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MagyarNew Huawei MateBook 14 review: An attempt at a MacBook Air alternative
Visually, the new Huawei MateBook 14 has hardly changed compared to the predecessor. The manufacturer continues to use a great display with a touchscreen and 2K resolution in the 3:2 format. In the manufacturer's line-up, the ultrabook is positioned between the MateBook X Pro and the MateBook D14. The regular price of 1,100 Euros (~$1,199) is often reduced by up to 270 Euros (~$294), making the model that shows a really high-quality workmanship already available for barely 830 Euros (~$905). The label of the model is slightly confusing. Since the updated MateBook 14 was already introduced into the Chinese market in 2022, Huawei itself calls it the "MateBook 14 2022." But the model became only available in the European market in the fourth quarter of 2023, so that it is known as "MateBook 14 2023" here.
Compared to the predecessor that was available in both an Intel and an AMD version, you have to be content with only the Intel version this year. What is used here is the Intel Core i5-1240P, and our test unit comes with 16 GB of working memory and a 512-GB SSD.
Since nothing has changed in the design and the color is "Space Gray" again, it lends itself to a comparison with the Macbook Air M2. In addition, other worthwhile comparisons include the predecessor model as well as the LG Gram 14Z90Q and Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320, which both also use the i5-1240P processor. As a competitor with an AMD processor, we choose the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5, and for a comparison with current Intel processors, we use the Acer Swift Go 14 laptop.
Possible Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85.8 % | 01/2024 | Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.4 kg | 15.9 mm | 14.00" | 2160x1440 | |
| 92.3 % | 07/2022 | Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry M2, M2 8-Core GPU | 1.2 kg | 11.3 mm | 13.60" | 2560x1664 | |
| 88.3 % | 08/2023 | Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 R7 7730U, Vega 8 | 1.4 kg | 18 mm | 14.00" | 2240x1400 | |
| 86.6 % | 10/2022 | LG Gram 14Z90Q i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 980 g | 16.8 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 86.4 % | 04/2022 | Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.5 kg | 15.9 mm | 14.00" | 2160x1440 | |
| 86.1 % | 08/2022 | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.2 kg | 15.3 mm | 13.40" | 1920x1200 | |
12/2023 | Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 Ultra 7 155H, Arc 8-Cores | 1.3 kg | 14.9 mm | 14.00" | 2880x1800 |
Case: Space Gray and aluminum
Almost nothing has changed in the case compared to the predecessor model. In the current Huawei MateBook 14, the name continues to reveal the intent, and the simple aluminum case reminds us strongly of a MacBook Air M2. The case appears very robust, and the base and display lid resist attempts of twisting. The laptop cannot be opened using a single hand, and the hinges wobble a lot when adjusting the lid angle.
Even though the maximum opening angle is fine at 150 degrees, with the touchscreen, a 180-degree angle allowing the display to lie flat on the surface would have also been very practical. As already in the predecessor, despite the aluminum case the keyboard deck has more give than expected, but we don't really see any real problem here.
Equipment: Same as the predecessor
There are no changes to the equipment compared to the predecessor. You can find the audio port, a single USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, and HDMI 1.4b (4K @30Hz) on the left side. The fact that both USB-A ports on the right side offer the 3.2 Gen 1 standard is also an advantage.
Since the single USB-C port also represents the only charging option, it can only be used efficiently with a dongle. Even though there is an Intel processor inside the MateBook, unfortunately it doesn't support Thunderbolt.
For a more detailed look at the Wi-Fi chip and the webcam that is integrated into the keyboard, we refer you to our review of the predecessor, since nothing has changed in this regard. The webcam continues to offer a 720P resolution, with a disadvantageous viewing angle due to its low position in the keyboard. While the webcam quality is usable, it quickly hits its limits in bad light conditions.
Maintenance
In order to remove the bottom plate, you have to first remove a total of 10 equally-sized screws. After that, a couple of suction cups are sufficient to lift up the plate. Inside, the M.2 SSD can be replaced, but you cannot do the same with the Wi-Fi module. The dual fans can be removed and cleaned easily, and the battery is also easy to replace.
