Huawei’s latest laptop has fallen short of expectations for a semiconductor breakthrough, reflecting how U.S. sanctions are hindering the manufacturing ambitions of China’s communist regime, according to a Canadian-based consultancy, TechInsights.
The Matebook Fold is powered by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), the largest foundry in mainland China. It utilizes the 7nm chipset, the same technology used in Huawei’s 60 Pro smartphone, which startled Washington in 2023. This falls short of industry-wide speculation that, after 2 years, the laptop would feature SMIC’s next-generation 5nm-class chip, according to a report by TechInsights on June 23.