Huawei Matebook 14 (2020) Review

In 2019 the Matebook 13 had really impressed us, to the point that we had described it as “the best Ultrabook of the moment”. That judgment still holds true, in the sense that the Matebook 13 is still a fantastic computer. But finding it has become difficult and is often offered at a higher price than it should be which makes it an unattractive purchase. Fortunately, however, Huawei has recently presented its heir, namely the Matebook 14 2020. It is more a question of spiritual inheritance or at least a partial one. The Matebook 13 of 2020 is in fact equipped with AMD hardware (Ryzen 5 3500U), while those who want a product with Intel CPU can choose the 14-inch version. The Intel model, on paper at least, have a little more to offer in terms of performance but shares almost everything else. Read the entire article to learn about huawei matebook d 14 2020 review guide. 

Design

The Matebook 14 2020 is quite heavy for an Ultrabook and stops the scales at 1.5 Kg. Not many in absolute terms, but if you are used to 1.3 Kg (MacBook Air, Dell XP 13, and others), you will notice it as soon as you pick up the Matebook 14. In all likelihood, Huawei had to put “something extra” to ensure proper heat dissipation.

• The overall dimensions, on the other hand, are quite reasonable: 307x224x15.9 mm and a little larger than the 1inch (286x211x14.9), but still fits comfortably in a backpack or shoulder strap. No problem from this point of view. The design is almost unchanged from last year, and this is good news: the aluminum body is solid and beautiful to look at, the stable screen hinges, the large and ergonomic touchpad. The power key integrates the fingerprint sensor, which always works the first time.
• Impressive is the screen, which has a really thin bezel all around, just under an inch thick. The aesthetic impact is amazing but the compromise, once again, is the webcam inserted in the keyboard. Between F6 and F7 there is an additional key, which if pressed causes the camera to “tick”. Comfortable and screen graphic, but then using it the framing is unnatural, certainly not suitable for a video call as personal as it is professional.
• Too bad, since other Matebooks have the webcam positioned where it should be, that is, above the screen. In this case, it seems, Huawei has sacrificed ergonomics on the altar of aesthetics an understandable choice, but one that we do not totally agree with. The use of aluminum and the excellent quality of the assembly, finally, suggest that the Matebook 14 is also quite resistant. If you have to move often or even take him to school and college every day, he will be able to hold out.
• The equipment of ports and connections are average: USB-C (with charging and video output), HDMI, combo jack, and two USB-A (one 2.0 and one 3.0). It lacks a Thunderbolt connection, which we would have really appreciated albeit a reasonable omission by virtue of the price. Also, there is no USB-C adapter in the box, which Huawei does supply with other products.

Screen

The Matebook 14 has a 14” IPS LCD touchscreen, capable of reproducing a nice contrast and vivid but precise colors. Image quality, in general, is superior to that of other notebooks – although it probably doesn’t matter much for anyone reading email or browsing the web. But it lends itself to work as well as entertainment: you can read emails and write documents for hours without getting tired, and in the end, it will prove to be an excellent screen for enjoying a movie or TV series at the end day.

The resolution is higher than average for this type of computer and for its price range: 2160 × 1440 pixels, which offers a little more working space, without sacrificing ergonomics or straining the eyes. The Matebook 14 is already properly configured to show icons and text in the ideal size, but of course, everyone can use the Windows settings to change this. Then there is an added value: in addition to the excellent contrast, bright colors, and adequate brightness, it is also a touchscreen. On a traditional notebook (not a 2-in-1) it’s not a defining thing, but we’ve found it’s a useful addition from time to time, for scrolling through documents, ticking checkboxes, controlling media playback (with streaming, in particular, is very useful). In general, it’s not something we would pay more for, but in this case, it really feels “included in the price” and you can’t really complain about it. Apart from the fact that if you use it, and then you will also have to clean it.

Keyboard and Touchpad

As with other Huawei notebooks, the Matebook 14 (2020) is also excellent when it comes to the keyboard and touchpad. There isn’t much more to say than what other reviews have said.

• The keys are large, with perfectly balanced travel and response. The result is that you write quickly and without errors right from the start; which is all we ask of a keyboard. To be sure, we wouldn’t mind having navigation keys (PgUP, PgDw, Home, End), but they’re generally absent on small notebooks like this one. Huawei still managed to insert four directional keys large enough to be usable, which is certainly a great thing.
• The keyboard has a three-level adjustable backlight: soft light, strong light, and off. It turns off automatically when not used for a few seconds, a choice that helps make the battery last a little longer although, it is probably not the few LEDs on the keyboard that make the difference, considering the power consumption of the screen and processor.
• The touchpad is very large indeed, one of the largest we’ve ever seen in fact. It has nothing to envy to Mac trackpads and allows you to better enjoy the many gestures included in Windows 10.