Input Devices: A large touchpad and solid keyboard
While we are unable to see any external change in the keyboard of the current Huawei MateBook 14 compared to that of the predecessor, the typing experience is better than with last year's model, at least subjectively. Key presses feel crisp and in contrast to the predecessor model, the keyboard doesn't feel spongy. Even though the keyboard of the direct competitor, the MacBook Air M2, is even better, we were quickly able to reach our usual typing speed during the test. As in the predecessor, the keyboard has some slight give while typing, but this wasn't any significant annoyance during the test.
A critique that remains is that function keys such as "Home" and "End" would be desirable. But overall, the keyboard feels precise and comfortable even for longer writing tasks, making it also suitable for those who type a lot. The fingerprint sensor continues to be integrated in the power button that is fortunately not part of the keyboard as is customary with many other models at this point.
A brighter display with worse contrast values
Besides the newer processor, the brighter display in our Huawei MateBook 14 is probably the largest change compared to the predecessor model. Even if it is the same panel according to the device information, we were able to measure significantly better values, leading us to assume that Huawei has followed up with some additional calibration here.
The manufacturer continues to use a 14-inch display in the 3:2 format with a high resolution of 2,160 x 1,440 pixels. The display bezels are attractively slim on all four sides, without the addition a notch as in the MacBook Air M2.
In some regards, the measurements of the display turn out significantly better than those of the predecessor. At 411 cd/m², the average brightness turns out a good 44 cd/m² higher, and the brightness distribution is almost 10% better. On the other hand, the really good contrast value of the predecessor could not be reached this time, and the display remains within the advertised values at 1548:1. In the color space coverage, we don't see any noticeable improvements compared to the predecessor, but the values for AdobeRGB, sRGB, and DCI-P3 are 2% worse instead.
Together with the touchscreen functionality, a high pixel density of 185 pixels per inch completes the overall picture. Even though our test unit shows some slight screen bleeding and clouding effects, these are not very noticeable in everyday operation.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 418 cd/m²
Contrast: 1548:1 (Black: 0.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.04 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.85
ΔE Greyscale 2.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
66.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
95.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.121
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P BOE XS TV140WTM-NHH0, IPS, 2160x1440, 14.00 | Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry IPS, 2560x1664, 13.60 | Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 BOE XS TV140WTM-NHH0, IPS, 2160x1440, 14.00 | LG Gram 14Z90Q LG LP140WU1-SPF1, IPS, 1920x1200, 14.00 | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p Sharp SHP1548 LQ134N1, IPS, 1920x1200, 13.40 | Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 ATNA40YK11-0, OLED, 2880x1800, 14.00 | Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 M140NWHE R1, IPS, 2240x1400, 14.00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 30% | 2% | 29% | 6% | 36% | 5% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 64.4 | 98.4 53% | 65.6 2% | 98.4 53% | 69 7% | 99.75 55% | 69.3 8% |
| sRGB Coverage | 95.3 | 99.9 5% | 97.4 2% | 99.9 5% | 99 4% | 99.99 5% | 97.6 2% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 66.4 | 87.6 32% | 67.5 2% | 85.9 29% | 71 7% | 98.56 48% | 70.4 6% |
| Response Times | -14% | -6% | -40% | -28% | 68% | -9% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 27.5 ? | 32.9 ? -20% | 34 ? -24% | 47.5 ? -73% | 45 ? -64% | 2.2 ? 92% | 36.3 ? -32% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 23 ? | 24.9 ? -8% | 20 ? 13% | 24.5 ? -7% | 21 ? 9% | 12.8 ? 44% | 19.5 ? 15% |
| PWM Frequency | 300 | ||||||
| Screen | 8% | 4% | -45% | -62% | -32% | -9% | |
| Brightness middle | 418 | 526 26% | 364 -13% | 341 -18% | 498 19% | 388 -7% | 362 -13% |
| Brightness | 411 | 486 18% | 367 -11% | 305 -26% | 460 12% | 391 -5% | 354 -14% |
| Brightness Distribution | 91 | 87 -4% | 82 -10% | 87 -4% | 85 -7% | 98 8% | 91 0% |
| Black Level * | 0.27 | 0.38 -41% | 0.145 46% | 0.26 4% | 0.53 -96% | 0.0411 85% | 0.18 33% |
