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Honor Magicbook (Intel 8250U vs. AMD 2500U) Laptop Review

Looking for the magic... Honor has been a well-established smartphone manufacturer in Europe for some time now. The Huawei brand also carries a notebook as of late, although it is only available in Asia for the time being. We have procured not one but two variants of the Honor Magicbook and put Intel up against AMD.

Not too long ago, Honor was a completely unknown brand in the smartphone business. Its parent company Huawei has long since shown how fast this can change. At first, the Honor Magicbook is supposed to probe the domestic market in China by using brand familiarity to advance the portfolio. The Honor laptops are not (yet) available in Europe. If you wish to obtain one, you will have to navigate through Chinese shops to import a sample - with all the associated risks. We took the plunge and ordered one configuration with an Intel i5-8250 CPU as well as a configuration containing its AMD counterpart, the 2500U APU. Aside from the strengths and weaknesses of a potential newcomer on the notebook market, we are interested to see how these two processors fare in this rare situation of being installed in the same notebook.

The Huawei Honor Magicbook is currently available in the GeekBuying online shop (which is also where we purchased our test devices from) among others. The site offers eight different variants of the Magicbook. Possible configurations include an i7-8550U or an i5-8250U processor (tested here), each paired with Nvidia's graphics solution MX150 and either a matte Full HD display or a touchscreen. The alternative is a Magicbook with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and an integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics chip, which is available with or without a touchscreen as well. All of them come with 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. Prices range from around 600 Euros (~$684) for the non-touch AMD model (also tested here) to up to 930 Euros (Intel i7-8550U, ~$1060). Our Intel i5-8250U variant with a matte display currently sells for around 780 Euros (~$889). Thus our tested models compete against 14-inch multimedia notebooks in a price range significantly below 1000 Euros (~$1139).

The search for potential competitors yields a limited amount of results. Among them are the Acer Swift SF314 with an MX150 and an i7-8550U CPU for around 950 Euros (~$1082) or with an i5-8250U for around 850 Euros (~$969) and the HP Pavilion 14, also with an MX150 and an i7-8550U for about 950 Euros (~$1082) or with an i5-8250U for around 800 Euros (~$912). The HP 14 tries to compete with a particularly low price but in doing so forgoes a dedicated graphics card and instead relies on the integrated Intel UHD graphics. At close to 600 Euros (~$684), it competes against the AMD version of the Honor Magicbook in our test.

Honor Magicbook (Magicbook Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8250U 4 x 1.6 - 3.4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX150 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1468 MHz, Memory: 6008 MHz, GDDR5, 388.75, Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, Dual-channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, BEO0764 (TV140FHM-NH0), IPS LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ, 256 GB 
, 256 GB SSD
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headset jack, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 16 x 323 x 221 ( = 0.63 x 12.72 x 8.7 in)
Battery
56 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: Webcam
Primary Camera: 1 MPix
Additional features
Keyboard Light: yes
Weight
1.442 kg ( = 50.87 oz / 3.18 pounds), Power Supply: 198 g ( = 6.98 oz / 0.44 pounds)
Price
780 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Honor Magicbook (Magicbook Series)
Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U 4 x 2 - 3.6 GHz, Zen
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000) - 1024 MB VRAM, DDR4 SDRAM, 23.20.815.6144
Memory
8 GB 
, LPDDR4 Dual-Channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, BOE0764 (TV140FHM-NH0), glossy: no
Mainboard
AMD CZ FCH
Storage
Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ, 256 GB 
Soundcard
AMD Raven - Audio Processor - HD Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: Headset
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 16 x 323 x 221 ( = 0.63 x 12.72 x 8.7 in)
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 1 MPix
Weight
1.444 kg ( = 50.94 oz / 3.18 pounds), Power Supply: 198 g ( = 6.98 oz / 0.44 pounds)
Price
600 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - The Devil is in the Detail

The case is almost entirely made of aluminum; the only exception is the display border (B-cover) that is made of plastic. Visually, the Honor Magicbook takes inspiration from Apple's MacBook Pro 13. For example, there are perforated areas for the speakers to the left and to the right of the keyboard. The material makes a good impression and the Honor notebook has a robust and high-quality feel to it. At first glance, the workmanship does not show any weaknesses either.

However, after taking a closer look we discovered a manufacturing defect on the HDMI port that was, interestingly, present on both test devices: The thin metal strip below the port is bent inwards. While this does not have a functional impact, proper quality control should have caught and prevented this issue. Since both variants of our test device had the same defect, it is possible for this to be a common problem with the Magicbook.

The chassis effortlessly resists attempts at bending it; the base unit can yield slightly if very firm pressure is applied to the center of the back of the keyboard. Here, Honor has preemptively reinforced the bottom of the case with an additional plastic foot in order to prevent deformation.

The Honor Magicbook also has a fingerprint reader, which is integrated into the on/off button. We did not experience any issues with it during our tests.

At 1.4 kilograms (~3.09 lb) and a depth of 16 millimeters (~0.63 in), the Magicbook is the thinnest and lightest notebook in our comparison. The notebook has a relatively small footprint in general, a fact that it partially owes to its slim display bezels. Even thinner and lighter notebooks come at the expense of dedicated graphics or cost more than 1000 Euros (~$1148).

Size Comparison

339 mm / 13.3 inch 242 mm / 9.53 inch 21 mm / 0.827 inch 1.8 kg4.02 lbs336 mm / 13.2 inch 238 mm / 9.37 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 1.6 kg3.42 lbs338 mm / 13.3 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 17.95 mm / 0.707 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs329 mm / 13 inch 242 mm / 9.53 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 1.8 kg3.97 lbs326.8 mm / 12.9 inch 225.5 mm / 8.88 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.7 kg3.73 lbs324 mm / 12.8 inch 225.9 mm / 8.89 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 1.5 kg3.33 lbs323.4 mm / 12.7 inch 226 mm / 8.9 inch 16.4 mm / 0.646 inch 1.5 kg3.26 lbs323 mm / 12.7 inch 221 mm / 8.7 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.4 kg3.18 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Features - Honor Magicbook with Type-C Charging

The available ports include a USB 2.0 and a USB 3.0 port (Type-A), HDMI, a 3.5 mm headset jack and a USB Type-C port that doubles as the charging connector of the device. The Magicbook does not have a built-in card reader. In our test, the Type-C interface achieved read speeds of up to 430 MB/s with an external Samsung T5 SSD. It is also possible to connect an external 60 Hz display (3440x1440) to the port. This suggests that the port supports at least USB 3.1 Gen. 1. However, the usability of this port is limited, since it is also used for charging the notebook.

While the port selection and variety is limited, we liked the fact that the ports have been consistently placed towards the back of the lateral edges.

Right side: 3.5 mm headset jack, USB 2.0
Right side: 3.5 mm headset jack, USB 2.0
Left side: USB Type-C (power connector), HDMI, USB 3.0
Left side: USB Type-C (power connector), HDMI, USB 3.0

Communication

Equipped with the Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n/ac) Wi-Fi module, the Magicbook possesses solid hardware for Wi-Fi communication. Our Wi-Fi test confirmed the good wireless connection of the Magicbook, putting it on par with established entry-level business devices. The similarly priced consumer notebooks we selected for this comparison lag far behind. The HP 14 sits at the very bottom in terms of results. We did not observe any noteworthy differences between the Intel and the AMD version in this category. Both devices rely on the same Wi-Fi module and according to our tests, should have the same antenna layout (2x2 MIMO).

