over time as customers adapt to the shape issue.

Coloration accuracy and visible impression favor the MateBook Fold, with its increased brightness and distinction ratio of two,000,000:1 creating extra vibrant photographs and movies. The X1 Fold delivers glorious shade copy however can not match the visible punch of Huawei’s show. For inventive professionals and media customers, this distinction could possibly be decisive when selecting between these units.

The contact response and pen enter capabilities of each shows deserve consideration. Lenovo’s show works seamlessly with the Precision Pen, providing strain sensitivity that makes note-taking and sketching really feel pure. The anti-smudge coating balances fingerprint resistance with easy contact response. Huawei supplies related performance, although detailed specs about strain sensitivity ranges and palm rejection capabilities aren’t but extensively accessible. Each units assist multi-touch gestures for navigation and manipulation of on-screen components.

The 4:3 side ratio on each units proves splendid for productiveness purposes, offering extra vertical area than typical 16:9 laptop computer shows. This ratio works significantly effectively for doc modifying, net shopping, and coding. When watching widescreen video content material, each units show black bars on the prime and backside, however the general display measurement nonetheless delivers an immersive viewing expertise, particularly on the bigger MateBook Fold.

Efficiency and {Hardware} Capabilities

The efficiency profiles of those units replicate their totally different design philosophies. Lenovo equips the ThinkPad X1 Fold with twelfth Era Intel processors, starting from the Core i5-1230U to the Core i7-1260U vPro. These 10-core, 12-thread chips present satisfactory efficiency for productiveness duties however signify previous-generation know-how in 2025. The X1 Fold helps as much as 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage. Intel Iris Xe built-in graphics deal with visible processing, delivering enough energy for workplace purposes however fighting demanding inventive workloads.

Huawei takes a special strategy with its Kirin X90 ARM-based chipset. This practice silicon is particularly optimized for HarmonyOS and the foldable kind issue. The MateBook Fold consists of 32GB of RAM and gives storage choices as much as 2TB. Whereas direct efficiency comparisons are tough because of the totally different architectures, the Kirin X90 delivers responsive efficiency for HarmonyOS purposes and advantages from tight hardware-software integration.

Thermal administration represents one other level of divergence. Lenovo employs a fanless design within the X1 Fold, prioritizing silent operation over sustained efficiency. This strategy results in thermal throttling throughout prolonged workloads, limiting the gadget’s capabilities for processor-intensive duties. Huawei incorporates a vapor chamber cooling system with diamond aluminum twin followers within the MateBook Fold, enabling 28W sustained efficiency with out extreme warmth or noise. This superior cooling answer permits the MateBook Fold to take care of peak efficiency throughout demanding duties, regardless of its thinner profile.

Battery life displays each {hardware} decisions and software program optimization. The X1 Fold features a dual-battery design totaling 64Wh, delivering roughly 8 hours and 51 minutes in laptop computer mode and seven hours and 27 minutes in pill mode below real-world situations. The MateBook Fold includes a bigger 74.69Wh battery, and its LTPO show know-how reduces energy consumption considerably. Whereas unbiased verification of Huawei’s “all-day” battery claims is just not but accessible, the mixture of a bigger battery and extra environment friendly show know-how suggests the MateBook Fold ought to provide superior battery life in comparable utilization eventualities.

The storage subsystems in each units make the most of high-speed solid-state know-how, however with totally different implementations. Lenovo’s PCIe Gen 4 SSD delivers sequential learn speeds as much as 5,000MB/s, offering fast entry to massive recordsdata and fast utility loading. Huawei has not printed detailed storage efficiency metrics, however modern flagship units sometimes characteristic related high-performance storage options. Each units provide enough storage capability for skilled workloads, with choices starting from 256GB to 2TB relying on configuration.

Reminiscence configurations play a vital position in multitasking efficiency. Each units provide 32GB of their prime configurations, which supplies ample headroom for demanding productiveness workflows. Neither gadget permits for user-upgradable reminiscence, as each use soldered RAM to take care of their slim profiles. This limitation means consumers should fastidiously take into account their reminiscence wants at buy, as future upgrades aren’t potential.

