Here's the thing with me, I easily snap when my devices cannot keep up with my pace, most especially on laptops. As a social media manager and blogger, I'm no stranger to having multiple tabs on my browser with Spotify in the background. There'll also be days when Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro will be utilized as well. My work requires me to provide content stat and having a trusty laptop is a must. Now that I have the new Huawei MateBook 14 2021, a put it to the WFH (Work from Home) test to see if it can keep up with my work demand.
Unboxing
The Huawei MateBook 14 comes in a standard white packaging that's similar to their other products. Upon opening, all items are compartmentalized inside with the laptop protected in between styrofoam. The box contains the 65W USB-C Power Adapter (a bigger version of the Huawei smartphone power bricks), long USB-C Charger Cable, Quick Start Guide, and Warranty Card.
Aesthetics / Build Quality
The Huawei MateBook 14 may be compact in appearance but it is sturdy with its solid metal build. I liked how the finish of the device is matte for the most part with glossy linings, allowing me to appreciate the Space Gray color better. The top part of the laptop is fingerprint-magnet but is manageable with a few wipes of microfiber cloth.
It's my first time to try a laptop with a fingerprint scanner and boy it was life-changing! It's convenient located at the upper right part of the laptop for when you need to turn on or unlock your device. I have a complicated password for extra security and being able to log in with a light, single touch is such a breeze in order for me to get work started.
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| The ports on the left and right side of the laptop |
It is also equipped with different ports such as one USB-C port that supports data, charging, and DisplayPort, two USB 3.2 Gen1 ports on the right side of the device, and one 3.5 mm Headset and Microphone Jack. Now that I use a second monitor, I appreciate the presence of the HDMI port to help me seamlessly expand my laptop view.
It also has rubber stoppers at the bottom that serve different functions -- to keep the fan well-ventilated, to keep the speakers unobstructed, and to refrain the laptop from moving. The laptop mic is situated beneath the bottom rubber stopper, which is amazing because it refrains the laptop to pick up unnecessary background audio like an electric fan.
The keyboards sport HUAWEI's backlit chiclet keyboard. It has a nice tactile feel that's perfect if you're always typing. I also appreciate how the arrow keys also serve as navigation keys. No need for the extra home, end, page up, and page down keys anymore!
The recessed camera in the keyboard came in as a surprise because most laptops today situate their webcam on the top-center of the screen. I get that it's hidden in the keyboard as an added security layer and to keep the bezels slim, but I wasn't feeling it because of the unflattering camera angle.
The trackpad, on the other hand, is big enough to cater to my navigation needs. It registers the click right away and does the job as stated in the fine print.
Work from Home Test Experience
Display
The 2k FullView display is a feast in the eyes with the 90% screen to body ratio and 3:2 aspect ratio. The 14-inch laptop screen enabled me to see more details that enabled me to increase my work efficiency. Also, I liked how the color of the images was rendered accurately as it helped a lot in color-correcting my photos and videos.
Let's talk about the touchscreen! My boyfriend has always adored his HUAWEI P30 phone's touchscreen and even let me try it on his phone. I'm glad that their high-precision multi-touch screen is made available on the MateBook series. While I liked to preserve the pristine state of my screen, I cannot deny the efficiency brought by the touchscreen. You know what else is cool about this feature? The captured screenshot can also convert any writing in it to text format!
Video Editing
I was able to render the video below in balance mode with ease. What more if it's already in performance mode! All thanks to the 16GB RAM and 11th Gen Core Processors, it was easy to scrub through my 4k footages via Adobe Premiere Pro and create this 6-minute montage in less than an hour. (Bear with me as I am still learning the ropes of this software lol)
Also, the laptop is equipped with 512 GB NVMe PCIe SSD storage which enabled me to store my heavy files within the device as I was editing them. Everything ran smoothly which is so amazing because my frustrations from my old laptop went away in a snap!
Multitasking
When you work in social media, you'll always be faced with many open tabs on the browser. All my files are in the cloud which is why I almost always end up with slow computer midday. It wasn't a problem with the MateBook 14 as I had no troubles working on my requirements on a day-to-day basis. It's also that powerful that I was able to play music and videos on the side without the device lagging.
The Huawei Share feature is also a gamechanger! I tried tapping my boyfriend's P30 to the touchpad and I was able to immediately access the device on my laptop right away. It's perfect for multi-screen collaboration, fast file transfer, and phone calls. For the longest time, some of our photos from Japan are stored in his phone and I was able to get it from his gallery with a few drag and drops!
Battery Life
Similar to other HUAWEI devices, the brand stays true to its words in terms of long battery life. I found myself charging this laptop once a day just because it lasts me the entire day of browsing the internet with Spotify on the side. The idea of having one power brick for all HUAWEI devices is also amazing because it lessens the need to bring more cables and power bricks on errands and trips.
Verdict
I'm not paid to say this but I am officially a convert of the HUAWEI ecosystem. Trying the MateBook 14 laptop for the first time helped me land on this decision. I've always admired the brand for its bang-for-the-buck innovations and long battery life and they've been consistent with this promise ever since.Specifically to the MateBook 14, it didn't let me down in terms of all my online deliverables. To be honest, my only qualm is the camera but the rest of the features are top-notch! I love how I can trust this laptop for my multimedia needs because of its specifications, may it be video editing or mere media consumption.
The only thing I have in mind right now is to perhaps score the next HUAWEI flagship phone to complete the ecosystem experience. Hmmm...
Get the HUAWEI MateBook 14 2021 for PHP 64,999 and other HUAWEI MateBook Family 2021 laptops via the Huawei Online Store, Lazada, Shopee, or in-stores!
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