HONOR’s latest magic book 14 is apparent to last year’s model in the budget business laptop space. The new notebook has already wowed me with its state-of-the-art Intel “Tiger Lake” processors and pocket-friendly price tag. Its brightly lit display, sturdy metal build, and extended battery life are its calling cards. Still, I was invested in whether HONOR could integrate all the different components – like the ultrafast solid-state drive, processor, and discrete graphics card – into a neat package that also doesn’t weigh too much?
HONOR MagicBook; First impression
HONOR has designed a brilliant and beautiful laptop. The MagicBook 14 has an aluminum alloy chassis that’s lightweight while remaining resilient and durable. We love how easy it is to transport this sleek beauty anywhere we want to take it. The interior isn’t spared either. You’ll find that the keyboard is solid with bright white lettering on black keys and good travel for typing comfort; it shares some space with a touchpad that’s as responsive as you’d expect from a premium notebook. And if you like what you see so far, wait until you see its other features.
Specifications of HONOR MagicBook 14
Processor, RAM, storage, Ports
The Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor is the best in its class. It has four cores and eight threads for fast performance, with plenty of power to run any app or game at high graphics settings without slowing down gameplay. This 11th gen chip also comes equipped with 16GB RAM so you can multitask easily between work tasks while still getting perfect responsiveness from all your programs.
There’s no Thunderbolt 4 port, though; instead, you have one USB type C charger/docking station that does both functions when needed (not always). The standard ports include HDMI out plugging into any TV set behind
Graphics, display, and speakers
The Magic Book’s display is amazing compared to the price you are paying. With only a 1080p resolution, it doesn’t have the same great viewing angles as some other laptops with higher resolutions, but again, it’s understandable considering what you’re saving on this laptop.
The speaker system found in this laptop is different from what others have to offer. The speakers are relatively small, but they can still pump some powerful sound! I think the sound quality is great, and there’s a nice balance of tones that makes listening enjoyable. Sometimes laptops are sensitive to loudness, but even at 60% volume, these speakers produce no distortion at all!
Keyboard and Touchpad
The MagicBook 14 boasts a comfortable keyboard that can be easily utilized all day. It has just the right amount of depth and resistance while still soft to the touch. You’ll find that the smooth, yet responsive keycaps are nice and large, making them easy to see in dim lighting. There is also a three-stage backlight which is extremely useful when typing in low-light environments. And a small touchpad allows for a smooth feel when responding to cursor commands after an extended usage period.
Fingerprint Reader, Security, and Connectivity
The sleek and lightweight laptop comes equipped with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity as well as an excellent audio system so you can enjoy your favorite tunes or videos on demand without sacrificing quality. Next to the keyboard, some buttons double up into fingerprint readers, allowing quick logins through Window Hello while simultaneously providing added security by finger scanning each time someone wants to access their device.
Battery Timing
Despite Huawei’s expertise in SuperCharge technology, the battery timings of this elegant MagicBook did not meet our expectations. The magic book spent 11 hours and 35 minutes playing a looped HD video at 120 nits of brightness. While that’s slightly below the 12 hours we got on its predecessor, this is still a figure you should be able to work with since most users will expect to use their notebooks for less than 12 hours a day.
Pros
- Classy and elegant design
- Keyboard is comfy
- Affordable price range
- Efficient speakers
Cons
- No SD card reader
- Fewer ports
- Average battery timing
Conclusion
HONOR MagicBook 14 is a budget laptop that offers a good battery life and a comfortable typing experience. Weighing in at 3.04 pounds with a 14-inch display, the MagicBook is easy to carry, but it doesn’t feel flimsy. The display quality is middle-of-the-road, but a responsive touchpad makes up for it. The keyboard is comfortable overall but requires a bit of practice to type quickly on this computer compared with others we’ve tested. While we like the overall performance of the MagicBook, it is a great choice for such a pocket-friendly budget range.