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Subnotebook
  (606 - 1339, n=3, last 2 years)
1056 MBit/s +68%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
670 MBit/s +7%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
642 (613min - 660max) MBit/s +2%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
629 MBit/s 0%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
628 (281min - 654max) MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
602 MBit/s -4%
Dell Latitude 3490
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
536 (538P1) MBit/s -15%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
289 MBit/s -54%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
287 MBit/s -54%
HP 14-ma0312ng
Realtek RTL8723DE
97 MBit/s -85%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Subnotebook
  (623 - 1690, n=3, last 2 years)
1258 MBit/s +133%
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
659 MBit/s +22%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
649 MBit/s +20%
Dell Latitude 3490
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
580 (584P1) MBit/s +7%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
540 (268min - 550max) MBit/s
Honor Magicbook
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
534 (263min - 542max) MBit/s -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
302 MBit/s -44%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
281 MBit/s -48%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
243 MBit/s -55%
HP 14-ma0312ng
Realtek RTL8723DE
98 MBit/s -82%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630Tooltip
Honor Magicbook Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø539 (527-550)
Honor Magicbook AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000); iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø534 (527-542)
Honor Magicbook Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø630 (602-654)
Honor Magicbook AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000); iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø642 (613-660)

Software

Closer inspection of the Honor Magicbook's specifications reveals the entry "Windows OS Chinese". In other words: The Honor Magicbook comes with a Chinese version of Windows 10 Home 64-bit preinstalled. While changing the language to German or English may seem like a simple step, in reality it is not quite as straightforward. One possible solution is an upgrade to Windows Professional, which permits the installation of other language packs; another option is a completely fresh Windows installation. In any case, a valid license key for the new Windows version is required. The former can be legally purchased from eBay for around 5 Euros (~$5.70). More information can be found in the Xiaomi Mi notebook 15.6 review.

Although the required changes to the OS described above are not a challenge, even for beginners (there are numerous YouTube videos with instructions), it would be wise to set aside some time for these adaptations. Getting started immediately after turning on the Honor Magicbook will not work, unless you are fluent in Chinese or at least able to read it.

For our test, we upgraded the provided system to Windows 10 Professional 64-bit in order to preserve the existing device drivers. All of the Windows updates that were available at the time of testing have been installed.

Maintenance

The aluminum bottom has been secured with nine Torx T4 screws. Taking it off is manageable even for laymen, as long as the right tools are used. A plastic lever tool can come in particularly handy, since the bottom plate is secured with numerous plastic hooks on all sides, and they have to be carefully levered out.

After opening the device, both variants (Intel and AMD) expose the screwed-in battery, the M.2 SSD, the Wi-Fi module and the fan with the cooler and heat pipes. The RAM is likely soldered onto the motherboard and thus not upgradeable.

AMD version to the left, Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU configuration to the right
AMD version to the left, Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU configuration to the right

Warranty

In case the Honor Magicbook becomes defective, you are at the mercy of the guarantee policy of the respective import shop. As a general rule, the period for free repairs is only one year, but there are several exceptions. Additionally, you will have to bear the shipping costs to China and the shipping and repair durations are uncertain. As usual with import devices, warranty and service are the biggest concerns and inhibition thresholds before a purchase. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices - Honor Notebook with QWERTY Layout

Keyboard

The Honor Magicbook comes with a QWERTY-layout keyboard without umlauts. This may be particularly troublesome for users with a lack of a good grasp on touch typing. Although the keys can be easily reassigned, the key legend will remain unchanged. The Magicbook's keyboard backlight has two brightness settings that create a sufficient contrast for the delicate key legends.

Aside from the single-row enter key, which is a result of the layout and the pushed-together up and down arrow keys, the size of the keys is unremarkable. The feel of the keyboard is characterized by a very short travel distance and a very distinct pressure point. At the center of the keyboard, the case may yield to pressure slightly and typing produces a rather quiet rattle. The keyboard is definitely suitable for long text inputs as long as you are fine with the shallow key travel distance. We were unable to observe any differences between our AMD and our Intel version.

Touchpad

At 10.6 x 6.5 centimeters (~4.17 x 2.56 in), the installed ClickPad is not very large, but it fits the dimensions of the Magicbook well. The surface feels velvety and possesses good gliding properties. The haptics suggest that this is a glass touchpad. A mechanical click can be reliably triggered on the bottom two-thirds of the pad, and the acoustic and haptic feedback are good. The multitouch response characteristics were flawless in our test as well.

Display - Honor Notebook with Matte Display

There are currently two display variants for the Honor Magicbook: A matte display with a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and a touch-display, also supporting the Full HD resolution. The touchscreen is matte as well according to the shop; we were unable to verify this however. Both of the Magicbook variants we tested had a non-touch display and a look under the hood revealed that both of them use the display panel BEO0764 (TV140FHM-NH0). This means that the two devices have identical displays, but we tested both of them in order to show the maximum fluctuation margins as well.

Our Intel variant of the Magicbook achieved an average brightness of around 270 cd/m², while the same panel was brighter on the AMD version at around 310 cd/m². We detected different black values as well. Here, the AMD notebook delivered the higher value of 0.26, whereas the Intel version reached a lower value of 0.21 cd/m². Both devices were very close in terms of the maximum contrast ratio: 1.367:1 for Intel, 1.223:1 for AMD.

Both Magicbook versions compare favorably to the selected competing products in the group. Not only are they among the highest in terms of brightness, but they also have highly competitive contrast ratios. The difference between the AMD version and the similarly-priced HP 14 is particularly impressive, since the latter is unable to match the former in almost any discipline concerning display properties. We did not observe noticeable clouding or screen-bleeding on either of our test devices.

Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U)

291
cd/m²
282
cd/m²
285
cd/m²
274
cd/m²
287
cd/m²
266
cd/m²
250
cd/m²
255
cd/m²
264
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BEO0764 (TV140FHM-NH0) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 291 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 272.7 cd/m² Minimum: 5.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 287 cd/m²
Contrast: 1367:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.5
ΔE Greyscale 2.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63.2% sRGB (Calman 2D)
62.66% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
44.52% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
63.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
43.09% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.18

Magicbook (AMD 2500U)

