Huawei MateBook 14 hands on the exam



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At the MWC 2019, Huawei seized the opportunity to launch one of his strangest choices for a laptop, at least at first glance: the Huawei MateBook 14.

The MateBook 14 aims to be a unique step under the X Pro for consumers who want the same level of power without unnecessary features.

How will this laptop be better suited for MateBook X Pro fans? It will be difficult to say without an official price for the moment, but it nevertheless looks like an awesome laptop.

Huawei MateBook 14

Price and availability

Unfortunately, Huawei has not yet discussed the price of the MateBook 14, although the laptop is available in the US in May, with a larger version to come. Although we do not know exactly how much a laptop will cost, here's what it will start on the inside.

The entry-level MateBook 14 will include an 8th-generation Intel Core i5-8265U processor with Intel UHD Graphics 620, 8GB of DDR3 memory and a 256GB SSD. For those who want more power, a processor Intel Core i7-8565U is available, doubling memory and storage, as well as dedicated Nvidia MX 250 graphics cards.

The two options in MateBook 14 include the 14-inch touchscreen and 14-inch fingerprint reader, with a resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels, in the power button for the biometric connection via Windows Hello.

If you are wondering how this laptop is different from the MateBook X Pro, it is largely due to the technology of the screen and available ports.

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Design and display

The funny thing about the Huawei MateBook 14 is that it does not just look like a much larger MateBook 13, or a slightly larger MateBook X Pro, but rather a fusion of the two. This version of Huawei's laptop uses the sleeker two-part aluminum chassis of MateBook 13, but also includes the hidden webcam under the MateBook X Pro's keyboard.

Like all its laptops, Huawei sells the MateBook 14 in the "Mystic Silver" and "Space Gray" varieties. The MateBook 14 measures 0.63 inches in thickness and weighs 3.28 pounds. This is why the Huawei's thickest and heaviest machine, but not much.

This additional vertical space gives the MateBook 14 enough ports over the MateBook X Pro: a USB-C 3.1 port (supported), a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port and an HDMI port.

Regarding the display, Huawei has made sure to be as accurate in color as its main laptop, 100% of the sRGB range. However, in the spirit of a lower price, the screen is not as sharp, with 2160 x 1440 pixels, and the contrast ratio of the display (1000: 1) and the brightness ( 300 nits) are a little lower in comparison.

The touch screen supports the same exclusive touch-based cut-and-paste tool as the MateBook X Pro, which could facilitate the sharing of screen captures and other content. Huawei also opted for a larger 3: 2 aspect ratio for this screen, of course.

The huge screen-to-screen ratio of 90% of the screen, thanks to ultra thin glasses, is certainly impressive. However, we would have much preferred that Huawei sacrifice a little this figure for a webcam above the screen, as with the MateBook 13. This decision will only return buyers who end up in many video meetings.

Huawei MateBook 14

Performance

Since the MateBook 14 uses much of the same hardware as the all-new Huawei MateBook 13, we already have a good idea of ​​what this notebook is capable of. Check out these tests to get a good idea of ​​what to expect here in terms of performance.

As for the use of the laptop, the keyboard and touchpad look almost identical to those of the 13-inch model just released. That said, the keyboard's running time is astonishingly deep for such a thin notebook and the feedback is punchy.

The display is still alive and dynamic, but we find that the touch screen sharing feature is a bit lacking, mainly because of the inaccuracy of the human finger. It is difficult to accurately cut the contents of a screen capture with a chubby index.

As for the duration of use of the laptop, Huawei promises to use the 57.4Whr battery of the MateBook 14 battery up to 15 hours in normal use. Of course, we expect a high, albeit slightly lower, number of complete reviews.

Huawei MateBook 14

Early verdict

The Huawei MateBook 14 may seem indistinguishable from the new MateBook X Pro at first, but a closer look reveals major differences. These differences could be useful for audiences wanting to benefit from the power profile of MateBook X Pro, without the added subtleties, rather well.

However, the real appeal of the MateBook 14 will ultimately depend on its price. The appeal of this laptop is almost solely based on its much cheaper price than Huawei's best laptop. Will the MateBook 14 become the lightest model to beat or should we all be better off splurging on a MateBook X Pro?

  • MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, filled with the latest phones, tablets, apparel and more. TechRadar is live from Barcelona all week to inform you of the latest news of the show. Head to our dedicated MWC 2019 see all new releases, as well as TechRadar's world-class analytics and shopping tips for your next phone.

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