| Contrast | 1548 | 1384 -11% | 2510 62% | 1312 -15% | 940 -39% | 9440 510% | 2011 30% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.04 | 1.3 36% | 1.92 6% | 3.11 -52% | 3.65 -79% | 6.32 -210% | 2.6 -27% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 2.93 | 2.7 8% | 3.7 -26% | 8.29 -183% | 7.11 -143% | 8.82 -201% | 3.7 -26% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 0.85 | 0.7 18% | 0.95 -12% | 0.83 2% | 2.16 -154% | 4.79 -464% | 1.1 -29% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.5 | 2 20% | 2.61 -4% | 5.3 -112% | 4.25 -70% | 2.61 -4% | 3.3 -32% |
| Gamma | 2.121 104% | 2.25 98% | 2.38 92% | 2.037 108% | 2.45 90% | 1.772 124% | 2.28 96% |
| CCT | 7067 92% | 6858 95% | 7063 92% | 7571 86% | 6690 97% | 6202 105% | 6761 96% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 8% /
9% | 0% /
2% | -19% /
-28% | -28% /
-42% | 24% /
-3% | -4% /
-6% |
* ... smaller is better
With values between 2 and 2.5, the average DeltaE values of the Grayscale, colors, and saturation are already good before the calibration, although they can be improved significantly with an additional calibration. The average DeltaE values of the Grayscale turn out at a very good 0.4 after the calibration. The measurement values of the saturation can be improved to 0.95 and those of the saturation to 0.85. So an additional calibration of the display is worthwhile, even if the values are already above average for an IPS panel. You can download our color profile for the calibration in the section of the display information.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 23 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 12.5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 10.5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 45 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 27.5 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 13.5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 14 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 31 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| 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 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
With its higher average brightness, the current Huawei MateBook 14 is better-suited for outdoor use than the predecessor model. However, in direct sunlight even the current model hits its limits. The brightness is sufficient for some occasional work in the park or the train, but the reflective display has of course some disadvantages compared to the matte versions on the market.
Performance: The Intel Core i5-1240P shows its best side
While the predecessor model was still offered in a total of four processor versions, the current Huawei MateBook 14 arrived in the starting blocks with only a single processor version. However, the very good results in the benchmarks show that this doesn't have to be a disadvantage.
In the test, the processor is only surpassed by the AMD Ryzen 7 7730U in the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5 and the significantly newer Intel Core Ultra 7 155H in the Acer Swift Go 14. In almost all the synthetic benchmarks, the MateBook 14 is able to surpass its predecessor, the MacBook Air M2, the Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320, and the LG Gram 14Z90Q with the same processor.
We also don't notice any larger performance drops after longer runtimes, even if the CPU only stabilizes after 4 minutes in our Cinebench loop. As already in the predecessor model, the performance drop in battery operation is only marginal.
Test Conditions
The Huawei PC Manager software allows you to switch between the Performance and Balanced power modes. In Performance mode, the fans are significantly louder, and the TDP can be increased slightly. But a comparison shows that the average performance doesn't increase drastically in this mode. So those who value a lower fan noise volume can also use the Balanced mode without any larger concerns about the performance.
| Performance | Balanced | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU PL1 (HWInfo) | 45 Watt | 35 Watt |
| CPU PL2 (HWInfo) | 66 Watt | 65.63 Watt |
Processor
While the predecessor still used the quad-core Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, the new Huawei MateBook offers a Core i5-1240P with 12 cores, leading to significantly better results in almost all the benchmarks. The processor starts our Cinebench R15 loop at almost 3.5 GHz, before quickly dropping to about 2.6 GHz. After two minutes, the performance continues to drop to about 2.4 GHz, and after around 4 minutes, the processor levels out at 2.2 GHz with some periodic changes to values between 3.2 and 3.4 GHz. After a peak consumption of more than 60 watts in the beginning of the loop, the average consumption during the benchmark lies at almost 32 watts. At a maximum of 87 °C (189 °F) and average of 72 °C (162 °F), the core temperatures remain significantly below those of the predecessor that reached an average of 83 °C (181 °F).