324
cd/m²
317
cd/m²
318
cd/m²
305
cd/m²
318
cd/m²
299
cd/m²
291
cd/m²
306
cd/m²
292
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE0764 (TV140FHM-NH0) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 324 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 307.8 cd/m² Minimum: 10 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 318 cd/m²
Contrast: 1223:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.2
ΔE Greyscale 4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
65.31% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
42.23% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
46.07% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
44.59% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23
Honor Magicbook
i5-8250U, BEO0764 (TV140FHM-NH0), IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Honor Magicbook
R5 2500U, BOE0764 (TV140FHM-NH0), , 1920x1080, 14.00
HP 14-ma0312ng
i5-8250U, AU Optronics B140XTN07.2, TN LED, 1366x768, 14.00
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
i5-8550U, AU Optronics B140HAN02.1, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
i5-8550U, BOE072C, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Dell Latitude 3490
i5-8250U, LP140WF6 / LGD059D, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
i5-8550U, AUO B140QAN02.3, IPS, 2560x1440, 14.00
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
i5-8250U, LGD04B2, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
i5-8250U, Innolux N140HCA-EAC, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
3%
-8%
-15%
-7%
-7%
51%
-7%
-2%
Display P3 Coverage
43.09
44.59
3%
39.31
-9%
36.09
-16%
39.64
-8%
39.81
-8%
65.5
52%
39.56
-8%
41.88
-3%
sRGB Coverage
63.1
65.7
4%
59.2
-6%
54.2
-14%
59.3
-6%
59.6
-6%
96.2
52%
59.3
-6%
62.8
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
44.52
46.07
3%
40.61
-9%
37.28
-16%
40.96
-8%
41.16
-8%
66.1
48%
40.88
-8%
43.29
-3%
Response Times
-0%
31%
16%
5%
23%
-14%
11%
4115%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44.4 ?(23.2, 21.2)
44.8 ?(22, 22.8)
-1%
40 ?(21, 19)
10%
41 ?(19, 22)
8%
40 ?(21, 19)
10%
36.4 ?(18.8, 17.6)
18%
58.4 ?(29.2, 29.2)
-32%
40 ?(21.2, 18.8)
10%
44 ?(22.8, 21.2)
1%
Response Time Black / White *
32.8 ?(18, 14.8)
32.8 ?(18.8, 14)
-0%
16 ?(11, 5)
51%
25 ?(15, 10)
24%
31 ?(18, 13)
5%
24 ?(13.2, 10.8)
27%
31.2 ?(14.8, 16.4)
5%
28.8 ?(17.2, 11.6)
12%
31.2 ?(17.2, 14)
5%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(100)
200 ?(90)
0%
200 ?(90)
0%
24880 ?(40)
12340%
Screen
-4%
-99%
-19%
-15%
-14%
0%
-17%
-5%
Brightness middle
287
318
11%
240
-16%
233
-19%
239
-17%
250
-13%
311
8%
236
-18%
251
-13%
Brightness
273
308
13%
216
-21%
217
-21%
223
-18%
241
-12%
293
7%
221
-19%
231
-15%
Brightness Distribution
86
90
5%
84
-2%
88
2%
88
2%
81
-6%
85
-1%
88
2%
80
-7%
Black Level *
0.21
0.26
-24%
0.56
-167%
0.27
-29%
0.27
-29%
0.25
-19%
0.2
5%
0.26
-24%
0.19
10%
Contrast
1367
1223
-11%
429
-69%
863
-37%
885
-35%
1000
-27%
1555
14%
908
-34%
1321
-3%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5
5.3
-6%
13.14
-163%
5.85
-17%
5.3
-6%
5.5
-10%
6
-20%
5.7
-14%
5.1
-2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
20.1
19.3
4%
21.06
-5%
11.51
43%
10.03
50%
23.5
-17%
11.6
42%
22
-9%
10.6
47%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.5
4.2
7%
12.71
-182%
3.64
19%
4.8
-7%
1.6
64%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.7
4
-48%
14.89
-451%
4.87
-80%
5.85
-117%
3.5
-30%
8.7
-222%
3.8
-41%
4.5
-67%
Gamma
2.18 101%
2.23 99%
2.62 84%
2.47 89%
2.45 90%
2.27 97%
2.19 100%
2.1 105%
2.18 101%
CCT
6653 98%
6991 93%
19625 33%
6908 94%
7169 91%
7049 92%
8426 77%
7318 89%
6146 106%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
40.59
42.23
4%
38
-6%
34
-16%
38
-6%
37.9
-7%
60.9
50%
37.7
-7%
39.8
-2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
62.66
65.31
4%
59
-6%
54
-14%
59
-6%
59.4
-5%
96
53%
59.2
-6%
62.5
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-0% / -2%
-25% / -66%
-6% / -13%
-6% / -10%
1% / -8%
12% / 8%
-4% / -11%
1369% / 768%

* ... smaller is better

Both devices behave very similarly in terms of displaying colors. With an average DeltaE of around 5 according to ColorChecker, the Magicbook achieved a relatively good result, but at a DeltaE of around 20 the maximum color deviation is significant. This impacts blue tones the most. Grayscales are slightly more accurately displayed; here an average DeltaE of 2.7 to 4 was measured. These values can be considerably improved through calibration (0.8 - 0.9), something that cannot be said for the colors, which do not show any substantial improvements. The color profile of our calibration is linked above next to the measured values of the display and can be used free of charge.

Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U)

ColorChecker
ColorChecker
Grayscales
Grayscales
Saturation
Saturation
Color space
Color space
ColorChecker (calibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated)
Grayscales (calibrated)
Grayscales (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)

Magicbook (AMD 2500U)

ColorChecker
ColorChecker
Grayscales
Grayscales
Saturation
Saturation
Color space
Color space
ColorChecker (calibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated)
Grayscales (calibrated)
Grayscales (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)

The cause of the poor color representation is obvious: According to our measurements, the panel only covers around 65% of the sRGB color space (42% AdobeRGB). Thus the respective colors, particularly blues, simply cannot be properly displayed by the screen and even calibration cannot change this.

Outdoor usability is satisfactory. Even though the display is unable to compensate for direct sunlight, it is more than suitable for use in the shade thanks to the matte display that has sufficient brightness that remains fully available even in battery mode.

The Honor Magicbook (AMD) in the shade...
The Honor Magicbook (AMD) in the shade...
...and in direct sunlight
...and in direct sunlight

Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
32.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 14.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 87 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23.2 ms rise
↘ 21.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 72 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 200 Hz ≤ 100 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Magicbook (AMD 2500U)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
32.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18.8 ms rise
↘ 14 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 87 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 22.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 73 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 200 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The Magicbook delivered normal values when it comes to response times. While the panel would be too slow for a professional gamer, an average office user will likely be unable to notice any abnormalities.

We were able to measure an interesting difference in PWM usage between the two Magicbook models. The Intel variant exhibited PWM flickering at 200 Hz, even at maximum brightness. The same frequency only begins to occur on the AMD variant at the second-highest brightness setting (90%). In other words, the Intel variant not only falls behind slightly in terms of brightness compared to the AMD variant, but also uses PWM at maximum brightness.

As per usual with IPS displays, the viewing angles were great and are unlikely to restrict the use of the Honor Magicbook in any way.

Performance - Intel vs. AMD inside the Huawei Laptop

Performance-wise, there are three different configurations of the Honor Magicbook: One with an Intel i5-8250U, one with an i7-8550U and one with an AMD Ryzen 2500U. The chosen CPU heavily impacts the final price of the respective device (by up to 300 Euros or ~$342), which is why this choice is of great importance. In the following, we will thus go into particular detail about the differences between our i5 CPU and our AMD Ryzen processor configuration. The Nvidia GeForce MX150, which is built-in alongside the Intel processors, is definitely worth mentioning here. The AMD variant relies on an integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics solution. All of the available models come with 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB M.2 SSD.

HWInfo Intel
HWInfo Intel
GPUz
GPUz
Nvidia MX150
Nvidia MX150
Latency Monitor Intel
Latency Monitor Intel
HWInfo AMD
HWInfo AMD
GPUz
GPUz
Latency Monitor AMD
Latency Monitor AMD
 

Processor

Cinebench R15 loop log (Intel)
Cinebench R15 loop log (Intel)
Cinebench R15 loop log (AMD)
Cinebench R15 loop log (AMD)

Our test device incorporates an i5-8250U CPU. The chip has four native cores and is rated for a TDP of 15 watts. The clock speed ranges from 1.6 GHz to 3.4 GHz. The AMD model Ryzen 5 2500U also has four native cores and is rated for a TDP of 15 watts as well. Its clock speed ranges from 2.0 GHz to 3.6 GHz.

The Intel variant came out ahead of the AMD model by a very small margin in the Cinebench R15 test. The lead amounted to 5% in the single-thread test and shrunk to a miniscule 2% in the multithread test. As a result, the two configurations can be described as equivalent for short peak loads.

Under continuous CPU load, tested with our Cinebench R15 multi-loop, the result of the Intel variant dropped by around 10% after the first cycle. Subsequently, the performance remained stable. The AMD Magicbook only reached its baseline after its fourth cycle, also at around a 10% deficit. The AMD model even came out on top of the Intel variant during the second cycle, since the performance of the latter dropped sooner. In the long term, the Intel Core i5-8250U Magicbook performed approximately 5% better than its AMD competition. Unfortunately, the logging feature of HWInfo only showed a limited amount of information, which is why we were unable to compare the internal measurements between Intel and AMD directly at this stage.

The Magicbook is well-positioned against potential competitors overall. Even notebooks equipped with the i7-8550, which is faster on paper, perform worse in practice than both the Magicbook variant with the Intel i5 CPU as well as the significantly cheaper AMD model.

