Desktop workstations work the same way the moment you get them: boot it up, and start working on your reports or presentations. The moment you press the button, you come prepared with every piece of hardware you need to get going. From your smartphone and storage devices to wireless headsets, this is how an ideal workstation practically looks like.

However, the integration of all of these technologies into one workstation requires a ton of things to consider. From compatible hardware to required software, you can’t fully optimize everything in, supposedly, one sitting. Well, Huawei thought you probably could. You just need the proper hardware to bring everything together.

Enter the Huawei MateStation S and the suite of peripherals it can come with. The entire system comes with features that ultimately enhance the workstation experience, while integrating smart features here and there. For a company’s latest attempt in expanding their portfolio, I feel this is their way of creating an entire ecosystem.

But, is this workstation even worth looking at? Well, here’s what you’re getting with the MateStation S:

It comes in a compact form factor with a Star Trail design

Inside, it is powered by a 4th generation AMD Ryzen CPU

It only comes in the Space Gray colorway

Well-thought out design, but be careful

The main star of the show is this compact prebuilt system in Space Gray. Honestly, I was surprised that a workstation like this comes in a relatively small package. Like I mentioned before, its compact form factor makes it relatively easy to move around and place anywhere. I felt that this would be a good thing for people who have cramped work spaces.

Huawei also didn’t mind putting in a little flare in there with the Star Light design at the front panel. To be honest, I was looking for some way this could be useful to the system in terms of ventilation. Upon my usage of it, it’s mostly just for pure aesthetics since there’s no air coming out of it.

An extra slot for mobile RAM and another M.2 SSD

Now, this system isn’t actually totally complete in terms of a full upgrade. I’ll run down the spec sheet later on, but I found out there’s room for upgradability inside the system. From additional RAM to even installing a dedicated GPU, this is a workstation that you can turn into a beast. Of course, you have to willingly void your warranty early if you choose to open this up.

Workstation performance fit for WFH

Inside the Huawei MateStation S is an AMD Ryzen 5 4600G processor, which offers great performance and power efficiency. This hexa-core processor is great for even most basic workstations you either plan to buy or build. Along with the Ryzen 5 4600G, the MateStation S comes only with integrated Radeon graphics and 8GB of RAM.

For the most part, I had a pleasant experience using this machine for some of my business-centric tasks on my day job. From creating process documents and data reports to online video conferences, the system handled all of these quite well. When using this for social media browsing and HD video playback, it still remains fast and responsive.

Although, I don’t recommend using this workstation in its current configuration for graphic-intensive work. Sure, basic photo editing and older games work on this system but the integrated graphics option simply can’t afford going higher than that. The good thing is you can pry the system open and upgrade your RAM and GPU, but at your own risk.

Comes with a great, optional display option

Obviously, the MateStation S isn’t the only thing the entire suite contains but from here on out, these are purely optional stuff. First up is the Huawei Display, which comes in at PhP 7,999. It’s a 23.8-inch FHD display which is designed like any other monitor for offices. Apart from the gold Huawei branding and the sleek black color, there’s really nothing else fancy about it.

In my time using it, it’s a decent workstation monitor and secondary display. The display is quite bright and is relatively color accurate when watching HD videos. Although, it does suffer from a little bit of glare against sunlight so I’d rather place this far from the window, if ever. Also, it comes with the standard HDMI and VGA ports at the back — again, it’s stuff you expect from most monitors.

However, the first few times I used the monitor, I noticed a bit of a backlight issue by the right side. When it happened, it only shows up on either darker backgrounds or when I boot up the machine. Fortunately, it didn’t happen for the majority of the time I was using it, so I guess it pretty much solved itself out.

An optional, ultra-slim, smart keyboard

Another optional peripheral for the entire suite is Huawei’s Ultra-Slim Keyboard. It’s a full-sized keyboard, complete with the usual function keys catered for media and business. At first, you would think that there’s really nothing special about it. However, this is where Huawei put their smart service integration to the fullest of its extent, in my opinion.

See, this slim keyboard comes with two important features: Windows Hello and Huawei Share. At the top right of the keyboard, you will find a fingerprint sensor/button that unlocks your PC through Windows Hello. It’s fairly easy to set up, and it was quite fast in recognizing your fingerprint, as long as it’s relatively clean.

When it comes to Huawei Share, you will find this on the right Shift key and contains a built-in NFC sensor. In essence, you can use your compatible Huawei smartphones to transfer files for work or do Multi-Screen collaboration. It’s something that even their own MateBook lineup hasn’t fully integrated yet, so this is a big step up for a smarter experience. 

Is this your WorkstationMatch?

At PhP 30,999, the Huawei MateStation S provides quality performance for any business-centric workstation. Its compact form factor allows for any flexible arrangements for your workspace, and it comes with powerful hardware for all your tasks. If you just need a prebuilt system for some school work, this is one great option too.

If you’d like, you can opt to bundle this with the optional peripherals Huawei has to offer for a smarter experience. Specifically, the Huawei Ultra-Slim Keyboard would be the ideal peripheral to buy for Windows Hello and Huawei Share integration. Also, you can upgrade certain hardware inside the system at the expense of your warranty.

Overall, the Huawei MateStation S serves as a riveting workstation PC for any and all professionals, and even for the young ones in school. If you’re knee-deep in Huawei’s growing ecosystem, this expansion into the desktop PC space is something worth investing in.