Huawei Unveils Kirin XE90 and X90 Plus PC Chips for Next-Gen HarmonyOS Laptops
Huawei has officially introduced two new PC processors, the Kirin XE90 and Kirin X90 Plus, signaling a major step forward for its HarmonyOS computer ecosystem. The announcement marks the company’s first public presentation of its latest PC-focused Kirin silicon, with Huawei positioning the XE90 as an efficiency-first chip and the X90 Plus as a higher-performance processor for more demanding devices.
The new chips will power two upcoming Huawei laptops: the MateBook Pro S and the MateBook Fold Ultimate Design. Both devices are scheduled to launch on August 5, giving Huawei a fresh opportunity to showcase how its in-house hardware and HarmonyOS software can work together across tablets, laptops, and commercial PCs.
During the HarmonyOS computer technology briefing, Zhu Dongdong, president of Huawei’s Tablet and PC product line under Terminal BG, outlined the company’s broader vision for its computing platform. Huawei plans to keep investing in desktop-class processor development while building a unified HarmonyOS foundation across consumer and business devices.
The Kirin XE90 will debut inside the MateBook Pro S, described as Huawei’s lightest laptop to date. This pairing makes sense, as the XE90 is designed around high efficiency, making it better suited for thin, portable laptops where battery life, thermal control, and quiet operation are key priorities.
Meanwhile, the Kirin X90 Plus will power the MateBook Fold Ultimate Design. As a high-performance processor, the X90 Plus appears to be aimed at a larger and more premium device where Huawei can take advantage of a bigger chassis and improved cooling potential.
Huawei did not reveal full technical specifications for either processor, leaving details such as core count, GPU configuration, clock speeds, and manufacturing process partially unknown. However, the company did share performance claims for the Kirin XE90, stating that it delivers 23% higher single-core performance, 25% better efficiency, and 40% stronger NPU performance compared with the original Kirin X90.
Those improvements suggest that the XE90 may be more than a simple refresh of the earlier X90 chip. The claimed gains in neural processing performance point to a stronger AI engine, which could improve tasks such as image processing, real-time translation, intelligent scheduling, local AI features, and other HarmonyOS-powered productivity tools.
Huawei also demonstrated ray tracing support on HarmonyOS PCs, using basketball games to highlight the graphics capability. This is a notable development for Huawei’s PC platform, as ray tracing support could make future HarmonyOS laptops more appealing for gaming, visualization, and graphics-heavy applications.
The original Kirin X90 was not widely associated with dedicated ray-tracing hardware, which makes the new demonstration especially interesting. The addition of ray tracing suggests that Huawei may be using newer GPU technology in the XE90 or X90 Plus rather than relying only on minor updates to the previous chip design.
Huawei also indicated that the Kirin X90 Plus uses a smaller process node than the original Kirin X90, which was based on a 7 nm-class process. The company has not confirmed the exact manufacturing node, but the move to a smaller process could help improve performance, power efficiency, or both.
For Huawei, the Kirin XE90 and X90 Plus are more than just new processors. They are part of a larger effort to strengthen its independence in the PC market and expand the role of HarmonyOS beyond smartphones and tablets. By combining custom chips, proprietary software, and tightly integrated hardware, Huawei is building a computing ecosystem that can compete on performance, efficiency, AI features, and device continuity.
The upcoming MateBook Pro S and MateBook Fold Ultimate Design will be the first real-world tests for these new Kirin PC processors. If Huawei’s performance and efficiency claims hold up, the Kirin XE90 and X90 Plus could become important milestones for HarmonyOS laptops and the company’s broader PC ambitions.