Working Techniques and Software program Expertise

Essentially the most elementary distinction between these units lies of their working techniques. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold runs Home windows 11 Professional, offering entry to the huge Home windows software program ecosystem and acquainted productiveness instruments. Home windows gives broad compatibility with enterprise purposes and enterprise administration techniques, making the X1 Fold a pure selection for company environments. Nonetheless, Home windows 11 nonetheless struggles with optimization for foldable kind components. Mode switching could be inconsistent, and the working system typically fails to correctly scale purposes when transitioning between configurations.

Huawei’s MateBook Fold runs HarmonyOS 5, a proprietary working system designed particularly for the corporate’s ecosystem of units. HarmonyOS gives a number of benefits for foldable {hardware}, together with sooner boot occasions, extra environment friendly useful resource administration, and seamless integration with different Huawei merchandise. The working system consists of AI-powered options like doc summarization, real-time translation, and context-aware options via the Xiaoyi assistant. HarmonyOS additionally allows superior multi-device collaboration, permitting customers to switch operating apps between Huawei telephones, tablets, and the MateBook Fold with out interruption.

The software program ecosystem represents a major consideration for potential consumers. Home windows supplies entry to tens of millions of purposes, together with industry-standard productiveness, inventive, and growth instruments. HarmonyOS presently gives over 1,000 optimized purposes, with projections for two,000+ by the tip of 2025. Whereas this quantity is rising quickly, it stays a fraction of what Home windows supplies. Moreover, HarmonyOS and its app ecosystem are primarily centered on the Chinese language market, limiting its enchantment for worldwide customers.

Safety features differ between the platforms as effectively. Lenovo consists of its ThinkShield safety suite, Home windows Whats up facial recognition, and non-obligatory Pc Imaginative and prescient human-presence detection for privateness and safety. Huawei implements its StarShield structure, which supplies safety on the kernel stage and all through the working system stack. Each approaches provide sturdy safety, however organizations with established Home windows safety protocols might choose Lenovo’s extra acquainted implementation.

The multitasking capabilities of every working system deserve particular consideration for foldable units. Home windows 11 consists of Snap Layouts and a number of digital desktops, which work effectively on the X1 Fold’s massive unfolded show. Nonetheless, the interface can turn out to be cluttered in laptop computer mode because of the decreased display measurement. HarmonyOS 5 includes a multitasking system particularly designed for foldable shows, with intuitive gestures for splitting the display, floating home windows, and fast app switching. This optimization creates a extra cohesive expertise when transitioning between totally different gadget configurations.

Software program updates and long-term assist insurance policies differ considerably between these platforms. Home windows 11 receives common safety updates and have enhancements from Microsoft, with a well-established assist lifecycle. HarmonyOS is newer, with much less predictable replace patterns, although Huawei has dedicated to common enhancements. For enterprise customers planning multi-year deployments, Home windows gives extra certainty concerning future compatibility and safety upkeep.

Keyboard, Enter, and Accent Integration

The keyboard expertise considerably impacts productiveness on foldable units, and each producers take totally different approaches to this problem. Lenovo gives the ThinkPad Bluetooth TrackPoint Keyboard Folio as an non-obligatory accent. This keyboard maintains the basic ThinkPad really feel with good key journey and consists of the enduring pink TrackPoint nub. Nonetheless, the keyboard feels cramped in comparison with customary ThinkPad fashions, and the haptic touchpad is smaller than splendid for prolonged use. The keyboard attaches magnetically to the decrease half of the folded show however provides 1.38 kilos to the general weight.

Huawei features a 5mm wi-fi aluminum keyboard with the MateBook Fold. This ultra-thin keyboard gives 1.5mm of key journey and a responsive touchpad. Weighing simply 0.64 kilos, it provides minimal bulk to the bundle whereas offering a snug typing expertise. The keyboard connects wirelessly and could be positioned flexibly, permitting customers to create a extra ergonomic workspace than the fastened place of Lenovo’s answer.

Stylus assist is accessible on each units, with Lenovo providing the Precision Pen for note-taking and drawing. The X1 Fold’s pen attaches magnetically to the show, making certain it stays accessible when wanted. Huawei supplies related stylus performance, although detailed specs for its pen accent are restricted in present documentation.

