Huawei MateBook D16 in the test: Monitor for free!

16 instead of 15 inches, AMD instead of Intel, a monitor on top at the start: Huawei’s MateBook D16 does a lot differently – and in the end it is really good, as the test by Webeenow shows!

Huawei Matebook D16: Review © Huawei

Huawei Matebook D16 in the test: 16-inch notebook in an aluminum guise!

The MateBook D16 is another great notebook that Huawei is bringing onto the market: Although it does not work with the latest high-end technology, it still worked really quickly in the test. In addition, the display convinces with a high image quality, the equipment is complete with the exception of the missing memory card reader. The recommended retail price of 899 euros for the D16 is okay. Even more so at the start of sales: Customers will then receive the Huawei 23.8 “display free of charge – a good deal!

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Per

  • Very high pace of work
  • True-to-color, high-contrast display
  • Good workmanship
  • Low weight for a 16-inch notebook

Cons

  • Nothing for games
  • A bit noisy under full load
  • RAM firmly soldered

Test rating from the editors

2.3

Tole workmanship, high speed, good displays: the MateBook series from Huawei has rightly made a name for itself. The best thing: apart from the upper-class models of the X-Pro series, the Chinese left the church in the village with the sales prices – customers did not get well-equipped notebooks for too much money. Does that also apply to the youngest member? COMPUTER BILD tested the Huawei MateBook D16.

MateBook D16: 16-inch format

The format is anything but ordinary: As the product name suggests, the D16 is a 16-inch notebook and not a boring 15.6-inch device. Huawei designed the display edges so narrow that the exactly 16.1-inch screen does not make the notebook case larger than that of a 15.6-inch laptop. With the dimensions of 37×23.4 centimeters, the MateBook is slightly larger than an A4 page. On the 40.9 centimeter screen diagonal, the Huawei shows websites, documents, photos and videos in Full HD with 1920×1080 pixels.
The keyboard of the Huawei MateBook D16 can be illuminated if desired.
The keyboard of the Huawei MateBook D16 can be illuminated if desired.

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Good picture quality

Sure, a higher resolution for a (even) more detailed representation would have been nicer, but it would also have catapulted the retail price beyond the 1,000 euro mark. But the reproduction was so nice and sharp in the test, the color fidelity was very high (98.5 percent), the contrast reproduction (1,106: 1) as well. The D16 changed the image in 13.2 milliseconds, not a great rate, but okay. The MateBook did not show ugly streaks in fast movie scenes in the test.
Huawei Matebook D16: Test © COMPUTER BILD, Arnel S. Mickley

Matebook D16 in the test: The display edge is so narrow that there is no space for a webcam. Huawei has placed the camera between the F6 and F7 keys – there it can be lowered when not in use.

AMD instead of Intel

Other technology than usual also works under the hood. Because instead of an Intel CPU, an AMD processor works inside – namely the unthrottled mid-range model Ryzen 5 4600H from the ” Renoir ” series, whose six cores work with up to 4 gigahertz if required. And why didn’t Huawei plant a new ” Cezanne ” processor from AMD’s 5000 series? According to Huawei, the availability of these processors is currently not rosy, and the more modern CPU would have lifted the sales price above the 1,000 euro mark.
The 16 gigabyte RAM cannot be exchanged or enlarged - it is firmly soldered. If necessary, users can swap the M.2 SSD for a model with more storage.
The 16 gigabyte RAM cannot be exchanged or enlarged – it is firmly soldered. If necessary, users can swap the M.2 SSD for a model with more storage.

16 gigabytes of RAM

After all, the processor is supported by a 16 gigabyte working memory (RAM) for the fast outsourcing of calculated data. The operating system, programs and data are stored on an M.2 SSD with an effective 477 gigabytes and a PCI Express 3.0 connection – a faster PCI Express 4.0 model is not used. To date, AMD does not have any notebook processors and corresponding chipsets that work with PCI-Express 4.0.
On the right, the MateBook D16 has two USB type A sockets (version 3.2 Gen 1) and a headset connection.
On the right, the MateBook D16 has two USB type A sockets (version 3.2 Gen 1) and a headset connection.

