Huawei has unveiled a new 16-inch laptop, but how does it compare to the latest MacBook Air M2?
Huawei is adding even more laptops to its MateBook range, with the new MateBook D 16 and MateBook 16s. They both pack the same sleek and minimalistic design, while sporting massive 16-inch screens.
We’re going to be focusing on the MateBook D 16 in this article, specifically on how it compares to the latest Apple MacBook Air M2.
Since we haven’t had the chance to properly review either laptop, we won’t be delving into their performance or battery life, but we will be touching on the design and the specs.
So, without further ado, here is how the new Huawei MateBook D 16 compares against the Apple MacBook Air M2.
Pricing and availability
The MacBook Air is currently available to buy and has a starting price of $1199/£1249, though it can be configured to be more expensive, depending on the model you go for.
Meanwhile, the Huawei Matebook has a 13th July release date in the UK, and will have a starting price of £749.99. That bags you an Intel Core i5 configuration, although you can upgrade to i7 Intel Core model by spending £999.99.
Design
Starting with the MacBook Air M2, it has an all-aluminium enclosure that is consistently slim along the edge, unlike the wedge design on the MacBook Air M1. It is only 11.3mm thin and weighs just 1.22kg.
It houses two USB-C Thunderbolt ports and an audio jack alongside a MagSafe port, which is Apple’s solution for wireless charging and allows the users to charge the laptop using a magnetic connection.
It features Apple’s Magic Keyboard and can be found in four colours, including Silver, Space Grey, Starlight and Midnight.
The MateBook D 16 sports a chunkier design, weighing in at 1.7kg. However, since it has such a large screen, this is surprisingly lightweight, as we noted in our hands-on review.
It comes in only two colours – Space Grey and Mystic Silver – which we noted looked good but could have been more exciting, like the MateBook X Pro 2022‘s Spruce Green. We did think that the overall design looked mature and professional, with the build of the laptop feeling sturdy and durable.
It also comes with two USB-C ports, two USB-A 3.0 ports, 3.5mm audio and HDMI, though it does seem like Thunderbolt 4 won’t be supported, which we thought was a strange omission.
Display
The MacBook Air M2 features a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, making it a lot smaller than the MateBook D 16. It has been expanded with a new notch design and has a thinner bezel around the sides than its predecessor, giving it a premium look.
According to Apple, the display is capable of hitting 500 nits and can support one billion colours for more vibrant images, which is ideal for anyone who wants to watch media or engage in colour creative work.
The MateBook D 16 has a 16-inch screen and a 1900×1200 resolution, alongside a 16:10 aspect ratio. Our Hands-on notes how the laptop worked well when there were multiple tabs open and how the large display allowed for more tabs and work to be open on the screen.
We thought that it looked bright and vibrant, though since we have not done any colour tests yet we can’t make any concrete comments.
Specs
The MacBook Air M2 is powered by Apple’s next-generation Apple Silicon M2 chip, which features an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, alongside up to 24GB RAM and up o 2TB SSD. Apple claims that this is 20% faster in Photoshop and 40% faster in video editing than its predecessor, making it a good choice for creatives.
Its has a claimed 18-hour battery life of video playback and MagSafe charging support with a 67W fast charge, which provides a 50% jump in the battery from just 30 minutes of charging time.
The MacBook D 16 comes with the latest Alder Lake 12th-Generation Intel Core i7-12700H processor, 16GB of RAM as well as an Intel Iris integrated GPU. Since the H-Series of processors are designed for high-performance workloads, we would expect this laptop to excel in productivity and even casual creative work, such as photoshop.
However, we would expect the MacBook Air to be the better option for anyone looking to engage in video editing or 3D rendering due to its excellent graphics power.
Early verdict
Since we haven’t tested either laptop we cannot claim which is more powerful. Apple has made some lofty performance claims regarding the M2 chip, although the Intel Core 12th Generation processors (featuring inside the MateBook D 16) are not too be snuffed at.
The biggest difference between the two laptops is the screen size. The MateBook boasts a large 16-inch screen, which should be ideal for viewing multiple web browsers and apps simultaneously. However, that large screen also makes the laptop noticeably heavier than the MacBook Air, so you may want to consider the Apple laptop if you work on the go.
Make sure to check back in with Trusted Reviews soon, as we will be reviewing both laptops in the coming weeks.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
