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Huawei MateBook D 53010BAJ (8250U, MX150) Laptop Review

Old book, new page. Huawei's all-aluminum 15.6-inch MateBook D gets Kaby Lake-R hardware and GeForce MX150 graphics. How does the multimedia notebook compare to its otherwise identical predecessor and did Huawei do enough to differentiate the MateBook D from the stiff competition in this segment?

Huawei's 2018 edition of their 15.6-inch mainstream MateBook D differs from last year's model only when it comes to the hardware. The Chinese manufacturer offers the refreshed multimedia laptop with an 8th generation Intel i5 Kaby Lake-R quad-core CPU and NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics, which should improve performance compared to the predecessor with Kaby Lake i7 CPU and 940MX GPU. Our supplier Computer Upgrade King allows their users to configure their device at the time of purchase: our particular version comes equipped with 16 GB of RAM, a 500 GB SSD and 1 TB HDD and sells for $930.

15.6-inch multimedia laptops are not exactly a rare breed, so the Matebook D faces stiff competition in the form of other "do-it-all" computers like the Acer Swift 3 SF315HP Pavilion 15tLenovo IdeaPad 720 and even the lesser-known Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro. The sturdy all-aluminum chassis with its gently rounded corners has undergone no changes, so visually the notebook is all but indistinguishable from the previous version. For this reason, we will drop some of our usual sections and focus primarily on the hardware and performance differences.

For a more in-depth discussion of the case, connectivity and the input devices, please refer to our review of the MateBook D from 2017.

Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ (Matebook D 15 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: 1531 MHz, Memory: 6008 MHz, 398.36, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, PC4-19200 DDR4 SDRAM
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, no, AU Optronics B156HW02, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U + iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, 512 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: Headphone/microphone combo, Sensors: Accelerometer and Hall sensor
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): 16.9 x 358 x 239 ( = 0.67 x 14.09 x 9.41 in)
Battery
43.3 Wh, 3800 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo w/ Dolby Atmos® Sound System, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.848 kg ( = 65.19 oz / 4.07 pounds), Power Supply: 182 g ( = 6.42 oz / 0.4 pounds)
Price
930 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Huawei didn't make any modifications to the chassis, so the dimensions remain unchanged. Since this is a simple CPU and GPU update with no changes to the battery capacity, the weight remains near-identical as well. The power adapter is the same one as before, so the all-up travel weight remains at just over 2 kg / ~4.5 lbs. Thanks to the narrow-bezel design and a corresponding screen-to-body ratio of 83 percent, the MateBook D is smaller than most competitors and about the size of Dell's significantly more powerful, but also more expensive XPS 15. 

384 mm / 15.1 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs378 mm / 14.9 inch 252.1 mm / 9.93 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 1.8 kg4.01 lbs362.5 mm / 14.3 inch 225 mm / 8.86 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2 kg4.48 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 2 kg4.3 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 239 mm / 9.41 inch 16.9 mm / 0.665 inch 1.8 kg4.07 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 1.9 kg4.26 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
SD Card Reader
maximum SDCardreader Maximum Transfer Rate
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=57, last 2 years)
122.4 MB/s
average SDCardreader Average Transfer Rate
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 205, n=61, last 2 years)
93 MB/s

Communication

Our test unit uses the very same Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 adapter with Bluetooth 4.1 as the predecessor and both send and receive speeds are comparable as well. The Lenovo IdeaPad 720 has dismal transfer rates by comparison. We did not encounter any dropouts or experience other connectivity issues during the review period.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
680 MBit/s +32%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
611 MBit/s +18%
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
539 MBit/s +4%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
516 MBit/s
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
471 MBit/s -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
48 MBit/s -91%
iperf3 receive AX12
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
644 MBit/s
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
585 MBit/s -9%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
554 MBit/s -14%
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
542 MBit/s -16%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
541 MBit/s -16%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
174 MBit/s -73%

Accessories

Included are only the notebook itself, the power adapter and a quick start guide as well as a warranty card. Huawei sells no dedicated accessories, but offers a few generic items like a Bluetooth mouse, a USB 3.0 to RJ45 adapter, and a backpack.