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Fast work pace

But it doesn’t matter, the MateBook D16 also works really fast. In the test, it did even strenuous tasks such as putting together a film from several cell phone clips at high speed, and adding filters and effects to photos also worked without long waiting times – great! If there is anything to complain about, it is that the graphics chip housed in the processor is too weak for playing current games. But the MateBook D16 is not supposed to be a gaming notebook at all.
On the left, the MateBook D16 offers an HDMI port and two USB Type-C sockets (version 3.2 Gen 1; also for charging the battery).
On the left, the MateBook D16 offers an HDMI port and two USB Type-C sockets (version 3.2 Gen 1; also for charging the battery).

Battery life expandable

The battery runtimes are, however, expandable: The MateBook D16 managed 4 hours and 17 minutes while working without a “refueling stop” at the socket, while video playback lasted 5 hours and 21 minutes. These are not top values, but quite passable. Good: The processor did not develop any high temperatures even under full load, and the notebook did not get hot on the bottom (20.5 degrees) and back (12.9 degrees; difference to the ambient temperature). But under full load, the fan had to transport the waste heat loudly out of the case at high speeds (2.7 sone).

Test table Huawei MateBook D16

Test results
processor

AMD Ryzen 5 4600H

Graphics chip

AMD Radeon RX Vega 6

Display

16.1 inches (1920×1080 pixels)

Dimensions

37 x 23.4 x 2.1 centimeters

Weight

1,721 grams, power supply: 200 grams

Tempo with Office / Tempo in video editing

very fast (90.2%) / very fast (72.8%)

Game speed (1920×1080 pixels / 3840×2160 pixels)

very jerky (24/8 frames per second)

Accuracy of color representation /

Contrast /

Brightness distribution (deviation) /

Image change (reaction time)

very high (98.4%) /

high (1,106: 1) /

low (7.0%) /

somewhat long (13.2 ms)

Image quality (visual test on the display)

very high (no falsifications)

Battery life (work / video) / charging time

acceptable (4:17 / 5:21) / 2:04 hours

Noises (office / video / full load / games)

quiet (0.4 sone / 0.2 sone / 2.7 sone / 1.0 sone)

RAM (built-in / expandable to a maximum)

16 GB / not possible

Storage (size, type)

477 GB / Samsung MZVLB512HBJQ-00000

connections

1x headphone / microphone combo socket, 1x HDMI, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 type A, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 type C (also for charging) / yes

Radio links

WLAN-ax (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.1

Operation of the keyboard /
touchpad

little travel, good pressure point, retractable webcam in F-key row, fingerprint sensor in power switch / pleasant surface, easy and precise to use, difficult to click on the upper edge

Operation of the touch screen

unavailable

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Current WLAN-ax

Great: The MateBook goes into the network via fast WLAN-ax (Wifi 6). It has Bluetooth 5.1 for synchronization with smartwatches or for pairing with corresponding boxes. The MateBook also has a comparatively large number of connections: two USB-C connections, which are not only suitable for data transfer, but also as a DisplayPort for connecting monitors via an adapter – and also for charging the battery. There is also an HDMI port for monitors, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports for plugging in external SSDs and printers, and a headset port.
  • Very high pace of work
  • True-to-color, high-contrast display
  • Nothing for games
  • A bit noisy under full load

Huawei MateBook D16 in the test: conclusion

The MateBook D16 is another great notebook that Huawei is bringing onto the market: Although it does not work with the latest high-end technology, it still worked really quickly in the test. In addition, the display convinces with a high image quality, the equipment is complete with the exception of the missing memory card reader. The recommended retail price of 899 euros for the D16 is okay. Even more so at the start of sales: Customers will then receive the Huawei 23.8 “display for free – a good deal!