Cinebench R15 Multi Constant Load Test
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
| CPU Performance Rating | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry -5! | |
| Average of class Office | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Cinebench R23 / Single Core | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Average of class Office (529 - 1995, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (640 - 1689, n=18) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core) | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average of class Office (356 - 5904, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (763 - 4456, n=16) | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core) | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Average of class Office (181.3 - 764, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (251 - 653, n=16) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (407 - 2007, n=19) | |
| Average of class Office (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Average of class Office (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (91.8 - 243, n=18) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average of class Office (214 - 2844, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (285 - 1926, n=16) | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average of class Office (4226 - 62349, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (7254 - 47002, n=16) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average of class Office (2233 - 6687, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (2197 - 5320, n=16) | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (1763 - 10112, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Average of class Office (1018 - 11980, n=122, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (672 - 1658, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average of class Office (510 - 1974, n=122, last 2 years) | |
| HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average of class Office (1.55 - 17.4, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (1.99 - 12.9, n=16) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (46.4 - 120.5, n=16) | |
| Average of class Office (31.3 - 117.5, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (0.4987 - 1.236, n=16) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average of class Office (0.4244 - 1.397, n=119, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
| Performance Rating | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average of class Office | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average of class Office (763 - 24250, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (2405 - 9694, n=16) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average of class Office (4027 - 102228, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (7407 - 49934, n=16) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average of class Office (279 - 4442, n=119, last 2 years) | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (415 - 2462, n=16) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (29405 - 76736, n=16) | |
| Average of class Office (8031 - 113016, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Average of class Office (404 - 14288, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (2135 - 6540, n=16) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average of class Office (2054 - 54365, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (5113 - 23992, n=16) | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Average of class Office (5226 - 147611, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (8849 - 90370, n=16) | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (101.6 - 812, n=16) | |
| Average of class Office (67.6 - 1018, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average of class Office (432 - 12755, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (1154 - 5258, n=16) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (11873 - 43661, n=16) | |
| Average of class Office (4814 - 48177, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
System Performance
The PCMark 10 results are solid but also show the weaknesses of the 12th Intel chip generation compared to AMD chips. The comparison with the current Intel Ultra 7 155H shows the capabilities of newer processors. But compared to the predecessor, the result turns out 7% better. In the Crossmark test, the current Huawei MateBook 14 turns out almost as good as the Acer Swift Go 14, surpassing the predecessor with a performance difference of 14%.
Our subjective impression of the system performance doesn't reveal any problems, and even opening several Windows is no problem anymore, due to the higher number of cores and increased multithreading performance. The system runs smoothly, and we do not notice any problems during daily operation.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
WebXPRT 3: Overall
WebXPRT 4: Overall
Mozilla Kraken 1.1: Total
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Average of class Office (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (4881 - 5345, n=11) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average of class Office (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (8890 - 10652, n=11) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Average of class Office (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (6118 - 7058, n=11) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Average of class Office (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (5169 - 6213, n=11) | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| CrossMark / Overall | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (1392 - 1553, n=7) | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average of class Office (348 - 1891, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| CrossMark / Productivity | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (1393 - 1524, n=7) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Average of class Office (393 - 1870, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| CrossMark / Creativity | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (1426 - 1647, n=7) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Average of class Office (340 - 1982, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (1267 - 1545, n=7) | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average of class Office (258 - 2017, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| WebXPRT 3 / Overall | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Average of class Office (99.2 - 368, n=107, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (119.2 - 268, n=11) | |
| WebXPRT 4 / Overall | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (217 - 231, n=6) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Average of class Office (80 - 328, n=95, last 2 years) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 / Total | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average of class Office (479 - 1966, n=112, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs (575 - 1422, n=12) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry | |
* ... smaller is better
| PCMark 10 Score | 5345 points | |
Help | ||
| AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (23312 - 70537, n=16) | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average of class Office (7158 - 88119, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (18989 - 70553, n=16) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Average of class Office (7325 - 87297, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (23454 - 62496, n=16) | |
| Average of class Office (7579 - 94965, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Core i5-1240P (85.1 - 188.3, n=11) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average of class Office (44.3 - 188.3, n=122, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latencies
With the current Huawei MateBook 14, you have to accept some significant compromises in the DCP latencies.