Maintenance

While we had issues disassembling our previous MateBook D, our test unit this time proved to be much more cooperative and we succeeded in taking off the bottom cover with relative ease. Users are able to replace the RAM modules (hidden under the heat shields), the SSD and HDD, as well as the WLAN module. The fan is accessible should a cleaning be necessary.

Warranty

Huawei covers the MateBook D against various manufacturer's defects for a period of 12 months. Additional extended warranties or upgrades are not offered. 

Display

A matte 15.6 inch IPS panel with FHD resolution and a pixel density of 141 PPI remains the only display option. While our previous MateBook D was equipped with a panel from BOE, our current review unit features an AU Optronics (B156HW02) display. Brightness and brightness distribution between the two panels are nearly identical, although the AOU display features better contrast. The average brightness of 260 nits is sufficient for most usage scenarios, although pricier notebooks like the Dell XPS 15 tend to be more than a 100 nits brighter. The new display also doesn't use PWM to regulate the brightness, so it remains flicker-free. 

RGB subpixel array (141 PPI)
RGB subpixel array (141 PPI)
Backlight bleeding along the edges
Backlight bleeding along the edges
263.8
cd/m²
256.8
cd/m²
263.9
cd/m²
260.5
cd/m²
265.7
cd/m²
266.2
cd/m²
245.1
cd/m²
254.6
cd/m²
243.5
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B156HW02 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 266.2 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 257.8 cd/m² Minimum: 5.03 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 265.7 cd/m²
Contrast: 857:1 (Black: 0.31 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.01 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.94
ΔE Greyscale 5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60.92% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
42.24% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
42.24% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.96% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.7
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
AU Optronics B156HW02, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
BOE070C, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
BOE NV156FHM-N48, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
LG Philips LGD0573 LP156WF9-SPK2, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
AU Optronics, TN LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
Sharp SHP149A LQ156M1, LED IGZO IPS InfinityEdge, 15.60, 1920x1080
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
BOE0747 NV156FHM-N61, IPS LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
Display
2%
-3%
-6%
-9%
59%
52%
Display P3 Coverage
40.96
41.79
2%
39.86
-3%
38.62
-6%
37.28
-9%
66
61%
66.5
62%
sRGB Coverage
60.9
61.5
1%
58.7
-4%
58.1
-5%
56.1
-8%
96.5
58%
86.9
43%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
42.24
43.17
2%
41.18
-3%
39.91
-6%
38.51
-9%
66.7
58%
63.5
50%
Response Times
-31%
-17%
-6%
14%
-23%
-28%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
36.4 ?(18.4, 18)
46.4 ?(23.2, 23.2)
-27%
42 ?(22, 20)
-15%
42 ?(22, 20)
-15%
45 ?(24, 21)
-24%
49 ?(25, 40)
-35%
47.9 ?(22.4, 25.5)
-32%
Response Time Black / White *
27.2 ?(15.6, 11.6)
36.8 ?(22.4, 14.4)
-35%
32 ?(17, 15)
-18%
26 ?(15, 11)
4%
13 ?(8, 5)
52%
30 ?(16, 14)
-10%
33.7 ?(19.2, 14.5)
-24%
PWM Frequency
21190
21000 ?(80)
961 ?(10)
21800 ?(99)
Screen
-7%
11%
9%
-39%
45%
23%
Brightness middle
265.7
268
1%
248
-7%
270
2%
234
-12%
413
55%
296
11%
Brightness
258
258
0%
237
-8%
250
-3%
230
-11%
378
47%
288
12%
Brightness Distribution
91
92
1%
79
-13%
87
-4%
76
-16%
86
-5%
89
-2%
Black Level *
0.31
0.47
-52%
0.21
32%
0.25
19%
0.34
-10%
0.29
6%
0.32
-3%
Contrast
857
570
-33%
1181
38%
1080
26%
688
-20%
1424
66%
925
8%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.01
5.7
5%
4.98
17%
4.79
20%
12.19
-103%
2.44
59%
4.3
28%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
18.87
21.7
-15%
8.41
55%
8.83
53%
20.81
-10%
4.46
76%
8.7
54%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.94
2.48
37%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5
4.2
16%
4.26
15%
5.66
-13%
13.99
-180%
2.48
50%
3
40%
Gamma
2.7 81%
2.3 96%
2.37 93%
2.64 83%
2.32 95%
2.43 91%
2.1 105%
CCT
6569 99%
6820 95%
7149 91%
7179 91%
15863 41%
7006 93%
7100 92%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
42.24
43.2
2%
38
-10%
37
-12%
36
-15%
62
47%
56.83
35%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60.92
61.5
1%
58
-5%
59
-3%
56
-8%
96
58%
86.86
43%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-12% / -9%
-3% / 5%
-1% / 4%
-11% / -26%
27% / 39%
16% / 22%

