PUBLISHED ONJanuary 27, 2021 9:00 AMByRainer Cheung
New year, new laptop?
If you're still lugging around a heavyweight laptop in this age of working on the go, the answer is probably a resounding yes.
I mean, when you think about it, it's not often that you'd find yourself behind your desk in the office nowadays, and purely working within the same four walls you sleep can wear you down - which is why working from hotels, Starbucks, co-working spaces and all has become so popular.
The downside is really just this: your laptop's too heavy to warrant ferrying it around town and there's never any power plug available when you need it. Oh, and there are files your client sent over the phone but you didn't bring the cable to connect the two devices. Joy.
With the release of the latest Huawei Matebook 14, the typical problems associated with remote working aren't that much of a problem anymore.
Light and portable
The latest addition to Huawei's laptop lineup delivers a powerful performance while weighing in at just 1.49kg and is a mere 15.9mm thick.
Take it anywhere — the office, the cafe, that co-working space you've been eyeing, on a cross-island visit to a client — lifting it doesn't feel like a workout.
The laptop's chamfers (fancy word for the bit between the screen and the shell) are made with a sophisticated diamond cut. It's matched by an equally elegant shell made of high-strength aluminium that sports a sandblasted finish, which gives it a smooth, smooth texture that feels so good in hand.
It's hardy and durable too. The body can withstand the rough and tumble of everyday life with ease. No more worries about accidentally scratching or denting the device - but we'd still advise against extremely rough handling anyways.
Convenient and seamless workflow
These days it's not enough to rely on just one device to handle your day-to-day work, but having to switch between devices is such a chore. With Huawei Share, however, cross-platform is so much easier.
Huawei Share's Multi-screen Collaboration allows users to control both the Matebook and their Huawei smartphones on one laptop screen without having to manoeuvre between the two. Yes, that means you can view your phone's images and videos from the Matebook's screen, and easily click and drag files between the devices.
There are plenty of other features that Huawei Share offers, but the most outstanding two (to us, at least) have to be its clipboard sharing function, which allows you to copy text from one device and paste it in another, and its ability to let you pick up audio and video calls to your phone through the Matebook. Hands-free!
Reliable battery
The Matebook 14 stays powered all day long on a single charge thanks to its 56Wh battery, which means you can enjoy up to 10 hours of continuous drama-binging without having to fret over finding the nearest power outlet.
If you do need some extra juice though, its portable USB-C charger does the job in just a couple of minutes. It takes just 30 minutes to go from zero to 46 per cent, but even a short 15-minute blast will give you three hours.
Not only does the charger weigh a meagre 160g, it also doubles up as a portable charger for other USB-C devices, especially so for Huawei phones with Huawei Supercharge.
In addition, it supports multiple voltage and current combinations for easier international travel.
Bells and whistles
When you open up the Matebook 14, the first thing you'd notice is how slim the bezels are. The laptop boasts a massive 90 per cent screen-to-body ratio thanks to the thin top and side bezels. The thickest bezel is at the bottom, where Huawei's name is written.
You'd realise the apparent lack of a webcam too, except that it's not missing, just hidden. The recessed camera is actually located on the keyboard, right between the F6 and F7 keys. It pops up when pressed but otherwise stays hidden, great for protecting your privacy.
The placement of the camera, however, does result in a slightly more unflattering double chin onscreen, considering the angle.
And because we love anything that's convenient, switching on the device and logging into your account has been made seamless on the Matebook 14 too. The power button, located at the top right, has a fingerprint sensor integrated into it, which automatically authenticates your identity when you power up your device.
Oh and it features touch screen support too.
Powerful performance
The Matebook 14 runs on a 7nm AMD Ryzen 400H series processor, which has up to eight cores and is equipped with AMD Radeon Graphics to deliver graphic performance capable of handling anything from gaming to content creation.
It also comes with two pre-set power profiles: Standard and Performance. The former's great for day-to-day tasks but if you ever want to go full throttle, all you have to do is press FN and P to enter Performance mode.
The laptop's high-density motherboard supports improved heat dissipation using its two shark-fin fans. The thinner, denser fins produce better airflow, and coupled with a set of six sensors that monitor the laptop's thermals and automatically scale the fan's speed, the laptop is silent.
Verdict
It is what it is — an ultraportable productivity laptop with great performance, perfect for content creators, working professionals, students and anyone who's got to work on the go.
Its build is sturdy and reliable, the device is easy to bring around and the battery life won't have you scrambling last-minute, asking a wait staff for the seat next to their power point.
At just $1,298, the Matebook 14 is value for money. If you're looking for a well-made everyday laptop that offers great daily-use performance and long battery life, it's pretty much a steal.
The Huawei Matebook 14 is up for grabs at all Huawei concept stores, as well as selected consumer electronics stores such as Best Denki, Challenger & Hachi.tech, Courts and Gain City. Alternatively, since this is the age of online shopping, it's also available on online stores on Lazada and Shopee.
This article is brought to you in partnership with Huawei.
rainercheung@asiaone.com