03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630Tooltip
Honor Magicbook Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø552 (547.12-598.25)
Honor Magicbook AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U: Ø521 (514.07-569.37)
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000 Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø503 (499-539)
Dell Latitude 3490 Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø596 (586.36-637.92)
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø481 (476.32-517.64)
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø533 (470-601)
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø519 (514.26-550.65)
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø512 (505.84-527.4)
HP 14-ma0312ng Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø495 (491.26-514.13)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (91.8 - 280, n=62, last 2 years)
234 Points +61%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Core i7-8550U
167 Points +15%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
166 Points +14%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
161 Points +11%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel Core i5-8250U
146 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points 0%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points
Dell Latitude 3490
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points -1%
HP 14-ma0312ng
Intel Core i5-8250U
142 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (81 - 147, n=97)
141.1 Points -3%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
138 Points -5%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (514 - 2581, n=70, last 2 years)
1705 Points +185%
Dell Latitude 3490
Intel Core i5-8250U
646 Points +8%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel Core i5-8250U
620 Points +4%
Honor Magicbook
Intel Core i5-8250U
598 Points
Honor Magicbook
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
576 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (320 - 730, n=101)
570 Points -5%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel Core i7-8550U
550 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
Intel Core i5-8250U
548 Points -8%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
527 (505.84min - 527.4max) Points -12%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
518 Points -13%
HP 14-ma0312ng
Intel Core i5-8250U
514 Points -14%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
89.3 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
598 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
145 Points
Help

System Performance

In Futuremark's PCMark our Intel version of the Honor Magicbook has the clear advantage. The AMD version performed 16% worse in the PCMark 8 Home test and 28% worse in the newer PCMark 10 than the Intel variant with the GeForce MX150. Since, as shown by the CPU tests in the previous paragraph, the CPU only achieved an around 5% better result and the storage solution and the RAM are identical, the result can primarily be attributed to the graphics unit, which is the Radeon Vega 8 and the GeForce MX150, respectively.

PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4730 - 5285, n=3, last 2 years)
5030 Points +34%
Dell Latitude 3490
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix SC311 M.2
4458 Points +19%
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), i5-8250U, Lenovo LENSE20256GMSP34MEAT2TA
4187 Points +12%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
3968 Points +6%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
3774 Points +1%
Honor Magicbook
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3741 Points
HP 14-ma0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAH + HGST HTS541010B7E610 1 TB HDD
3709 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (3274 - 3935, n=10)
3687 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
3463 Points -7%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
3379 Points -10%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3231 Points -14%
PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4384 - 7428, n=56, last 2 years)
5810 Points +55%
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), i5-8250U, Lenovo LENSE20256GMSP34MEAT2TA
3954 Points +6%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
3805 Points +2%
Honor Magicbook
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
3740 Points
Dell Latitude 3490
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix SC311 M.2
3619 Points -3%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
3577 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (3007 - 3904, n=10)
3542 Points -5%
HP 14-ma0312ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAH + HGST HTS541010B7E610 1 TB HDD
3447 Points -8%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
3421 Points -9%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
2928 Points -22%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3741 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4852 points
PCMark 10 Score
3740 points
Help

Storage Solution

A 256 GB SSD is always included in the configuration, regardless of the chosen Honor Magicbook model. Both test devices had a Samsung PM871b installed. It is an internal SATA storage device for which Samsung has specified a data transfer rate of up to 540 MB/s (read). The performance in our benchmarks came fairly close to this specification. The Magicbooks once again compare favorably to potential competing products in this category. It would take a very fast PCIe interface in order to achieve significantly better results here. Even then, it would hardly result in any real advantage for an average user. After all, it is already praiseworthy for a 600-Euro (~$684) device to contain a sufficiently fast SSD with a workable capacity of 256 GB.

Honor Magicbook
Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
Honor Magicbook
Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
HP 14-ma0312ng
Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAH + HGST HTS541010B7E610 1 TB HDD
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
Dell Latitude 3490
SK hynix SC311 M.2
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
Lenovo LENSE20256GMSP34MEAT2TA
Average Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
2%
97%
-12%
156%
4%
72%
110%
2%
Write 4K
82.1
76.5
-7%
88.2
7%
69.5
-15%
136.1
66%
71.7
-13%
135.3
65%
120.3
47%
78.1 ?(55.4 - 89.7, n=7)
-5%
Read 4K
21.11
30.02
42%
166.4
688%
34.71
64%
44.52
111%
28.66
36%
34.35
63%
43.48
106%
26.8 ?(16.7 - 36.6, n=7)
27%
Write Seq
451.7
461.2
2%
158.4
-65%
382.1
-15%
1279
183%
415.9
-8%
601
33%
986
118%
439 ?(384 - 505, n=7)
-3%
Read Seq
477.7
508
6%
895
87%
435.3
-9%
1665
249%
500
5%
1175
146%
1395
192%
479 ?(436 - 528, n=7)
0%
Write 4K Q32T1
242.2
212.3
-12%
162.1
-33%
158.1
-35%
327.5
35%
278
15%
377.6
56%
250
3%
244 ?(205 - 321, n=7)
1%
Read 4K Q32T1
257.4
239.7
-7%
496.8
93%
200.6
-22%
391.8
52%
252.9
-2%
288.3
12%
491.5
91%
245 ?(181.7 - 340, n=7)
-5%
Write Seq Q32T1
526
482.7
-8%
159.9
-70%
205.4
-61%
1387
164%
502
-5%
591
12%
1047
99%
521 ?(483 - 534, n=7)
-1%
Read Seq Q32T1
550
535
-3%
933
70%
541
-2%
2693
390%
553
1%
1574
186%
1781
224%
545 ?(535 - 551, n=7)
-1%
AS SSD
-25%
-414%
-216%
59%
119%
-1%
28%
13%
-1%
Score Total
1114
759
-32%
588
-47%
570
-49%
1703
53%
2621
135%
1006
-10%
1264
13%
1200
8%
1017 ?(759 - 1114, n=7)
-9%
Score Write
410
287
-30%
205
-50%
120
-71%
695
70%
1221
198%
387
-6%
634
55%
325
-21%
369 ?(284 - 423, n=7)
-10%
Score Read
459
305
-34%
242
-47%
301
-34%
697
52%
965
110%
409
-11%
438
-5%
602
31%
425 ?(305 - 459, n=7)
-7%
Access Time Write *
0.04
0.069
-73%
0.041
-3%
0.845
-2013%
0.031
22%
0.051
-28%
0.052
-30%
0.032
20%
0.138
-245%
0.05 ?(0.04 - 0.069, n=7)
-25%
Access Time Read *
0.07
0.083
-19%
3.697
-5181%
0.394
-463%
0.07
-0%
0.051
27%
0.097
-39%
0.119
-70%
0.095
-36%
0.1037 ?(0.07 - 0.148, n=7)
-48%
4K-64 Write
279.8
191.6
-32%
125.3
-55%
46.82
-83%
521
86%
1019
264%
286.1
2%
485
73%
164
-41%
260 ?(156.1 - 314, n=7)
-7%
4K-64 Read
378.6
224.4
-41%
44.76
-88%
221.8
-41%
506
34%
690
82%
332.7
-12%
277.5
-27%
417.1
10%
352 ?(224 - 379, n=7)
-7%
4K Write
84.5
50.9
-40%
66
-22%
62.6
-26%
117.5
39%
103.5
22%
68.9
-18%
106.5
26%
98
16%
70.6 ?(50.9 - 84.5, n=7)
-16%
4K Read
32.46
31.78
-2%
111.7
244%
31.49
-3%
29.55
-9%
41.15
27%
27.67
-15%
31.9
-2%
32.07
-1%
26.8 ?(14.1 - 32.5, n=7)
-17%
Seq Write
458.5
447.7
-2%
141.7
-69%
110.1
-76%
567
24%
982
114%
318.8
-30%
430
-6%
633
38%
393 ?(246 - 493, n=7)
-14%
Seq Read
481.6
489.2
2%
852
77%
481.4
0%
1609
234%
2340
386%
484.7
1%
1282
166%
1531
218%
465 ?(433 - 513, n=7)
-3%
Copy Game MB/s
259.6
236.4
-9%
55.6
-79%
111.5
-57%
421.5
62%
361.8
39%
306.2
18%
395.8
52%
96.2
-63%
324 ?(236 - 415, n=4)
25%
Copy Program MB/s
163.8
137.2
-16%
52
-68%
80.7
-51%
290.2
77%
332.8
103%
315.9
93%
229.6
40%
115.4
-30%
280 ?(137.2 - 614, n=4)
71%
Copy ISO MB/s
333
284.7
-15%
135.2
-59%
620
86%
961
189%
476.7
43%
522
57%
1321
297%
497 ?(285 - 816, n=4)
49%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-12% / -15%
-159% / -220%
-114% / -142%
59% / 59%
138% / 133%
2% / 1%
50% / 44%
62% / 48%
1% / -0%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 550 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 526 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 257.4 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 242.2 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 477.7 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 451.7 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 21.11 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 82.1 MB/s