* ... smaller is better

Color space coverage remains very low at approximately 61 percent and 42 percent of the professional sRGB and AdobeRGB color spaces. Most inexpensive multimedia notebooks fare no better, so the lack of a wide color gamut shouldn't be too much of a surprise. The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 does well here given its also very modest price point. It goes without saying that users primarily interested in photo or video editing need to pick a different notebook for this purpose.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. Xiaomi Mi Pro
vs. Xiaomi Mi Pro

A more thorough check with the X-Rite spectrophotometer reveals inferior colors out of the box with an average DeltaE-deviation of 6 and a maximum deviation of almost 19 for the color blue. Our calibration attempts improved the average color accuracy by two points, but didn't change the maximum deviation. Only the HP Pavilion 15t suffers from worse color and grayscale accuracy than the review notebook. The more expensive Dell XPS 15 on the other hand features the best display in our comparison and is much better suited for aspiring digital artists.

ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration

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
27.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15.6 ms rise
↘ 11.6 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 64 % 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
36.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18.4 ms rise
↘ 18 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. » 46 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to 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 not detected

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.

Outdoor visibility is acceptable thanks to the just-sufficient brightness of 260 nits combined with the none-glare coating. Direct sunlight will wash out the display content completely - a higher contrast ratio would've helped here - but working in the shade or outside on an overcast day is certainly possible without major issues. 

Outdoors - shade
Outdoors - shade
Outdoors - direct sunlight
Outdoors - direct sunlight
Outdoors - full shade
Outdoors - full shade
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

Thanks to the i5-8250U CPU, 16 GB of RAM and dedicated Nvidia graphics, the Huawei MateBook D can handle even heavier multitasking and offers plenty of storage as well since it's equipped with both a primary SSD and a secondary HDD. The Core i5-8250U is the only available option on Cukusa's configuration page at this time, so we can't say for sure if i7 CPUs will be offered as well, although it seems likely. 

The lowest-end model Cukusa sells comes with 8 GB of RAM and a 1 TB platter-based hard drive. Upgrading to 16 GB of RAM and swapping out the HHD for a 250 GB SSD would lead to a noticeable boost in performance and will add a very modest $95 to the base price of $730. 

 

Processor

Our MateBook D is equipped with an 8th-generation quad-core 15 W ULV CPU. When it comes to multi-core performance as recorded with Cinebench R15, the i5-8250U is over 25 percent faster than the i7-7500U processor the predecessor was equipped with, although the single-core performance is actually slightly lower. The multi-core score trails the average i5-8250U CPU (as established by over 70 test results in our database) by almost 20 percent, so the notebook likely has issues maintaining the Turbo Boost. To determine how the system handles continuous CPU load, we run our Cinebench R15 Multi loop test. As seen in the graph below, the initial score drops by a modest 5 percent (505 vs. 479 points) with no significant further reduction in performance. Notebooks equipped with the i5-7200U are between 10 - 30 percent slower.

