Huawei MateBook D 16 (2024) Review: Big Screen, Small Price

Huawei’s ongoing US commerce ban has badly affected its Android smartphones and tablets within the UK and Europe. Nevertheless, an settlement with Microsoft means there aren’t any such issues for its laptops, which run on full Home windows 11.  

What’s extra, MateBook gadgets are famend for his or her glorious worth for cash, particularly when in comparison with the likes of Dell’s XPS vary and Apple’s MacBook Execs.  

So, in case you’re on the lookout for a 16-inch laptop computer and don’t want top-tier efficiency, why wouldn’t you go for the 2024 version of the MateBook D 16?  

It begins at simply £699.99 for starters however there are a couple of the reason why it won’t be best for you. 

Design & Construct

• Traditional gray aluminium design
• Comparatively light-weight
• Just one USB-C port

If you happen to’ve used any latest Huawei laptop computer, the design of the MateBook D 16 will likely be acquainted to you. The aluminium chassis is practical if a little bit boring, particularly within the Area Gray end which is your solely color possibility. 

Nevertheless, I can’t deny that it’s very effectively constructed, and feels sturdy sufficient to resist years of use. A extra eye-catching design would’ve been good, however the minimalist look makes it appropriate for just about any state of affairs. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Regardless of the selection of premium supplies, the MateBook D 16 weighs simply 1.68kg. That’s comparatively gentle for a 16-inch laptop computer and means it gained’t overwhelm your bag an excessive amount of when travelling.  

At 17mm when closed, it’s certainly not the thinnest laptop computer on the market however that helps it to keep away from feeling flimsy with out including pointless bulk. There’s additionally room for an honest vary of ports, although Huawei may’ve finished extra with the area accessible.  

My greatest grievance is that there’s just one USB-C port. It signifies that when you’re charging, you may’t join many trendy equipment and not using a separate hub. The port additionally doesn’t assist the most recent Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 requirements for quick information switch. 

It’s higher information elsewhere, with two USB-A ports (albeit the older 2.0 commonplace), full-size HDMI and three.5mm audio jack. I’ve usually complained concerning the lack of USB-A on trendy laptops, however simply want it hadn’t come at the price of USB-C performance right here. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Display screen & Audio system

• 16-inch, 1920×1200 IPS show
• Spectacular, however not probably the most color correct
• Strong twin stereo audio system

Because the identify suggests, the MateBook D 16 is provided with a 16-inch show – particularly, a 1920×1200 IPS LCD. The display screen gained’t blow you away, however it persistently impresses throughout nearly all on a regular basis duties. 

Throughout my two weeks utilizing it as my principal laptop computer, there have been no apparent weaknesses. Every thing from net looking and Phrase paperwork to picture modifying and YouTube movies appeared nice. I by no means felt like I used to be lacking out by not having an OLED. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

That may be totally different if you wish to use a laptop computer for severe photograph modifying or watching motion pictures and TV exhibits, although. Its 98% protection of the sRGB color gamut is stable, however 76% of AdobeRGB and P3 exhibits there’s room for enchancment with reference to color accuracy. 

Nevertheless, I discovered it to be greater than acceptable for informal use, particularly with good element and viewing angles. The shortage of a excessive refresh fee is a disgrace, however the usual 60Hz is way much less noticeable right here than on a smartphone or pill. 

The show is just not contact delicate, however I didn’t miss having this. It’s not a vital function, however one which I’ve loved utilizing on some earlier Huawei laptops.  

Elsewhere, I recorded a most show brightness of 315 nits. That’s completely wonderful for nearly all indoor environments, however you may just about overlook about good visibility outdoor. 

When it comes to audio, the MateBook D 16 boasts twin stereo audio system. Regardless of their place on the underside of the system, audio high quality is spectacular. There’s a heat and depth to the sound that isn’t at all times accessible on laptops, plus a pleasant hit of bass. 

At max quantity, it could ship close to room-filling sound with none audible distortion.  

