Laptops with 16-inch screens are currently the most common in the gaming line. However, Huawei seems to see another opportunity with the MateBook D16 . This 16-inch laptop is prepared as a laptop for productivity. What are his skills like? Check out the following review.
Sleek premium design
The MateBook D16 looks premium with its sleek body design. Its thickness is only about 18.4 mm. It weighs about 1.7 Kg. It is thin and light for a 16-inch laptop. These dimensions are still ideal for everyday mobility.
Overall, the body design that carries this aluminum material feels very solid. The connectivity port it carries is also quite complete. On the left side can be found two USB-C ports, one HDMI port and one audio jack. Meanwhile, on the right side, there are two USB 3.2 Gen1 and USB 2.0 ports. It’s a shame that there is no Thunderbolt support and an SD memory card reader slot.
A big screen that is pleasing to the eye
The MateBook D16 comes with a 16-inch IPS display panel. The design is modern with thin bezels. The ratio of the screen panel to the body reaches 90%.
With a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels the display on the screen looks sharp. The field of view looks wider with an aspect ratio of 16:10. Colors are also accurate with the standard 100% sRGB color gamut coverage. The screen is very comfortable to use to support productivity, enjoy multimedia content to creative content. One plus the screen is safe for the eyes. This is thanks to the presence of support for flicker free and low blue light features certified by TUV Rheinland.
At the top of the screen you can find a webcam with Full HD 1080p resolution. It’s quite rare to find a productivity laptop with a screen above 14 inches that uses a Full HD webcam.
Keyboard is comfortable to use
Shifting to the keyboard area of the MateBook D16 brings a full-sized keyboard complete with a num pad. The size of each button is quite large and not too flat with the body. The distance between the buttons is quite right. So, comfortable to use for typing in the long term. The keyboard is also equipped with backlit lights. The brightness level of the backlit lamp can be adjusted according to the lighting conditions in the room.
At the bottom of the keyboard can be found the touchpad area which is quite large. The touchpad is responsive to the touch of a finger. The left and right mouse buttons are also comfortable to use and are not noisy when pressed.
Optimal features for productivity
As a productivity-optimized laptop, the MateBook D16 puts forward the Smart Conference feature that is supported by artificial intelligence or AI. As the name implies, this feature is optimized for video conferencing activities that have become the needs of workers. This feature can be accessed via the Huawei PC Manager application.
The MateBook D16 webcam camera is supported by a variety of very functional smart features. For example, the feature turns off the camera to protect privacy, auto centering to make sure you’re always in the middle of the frame, and Gaze Adjustment to make sure your eyes are always looking at the camera. Huawei also provides a variety of background effects to choose from and the option to use your favorite image.
Meanwhile, in the audio sector, the MateBook D16 carries four integrated microphones that can capture sound from all directions. The microphone is also equipped with an AI Noise-cancellation feature which is useful for warding off noise from around. When connected to a headset, you can also take advantage of the Voice Enhancement feature to boost your voice so that it can be heard more clearly to the other person.
Finally, the MateBook D16 is also equipped with the Huawei Metalline Antenna. This WiFi antenna technology can ensure you can connect to the network more quickly and stably.
One of the most interesting things about the MateBook D16 is that this laptop also supports the Huawei Super Device ecosystem. So, it will be an added value, especially for you users of Huawei devices.
Thanks to the Huawei Super Device, the MateBook D16 can connect to all Huawei devices more quickly and easily. Super Device also allows you to do a lot of things. From moving files, sharing screens, to doing searches between devices.
Huawei MateBook D16 Performance
The Huawei MateBook D16 that we review below comes with an Intel Core i7-12700H processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD storage space. The graphics sector relies on an Intel Iris Xe discrete graphics card. The MateBook D16 benchmark results are as follows:
To support daily productivity such as typing documents, browsing and video conferencing this specification is more than sufficient. Performance feels tight. Multitasking is very reliable. Open and close and switch many applications feels very smooth and does not lag. For light gaming, it’s still capable. For beginner creators, this laptop can also be glimpsed to create content such as editing photos and videos.
Meanwhile, for multimedia needs, it is comfortable to enjoy multimedia content on the 16-inch screen. However, the audio quality doesn’t feel special. The two speakers it carries are quite clear but feel less powerful.
Like other modern laptops, the MateBook D16 also brings a performance setting feature, namely Performance Tuning. There are two options available namely Performance and Balance. For everyday use from our tests the Balanced option could be the ideal choice. Performance mode can be selected if you need more performance like for example for content creation.
Overall this laptop is also equipped with good thermal management. The cooling fan is able to maintain the laptop’s temperature so that performance remains stable. The cooling fan is also relatively quiet in Balanced mode. It only sounds a little noisy in Performance mode. However, it is still relatively reasonable and not too annoying.
Huawei MateBook D16 Battery
Huawei MateBook D16 carries a battery with a capacity of 60 Wh. To test the battery, we used the MateBook D16 with the Balanced Performance Mode setting scheme, 50 percent screen brightness, activating Windows power saving mode, deactivating Bluetooth, not using the backlit keyboard light and connecting to WiFi. For daily productivity use such as typing documents, browsing and occasionally watching videos on Youtube, this battery can last almost 6 hours.
The battery life is not the best. Compromise on the battery is understandable considering the MateBook D16 is powered by a fast Intel Core 12th Gen H-Series processor. If only the battery life was longer and getting EVO certified from Intel would be a plus.
Conclusion
With a spacious 16-inch screen and full-size keyboard, the MateBook D16 is indeed a reliable productivity laptop. This laptop is suitable for workers or students who need a fast laptop with a large screen. Moreover, the dimensions are thin and light for a laptop in the 16-inch class. Overall the performance is also capable. Not only for productivity, the MateBook D16 can also be relied on for light content creation.
However, the impact of the processor is that the battery life becomes less durable. That way this laptop will be less than ideal for users who have high mobility and need a laptop with a long battery life.
Pros of Huawei MateBook D16:
+ Thin and light design
+ 16-inch Full HD 100% sRGB display
+ Fast performance with Intel Core 12th Gen H-series
+ Full HD webcam
+ Easy-to-use keyboard + Ultra-
compact 65W battery charger
Disadvantages of Huawei MateBook D16
– Audio is underpowered
– Does not support Thunderbolt
– Does not have an SD memory card reader slot
– Battery life is not that long
Huawei MateBook D16 is perfect for:
Workers: Powerful specs and a large screen make it ideal for supporting the productivity of everyday workers. Moreover, there is support for the Smart Conference feature which is optimized to support video conferencing.
Students: It can be an alternative for students who need a fast laptop with a large screen.
Novice creator content: The 100% sRGB display and Intel Core i7 H-series performance is adequate for content creation such as photo and video editing.
Huawei device fans:Huawei Super Device ecosystem support will provide added value for Huawei device users. Devices such as Huawei tablets, smartphones and TWS can connect to the MateBook D16 very quickly and easily. Users can also do many things to support daily productivity.