Please see our dedicated page on the Core i5-8250U for more technical information and additional benchmarks.

CineBench R15
CineBench R15
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
Intel Core i5-8300H
167 Points +14%
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
Intel Core i7-7500U
149 Points +2%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
Intel Core i5-8250U
146 Points 0%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
Intel Core i5-8250U
146 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points -1%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 (144.66min - 144.78max) Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (81 - 147, n=97)
141.1 Points -3%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points -12%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
Intel Core i5-8300H
840 Points +66%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
576 (544.28min - 575.47max) Points +14%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (320 - 730, n=101)
570 Points +13%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
Intel Core i5-8250U
560 Points +11%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
Intel Core i5-8250U
556 Points +10%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
Intel Core i5-8250U
505 Points
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
Intel Core i7-7500U
343 Points -32%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
331 Points -34%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 32Bit
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
1.46 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (1.41 - 1.47, n=9)
1.452 Points
CPU Multi 32Bit
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
5.95 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (5.37 - 7.16, n=9)
5.87 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
146 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
505 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
95.3 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

According to the PCMark benchmarks, the MateBook D performs similar to competing multimedia notebooks like the Acer Swift 3 with the same CPU and GPU. Despite the current-generation hardware, the new MateBook D offers only a 5 percent improvement over the predecessor when it comes to the PCMark 8 test results, although the difference is over 25 percent when running PCMark 10. Perceived performance is very good with near-instantaneous application launches and fast system boots (~10 seconds).

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4464 Points +15%
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
4030 Points +4%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Hynix HFS128G39TND
3935 Points +1%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3889 Points
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3766 Points -3%
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1027
3721 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (3274 - 3935, n=10)
3687 Points -5%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
GeForce 940MX, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1006
3683 Points -5%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
5271 Points +8%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Hynix HFS128G39TND
4992 Points +2%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4894 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4882 Points 0%
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1027
4860 Points -1%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
GeForce 940MX, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1006
4812 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (4339 - 4992, n=10)
4772 Points -2%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4746 Points -3%
PCMark 10 - Score
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
4479 Points +15%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3904 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Hynix HFS128G39TND
3802 Points -3%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3686 Points -6%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (3007 - 3904, n=10)
3542 Points -9%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
GeForce 940MX, i5-8250U, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1006
3505 Points -10%
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1027
3081 Points -21%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3889 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4894 points
PCMark 10 Score
3904 points
Help

Storage Devices

Our MateBook D is equipped with dual storage drives. The primary M.2 PM981 NVMe SSD from Samsung features a very generous capacity of 512 GB and offers great read and write rates, although it's capable of even better performance in other implementations. The SSDs in the Acer Swift 3 and the HP Pavilion 15t are limited to SATA speeds and are consequently much slower. The secondary 1 TB HDD spins at 5400 RPM and offers decent transfer rates of about 104 MB/s according to HD Tune. Users who are interested in faster secondary storage can swap the 1 TB HDD for a 500 GB 2.5-inch SSD for $60 when purchasing directly from Cukusa.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

AS SSD - primary SSD
AS SSD - primary SSD
CrystalDiskMark 6 - primary SSD
CrystalDiskMark 6 - primary SSD
HD Tune - secondary HDD
HD Tune - secondary HDD
Samsung PM981 & Seagate HDD
Samsung PM981 & Seagate HDD
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
Hynix HFS128G39TND
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1006
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
AS SSD
-77%
-11%
-73%
-12%
Seq Read
1567
515
-67%
1806
15%
491.7
-69%
1471
-6%
Seq Write
1411
124
-91%
1226
-13%
452
-68%
1077
-24%
4K Read
53
29.84
-44%
51.4
-3%
25.92
-51%
49.82
-6%
4K Write
81.9
77.5
-5%
113.9
39%
49.33
-40%
144.8
77%
4K-64 Read
1455
355.3
-76%
485.7
-67%
343.9
-76%
1312
-10%
4K-64 Write
1486
114.1
-92%
1652
11%
155.5
-90%
470.1
-68%
Access Time Read *
0.043
0.101
-135%
0.06
-40%
0.133
-209%
0.079
-84%
Access Time Write *
0.143
0.273
-91%
0.032
78%
0.091
36%
0.025
83%
Score Read
1665
437
-74%
1881
13%
419
-75%
1509
-9%
Score Write
1709
204
-88%
710
-58%
250
-85%
723
-58%
Score Total
4225
854
-80%
35
-99%
890
-79%
2991
-29%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1846 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1816 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 1015 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 1707 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 501 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 407.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 48.41 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 150.9 MB/s