Keyboard, Trackpad & Webcam

• First rate, giant keyboard and trackpad
• Nice fingerprint sensor in energy button
• Disappointing 720p webcam

The dimensions of the MateBook D 16 means there’s loads of room for each a full-size keyboard and separate quantity pad. I largely ignore the latter, however it may be essential to you as, for instance, an accountant. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Both method, it doesn’t take lengthy to regulate to the location of the keys. Inside a couple of minutes, I used to be again typing near my normal pace – regardless of the mannequin I examined utilizing the German keyboard format. 

Every key gives 1.5mm of journey, making it satisfyingly clicky with out getting too loud. And there are two totally different ranges of backlighting, so it’s straightforward to see what you’re typing from a darkish room. 

Huawei has added a couple of additional controls to the row of perform keys, together with shortcuts to the calendar and PC Supervisor app, plus toggles for Wi-Fi, the webcam and extra. 

Speaking of the webcam, the MateBook D 16 is provided with a 720p lens. It’s naturally positioned above the show, slightly than constructed into the keyboard like some earlier fashions. It instances out earlier than lengthy which is presumably to save lots of battery however annoying, nonetheless. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Nevertheless, there’s no bodily privateness shutter, and picture high quality isn’t nice. I usually appeared uninteresting and grainy on video calls, and it struggles to regulate to vibrant or dim environments. 

If you happen to want a high-quality webcam, you’ll should get an exterior one. 

With no IR sensor for Home windows Hey face unlock, the fingerprint sensor constructed into the facility button is your solely various to manually coming into a pin or password. Fortunately, the fingerprint sensor is likely one of the greatest I’ve tried on any laptop computer, persistently unlocking the system with a fast faucet. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Specs & Efficiency

• Robust Core i9-13900H efficiency
• Most cost-effective mannequin makes use of i5-12450H as a substitute
• 512GB or 1TB SSD

Efficiency on the MateBook D 16 will range vastly relying on the mannequin you get.  

The model I examined is powered by the Core i9-13900H, one of the succesful processors in Intel’s 13t-gen vary. Alongside a bumper 16GB of RAM, efficiency is predictably glorious. 

My each day workflow contains dozens of Chrome tabs, Phrase paperwork, Slack messaging, loads of emails, plus common video calls and a few photograph modifying. Even with all these open on the similar time, there was no slowdown by any means. I couldn’t even hear the followers kicking in. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The massive show makes it well-suited to multitasking, and I’m assured the high-end mannequin can deal with just about all office-related duties with out breaking a sweat. 

Sadly, I can’t be so certain concerning the entry-level model. Not solely is the i5-12450H a a lot much less highly effective chipset, it’s from the older Twelfth-gen vary which was launched again in early 2022.  

I can’t touch upon its efficiency, although different laptops with comparable specs have been good on a regular basis gadgets however in case you’re planning to make use of the MateBook D 16 for a number of years, I’d have issues over the way it would possibly maintain up over time, particularly with solely 8GB of RAM right here. 

On each fashions, you’ll get Iris Xe built-in graphics slightly than a discrete GPU. It means the system is unsuitable for the likes {of professional} graphic design and demanding video games, however that’s in all probability not what you’re shopping for it for. 

Storage additionally varies between fashions, although I’m certain most individuals will likely be proud of both a 512GB or 1TB SSD. Each are beneficiant for his or her respective value factors. 

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 aren’t fairly the most recent requirements, however this isn’t a difficulty until you’ve got a really trendy router or audio tools. 

Huawei MateBook D 16 (2024) benchmarks

Right here’s how the laptop computer compares to different big-screened laptops, although most of those are costlier:

Battery & Charging

• 56Wh battery on most cost-effective mannequin
• Strong battery life from high-end 70Wh cell
• 65W USB-C charging

Battery capability is one other factor that varies relying on the mannequin you select. The most cost effective model will get a 56Wh cell, whereas the pricier mannequin advantages from a beefier 70Wh. 

