In the hybrid work setup, the goal that remains true in all settings is to maximize efficiency and productivity. With this in mind, Huawei introduced its new Smart Office solution to the new Huawei MateBook 14, claimed to facilitate the very thing: the Huawei Super Device. Does it really serve its purpose to maximize our productivity in the workplace? And do other features work towards the same goal? Find out in this review.
Design and build
As mentioned in my first impression article, this notebook, as sleek and lightweight as it looks, weighs slightly heavy at 1.49kg, with a 15.9mm thickness. Several factors might have influenced this: its robust aluminum body, efficient cooling system, and respectable battery life. The additional ports might have contributed as well, but these don’t bother me if it means fewer attachments to bring. Nonetheless, it can still be carried with ease no matter where you go.
On the left side of the notebook, you’ll find the 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C port and HDMI. While on the right are two USB Type-A ports. Adding convenience to the user, it houses a fingerprint power button. Perfect for privacy purposes is the recessed 720P HD camera. It’s also a great way to avoid virtual meeting mishaps. My only concern, however, is since it’s situated on the keyboard, the angle of the face shown may not be the most flattering one.
Display
The benefits of having a recessed camera don’t stop at privacy reasons as its new location renders an almost bezel-free screen (4.9mm) and 90% screen-to-body ratio. With a sizable screen area, you’ll feel even more immersed while streaming your favorite shows as it also supports 2K resolution (2160×1440) and 185ppi. It was indeed a pleasurable experience witnessing firsthand how clear, sharp, and colorful the visual display is. And finally, even with long hours of work, the strain on my eyes was significantly reduced due to the adjustable eye comfort mode.
Performance
Since most like to maximize the capabilities of their notebook device for productivity and leisure, it’s imperative that it can perform exceptionally well in both scenarios. Fortunately, the Huawei MateBook 14 didn’t fall short in what it can offer. Whether you’re a content creator or a gamer, you’ll be delighted to know that this is a competent laptop equipped with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor and Intel Iris Xe Graphics; the aforementioned will allow you carry out and fulfill your daily tasks and play competitively and smoothly. And when under demanding workload, it’s likely that you won’t encounter performance issues due to its new thermal architecture — two Huawei Shark fin fans and two heat pipes.
If you’ve gotten hold of a WiFi 6 router, then you can reap the full benefits of having such since the Huawei MateBook 14 supports Wi-Fi 6. This means lower latency even with multiple devices connected, faster internet speed during intensive tasks, among others.
To complement the aforementioned features, the notebook supports up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD. Both are sufficient to accommodate your day-to-day work activities, even for demanding tasks such as video editing and gaming.
After running the device through benchmarks, here are the results:
- Cinebench- 4,176 (Multi-core), 1,261 (Single-core)
- 3DMark Time Spy- 1,081 (Time Spy score), 963 (Graphics score), 3,554 (CPU Score)
- PC Mark 10- 3,472 (PC Mark 10 score), 7003 (Essentials), 4,575 (Productivity), 3,546 (Digital content creation)
Super Device and Smart Office enabled
Utilizing several devices for different aspects of our work isn’t uncommon. And the constant transition becomes a barrier to a seamless user experience, resulting in low productivity and efficiency. Thankfully, Huawei has brought its Smart Office solution — Huawei Super Device — to the table to bridge this gap. This paves the way for individual devices to become centralized as it combines the functions of multiple devices into one Super Device. What’s more is that you get to access different modes for each pairing. A PC-tablet pairing can offer Mirror, Extend, and Collaborate modes. It gives you the flexibility to use different functionalities as you see fit.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to test out how seamless and strong the interconnection is across the devices. However, I cannot deny how appealing this notebook is, especially for work use, knowing the experience it can offer.
Battery life
Packed with a 56Wh battery and Intelligent Power Saving technology, it will power you through your work hours and still have some juice to spare for entertainment purposes. So after clocking out at work, you can immediately de-stress with YouTube or Netflix without needing to plug it in. However, if you find the need to charge, a compact 65W power adaptor (the size of a smartphone charger!), supporting SuperCharge can come to the rescue. True to its claims, it provided me with a little over 2 hours of office use with just 15 minutes of charging time.
Verdict
Consistent with its premium look, the new Huawei MateBook 14 offers an amazing line-up of specs. It’s the jack of all trades and the master of productivity — undeniably a temptation you’ll find difficult to resist. The unimaginable experience the Super Device can offer will make you want to take a deep dive into the Huawei ecosystem.