Disk Throttling: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics Card

Another exciting topic is the graphics solutions, since the two test devices approach the subject in a completely different manner. While the Intel variant relies on the combination of the integrated UHD-620 graphics unit and an additional Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics chip, the AMD version solely features the Radeon Vega 8, which is integrated into the processing unit. The MX150 GPU scored around 30% higher in 3DMark 11 and even surpassed its counterpart by 50% in Futuremark's more recent 3DMark (Fire Strike). These results place the Magicbook in the upper third of all the MX150 GPU notebooks we have tested. The Radeon RX Vega performs about as well as MX130-based devices, which means it is behind by one category. That being said, the integrated Radeon Vega 8 still manages to score approximately twice as high as the integrated Intel UHD-620.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2979 - 16904, n=55, last 2 years)
8016 Points +78%
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
4690 Points +4%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
4494 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2796 - 4905, n=47)
4191 Points -7%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3833 Points -15%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3482 Points -23%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
2945 Points -34%
HP 14-ma0312ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1645 Points -63%
Dell Latitude 3490
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1634 Points -64%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1595 Points -65%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (13768 - 65911, n=40, last 2 years)
29002 Points +35%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
21461 Points
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
19698 Points -8%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (16227 - 22183, n=43)
19512 Points -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
18946 Points -12%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
15109 Points -30%
HP 14-ma0312ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
9520 Points -56%
Dell Latitude 3490
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
7970 Points -63%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
7833 Points -64%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2837 - 12349, n=59, last 2 years)
5881 Points +70%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3561 Points +3%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
3459 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2323 - 3739, n=44)
3310 Points -4%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2328 Points -33%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
2323 Points -33%
HP 14-ma0312ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1160 Points -66%
Dell Latitude 3490
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
956 Points -72%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
929 Points -73%
3DMark 2001SE Standard
34443 points
3DMark 11 Performance
4760 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
15124 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3154 points
Help

Gaming Performance

We also took a look at the real-world 3D performance with the aid of various games. The popular shooter Fortnite shows the difference between the Magicbook version with the MX150 graphics and the AMD Vega 8 model well. At the lowest resolution (1280x720) the Nvidia notebook reached 113 FPS on average, whereas at 64 FPS, the AMD notebook only managed to render about half as many frames. Still, the game is playable on both configurations. That being said, the next benchmark setting is a real challenge for the AMD variant. At the native Full HD resolution and the medium graphics preset, the Radeon graphics Magicbook only achieves around 30 FPS, while at 59 FPS, the Intel/Nvidia version effortlessly delivers smooth frame rates. Even at high details, the Intel variant still managed to reach around 36 FPS on average, whereas at 19 FPS, this setting is unplayable on the AMD configuration.

The AMD device is able to run the new FIFA 19 at its native resolution and the medium details setting. However, the Nvidia solution has more room for better graphics settings here once more. All in all, we strongly recommend the Nvidia variant to users who wish to play games.

