Huawei’s laptop that opens into an 18-inch OLED screen already looked pretty futuristic when it first debuted. But the 2026 update makes the laptop even better. The company has improved performance and display durability, which brings another layer of interaction.
The refreshed Huawei MateBook Fold Ultimate Design unfolds into an 18-inch, 3296 x 2472 dual-layer OLED display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, 1,600 nits of peak brightness, and a 92% screen-to-body ratio. Fold it into a laptop shape, and each half becomes a more portable 13-inch, 3:2 screen. Despite that enormous panel, the device weighs 1.16kg without its detachable keyboard. It measures 7.3mm at its thinnest point when open and 14.9mm when closed.
Huawei toughened up the enormous folding screen
The headline display specifications remain largely familiar, but Huawei has redesigned the protective structure covering the OLED. Its new composite ultra-thin glass layer now supports the Huawei M-Pen 3 and offers a claimed 90% improvement in impact resistance over the previous MateBook Fold.
Huawei’s new folding notebook has also received an SGS five-star certification for whole-device screen drop and impact resistance. Those figures come from Huawei’s internal testing, so independent durability testing will still matter.
Stylus support substantially expands what you can do with the unfolded screen. Huawei shows the M-Pen 3 being used for handwritten notes, document annotations, drawing, presentations, and design work. The pen can also operate as a remote pointer and page-turning controller in supported apps.
This genuinely opens up the true potential of this large 18-inch canvas. Huawei adding stylus support makes the laptop more versatile and improves its overall functionality. So aside from the various refinements, this seems like the most obvious upgrade.
A new Kirin chip powers the folding spectacle
Inside sits Huawei’s new Kirin X90 Plus, operating at up to a 28W TDP. Huawei claims the combination of its new processor and HarmonyOS 6.1 improves overall system performance by 25% compared with the previous-generation MateBook Fold. Although oo independent benchmarks are available yet.
HarmonyOS 6.1 also brings foldable-specific multitasking, cross-device clipboard sharing, phone and tablet integration, offline meeting transcription, and an AI system capable of detecting face-swapping during supported video calls. The refreshed MateBook Fold starts at an eye-watering 24,999 yuan in China (roughly $3,700), 1,000 yuan more than the original model’s launch price. It comes in Streaming Gold, Sky White, and Phantom Black. Huawei has not announced international pricing or availability.
The hefty price tag makes it even more expensive than some ultra-premium laptops like the ASUS Zenbook Duo that I reviewed. Though models like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold and ASUS Zenbook Fold 17 are its direct competitors.