GPU Performance

The Nvidia GeForce MX150 is the official successor to the older Maxwell-based GeForce 940MX. Graphics performance compared to other notebooks with the same GPU is right where expected and outclasses the processor-integrated Intel HD 620 by at least a factor of two. The Lenovo IdeaPad 720 with AMD Radeon RX 560 outperforms the MateBook D by up to 90 percent depending on the benchmark, while the The Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9 with AMD Radeon RX Vega 10 trails our test unit by 17 - 35 percent.

For additional technical information and benchmark comparisons, please see our dedicated page on the Nvidia GeForce MX150.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U
8329 Points +85%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
4742 Points +5%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
4501 Points
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
4252 Points -6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2796 - 4905, n=47)
4191 Points -7%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
3728 Points -17%
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2910 Points -35%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i5-8250U
2471 Points -45%
HP Pavilion 15-cs0053cl
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1666 Points -63%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U
4374 Points +4%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
4267 Points +2%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
4192 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2820 - 4421, n=46)
3957 Points -6%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
3845 Points -8%
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2735 Points -35%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2734 Points -35%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i5-8250U
1907 Points -55%
HP Pavilion 15-cs0053cl
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1501 Points -64%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U
36552 Points +91%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
21666 Points +13%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (16227 - 22183, n=43)
19512 Points +2%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
19132 Points
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
17552 Points -8%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
15613 Points -18%
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
13199 Points -31%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i5-8250U
9012 Points -53%
HP Pavilion 15-cs0053cl
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
8567 Points -55%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U
5705 Points +59%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
3688 Points +3%
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
3592 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2323 - 3739, n=44)
3310 Points -8%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
3263 Points -9%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2442 Points -32%
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2376 Points -34%
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i5-8250U
1720 Points -52%
3DMark 11 Performance
4710 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
11944 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3229 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Gaming performance is sufficient for older titles at reduced quality settings or lower resolution, but nonetheless slightly lower compared to other notebooks with the same GeForce MX150 GPU. Users interested in gaming and higher frame rates should opt for the Lenovo IdeaPad 720 with Radeon RX 560 or the Dell XPS 15 with GTX 1050, which are 50 and 120 percent faster, respectively.  

Rise of the Tomb Raider
1024x768 Lowest Preset (sort by value)
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
51.4 fps
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
71.9 fps +40%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
63.2 fps +23%
HP Pavilion 15-cs0053cl
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba MQ04ABF100
10.4 fps -80%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (41.6 - 86, n=28)
64.6 fps +26%
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x (sort by value)
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
34 fps
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
51.6 fps +52%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
37 fps +9%
HP Pavilion 15-cs0053cl
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba MQ04ABF100
6.5 fps -81%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41-R6J9
Vega 10, R7 2700U, Micron SSD 1100 SED 512GB, M.2 (MTFDDAV512TBN)
30 fps -12%
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
73.2 fps +115%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (28.2 - 60, n=29)
38.7 fps +14%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
21.8 fps
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
30.6 fps +40%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
19.9 fps -9%
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
40.6 fps +86%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (14.8 - 27, n=28)
20.9 fps -4%
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
15.2 fps
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
24.1 fps +59%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
16.8 fps +11%
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
33.2 fps +118%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (14.8 - 26, n=23)
18 fps +18%
low med. high ultra
Hitman: Absolution (2012) 71.3 67.2 45.9 22
The Witcher 3 (2015) 35
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 51.4 34 21.8 15.2