Essentially the most vital accent distinction is the kickstand implementation. Lenovo requires a separate adjustable-angle kickstand for desk use, including one other part to handle and transport. Huawei integrates the kickstand instantly into the MateBook Fold, offering instant stability with out extra equipment. This built-in strategy streamlines the person expertise and reduces setup time when transitioning between utilization modes.

Digital keyboard implementations present one other enter possibility when bodily keyboards are impractical. Each units can show contact keyboards on the decrease portion of the folded display, making a laptop-like expertise with out extra {hardware}. Lenovo’s implementation depends on Home windows 11’s contact keyboard, which gives cheap accuracy however lacks haptic suggestions. Huawei’s digital keyboard is deeply built-in with HarmonyOS, offering customizable layouts and adaptive options primarily based on person habits. Neither digital keyboard totally replaces a bodily keyboard for prolonged typing classes, however each present handy enter choices for fast duties.

The accent ecosystem extends past keyboards and styluses. Lenovo leverages the ThinkPad’s enterprise heritage with a variety of appropriate docks, instances, and adapters designed for skilled use. Huawei focuses on cross-device equipment that work throughout its product line, making a cohesive ecosystem for customers invested in a number of Huawei merchandise. This distinction displays the broader positioning of every model, with Lenovo focusing on enterprise clients and Huawei pursuing ecosystem-driven client experiences.

Connectivity and Growth Choices

Connectivity choices replicate the totally different priorities of those producers. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold consists of two Thunderbolt 4 ports and one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, offering versatile connectivity for peripherals and exterior shows. The gadget helps Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, with non-obligatory LTE/5G connectivity for really cellular productiveness. This mobile possibility represents a major benefit for professionals who want dependable web entry no matter Wi-Fi availability.

The Huawei MateBook Fold gives two USB-C ports, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2. The gadget doesn’t embrace mobile connectivity choices, limiting its independence from Wi-Fi networks. The decreased port choice in comparison with the X1 Fold might require extra adapters for customers with a number of peripherals or specialised tools.

Audio capabilities favor the MateBook Fold, which incorporates six audio system in comparison with the X1 Fold’s three. Each units characteristic four-array microphones for clear voice seize throughout video conferences. Digicam high quality is superior on the MateBook Fold, with an 8MP sensor versus the 5MP digital camera on the X1 Fold. These variations impression the multimedia expertise, significantly for customers who continuously take part in video calls or eat media content material.

Exterior show assist varies between the units. Lenovo’s Thunderbolt 4 ports allow connection to a number of high-resolution displays, supporting subtle desktop setups when wanted. Huawei’s USB-C ports present show output capabilities, however with doubtlessly fewer choices for multi-monitor configurations. For professionals who often connect with exterior shows, projectors, or specialised peripherals, these connectivity variations might considerably impression workflow effectivity.

Wi-fi connectivity requirements affect efficiency in several environments. The X1 Fold’s Wi-Fi 6E assist supplies entry to the much less congested 6GHz band, doubtlessly delivering sooner and extra dependable connections in crowded wi-fi environments. The MateBook Fold’s Wi-Fi 6 implementation continues to be succesful however lacks entry to those extra frequency bands. For customers in dense workplace environments or congested city areas, this distinction might have an effect on day-to-day connectivity efficiency.

Future growth capabilities rely largely on the port choice and requirements assist. Thunderbolt 4 supplies the X1 Fold with a forward-looking connectivity customary that helps a variety of present and upcoming peripherals. The MateBook Fold’s customary USB-C implementation gives good compatibility however lacks among the superior options and bandwidth of Thunderbolt. This distinction might turn out to be extra related as customers add peripherals and equipment over the gadget’s lifespan.

Value, Availability, and Worth Proposition

The worth equation for these units entails balancing innovation, efficiency, and accessibility. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold begins at $2,499 for the bottom configuration with a Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Absolutely geared up fashions with Core i7 processors, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage strategy $3,900. These costs sometimes don’t embrace the keyboard and kickstand equipment, which add roughly $250-300 to the whole value.

The Huawei MateBook Fold Final Design is priced between CNY 24,000 and 27,000 (roughly $3,300 to $3,700) relying on configuration. This pricing consists of the wi-fi keyboard, making the whole bundle value akin to a completely geared up X1 Fold with equipment. Nonetheless, the MateBook Fold is presently accessible solely in China, with no introduced plans for worldwide launch. This restricted availability considerably restricts its potential market impression exterior of Asia.