Nevertheless, even on the latter, battery life is stable slightly than spectacular. I made a aware effort to unplug it at 100% shortly after beginning work at 9.30am, and it was right down to single figures simply after 5pm. This was with brightness fairly excessive, however solely Wi-Fi utilization and common each day workplace duties. 

Subsequently, the MateBook D 16 falls simply wanting what I’d describe as all-day battery life. You’ll need to be close to an influence supply as the top of the day approaches.  

After all, you will get for much longer from a cost in case you’re simply watching a film or TV present. In our 720p video loop battery check, the MateBook D 16 lasted a good 14 hours and quarter-hour. 

While you do run out of battery, the 65W charger within the field is comparatively fast by laptop computer requirements. It went from 0-21% in quarter-hour, then 40% after half an hour. A full cost took simply over 90 minutes which isn’t unhealthy in any respect. 

Software program

As I discussed firstly of this overview, the MateBook D 16 runs a full model of Home windows 11 Dwelling. 

There are only a few modifications to the core Microsoft software program expertise. Actually, I may solely discover three: Huawei PC Supervisor (for connecting to Huawei gadgets), Huawei Cell Cloud (cloud storage) and Huawei Management Panel (for fast entry to in style instruments). 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

These will likely be genuinely helpful for some individuals, however I used to be capable of ignore them with none problem from pop-ups or notifications. 

As of late, Home windows 11 is slick and effectively optimised for a conventional laptop computer like this. It gives tons of options, in depth customisation and the power to obtain nearly any app through the net. It tends to battle extra with contact enter, however that’s not an issue right here.  

Even when a brand new main model of Home windows launches quickly, the MateBook D 16 may be very prone to be suitable. 

Value & Availability

The MateBook D 16 has a pricing construction that you just don’t usually see on laptops beginning at £699 for an Intel i5-12450H mannequin with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.  

Nevertheless, the one various within the UK is a £1,199 model with a Core i9-13900H, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. That’s fairly the leap with nothing in between corresponding to a Core i7 possibility. 

Each are that can be purchased from the Huawei UK web site, the place the i9 mannequin features a free pair of Huawei’s FreeBuds 5 earbuds. Like all Huawei gadgets, it’s not accessible within the US, although you might be able to import one. 

The perfect alternate options will range relying on which mannequin you select, however the likes of the Lenovo Yoga 7i 16, Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 and even Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air supply higher worth for cash than the MateBook D 16. 

Do you have to purchase the Huawei MateBook D 16 (2024)?

It’s troublesome to sum up the MateBook D 16, with its dramatically totally different specs between fashions, so it depends upon which one you plump for.  

On one hand, it gives a compelling expertise for simply £699, with an pleasurable show, spectacular keyboard and stable construct high quality. The fingerprint sensor is excellent, too. 

All these issues are additionally true of the £1,199 mannequin, however it will get the good thing about a way more highly effective processor and bigger battery. 

Contemplating each fashions endure from a poor webcam, just one USB-C port and no discrete graphics, neither is a straightforward suggestion. 

However when you think about the dearth of succesful sub-£700 laptops on the market, the MateBook D 16 remains to be top-of-the-line choices on the market. The high-end model is a tricky promote, although.

Specs

• 248.7 x 356.7 x 17mm   
• 1.68kg 
• 16-inch 2.5K (1920×1200) IPS show, 60Hz 
• Full-size keyboard with backlighting 
• Massive trackpad   
• 720p webcam   
• Twin stereo audio system   
• Fingerprint energy button   
• Intel Core i5-12450H/Core i9-13900H 
• Intel Iris Xe graphics  
• 8/16GB RAM 
• 512GB/1TB SSD 
• 2x USB-A 3.2  
• 1x USB-C 3.2 
• 1x HDMI  
• 1x 3.5mm audio jack   
• 56/70Wh battery 
• 65W USB-C charging 
• Wi-Fi 6  
• Bluetooth 5.1 
• Home windows 11 Dwelling