Stress Test

As always, we stress our test unit to identify any throttling or stability issues. When subjected to CPU stress with Prime95, the processor can be observed running at 1.4 - 1.5 GHz after the first 30 seconds at core temperatures of 55 - 56 C. The system thus can sustain the Turbo only for very short durations before throttling occurs. With Furmark running, the GPU starts out at 1544 MHz before dropping to 1240 MHz in the first minute. Twenty minutes later, the GPU has stabilized at 936 - 949 MHz and a temperature of 60 C. No further changes occur.

Simultaneous CPU and GPU stress causes the CPU cores to drop to 800 - 900 MHz within 3 minutes, while the GPU runs at 950 MHz and at the same temperature. Witcher 3 stress more accurately represents real-world GPU loads. After about five minutes, the CPU and GPU can be observed running at 2.6 GHz and 1300 MHz, respectively, with core temperatures for both around 61 - 62 C. Half an hour later, the GPU speed remains as before, but the CPU drops to between 0.8 - 1.1 GHz and the core temperatures drop to 57 C.

Huawei once again appears to employ very aggressive CPU and GPU management, as core temperatures never exceeded 80 C during any of our tests. As we will later see, even these modest internal temperatures cause comparatively high surface temperatures, which in turns helps to explain why Huawei stays so conservative here. 

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress
0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839Tooltip
The Witcher 3 medium
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 1.4-1.5 - 55-56 -
FurMark Stress - 936-949 - 60
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 0.8-0.9 950 59 59
Witcher 3 Stress 0.8-1.1 1300 57 57

Emissions

System Noise

MateBook D (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: 3DMark06, Orange: Witcher 3, Green: Prime95+FurMark
MateBook D (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: 3DMark06, Orange: Witcher 3, Green: Prime95+FurMark

Compared to the predecessor, system noise has increased substantially. Gaming and maximum load bump the fan noise to almost 44 and 46 dB, respectively. The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 gets similarly loud, but most other competitors are not quite as obtrusive and better suited for noise sensitive environments. The predecessor MateBook D with i7-7500U and GeForce 940MX never exceeded 40 dB during any of our tests.

We noticed some coil whine, but in order to hear it, we had to put our ear right next to the keyboard. From normal distance it's only the clicking of the platter-based secondary drive that remains audible.

Noise Level

Idle
29.4 / 29.6 / 29.6 dB(A)
Load
43.5 / 45.8 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 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 27.8 dB(A)
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Hynix HFS128G39TND
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1027
Noise
3%
2%
-3%
4%
off / environment *
27.8
30.5
-10%
30.3
-9%
31
-12%
28.8
-4%
Idle Minimum *
29.4
30.5
-4%
30.3
-3%
31
-5%
30
-2%
Idle Average *
29.6
30.5
-3%
30.3
-2%
31
-5%
30.2
-2%
Idle Maximum *
29.6
30.9
-4%
30.3
-2%
32.6
-10%
30.2
-2%
Load Average *
43.5
35.7
18%
39.2
10%
41.6
4%
39
10%
Witcher 3 ultra *
43.5
41.6
4%
41.6
4%
38.7
11%
Load Maximum *
45.8
35.6
22%
39.2
14%
44.7
2%
39
15%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Rear exhaust
Rear exhaust

Temperatures are lower than before by a couple of degrees, which can be attributed to the even more aggressive thermal management. In other words: despite the better performance, the new MateBook D doesn't get any hotter than the predecessor, although it is definitely noisier. Despite the fact that the hotspot is located in the middle, operating the notebook on the lap is only advisable for short periods of time. The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 remains a few degrees cooler, while the higher-performing Dell XPS 15 with 45 W CPU and GeForce GTX 1050 reaches a toasty 56 C.  