The predecessor was still able to achieve a very good result here and was even suited for lossless audio and video processing in real-time. Unfortunately, this isn't the case anymore for the new model. Although playing YouTube videos in 4K quality works without any problems, the device is not suited for real-time audio and video processing.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Solution
Nothing has changed in the storage solution, and the Samsung PM991 PCIe-3.0 NVMe SSD in the M.2-2280 format with 512 GB is also used here. Therefore, the storage performance is very similar compared to the Huawei MateBook 2021. In all the scenarios, the speed remains below average and could be significantly better considering the current very low prices for powerful storage solutions.
As in last year's model, Huawei splits the storage into the C and D partitions, with the C partition offering barely 70 GB of storage space.
* ... smaller is better
Disk Throttling: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
Graphics Card: A downgrade to Iris Xe G7 80EUs?
The new Huawei MateBook 14 isn't offered in any configuration with dedicated graphics and only uses the integrated Intel Xe G7 (80EUs). In contrast, the MateBook 14 2021 still used the theoretically more powerful 96EUs version. Even though the integrated graphics look worse on paper than last year's, the performance is better or only marginally worse in the synthetic benchmarks. While the current MateBook 14 finishes 3DMark 11 only 2% behind the predecessor model, the current model surpasses its predecessor in the Cloud Gate, Fire Strike, and Time Spy benchmarks.
This trend also shows in the games we tested.
With the exception of X-Plane 11.11, the current Huawei MateBook 14 achieves higher frame rates than the predecessor in all games. In X-Plane, both models achieve the same result. But it still shows that the integrated Intel Iris graphics aren't really suited for gaming. The alternatives from AMD are significantly more powerful, and the new Intel Arc iGPU of the Core Ultra 7 155H also achieves significantly higher values.
The higher performance compared to the predecessor could possibly be traced back to the more efficient and newer processor and the faster DDR4-3733 RAM. The predecessor still used DDR4-3200 RAM. What is practical is that the graphics performance doesn't drop in battery operation.
| 3DMark 06 Standard Score | 26411 points | |
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 6443 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 22166 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 4345 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 1561 points | |
Help | ||
| The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Average of class Office (2.66 - 34, n=110, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| GTA V - 1920x1080 Highest Settings possible AA:4xMSAA + FX AF:16x | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Average of class Office (3.35 - 47.8, n=90, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1920x1080 High Quality | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average of class Office (2.03 - 35.7, n=102, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p | |
| Strange Brigade - 1920x1080 ultra AA:ultra AF:16 | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 | |
| Average of class Office (6.6 - 56.5, n=96, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P | |
| Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 | |
The Witcher 3 FPS Chart
| low | med. | high | ultra | QHD | 4K | |
| GTA V (2015) | 117.8 | 105.8 | 21.8 | 9.5 | ||
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 87.6 | 52.7 | 29.2 | 13.8 | ||
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 114.4 | 87.3 | 50.7 | 46.5 | ||
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 39 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 6 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 49.9 | 34.8 | 31 | |||
| Far Cry 5 (2018) | 52 | 27 | 25 | 23 | ||
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 74.4 | 32.2 | 25.9 | 20.6 |
Emissions and Power: Better cooling by louder fans
Noise Emissions
As the predecessor model before, the current Huawei MateBook 14 remains completely silent with simple web and office tasks.
But as soon as you turn to more demanding tasks, the fans become noticeable. In Performance mode and under high load, the fans rev up considerably and can even become annoying. As our Cinebench loop shows, the processor of the current model is cooled much better. While we only measured 40 dB(A) under load with the predecessor, the current model revs up to almost 48 dB(A), becoming significantly louder.
