The Huawei MateBook series is a range of laptops produced by Huawei. Some laptops in this series include the MateBook D 14, MateBook D 15, and MateBook X Pro, amongst others.

Released in 2022, the Huawei MateBook D16 is one of the latest releases in the MateBook series.

This laptop is the first large-screen, high-performance, lightweight notebook produced by Huawei, and it comes with major advanced improvements when compared to other laptops in the MateBook series.

This laptop comes in a minimalist and solid build quality, with a decent large display size that makes it easier to toggle between working at home and in the office without having to make use of an external monitor in both environments. Its combined specifications, alongside its responsive trackpad, and keyboard, offer maximum productivity for several tasks.

This premium laptop comes packed with high-end features to enhance excellent productivity. It is powered by the 12th generation Intel core processor that can be used effectively for demanding tasks and multitasking purposes.

The Huawei MateBook D16 laptop comes nicely packed in a top-grade cardboard mid-sized box, with the Huawei name and logo design alongside a laptop sketch on it. The unboxing of this laptop reveals the laptop itself, a 65W power adapter with a detachable USB Type-C cable, a quick start guide, and a warranty card.

Design

The Huawei MateBook D16 comes in an aluminium case and has a weight of 1.7kg (3.75lbs), which makes it lightweight. The bezels on this laptop are thin, and the overall finish on the interior and exterior is smooth, giving it a classy look.

This laptop is available in two cool colours- space grey and mystic silver. The overall design of this laptop is sleek, and its portability allows it to fit easily into a bag.

Keyboard

The Huawei MateBook D16 has a full-sized backlit keyboard, with numeric keypads that provide a comfortable typing experience with its tactile and responsive keys, alongside a large trackpad that has an awkward position but is still satisfying. The keyboard of this laptop does not have a loud clacky sound, which makes it convenient to use in public.

In place of the webcam that is usually situated within the keyboard, function keys have been replaced, and the webcam is positioned above the screen. The keypads have a 1.5mm travel that gives a comfortable feel when typing. There are the standard brightness and volume control alongside a WiFi switch, window resizer and a calculator shortcut.

For instance, the F3 key controls the backlighting of the keys. The power button close to the keyboard also comes with a fingerprint.

Interfaces/ports

The Huawei MateBook D16 is made up of the following ports:

USB-C power port
USB-C display port
HDMI 2.0 port
3.5mm headphone/mic port
USB 2.0 Type-A port
USB 3.2 Type-A port

Display

The Huawei MateBook D16 has a 16-inch display screen which provides a wide, full-view display. It has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels which is quite low, but with a maximum brightness of 300 nits, alongside a 1200:1 contrast ratio.

The measuring dimension of this laptop in W x D x H is 356.7 x 248.7 x 18.4mm, and it features a non-touchscreen panel. And has aIt offers a viewing angle of 178° which enables two people sitting close to each other to have a view of the screen simultaneously.

The narrow bezels give a screen-to-body ratio of 90% on an aspect ratio of 16:10. It has a 60Hz refresh rate and a 100% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut.

At the centre of the lid, there is a 1080P FHD webcam offering an Al camera feature that adjusts the viewing angle to keep you in the frame during video calls.

This laptop is TUV Rheinland Low Blue light and Flicker-Free certified, which minimises the emission of blue light on your screen, thereby providing maximum comfort for your eyes.

Specifications

The colour options are space grey and mystic silver
The screen size is 16 inches
The dimensions in W x D x H is 356.7 x 248.7 x 18.4mm
This laptop weighs 1.7kg (3.75lbs)
It is built with a metallic body
The screen-to-body ratio is 90%
It has a resolution of 1920 x 1200, 142 PPI
It has an aspect ratio of 16.10, and a contrast ratio of 1200:1
The viewing angle is 178 degrees
The maximum brightness is 300 nits
It has a refresh rate of 60Hz
100% sRGB colour gamut
The Operating System is Windows 11 Home
It uses 12th Generation Intel core i5 and i7 processors
The Intel core i5 processor uses Intel UHD graphics, while the Intel core i7 uses Intel Iris Xe graphics
8GB/16GB DDR4 Dual-Channel RAM
512GB NVMe PCIe SSD
It is a lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 60Wh
The battery can last for up to 6 hours
It uses a 65W Type-C fast charger; this charger is compact with a weight of 137grams.
It has a fingerprint power button.
It has a full-sized backlit keyboard with a numeric keypad
1080P FHD AI camera
For audio, there are 4 microphones, and 2 speakers
Connectivity options are: EEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, 2×2 MIMO, WPA/WPA2/WPA3, and Bluetooth 5.1
The featured applications are:

HUAWEI PC Manager
Display Manager (Eye Comfort Mode)
HUAWEI Factory Reset

TUV Rheinland Flicker Free Certification
TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification

Battery Life

The Huawei MateBook D16 comes with an outstanding capacity 60W battery alongside a 65W Type-C charger which charges the phone fully within two hours. This compact charger supports SuperCharge on several models of Huawei phones.

The battery life of this laptop is estimated to be six hours, but this may vary depending on usage.