System idle - top
System idle - top
System idle - bottom
System idle - bottom
Maximum load - top
Maximum load - top
Maximum load - bottom
Maximum load - bottom
Witcher 3 stress - top
Witcher 3 stress - top
Witcher 3 stress - bottom
Witcher 3 stress - bottom
Max. Load
 39.8 °C
104 F
45.6 °C
114 F
33.8 °C
93 F
 
 36 °C
97 F
38.6 °C
101 F
30.2 °C
86 F
 
 31.2 °C
88 F
28.8 °C
84 F
28.4 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 45.6 °C = 114 F
Average: 34.7 °C = 94 F
35 °C
95 F
47.8 °C
118 F
43 °C
109 F
32.4 °C
90 F
39 °C
102 F
40 °C
104 F
31 °C
88 F
33.8 °C
93 F
35.4 °C
96 F
Maximum: 47.8 °C = 118 F
Average: 37.5 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  40 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 21.6 °C = 71 F | Raytek Raynger ST
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.7 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.6 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 47.8 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.4 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 35 °C / 95 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.2 °C / 88.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-2.4 °C / -4.4 F).

Speakers

Speaker quality remains unchanged as well. The MateBook D is sufficiently loud for small to medium-sized rooms with no apparent distortion, but bass is lacking and the mids are not particularly balanced. The palm rests reverberate slightly at volume settings of 75 percent and above. The Dolby Atmos software features presets for music, voice and movie, among others and a configurable equalizer as well. Headphones or external speakers are highly recommended for a better auditory experience.

Stereo speakers at the left and right edge
Stereo speakers at the left and right edge
Huawei MateBook D
Huawei MateBook D
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2041.136.42534.634.73135.235.3403432.55033326332.732.58032.131.410029.930.812530.232.516027.843.620027.951.925027.858.431527.260.94002663.850025.765.363025.661.980025.573.2100025.275.9125024.770.8160024.561200024.360250023.959.731502457400023.857.2500023.963.9630023.761.4800023.656.71000023.755.61250023.557.71600023.558.1SPL36.679.2N2.841median 24.7median 59.7Delta1.33.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHuawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (13.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 76% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 18% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 61% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 33% 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%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Prime95 at the 20s mark. Note the steep drop off in power consumption because of the declining Turbo Boost.
Prime95 at the 20s mark. Note the steep drop off in power consumption because of the declining Turbo Boost.

The updated MateBook D draws more power than last year's MateBook D with 7th-generation i7 CPU and GeForce 940MX. Idling on the desktop will require between 4 and 12 W depending on the brightness setting and chosen power profile, while extreme loads will demand 60 W. Most notebooks with 15 W CPUs and discrete entry-level graphics consume about as much as our test unit. The Dell XPS 15 2018 with i5-8300H and GeForce GTX 1050 will consume up to 75 percent more at maximum load levels.

The fairly small (60 x 60 x 28 mm) 65 W power adapter occasionally gets pushed close to its limit, as the notebook can consume up to 60 W at maximum load. 

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.55 / 0.61 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.2 / 7.2 / 12.1 Watt
Load midlight 51.1 / 59.9 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.
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Hynix HFS128G39TND, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
i5-7200U, Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
i5-8250U, GeForce 940MX, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1006, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
i7-7500U, GeForce 940MX, SanDisk SD8SN8U128G1027, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Power Consumption
9%
-47%
18%
10%
6%
Idle Minimum *
4.2
3.8
10%
9.9
-136%
2.8
33%
3.7
12%
5.14
-22%
Idle Average *
7.2
6.5
10%
9.5
-32%
5.8
19%
7.5
-4%
9.07
-26%
Idle Maximum *
12.1
9.1
25%
10.7
12%
7.5
38%
8
34%
9.33
23%
Load Average *
51.1
53.4
-5%
62
-21%
54
-6%
49
4%
46.76
8%
Witcher 3 ultra *
52.7
84
-59%
50.6
4%
40.18
24%
Load Maximum *
59.9
55.6
7%
86.7
-45%
56
7%
55.2
8%
42.59
29%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Interestingly enough, the higher power draw doesn't negatively impact real-world battery life. Users can expect about 7 hours and 45 minutes hours of WLAN use with a screen brightness of 150 nits and the balanced profile active. The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 has a much larger battery (60 Wh vs. 43 Wh) and lasts about 30 percent longer under the same conditions. That said, with judicious use, the battery can certainly last most of a work day. 

