Huawei’s Matebook Fold Highlights China’s Semiconductor Challenges

Huawei’s Matebook Fold, powered by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), the largest foundry in mainland China, features a 7nm chipset—the same technology used in Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro smartphone. This falls short of industry expectations that the laptop would utilize SMIC’s next-generation 5nm-class chip, as noted in a June 23 TechInsights report. Foundries like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Samsung are projected to introduce 2nm chips within the next two years. TechInsights stated that SMIC’s inability to achieve a 5nm-equivalent node at scale suggests limited progress since August 2023. Despite these challenges, Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei downplayed concerns, stating that alternative methods, such as cluster computing, could bridge the sanctions gap with similar results to Western technologies. However, TechInsights noted that Huawei’s current chip technology lags several generations behind foundries like Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD. The introduction of 2nm chips by TSMC and Intel could leave China at least three generations behind within the next one to two years. This highlights the broader struggle of China’s semiconductor industry to keep pace with global advancements, despite efforts to develop indigenous technologies.

Published: 6/28/2025