The 2020 lineup of Huawei's MateBook line was a runaway success. It employed AMD chips which had a widely popular reception among consumer PC and gaming PC lineup. The company is trying to replicate the success by bringing 11th-gen Intel chips to this year's lineup of computing machines. First off the bat is the Huawei MateBook D15 which concentrates in giving bigger screen real estate and powerful performance.
Huawei MateBook D15 (2021) Review
The Huawei MateBook D15 2021 is only priced at PHP 52,999 for the Core-i5 model. With this, you'll obviously get a faster machine, with an improvement in graphics. If you're in the market for a new laptop, join us in this review and see if this is the one for you.
Design
The Huawei MateBook D15 2021 looks similar to last year's model. It has an aluminum case accented with metal trimmings and the minimalist Huawei logo on the lid. This design philosophy is now being associated to Huawei despite the fact that it also looks like Apple's MacBook.
However, this formula has been tried and tested by Huawei. If it worked last year, why change it? The chassis still looks premium even though we know that the MateBook D15 2021 is gunned for the mid-range bracket.
There's still the fingerprint-embedded power button beside the Delete key. It adds another layer of protection to the device which is supported by Windows Hello. The machine can store multiple fingerprints intended for multiple users. In terms of body dimensions, the laptop does not come with a significant heft with it. It only weighs 1.56 kilograms, with 16.9 mm depth.
In my opinion, the overall design is very good. It's a well put together laptop that you'd definitely want to use anywhere due to its lightness and ease of use.
Ports, Keyboard, and Touchpad
This year's Huawei MateBook D15 offers a generous selections of ports and buttons. We have two USB 2.0 ports and a 3.5-mm audio jack on the right. The jack also doubles as the microphone input. The left side houses the HDMI port, USB-C and USB 3.2 ports.
You can access the recessed camera button on the keyboard area, in the middle of the function rows (F6 and F7). This implementation allows Huawei to design slimmer bezels around the display. On top of that, it adds another layer of security when you're not using the camera, though you may not like your camera angle when taking video calls.
Speaking of the keyboard, we have a full-size set here. Its chiclet keys gives users the ease of typing they need. Keys are not crammed and the whole keyboard section gives ample spaces for you to rest your hands while typing.
The keys also facilitate good travel distance that gives satisfactory feedback when typing. Just like any other laptops in this range, it skipped the inclusion of the number pad as compromise for a slick and compact footprint. Those who are fond of sneaking work loads in the dark won't be happy with MateBook D15's lack of keyboard lighting.
Just like the model it replaces, we have an ample real estate when it comes to the touchpad. Using it without the mouse can get you through with some tasks. It supports gesture functions and is quick to detect your taps. Its accidental tap rejection is also on point.
Display
Huawei MateBook D15 2021 offers a generous 15.6-inch LCD display, with thin bezels on the sides and top. The bottom bezel is thicker than the rest; with it, is the Huawei branding.
We have a Full HD IPS display with 87% screen-to-body ratio. Huawei also claims that the panel is TÜV Rheinland certified for low blue light and sports a peak brightness levels of 250 nits. The 16:9 aspect ratio is wide enough for you to work with multiple windows when you're multitasking.
Colors come with enough saturation and accuracy. Though we think that the display's brightness is more than enough when using it indoors, it may lack some for outdoor use, especially in broad daylight. The panel also delivers high contrast in line with Huawei's specs of 800:1 contrast ratio.
Performance
The Huawei MateBook D15 2021 is powered by Intel's 11th Generation mobile processors. Our unit packs an Intel Core i5-1135G7 that is developed in 10nm process. You can also opt for the 10th Generation Intel Core i3 variant which could definitely keep up with the Core i5 model in most cases, and comes with a lower price of PHP 31,999.
The MateBook D15 2021 Core i5 flexes its muscle in most of our daily tasks. Though we could hardly spot the difference on the outside, the current model is pulling some strings when it comes to performance. Compared to last year's Ryzen model, this computing machine brings a lot to the table in terms of processing power and speed.
The chipset is paired with Intel Iris Xe GPU, 16GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD storage. This laptop is ideal for productivity tasks like working on spreadsheets, creating content, making visual reports, casual photo editing, and even light video editing.
Moreover, you can play casual games in this laptop. Heavy gaming? Not so much. Games like Legends of Runeterra and NBA2K21 are very playable in this laptop without having to worry much of heating problems. Paired with a great display and capable speaker, you can enjoy streaming content using the MateBook D15 (2021).
Software and Battery
The Huawei MateBook D15 2021 is supported by Windows 10 Home with some of Huawei's preinstalled software like the PC Manager. There are also default Windows apps like Office 365 and Windows Defender, to name a few.
The laptop also supports our favorite features - the Huawei Share and Multi Screen Collaboration. These jewels could seamlessly transfer your files from your Huawei phone to your laptop. These are great features for content creators and productivity professionals in general.
There's a 42Wh battery that's powering the MateBook D15 2021. This capacity is sufficient enough to get you going at least 6 hours. If you need to stack up the juice, you can grab the 65-watts USB-C SuperCharge set. The charger uses a USB-C to USB-C cable. This also doubles as data transfer cable.
The Wrap
The Huawei MateBook D15 (2021) is a clear choice in this category - one that's easy to recommend actually.
It may not have the essential upgrade from the the outside, but the choice of switching to 11th Gen Intel chips is something that we have called for in quite a while. This allows users to take advantage of the latest processor Intel has to offer. Couple that with useful Huawei-developed software like the Huawei Share, you'll get a seamless experience and better productivity if you're already taking advantage of the Huawei's ecosystem.
The Huawei MateBook D15 2021 is priced at PHP 52,999. You can also opt for the Core i3 variant which is only priced at PHP 31,999, if the latter is way above your budget.
Highlights:
- Classic minimalist design
- Almost bezel-less display
- Speedy processor
- Great value for money
Huawei MateBook D15 (2021) Specs
Dimensions:
Width: 357.8 mm
Depth: 16.9 mm
Height: 229.9 mm
Weight: Approx.1.56 kg.
Display:
15.6-inch IPS LCD 1920 x 1080p
Screen-To-Body Ratio: 87%
Contrast Ratio: 800:1
Brightness: 250 nits
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Windows 10 Home
11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7
16GB DDR4
512 GB NVMe PCIe SSD
Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5.0, compatible with Bluetooth 4.2, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Recessed camera
Camera Pixels: 1MP (720p HD)
Speaker Power: 2 W each x 2
Number Of Microphone: 2
Hall Sensor, Fingerprint Sensor
HUAWEI PC Manager, Monitor Manager (Eye comfort mode), factory reset
Ports:
1x USB-A 3.2
2x USB-A 2.0
1x USB-C
1x HDMI
3.5 mm headset and microphone 2-in-1 jack
Touchpad and Keypad: Chiclet keyboard, Full-size keyboard
Two-in-one power button and touch fingerprint sensor
Mystic Silver
PHP 52,999 - Core i5
PHP 31,999 - Core i3
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