Cost

Since this laptop is available in two variants, the cost of this laptop depends on the Intel processor it comes with. While the Huawei MateBook D16 base model with Intel core i5 costs $910, the Intel core i7 costs $1217.

Pros

Robust Design: With its aluminium casing and metal look, the Huawei MateBook D16 is built with premium materials that make it sturdy and durable
The display is clear: With the 16-inch screen, users are guaranteed an immersive viewing experience, especially with the 178-degree viewing angle that allows two people sitting together to view the screen simultaneously.
Lightweight and portable: The 16-inch screen size of this laptop does not affect its weight. It is relatively light and easy to move around, as it can fit perfectly into a laptop bag or a backpack.
Speedy performance: This laptop is equipped with the latest Intel processor, alongside its WiFi and Bluetooth, which speeds up work, and provides cool graphic visuals that give an amazing browsing experience, and unparalleled performance
Fingerprint security: It comes with a fingerprint scanner that gives you quick access to login. This saves you the stress of typing your password each time you want to login to your laptop. It also limits people from having free access to your laptop.
Storage capacity: The RAM is sufficient to store large files alongside a fast SSD.
Comfortable keyboard and trackpad: The keyboard is tactile and not so clacky when typing, while the trackpad offers great convenience.
The webcam of the Huawei MateBook D16 is positioned above the screen
This laptop has a great selection of ports

Cons

The battery life is average. With an estimated battery life of 6 hours, this laptop cannot be relied on to perform for a long duration
1200 Pixel: The resolution is quite low for the panel, which makes video quality poor
On the keyboard, some keys like the Left shift and the up and down arrows are too small, which may cause you to sometimes click on the wrong key.
There is no discrete GPU
It is pricey.

Software

The Huawei MateBook D16 runs on Windows 11. It features two pre-installed apps “Link now”, which is an alternative to Microsoft’s “phone link” companion app, and “PC Manager” which provides different tools to help connect to all your devices.

It also gives you access to take screenshots, edit photos taken by your webcam, and tweak the noise cancellation when you have to call in a noisy environment.

An Al search is present that allows you to browse files on all devices you have connected.

You can also increase the screen size if you are using a tablet, a smooth Wifi hotspot with no interruptions needed with your phone, and an AirDrop-Esque file sharing system. This is only applicable when you have a Huawei phone, laptop, or watch.

Performance

The MateBook D16 comes fully equipped with the 12th Generation Intel core processor, 8/16GB RAM, and 512 GB of SSD storage, which is sufficient storage for large files. The SSD is fast, and it handles processor-intensive tasks effectively and speedily.

It also features integrated Iris Xe graphics, making it powerful enough for photo editing and light gaming.

The combined features of this laptop provide outstanding performance for daily usage, watching videos, multitasking purposes, and gaming.

Buying Guide

The MateBook D16 laptop can be purchased in some physical stores and online sites like Amazon. This buying guide will explain some vital factors that could influence your decision on whether to buy this laptop or not. Some of these factors include:

Depending on your preferred processor, this laptop is available in 12th Generation intel core i5, and core i7
The Intel core i5 processor uses Intel UHD graphics, while the Intel core i7 uses Intel Iris Xe graphics
Weighing 1.7kg, this laptop is lightweight and can be carried around easily
The 16 inches screen size provides a wider view
The 1080P AI camera and 88° wide-angle shooting allow for multiple people to fit within the frame, which makes video conferencing hassle-free
This laptop is not a touchscreen.
The battery life of this laptop is estimated to be 6 hours
There are decent port selections, although there is no SD card slot
Since the RAM of this laptop is soldered in, it can not be upgraded
It has a full-sized backlit keyboard with a numeric keypad
It has smart microphone cancellation to block out surround sound and enhance your call quality
This laptop has a TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light & Flicker-free certification that minimises blue light and protects users from eye strain
It supports fast charging with the 65W Type-C charger; this compact charger also supports SuperCharge on several models of Huawei phones.

Some other laptops to consider in place of the Huawei MateBook D16 laptop are:

Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
Dell XPS 17 9720
Acer Swift 3
Apple MacBook Air
HP Omen 5

Related Post: HUAWEI MateBook D15 Laptop Review.

Conclusion

Conclusively, although the battery life of the Huawei MateBook D16 is not impressive, it has some cool features such as a nice compact chassis, a minimalist design, good port selection, comfortable keyboard, amongst other powerful features that enhance productivity.

The lightweight design, fast charging capability, and speedy processor of this laptop deliver outstanding performance, give it great value for its price, and make it one of the top laptops available in the market today.

FAQs – Huawei MateBook D16 Review

Q: How long does the Huawei MateBook D16 last for?

A: The 60W battery is expected to last for 6 hours, but this can carry depending on usage. However, it has a 65W main plug and a USB-C cable with which you can charge your smartphones, as well as your laptop.

Q: Is the Huawei MateBook D16 worth buying?

A: The Huawei MateBook D16 gives great value for its price. Although it is quite pricey, this sleek 16-inch laptop has a sturdy look and classy design and is equipped with high-end components and features that make it worth buying.