Running on battery power will reduce both CPU and GPU performance, however: a 3DMark 11 run under battery power returns graphics and physics scores of 3741 and 6402 points, respectively, compared to 4501 and 6873 points when plugged in. The average performance is thus reduced by about 17 percent.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
15h 10min
WiFi Websurfing
7h 42min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 14min
Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 43.3 Wh
Acer Swift 3 SF315-51G-57E5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 49.7 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
i5-7200U, Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), 40 Wh
HP Pavilion 15-cc107ng
i5-8250U, GeForce 940MX, 41.7 Wh
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 60 Wh
Huawei MateBook D 15, i7-7500U 940MX
i7-7500U, GeForce 940MX, 43.3 Wh
Battery Runtime
11%
-11%
-15%
47%
9%
Reader / Idle
910
963
6%
956
5%
WiFi v1.3
462
511
11%
425
-8%
395
-15%
597
29%
441
-5%
Load
74
50
-32%
122
65%
93
26%
Witcher 3 ultra
83

Pros

+ all-aluminum chassis
+ high quality construction
+ non-glare IPS display
+ decent battery life
+ SSD + HDD
+ good value

Cons

- noticeable GPU throttling under load
- runs hot
- no backlit keyboard
- poor gamut-
- no USB-C port, single video-out

Verdict

Huawei MateBook D, courtesy of Computer Upgrade King. Use coupon code NCB10 for $10 Off
Huawei MateBook D, courtesy of Computer Upgrade King. Use coupon code NCB10 for $10 Off

Save for the updated hardware, the new MateBook D 53010BAJ is still the same 15.6-inch, all-aluminum mainstream multimedia notebook Huawei introduced last year. For the given price point, the chassis is very well designed, sturdy and pleasing to look at. The system performance is satisfying, even though the new notebook isn't leaps and bounds ahead of the predecessor in that regard. We applaud Huawei for not attempting to shoehorn a Coffee Lake-H hexa-core CPU into the slim chassis, as doing so would have certainly overwhelmed the cooling system completely and would've reduced battery life as well. Even with the 15 W ULV CPU, however, throttling remains an issue when under higher load. Huawei continues to employ aggressive CPU and GPU throttling to keep the internal and surface temperatures in check, at the cost of reduced performance and increased fan activity. The net result: the MateBook D offers better performance, but unfortunately runs about as hot as the predecessor and it's gotten quite a bit noisier as well. We should note that the observed throttling will likely only impact power users and shouldn't affect day-to-day browsing, word processing and similar tasks. 

There's no question that Huawei had to cut some additional corners to keep the price that low: the port selection is what we consider the bare minimum and lacks an SD card reader, USB-C port and multiple video outs. The display panel, while reasonably bright, falls short when it comes to color gamut and accuracy.

The MateBook D is a solid multimedia notebook with impressive specs for the price point. Performance has improved over the predecessor, but throttling under load unfortunately remains an issue.

Huawei MateBook D 15-53010BAJ - 08/17/2018 v6(old)
Bernie Pechlaner

Chassis
82 / 98 → 83%
Keyboard
84%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
38 / 81 → 47%
Weight
65 / 20-67 → 95%
Battery
90%
Display
82%
Games Performance
74 / 85 → 87%
Application Performance
90 / 92 → 98%
Temperature
85%
Noise
84 / 95 → 89%
Audio
64%
Camera
58 / 85 → 68%
Average
75%
83%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Huawei MateBook D 53010BAJ (8250U, MX150) Laptop Review
Bernie Pechlaner, 2018-08-20 (Update: 2018-08-20)