- Lawrence Ng
Huawei Launches The Cheapest & Lightest 16 Inch Laptop With Latest 12th Gen Intel Chip
Huawei launched a slew of new devices from laptops, tablets, earbuds to WiFi mesh, at the Huawei APAC Smart Office 2022 event held in Bangkok.
MateBook D16
Huawei continues to deliver a strong line of budget laptops for the everyday user. The latest MateBook D16 laptop comes in 3 variants and the cheapest being the 8GB RAM + 512GB SSD and is selling at only RM $3699, approximately SGD $1100. Not only is it the most affordable 16-Inch laptop with an Intel 12th Gen Processor, it is probably the lightest 16-Inch laptop in the market. Weighing only 1.7 kg, the design is simplistic. It has 2x USB3.2 ports, 2x USB C ports, a full HDMI and a 3.5mm audio jack. The 16:10 aspect ratio laptop also comes with 65W fast charging and Huawei has also managed to shrink the charger size by 30%.
There is also a bonus version for the D16 series. The Huawei MateBook D16s version comes with an Intel 12 Gen i9 or i7 Evo certified processor. It features a 16-inch 2.5K 4:3 touchscreen display, 1x full HDMI port, 2x USB 3.2 Ports and 1x USB C, 1x USB C thunderbolt 4 port and paired with a 1080p AI webcam. The price for the Intel i7 is selling in Malaysia for RM $6799, approximately SGD $2100 and pricing of the i9 version in Singapore is yet to be released.
For those who want to keep things compact, there is also the 14-inch Huawei MateBook 14 version.
MateBook X Pro
The X series also got an upgrade. Touted as the creators' laptop, Huawei’s MateBook X Pro is now protected by a light and strong magnesium alloy unibody using a full-CNC cut. This laptop comes with an Intel 12th Gen i7 processor which will be able to manage simple 4k video editing. The 14.2-Inch laptop weighs about 1.3 kg. Its 4K screen is certified by TÜV Rheinlad for being flicker-free with low blue light emission and low reflection, which technically means it will be easier on the eyes. Huawei also claims that the screen will be colour accurate. The premium edition comes with what Huawei calls it "a Skin-Soothing Metalic Body" which feels very much like a rubbery matte paint finish. The price for the MateBook X Pro has yet been announced and hopefully it will be priced similarly to the D16s with Intel 12 Gen i9. But if you can look past the premium finishing, the D16s with its faster i9 processor and 16-Inch screen, might seem like a better buy.
Tablets, Monitors, Routers, Earbuds
Huawei’s new tablet, the MatePad Pro 11 got slightly bigger but a lot thinner compared to its predecessor. It is now an 11-inch tablet but it's only 5.9mm thin. The OLED screen has a 120hz refresh rate and is certified by TÜV Rheinlad for eye comfort. It also comes with excellent stereo sound quality which makes it a joy to consume video content. This is made possible with the integration of 4 speakers in the device. Paired with new accessories like the Huawei M-Pencil (2nd Generation) and 1.5mm detachable Smart Magnetic Keyboard, it will even be possible to perform some serious work on it.
The new Huawei MateView SE monitor can work as a standalone PC. Huawei provides options to choose whether to include the latest Intel 12th Gen i7 or i5 processor. The monitor’s screen is also certified with TÜV Rheinlad for eye comfort and it seems like a common certification you will get from Huawei’s screen moving forward.
On the wireless technology front, which arguably is Huawei’s core strength, has some new devices too. The newest Huawei WiFi Mesh 3 claims to cover over 400 square meters of floor space using WiFi 6 Plus technology. This is equivalent to 4x the size of a 5 room HDB flat in Singapore. But depending on the design of the flat and the placement of the routers and meshes, it is common that one won't get the maximum coverage.
Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 is the company’s latest earbud offering. It has partnered with Devialet and is certified HWA (Hi Res Wireless Audio) and supports LDAC, so we will be surprised if it doesn’t sound good. It also comes with TWS noise cancellation that uses Triple Microphones to boost the average ANC depth by 15% more than its predecessor. What this means is that it is very likely you will get good audio quality when using it for your video or voice calls in noisy environments. The earbuds can last 4 hrs per charge. We will share our in-depth reviews once we get our hands on one.
Super Device
Huawei has made it easier than ever for users to work and play seamlessly between Huawei devices. Firstly and most importantly, they have finally given a name to this service and it's called Super Device. How it works is that you can easily detect and connect any of your Huawei devices within close proximity. For example if you have a Huawei MateView monitor and a Huawei laptop, you can easily extend or mirror your laptop screen to the monitor wirelessly. Or if you own a Huawei tablet, you can also connect it easily with your laptop and use the tablet as a drawing or writing pad. Or if you own a Huawei smartphone, you can also easily connect it wirelessly to your laptop to show the phone’s user interface. From there, you can easily drag and drop any files between your devices. Huawei also states that it is possible to manage up to three phone apps at the same time and you can take video or audio calls through the connected laptop. The possibilities seem endless if you are onboard the Huawei ecosystem. According to Cheng Jiang Fei, Vice Department Head of Marketing, Huawei Consumer Business Group APAC, Huawei understands that most users own multiple devices and they see the need to create an ecosystem for their customers to easily switch between devices. Cheng says that the company currently do not have plans to open its services to non Huawei device users.
AMD processors are also missing from this current batch of new products and Huang Jen Hung, Senior Marketing Manager, PC & Tablet Business, Huawei Consumer Business Group says they do still have a strong partnership with AMD but whether to include its processors will largely depend on market demands and the product category.
Some of the devices will start going on sale as early as 6th August in Singapore and Malaysia.