Fortnite
1280x720 Low Preset
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
225 (174min - 318max) fps +99%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (61.7 - 225, n=5)
138.6 fps +22%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
113.2 fps
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
66.1 fps -42%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
63.6 fps -44%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
61.7 fps -45%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
53.6 (38min - 80max) fps -53%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
41 fps -64%
HP 14-ma0312ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
39 fps -66%
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
76 (69min - 82max) fps +29%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (33.7 - 86.7, n=5)
61.6 fps +5%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
58.9 fps
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
33.7 fps -43%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
30.1 fps -49%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
22.4 (19min - 25max) fps -62%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
19.9 fps -66%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
13.7 fps -77%
1920x1080 High Preset
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
36.1 fps
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
32.4 (26min - 38max) fps -10%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (22.1 - 36.7, n=5)
32.2 fps -11%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
22.1 fps -39%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
19.1 fps -47%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
14.1 fps -61%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
7.6 (4min - 10max) fps -79%
1920x1080 Epic Preset
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
24.1 fps
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
23.6 (22min - 25max) fps -2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (16.2 - 25, n=5)
22.3 fps -7%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
16.2 fps -33%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
11.5 fps -52%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
10.9 fps -55%
FIFA 19
1280x720 Low Preset
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
144.6 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (84.5 - 144.6, n=4)
127.2 fps -12%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
84.5 fps -42%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
74.7 fps -48%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
50.3 fps -65%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
48.4 (44min - 52max) fps -67%
MSI PL62
Intel HD Graphics 630, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
36.2 (32min) fps -75%
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (51.7 - 114.3, n=4)
81.3 fps +3%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
78.8 fps
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
51.7 fps -34%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
33.6 fps -57%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
25.1 fps -68%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
23.2 (20min - 25max) fps -71%
MSI PL62
Intel HD Graphics 630, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
20.1 (18min) fps -74%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:2x MS
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (44.9 - 108.2, n=4)
73.7 fps +5%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
70.5 fps
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
44.9 fps -36%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
30.9 fps -56%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
20.7 (18min - 22max) fps -71%
MSI PL62
Intel HD Graphics 630, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
14.6 (13min) fps -79%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
70.2 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (43.2 - 97.2, n=5)
63.7 fps -9%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
50.1 (41min - 56max) fps -29%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
43.2 fps -38%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
30.8 fps -56%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
17.8 (15min - 20max) fps -75%
The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Subnotebook
  (37 - 249, n=53, last 2 years)
99.5 fps +65%
MSI Prestige PS42 8RB-059
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
66.8 fps +11%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
62.1 (52min - 69max) fps +3%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
60.4 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (42.6 - 72, n=24)
58.2 fps -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
AMD Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-8250U
53.8 fps -11%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex-1570 81CA000RUS
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8550U
42.7 fps -29%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
42.6 fps -29%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
37 fps -39%
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP
AMD Radeon 530, Intel Core i7-8550U
32.8 fps -46%
Lenovo ThinkPad A485-20MU000CGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2500U
29.5 fps -51%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
27.2 fps -55%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-15ARR 81D2005CUS
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
22 fps -64%
HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
17.2 fps -72%
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Subnotebook
  (29 - 264, n=46, last 2 years)
63.2 fps +75%
MSI Prestige PS42 8RB-059
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
39.6 fps +9%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
37.6 (30min - 43max) fps +4%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
36.2 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (24.4 - 43.2, n=26)
34.3 fps -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
AMD Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-8250U
34.04 fps -6%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
25.6 fps -29%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex-1570 81CA000RUS
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8550U
25 fps -31%
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP
AMD Radeon 530, Intel Core i7-8550U
19.8 fps -45%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
16.7 fps -54%
HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
10.7 fps -70%
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (11.2 - 92, n=57, last 2 years)
34.4 fps +74%
MSI Prestige PS42 8RB-059
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
22.1 fps +12%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
19.9 (15min - 24max) fps +1%
Honor Magicbook
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
19.8 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (13.3 - 23.8, n=25)
19 fps -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
AMD Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-8250U
17.34 fps -12%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
14.2 fps -28%
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex-1570 81CA000RUS
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8550U
13.6 fps -31%
Honor Magicbook
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
13.1 fps -34%
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP
AMD Radeon 530, Intel Core i7-8550U
11.1 fps -44%
Lenovo ThinkPad A485-20MU000CGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2500U
9.8 fps -51%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
9 fps -55%
HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
6.5 fps -67%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Subnotebook
  (8 - 44.2, n=58, last 2 years)
18.5 fps
MSI Prestige PS42 8RB-059
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
11.8 fps
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
11.5 (9min - 14max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (6.5 - 17, n=25)
11.1 fps
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
10.2 fps
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
9 fps
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex-1570 81CA000RUS
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8550U
7.2 fps
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP
AMD Radeon 530, Intel Core i7-8550U
6.3 fps
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
5.3 fps
low med. high ultraQHD4K
Trackmania Nations Forever (2008) 133 110
Counter-Strike: GO (2012) 80 55 30.3
The Witcher 3 (2015) 60.4 36.2 19.8
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 103.6 95.6 68.4 60.2
Rocket League (2017) 59.8 42.5 20.8
Fortnite (2018) 113.2 58.9 36.1 24.1
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 36.9 17.4 10.9 6.68 2.52
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 57.6 47 42.1 20.6
World of Tanks enCore (2018) 299 70.6 26.4
Strange Brigade (2018) 75.3 26.8 20.9 16.1
FIFA 19 (2018) 144.6 78.8 70.5 70.2
Anno 1800 (2019) 55.5 24 14.5
Rage 2 (2019) 29.7 13.1
Total War: Three Kingdoms (2019) 73.4 21.5 9.2 6.1
F1 2019 (2019) 84.9 36.2 30.4 23.9
Control (2019) 40 12.8 9.3
Borderlands 3 (2019) 41.5 18 11.5 8.4
FIFA 20 (2019) 124 78.6 76.4 63.7 48.2 25
Ghost Recon Breakpoint (2019) 35 21
GRID 2019 (2019) 60.3 24.1 15.4
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019 (2019) 40.9 21.9 14.7
Need for Speed Heat (2019) 39.7 19.8
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order (2019) 26.7 19.8
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019) 14.4
Fall Guys (2020) 57.8 39.4 23
Hearthstone (2020) 58.2 40.5
Escape from Tarkov (2020) 65.9 23.5
Hunt Showdown (2020) 53.8 21.2 16.6
Doom Eternal (2020) 45.2 24 18.9 0
Gears Tactics (2020) 102 30.9 17.8 14.3
Valorant (2020) 121 99.8 99.9 65.6 32.5
F1 2020 (2020) 77.6 34.7 25.7 16.2
Horizon Zero Dawn (2020) 26 12
Flight Simulator 2020 (2020) 27.4 10.4
Serious Sam 4 (2020) 0 game wont start
Mafia Definitive Edition (2020) 36.8 16.1
Star Wars Squadrons (2020) 103 47.4 37.7 21.7
FIFA 21 (2020) 56.1
Watch Dogs Legion (2020) 26.9 14.1 11.1
Dirt 5 (2020) 35.3 10.9
Assassin´s Creed Valhalla (2020) 15
Immortals Fenyx Rising (2020) 32 14
Cyberpunk 2077 1.0 (2020) 18.3 7.78
Hitman 3 (2021) 42 9 ()
Outriders (2021) 43.1 25 15.8 12.8 11.3
Resident Evil Village (2021) 23.8
Days Gone (2021) 32.1 19.1
F1 2021 (2021) 59.9 27.5 21.8
Deathloop (2021) 0 game wont start
Farming Simulator 22 (2021) 31.6 7.79 1.855
God of War (2022) 11.8 1.907
Rainbow Six Extraction (2022) 20 16 15 8 5
Dying Light 2 (2022)
GRID Legends (2022) 41.5
Elden Ring (2022) 23.2
Cyberpunk 2077 1.6 (2022) 10.9 6.68
Elex 2 (2022) 16.7
Ghostwire Tokyo (2022) 13.2
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (2022) 18.7
F1 22 (2022) 27.4 19.3
FIFA 23 (2022) 14.5 9.07 6.66

Emissions - Intel Magicbook Stays Quieter, AMD is Cooler

Noise Emissions

Both configurations are silent under miniscule loads. During web-browsing (surf script), the AMD Magicbook activated its fan after a while, which spun-up making a lot of noise, only to settle back down to the lowest RPM level. The notebook remained in this state for a couple of minutes and then fully deactivated its fan again. Subsequently, the fan continued to spin-up and run for a couple of minutes at its lowest RPM speed. Our Intel configuration, on the other hand, stayed silent throughout the entire observation period of around 60 minutes. The same can be said for both configurations during movie playback (Big Buck Bunny, 1080p H264).

Under 3D load (3DMark06, first sequence) the fans of both laptops quickly became active, although the Intel/Nvidia variant quickly reached its maximum of 40.4 dB, whereas the AMD version remained at 39.4 dB. A few minutes later, the Intel system even reached 43.8 dB momentarily. In terms of frequency, the Intel model's audibly more present fan with its higher frequency became apparent. As it turns out, the two notebooks are equipped with different fans, which can be seen in the pictures of the interior (see maintenance section above). In conclusion, the AMD variant will occasionally be audible even during office use and the Intel/Nvidia combination will be significantly louder under load, although it does perform significantly better in return.

Noise Level

Idle
30.3 / 30.3 / 30 dB(A)
Load
40.4 / 43.8 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.3 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.943.137.737.536.32531.830.831.630.932.2312929.330.131.231.94032.729.729.830.8305032.630.13030.330.36328.628.828.62828.38028.528.52826.528.510027.626.124.726.327.412526.926.324.825.725.116026.326.525.124.825.320026.82723.624.126.225025.926.522.822.32531527.526.92121.623.840027.627.520.220.224.950025.926.119.719.222.963027.527.418.819.224.980028.828.518.518.328.910003939.91817.835.9125032.332.617.817.928.1160032.131.717.517.729.7200031.731.417.317.628.5250030.530.51717.427.53150313117.217.227.6400030.530.81717.128.7500030.130.417.217.325.5630027.927.617.317.223800022.521.917.217.3191000020.719.717.417.417.91250020.218.417.217.317.51600020.517.717.417.517.4SPL43.543.83030.140.4N4.24.21.41.43.3median 27.6median 27.4median 17.8median 17.8median 25.3Delta2.53.51.81.72.634.13743.430.532.129.732.130.929.729.930.829.631.130.930.330.530.430.630.627.227.728.227.227.626.927.326.625.925.826.125.627.325.725.525.226.425.324.923.926.125.524.323.125.324.423.223.623.42523.321.121.625.423.720.620.824.222.319.920.324.923.419.118.927.725.318.518.929.726.317.717.93026.517.917.730.228.217.717.53026.517.317.62824.917.117.326.924.117.217.126.924.617.117.224.320.917.217.221.819.117.317.218.717.817.517.318.117.517.417.3181817.417.419.119.618.117.539.439.539.439.536.730.130.33.13.23.13.12.51.41.4median 25.4median 24.1median 17.9median 17.7median 19.6median 15.7median 15.82.72.52.72.717.114.414.4hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseHonor MagicbookHonor Magicbook

Temperature

We observed differences in terms of the surface temperatures as well. While the Intel variant (24-25 °C or 75.2-77 °F) remained noticeably and measurably cooler than the AMD variant (27-28 °C or 80.6-82.4 °F), the reverse held true under load, where the Intel system reached up to 56 °C (132.8 °F) compared to the AMD model's 47 °C (116.6 °F). Meanwhile, the surface temperature distribution was fairly similar. Both notebooks heated up the most in the rear right on the top, which is where the fans and heat-sinks are located. Crucially, the surfaces on which the palms rest remained relatively cool on both laptops.

