Huawei MateBook 14 2024 Review

The takes the MateBook series into the world of OLED displays, offering a significant upgrade over the 2023 model. One of the standout improvements is the switch from a 300-nit IPS LCD to a 450-nit OLED panel. This is also the first MateBook in the series to support a stylus, further enhancing its appeal.

The 2024 model replaces last year’s i7-1360P with the more efficient and faster Core Ultra 7 155H. It’s also lighter than its predecessor, adding portability to its list of pros.

Specifications: The MateBook 14 2024 ships with a 65W charger featuring a built-in USB-C cable and comes in two configurations: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H or Core Ultra 7 155H, paired with 16GB of RAM and either 512GB or 1TB of storage.

Design and Build Quality

The MateBook 14 2024 features a classic yet somewhat understated design. Our review model came in Green, a refreshing alternative to the standard silver and grey laptops. The device is made of metal, lending it a premium feel, and weighs just 1.31 kg, with a thickness of 14.5mm.

Upon opening the lid, you’re greeted by the beautiful OLED display, complemented by black bezels, a green deck, and a black keyboard. The green theme extends to the preloaded wallpaper, offering a cohesive aesthetic.

Display: The OLED display is a significant upgrade from the previous LCD panel, with a resolution of 2880×1920 pixels and a 3:2 aspect ratio, perfect for photo and video editing. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate and boasts 100% sRGB and DCI-P3 coverage, making it ideal for creatives.

We measured 460 nits of brightness in SDR mode and up to 550 nits in HDR mode. While it doesn’t match the MateBook X Pro 2024’s near 1000-nit display, it’s still impressive. OLED flickering at lower brightness levels may affect some users.

Keyboard and Trackpad: The keyboard on the MateBook 14 2024 offers a pleasant typing experience, with 1.5mm key travel and a backlight with two stages. The only downside is the lack of a Numpad, but that’s expected for compact laptops.

The trackpad is a decent size but falls short of the premium feel offered by glass surfaces. Huawei opted for a plastic trackpad, which doesn’t provide as smooth an experience for gestures or finger sliding.

Ports: The MateBook 14 2024 offers a good selection of ports but lacks Thunderbolt 4, which could be a dealbreaker for some users. It includes a USB-C port (for data, charging, and DisplayPort), two USB-A ports (3.2 Gen 1), an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Camera and Speakers: The 1080p webcam is average in quality, and while Huawei’s PC Manager offers virtual backgrounds and a beauty filter, there’s no advanced camera setup here. On the audio front, the MateBook 14 2024 features two bottom-mounted speakers that deliver loud and clear sound with decent bass, making it suitable for media consumption.

Performance and Battery Life: Powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H, the MateBook 14 2024 delivers excellent performance for office tasks, photo and video editing, and even light gaming. During stress testing, it maintained stable performance, cooling efficiently without excessive fan noise.

Battery life is another strong point. The 70Wh battery lasted over 10 hours in video streaming tests and more than 9 hours during web browsing, which is impressive for a laptop in this category.

Conclusion

The Huawei MateBook 14 2024 is an excellent all-around laptop for everyday use, offering a high-quality OLED display, good battery life, and a solid build. Priced at £1,199 (or £999 during discounts) and €1,350, it undercuts rivals like the Asus Zenbook 14 and the MacBook Air while offering comparable or better specs.

Pros:

• OLED touchscreen with HDR support and 120Hz refresh rate
• Huawei’s useful 3:2 aspect ratio
• Good battery life (10+ hours)
• Lightweight design
• Decent port selection
• Powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor
• Attractive Green color option

Cons:

• No Thunderbolt 4
• Intel-only configuration, while competitors offer better performance
• Last-gen Intel Meteor Lake processor
• Plastic trackpad
• No face login for Windows Hello, only fingerprint