Since the MateBook apparently wants to compete directly with the MacBook Air, this value isn't really good, especially considering that the MacBook Air doesn't have a fan and thus remains completely quiet.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 25.5 / 25.5 / 25.5 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 33.37 / 47.75 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Earthworks M23R (15 cm distance) environment noise: 25.5 dB(A) | ||
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1240P, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU | Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU | LG Gram 14Z90Q Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1240P, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1240P, Micron 3400 MTFDKBA512TFH 512GB | Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 Arc 8-Cores, Ultra 7 155H, SK hynix HFS001TEJ9X110NA | Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 Vega 8, R7 7730U, WD PC SN740 SDDPNQD-1T00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | 3% | 1% | -4% | 0% | 5% | |
| off / environment * | 25.5 | 25 2% | 25 2% | 26 -2% | 25 2% | 24.4 4% |
| Idle Minimum * | 25.5 | 25 2% | 26 -2% | 26.2 -3% | 25 2% | 24.4 4% |
| Idle Average * | 25.5 | 25 2% | 27 -6% | 26.2 -3% | 25 2% | 24.4 4% |
| Idle Maximum * | 25.5 | 25 2% | 28 -10% | 26.2 -3% | 26.2 -3% | 25.7 -1% |
| Load Average * | 33.37 | 35.4 -6% | 35 -5% | 38.4 -15% | 35.7 -7% | 31.8 5% |
| Load Maximum * | 47.75 | 40.2 16% | 36 25% | 47.1 1% | 45.5 5% | 41.2 14% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 36 | 36.7 |
* ... smaller is better
Temperatures
The better cooling of the CPU by the louder fans of course also has an effect on the temperatures of the case.
The average temperature on top has decreased from 34 °C to 31.1 °C (93 to 88 °F) and from 34.2 °C to 28.6 °C (93.6 to 83.5 °F) on the bottom. The hotspot on the bottom of the predecessor was also eliminated, allowing you to run the MateBook on your lap without any problems also under load.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.5 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.5 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.8 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.2 °C / 79.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+1.5 °C / 2.7 F).
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs | Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry Apple M2, Apple M2 8-Core GPU | Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs | LG Gram 14Z90Q Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs | Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-72 Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Intel Arc 8-Cores iGPU | Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 4000/5000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 4% | -2% | -2% | -34% | -5% | -6% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 42.5 | 44.5 -5% | 40 6% | 43 -1% | 47.6 -12% | 36.5 14% | 42.6 -0% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 40.5 | 44.4 -10% | 47.1 -16% | 45 -11% | 57 -41% | 49.5 -22% | 55.3 -37% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 28.2 | 23.9 15% | 27.7 2% | 27 4% | 38.8 -38% | 25.5 10% | 25.8 9% |
| Idle Bottom * | 28.6 | 23.6 17% | 28.7 -0% | 28 2% | 41 -43% | 35 -22% | 27.4 4% |
* ... smaller is better
Speakers
Huawei appears to have done some additional calibration of the speakers in the current MateBook 14.
The speakers are able to play almost 11 dB(A) louder, and the bass is also slightly more powerful. On the other hand, the mids are slightly too emphasized. While the speakers are functional, you cannot expect any miracles. Their sound is still too tinny, and despite this year's improvements, you still cannot speak about any real bass here. But the speakers are completely sufficient for everyday operation. However, in terms of the lower bass and extreme highs, the MateBook is still surpassed by the MacBook.
Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.33 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 18% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 75% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 25% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (1.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 3% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 96% 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, 97% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Power Consumption
The power consumption of the Huawei MateBook 14 has increased minimally in most scenarios.
While the predecessor still showed a consumption of 0.4 watts during standby, the new model now consumes 0.85 watts. The consumption is slightly higher at 9.5 watts on average during idle operation as well. Under maximal load, the consumption increases from 66 watts to 67.5 watts. The included 65-Watt charger is usually still sufficient, even if some brief consumption peaks are slightly higher than 65 watts.
| Off / Standby | / 0.85 Watt |
| Idle | 4.3 / 9.5 / 10.73 Watt |
| Load |
/ 67.5 Watt |
   
| |
Power Consumption The Witcher 3 / Stress Test
Power Consumption With External Monitor
Battery Life
The battery life of the MateBook 14 continues to be slightly disappointing, turning out even slightly worse than that of the predecessor, due to the increased power consumption. In the WLAN test, the 14-inch laptop lasts 9:09 hours. With an AMD processor, more would have been possible here.