On the inside of the Intel/Nvidia configuration, the temperature of the CPU climbed up to 80 °C (176 °F), and the GPU leveled off at around 75 °C (167 °F). After reaching its maximum boost frequency of 3.4 GHz briefly, the clock speed fell to around 2.5 GHz and leveled off at around 1.9 GHz after 10 minutes. During this, HWInfo showed a package power of up to 25 W for a brief moment, followed by 15 W and a final decrease to 10 watts. Also, the GPU clock was at about 1100 MHz for the most part, although it occasionally dropped to 500 MHz. The analysis of the internal events of the AMD device have proven to be somewhere between difficult and impossible, since both HWInfo as well as the AMD Ryzen Master Tool refused to fulfill their duty.

Stress test (Intel/Nvidia)
Stress test (Intel/Nvidia)
Stress test (AMD)
Stress test (AMD)
Stress test log (Intel/Nvidia)
Stress test log (Intel/Nvidia)
Stress test log (AMD)
Stress test log (AMD)

Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U)

Max. Load
 47.7 °C
118 F
52.3 °C
126 F
47.8 °C
118 F
 
 45.1 °C
113 F
43.3 °C
110 F
40 °C
104 F
 
 32.9 °C
91 F
31.9 °C
89 F
30.7 °C
87 F
 
Maximum: 52.3 °C = 126 F
Average: 41.3 °C = 106 F
56.1 °C
133 F
54.2 °C
130 F
50.5 °C
123 F
41.4 °C
107 F
45.4 °C
114 F
43.6 °C
110 F
34.5 °C
94 F
35.6 °C
96 F
35.8 °C
96 F
Maximum: 56.1 °C = 133 F
Average: 44.1 °C = 111 F
Power Supply (max.)  57.6 °C = 136 F | Room Temperature 21.2 °C = 70 F | Raytek Raynger ST
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.3 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 52.3 °C / 126 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 56.1 °C / 133 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.3 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.9 °C / 91.2 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-4.6 °C / -8.3 F).

Magicbook (AMD 2500U)

Max. Load
 44.4 °C
112 F
45.6 °C
114 F
42.3 °C
108 F
 
 38.6 °C
101 F
39.3 °C
103 F
35.1 °C
95 F
 
 31.3 °C
88 F
30.5 °C
87 F
29.2 °C
85 F
 
Maximum: 45.6 °C = 114 F
Average: 37.4 °C = 99 F
46.5 °C
116 F
47.6 °C
118 F
46.7 °C
116 F
36 °C
97 F
40.7 °C
105 F
41.1 °C
106 F
37.1 °C
99 F
34.5 °C
94 F
33.5 °C
92 F
Maximum: 47.6 °C = 118 F
Average: 40.4 °C = 105 F
Power Supply (max.)  47.9 °C = 118 F | Room Temperature 21.2 °C = 70 F | Raytek Raynger ST
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.6 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 47.6 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.6 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.3 °C / 88.3 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-3 °C / -5.4 F).
Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U) idle
Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U) idle
Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U) load
Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U) load
Magicbook (AMD 2500U) idle
Magicbook (AMD 2500U) idle
Magicbook (AMD 2500U) load
Magicbook (AMD 2500U) load

Speakers

The installed speakers of both of our test devices have neither visual (visible after opening the notebook) nor acoustic differences. The specifications of the notebooks list Dolby Atmos support, thanks to the four integrated speakers. Subjectively, the sound is passable, although the lower frequency range would benefit from a slightly higher sound pressure. The maximum volume can be described as barely sufficient. The produced sounds appear particularly present, thanks to the orientation of the speakers (two towards the table, two towards the user). The Honor Magicbook seems overall suitable for music and video playback at an adjusted volume level.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2044.336.4253332.93131.130.94031.133.9503031.5633028.68027.229.110026.731.312525.834.816024.443.620022.950.92502355.431521.758.940020.159.750019.460.863019.262.980018.370.5100018.273.8125017.870.1160017.464.1200017.458.9250017.259.2315017.457.4400017.164.5500017.359.5630017.255.6800017.360.11000017.461.71250017.255.11600017.445.8SPL30.177.8N1.439median 17.8median 59.2Delta1.75.932.833.828.13331.929.832.130.530.229.728.528.229.326.831.426.336.425.144.324.550.824.754.623.757.922.260.421.862.120.765.820.971.321.87222.867.722.663.323.556.822.857.720.957.120.765.218.664.61862.617.65917.556.617.548.917.543.518.377.330.133.139.11.41.8median 57.9median 21.8median 17.57.62.715.735.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.440.436.530.930.73230.332293130.329.328.227.527.229.127.236.725.247.824.854.623.957.222.457.721.657.520.854.419.554.319.264.220.666.320.46918.568.218.167.418.264.317.766.817.659.517.555.217.157.217.260.617.358.717.351.917.246.417.376.630.736.81.5median 57.5median 18.57.22.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHonor MagicbookHonor MagicbookApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHzXiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Honor Magicbook audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 54% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 40% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 40% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 52% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Honor Magicbook audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7.3% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 67% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 28% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 53% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 39% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D) audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.7% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 38% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 47% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management - All Magicbooks have good Battery Life

Energy Consumption

According to our measurements, the Intel CPU Magicbook consumes marginally less energy during idle than the AMD variant. In this state, the integrated Intel UHD graphics is active due to the MX150's Optimus support. The MX150 becomes active automatically during 3D tasks. This explains the additional energy consumption of 15 watts by the Intel/Nvidia configuration during the 3DMark benchmark test. We determined a maximum energy consumption of 63.6 watts from the Intel system. The included power supplies are identical for both models and can provide 65 watts at maximum.

Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U)

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.4 / 0.6 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.9 / 7.3 / 8 Watt
Load midlight 55.4 / 63.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Magicbook (AMD 2500U)

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.4 / 0.7 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.7 / 7.6 / 8.1 Watt
Load midlight 38 / 51 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Honor Magicbook
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Honor Magicbook
R5 2500U, Vega 8, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ, , 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
i5-8250U, Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), Lenovo LENSE20256GMSP34MEAT2TA, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Dell Latitude 3490
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, SK hynix SC311 M.2, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG), IPS, 2560x1440, 14.00
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP 14-ma0312ng
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAH + HGST HTS541010B7E610 1 TB HDD, TN LED, 1366x768, 14.00
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
 
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Power Consumption
6%
4%
12%
7%
4%
1%
-23%
27%
-9%
-12%
Idle Minimum *
3.9
4.7
-21%
4.1
-5%
3.2
18%
3.9
-0%
4.4
-13%
4.4
-13%
6.3
-62%
4.7
-21%
4.48 ?(2.2 - 11.6, n=45)
-15%
4.9 ?(1.77 - 11.8, n=63, last 2 years)
-26%
Idle Average *
7.3
7.6
-4%
6.3
14%
5.5
25%
5.76
21%
7.1
3%
6.6
10%
8.4
-15%
6.3
14%
7.88 ?(5 - 13.8, n=45)
-8%
8.4 ?(4.6 - 17.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-15%
Idle Maximum *
8
8.1
-1%
7.1
11%
8.1
-1%
7.14
11%
10.2
-28%
9.2
-15%
10.2
-28%
6.8
15%
9.76 ?(6.2 - 14.7, n=45)
-22%
10.4 ?(5.1 - 22.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-30%
Load Average *
55.4
38
31%
54.8
1%
40.8
26%
50.8
8%
36.5
34%
61
-10%
59
-6%
15
73%
54.7 ?(33 - 75, n=44)
1%
46.1 ?(19.1 - 83.3, n=62, last 2 years)
17%
Witcher 3 ultra *
45.6
39.6
13%
43.8
4%
40
12%
Load Maximum *
63.6
51
20%
66.4
-4%
68.1
-7%
65.8
-3%
48.7
23%
50
21%
66.3
-4%
30.4
52%
63.5 ?(40.4 - 89.2, n=45)
-0%
66.2 ?(24.2 - 121.2, n=63, last 2 years)
-4%

* ... smaller is better

Furthermore, we took a look at the efficiency of the two solutions, which is to say how many frames per watt they are able to provide. The entire energy consumption test was performed with an external display (int. display off). At 3.4 watts per FPS, the 8250U and MX150 combination claimed first place, followed by the AMD configuration that reached 4.49 W/FPS. Requiring almost 6 watts per FPS, the system with the UHD Graphics 620 active came in last.