World assist and repair signify one other consideration. Lenovo maintains service facilities worldwide, offering dependable assist for enterprise vacationers and worldwide organizations. Huawei’s assist community is extra restricted exterior of China, doubtlessly creating challenges for customers who expertise {hardware} points in areas with out official service choices.

The target market for every gadget influences its worth proposition. The X1 Fold appeals to enterprise professionals who prioritize Home windows compatibility, international assist, and integration with present enterprise techniques. Its ThinkPad branding carries vital weight in company environments, the place reliability and safety take priority over cutting-edge specs. The MateBook Fold targets know-how fanatics and inventive professionals who worth show high quality, design innovation, and ecosystem integration. Its restricted availability and HarmonyOS platform make it much less appropriate for mainstream enterprise adoption however doubtlessly extra interesting to customers in search of absolutely the newest in {hardware} engineering.

Financing choices and enterprise leasing applications additional differentiate these units out there. Lenovo gives established enterprise leasing applications that permit organizations to deploy the X1 Fold with out vital upfront capital expenditure. These applications sometimes embrace service agreements and improve paths that align with company refresh cycles. Huawei’s enterprise companies are much less developed exterior of China, doubtlessly limiting financing choices for worldwide clients within the MateBook Fold.

Conclusion: The Way forward for Foldable Computing

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 2024 and Huawei MateBook Fold Final Design signify two distinct visions for the way forward for foldable computing. Lenovo prioritizes sturdiness, Home windows compatibility, and international accessibility, creating a tool that matches seamlessly into present enterprise environments. Huawei pushes the boundaries of {hardware} engineering, delivering a thinner, lighter gadget with a bigger show and customized working system optimized for the foldable kind issue.

For enterprise customers who require Home windows compatibility and international assist, the X1 Fold stays the extra sensible selection regardless of its thicker profile and getting older processors. Its confirmed sturdiness and enterprise-friendly options make it a safer funding for organizations deploying foldable know-how. The gadget excels in versatility, permitting customers to change between pill, laptop computer, and desktop modes with minimal compromise.

Inventive professionals and early adopters who prioritize show high quality and cutting-edge design might discover the MateBook Fold extra interesting, offered they’ll entry it of their area and adapt to HarmonyOS. The bigger, brighter show and thinner profile create a extra futuristic expertise, although the restricted software program ecosystem and regional availability current vital obstacles to widespread adoption.

Trying ahead, each units level towards mandatory enhancements within the subsequent era of foldable computer systems. Future fashions ought to incorporate the newest processors with AI acceleration, cut back weight with out sacrificing sturdiness, combine kickstands instantly into the chassis, and supply bigger, extra comfy keyboards. Show know-how ought to proceed to advance, with increased refresh charges, improved crease sturdiness, and enhanced energy effectivity. Software program should evolve to higher assist the distinctive capabilities of foldable {hardware}, with extra intuitive mode switching and optimized multitasking.

The competitors between Lenovo and Huawei advantages customers by accelerating innovation and highlighting totally different approaches to fixing the challenges of foldable computing. As these applied sciences mature and costs finally lower, foldable units will transition from govt standing symbols to sensible instruments for a broader vary of customers. The X1 Fold and MateBook Fold signify vital steps on this evolution, every contributing beneficial classes that can form the subsequent era of versatile computing units.

The perfect foldable gadget would mix Huawei’s {hardware} improvements with Lenovo’s software program compatibility and international assist. It will characteristic the thinness and show high quality of the MateBook Fold, the enterprise safety and connectivity choices of the X1 Fold, and an working system that seamlessly adapts to totally different utilization modes. Whereas neither present gadget achieves this good steadiness, each reveal outstanding engineering achievements that push the boundaries of what moveable computer systems could be.

As we glance to the longer term, the success of foldable computing will rely not simply on {hardware} specs however on the event of software program experiences that really leverage the distinctive capabilities of those versatile shows. The gadget that finally dominates this class would be the one that the majority successfully bridges the hole between technical innovation and sensible utility, creating experiences that merely aren’t potential on typical laptops or tablets. Each Lenovo and Huawei have taken vital steps towards this objective, and their ongoing competitors guarantees to speed up progress towards really transformative foldable computer systems.