In our comparison with the selected competitors, only Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 fares worse. Other than that, with the exception of the LG Gram 14, the Windows models in our comparison fall into similar ranges. But compared to the MacBook Air M2, which lasts longer than 15 hours, the MateBook is at a clear disadvantage. At least, the MateBook offers a quick-charging mode that makes up a bit for its battery deficits.
| Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 56 Wh | Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry M2, M2 8-Core GPU, 52.6 Wh | Huawei MateBook 14 2021, i7-1165G7 i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 56 Wh | LG Gram 14Z90Q i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 72 Wh | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 55 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5-21JSS05C00 R7 7730U, Vega 8, 57 Wh | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 57% | 8% | 51% | -8% | -10% | 14% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 549 | 910 66% | 562 2% | 712 30% | 480 -13% | 594 8% | 594 ? 8% |
| Load | 98 | 144 47% | 111 13% | 169 72% | 96 -2% | 71 -28% | 117.7 ? 20% |
| H.264 | 989 | 531 | 645 | 705 ? | |||
| Reader / Idle | 1736 | 1436 ? |
Pros
Cons
Verdict: Not a MacBook but also not at a price of an Apple device
With its compact size, the Huawei MateBook 14 is an ultrabook that offers a suitably large display in the user-friendly 3:2 format. The reflective display surface is a minor disadvantage, even if it makes colors appear more vibrant. Despite the high-quality aluminum case, the weight is slightly higher compared to other 14-inch laptops. The touchpad is designed very well, and the keyboard fulfills its purpose reliably. While the battery life could have been better, it should still last for a whole workday, depending on the usage. With everyday tasks, the Intel chip used here allows for a comfortably smooth operation. In the previous year, we were unable to see any advantage compared to the AMD version and could therefore not recommend the Intel version. But the new MateBook 14 is exclusively available in the Intel version, so our old recommendation is not valid anymore. The subnotebook delivers solid results, even if it doesn't perform at eye level with other premium models. But with its significantly lower price and the possibility of regularly finding the model for barely more than 800 Euros (~$872), a higher performance also isn't necessarily expected anymore.
The Huawei MateBook 14 is a high-quality and particularly affordable ultrabook that offers a solid performance and deserves a real price-performance recommendation when it is available on sale.
As already with the predecessor, the choice between the MacBook Air and MateBook 14 strongly depends on whether you have to use some software that is exclusively available on Windows. If that isn't the case, the MacBook Air is the better choice for most, since the display, battery, speakers, and volume are simply much better. But the MacBook Air M2 also costs a lot more. A good alternative might also be the MacBook Air M1, as long as it's still available.
On the other hand, those who prefer a Windows device and want a really good touch display will find only few competitors in this price class that also offer a high-quality aluminum case and really good workmanship. While the Dell XPS 13 9320, for example, offers a similarly high-quality case, it is unable to keep up with the performance of the MateBook and also costs significantly more. The LG Gram 14Z90Q offers a significantly longer battery life and lower weight but doesn't do as well as the MateBook in the benchmarks, and the case is also much less robust. In addition, it is hard to find from online vendors. The most powerful competitor in the same price class is definitely the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5, since the Ryzen processor delivers better results in almost all areas. While its display lid is also made from aluminum, the whole base is made of plastic. The MateBook offers a significantly higher quality case, showing again how difficult it is to find a similarly solid overall package in this price class.
Price and Availability
The Huawei MateBook 14 with the Intel Core i5-1240P, 16 GB RAM, and 512 GB SSD is available in the German Huawei store for 829 Euros (~$904) with a current rebate.
The manufacturer currently doesn't offer any additional versions, and it is not available in the US.
Huawei MateBook 14 (KLV-W5651T), i5-1240P
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01/16/2024 v7
Philip Macdonald
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Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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