2500U/Vega 8/ext. display 8250U/UHD 620/ext. display 8250U/MX150/ext. display
Frame rate 8 FPS 4 FPS 11 FPS
Energy consumption 35.9 W 23.9 W 37.4 W
Efficiency 4.49 W/FPS 5.98 W/FPS 3.40 W/FPS

Battery Life

How good is the battery life of the two Magicbooks? Although the identical 56 Wh battery from the same manufacturer put both configurations on even terms initially, the Intel solution has already been able to showcase its lower energy consumption in idle to medium load scenarios.

At slightly above 10 hours, the Intel version of the Magicbook is slightly ahead in our Wi-Fi surfscript test that is run at an adjusted brightness level (around 150 cd/m²), since the AMD configuration managed to run the same test for only about 9 hours. The Intel Magicbook is even further ahead in our video-playback duration test. Here, it managed to make it to 12 hours, while the AMD configuration "only" reached 8 hours. A comparison of the results of our Battery Eater Reader test (minimum brightness) revealed the Intel chip's significantly lower energy consumption under light loads. The Magicbook with the Intel CPU lasted almost twice as long as its AMD counterpart in the aforementioned test.

Magicbook (Intel i5-8250U)

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
29h 00min
WiFi Websurfing
10h 13min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
12h 9min

Magicbook (AMD 2500U)

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
15h 9min
WiFi Websurfing
8h 52min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
7h 57min
Honor Magicbook
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 56 Wh
Honor Magicbook
R5 2500U, Vega 8,  Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E480-20KQS00000
i5-8250U, Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), 48 Wh
Dell Latitude 3490
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 56 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 45 Wh
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
Acer Swift 3 SF314-52G-89SL
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 48 Wh
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 41 Wh
HP 14-ma0312ng
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 41.7 Wh
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Battery Runtime
-32%
-34%
13%
-35%
-51%
-24%
-46%
-39%
-7%
Reader / Idle
1740
909
-48%
1164
-33%
881
-49%
821
-53%
797
-54%
937
-46%
1197 ?(581 - 2550, n=10, last 2 years)
-31%
H.264
729
477
-35%
536
-26%
428
-41%
224
-69%
350
-52%
399
-45%
778 ?(426 - 1153, n=30, last 2 years)
7%
WiFi v1.3
613
532
-13%
341
-44%
694
13%
520
-15%
416
-32%
465
-24%
414
-32%
445
-27%
623 ?(303 - 1144, n=64, last 2 years)
2%
Load
88
85
185
145
150
115.4 ?(61 - 197, n=47, last 2 years)

Verdict - Honor Magicbook with AMD APU holds some surprises

Pros

+ compact high-quality case
+ Type-C available
+ good Wi-Fi transmission and reception speeds
+ good input devices
+ bright display with a good contrast ratio
+ good CPU performance from both the AMD and the Intel variant
+ generally quiet during office use (AMD model's fan occasionally active)
+ good potential battery life (even better with the Intel version)
+ particularly enticing price/performance ratio of the AMD version

Cons

- additional time and effort required due to Chinese operating system
- problem: warranty due to importing
- small manufacturing defects
- only available USB Type-C port required for charging
- low color-space coverage
- PWM observed in both configurations
- potentially high temperatures under load (particularly with the Intel version)
Review: Honor MagicBook with Intel i5 and Ryzen 5 2500U processor
Review: Honor MagicBook with Intel i5 and Ryzen 5 2500U processor

To summarize: The Honor Magicbook is a compact 14-inch laptop, which resides in the office and entry-level multimedia category. While the notebook is currently only sold in the Far East, it can be imported to Europe or the Americas through various shops, with prices ranging from 600 to 900 Euros (~$684 to $1025). If the device becomes defective, your only option is the import shop, since Honor does not officially sell the product in the aforementioned regions. It is imperative for prospective buyers to be aware of this risk.

While the metal case has a high-quality look overall, it has some shortcomings. Compared to competing products, the Honor Magicbook is thinner and lighter. In terms of port selection, the Type-C port deserves special mention, even though it is also used for charging the notebook. The Magicbook performed well in our Wi-Fi transfer speed test. It should be noted that the Magicbook comes with a Chinese Windows version preinstalled and an upgrade or a completely fresh OS installation is necessary in order to get an English interface.

The available input devices are decent, although some users might not be used to the QWERTY layout.

At 300 candela, the display is sufficiently bright and the contrast ratio is more than suitable as well. The Magicbook is not recommendable for serious image-editing tasks however, since the color-space coverage is too small (around 65% sRGB). One interesting detail in our test devices: We observed PWM on our Intel variant even at maximum brightness, whereas we were only able to detect it at 90% brightness and below on our AMD model.

The AMD version of the Honor Magicbook is the clear winner in terms of price/performance ratio. 

Our i5-8250U version is only around 5% ahead of the significantly cheaper AMD version with the Ryzen 5 2500U in terms of CPU performance. Only tasks with a 3D workload clearly favor the Intel/Nvidia combination over the AMD variant, which is only equipped with an integrated Radeon RX Vega 8 GPU. Even though the aforementioned chip still has a significantly better performance than the likes of an Intel UHD 620, it is still very limiting in terms of resolution and detail settings in games.

Both models are generally quiet during office use, although the AMD version's fan tends to spin-up occasionally, even under light loads. In terms of temperatures, the AMD variant becomes slightly warmer under no load, whereas the Intel/Nvidia configuration can become very hot under load.

Last but not least, the AMD variant of the Magicbook reached 9 hours in our real-world oriented Wi-Fi test, which is a good result. The Intel version managed to last an hour longer still and the other battery tests favored it as well.

Our final verdict is fairly straightforward: Price-conscious users whose daily routine mostly consists of office applications should choose the AMD version of the Honor Magicbook. At 600 Euros (~$684), it is a very good package, even though some compromises have to be made. On the other hand, the Intel/Nvidia configuration is a better fit for users who also have multimedia and gaming on their wish lists. However, the Intel model comes at a 300-Euro (~$342) premium. It is worth mentioning that this puts it into a price-range with other appealing devices that do not carry the risks of importation. The AMD version has the clear advantage in terms of price/performance ratio.

Honor Magicbook (8250U)

Honor Magicbook - 11/06/2020 v6(old)
J. Simon Leitner

Chassis
82 /  98 → 83%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
49 / 80 → 61%
Weight
70 / 35-78 → 81%
Battery
93%
Display
87%
Games Performance
76 / 68 → 100%
Application Performance
90 / 87 → 100%
Temperature
85 / 91 → 93%
Noise
87%
Audio
64 / 91 → 70%
Average
79%
86%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

Honor Magicbook (2500U)

Honor Magicbook - 10/24/2018 v6(old)
J. Simon Leitner

Chassis
82 /  98 → 83%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
47 / 80 → 58%
Weight
70 / 35-78 → 81%
Battery
90%
Display
87%
Games Performance
69 / 68 → 100%
Application Performance
85 / 87 → 97%
Temperature
88 / 91 → 97%
Noise
88%
Audio
64 / 91 → 70%
Average
78%
86%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Honor Magicbook (Intel 8250U vs. AMD 2500U) Laptop Review
J. Simon Leitner, 2018-10-23 (Update: 2020-05- 5)