Laptops

Huawei MateBook 14 review: Energy-efficient workflow

The work-from-home laptop that keeps you working

Published

October 26, 2020

Gab Orlina

At this point in time, everybody is already used to a 9-5 grind from their homes. As we continually adjust to the pandemic’s ways, we also need the proper devices dedicated for our workload in the day. Even if you’re a student taking online classes, you want a laptop that can keep up with all your requirements.

Enter the Huawei MateBook 14, the company’s take on a more productive work laptop. With a sleek design, a powerful processor inside the device, it offers what is essentially a balanced machine. Upon first glance, I thought that it was simply a mixture of the Huawei MateBook D14 and the MateBook X Pro.

The question is whether it stacks up as a power-efficient, balanced work laptop. Well, here’s what you get with the Huawei MateBook 14:

It comes with a 14-inch, 2K FullView Display

An AMD Ryzen 4000-series processor powers the device

It comes with a recessed camera at the top-middle of the keyboard

It only comes in Space Gray

Admire the design first

I know that I usually go straight to how this device performs, but I honestly couldn’t ignore its build quality. Compared to most Huawei laptops I’ve looked at, the Matebook 14 remains consistent with all of them in terms of design. They go for the sleek, subtle yet professional tone with how the laptop looks and feels.

Upon knowing that the build was mostly CNC-ed in, I was expecting durability and hardness in the device. It felt durable enough for me to toss it onto the bed most of the time, and I was pretty confident it wouldn’t break. Also, for a device that weighs almost 1.5 kg, it sure feels light to carry around.

These were some of my observations on the Huawei Matebook X Pro, which I felt is a more powerful version of the Matebook 14. It’s nice to see that Huawei brought that in, leaving no rough surface behind.

Performance that’s great for any type of work

Huawei’s Matebook 14 comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 4600H processor, with 16GB of RAM — which is what most people want out of a work laptop. Because a newer AMD chip is inside, I was expecting great performance right out of the gate. Not to mention that this device also comes with a 512GB SSD, so booting up should be fast.

Just as expected, the device performs well for most work-related tasks I threw at it. I tried using it as my main work laptop for three days, and I was able to do my work in an efficient way. I mean, I still finished overtime for work one day but the device lasted long enough and performed well. Also, I felt that most applications ran pretty smoothly while I was using it.

It was even able to handle close to 100,000 rows of Microsoft Excel data without slowing down significantly. Also, I felt that I didn’t have to manually switch to Performance Mode just to do that. However, because this only comes with built-in Radeon Graphics, I wouldn’t recommend it for creative work and advanced data processing.

Long lasting battery, and it’s surprisingly not warm

The Matebook 14 boasts its 56Wh battery to last all day when you’re doing your usual tasks. Realistically, I don’t think you could keep a laptop running the whole day without plugging the charger. However, on a full charge, I managed to get close to 14 hours mixing work, watching YouTube and streaming Netflix.

Charging the device didn’t take long, either as I got about two hours to fully charge it. That whole thing about a 15-minute charge granting 2.5 hours is close to the truth. Also, I appreciate that Huawei thought of putting a charger that supports SuperCharge, which also charges smartphones.

The biggest surprise I found was the thermal setup for the device. Compared to the Matebook X Pro, this did not feel that warm to hold at all — especially while working. Honestly, I give full credit to the AMD chip in keeping it energy-efficient. The dual fan, dual heat pipe design worked wonders, even in a much smaller chassis.

More things that deserved to be noticed, for better or worse

Other things I wanted to bring to light include the usual features it comes with. The hybrid of a fingerprint sensor and the power button still works wonders. It’s pretty easy to set up, and it recognizes your fingerprint pretty fast so you start working right off the bat.

Also, I’m a big fan of the keyboard mostly in terms of the key travel. I’m not drawn to the whole backlit keyboard since it still looks dim in the dark. But in terms of my typing experience, it provides a great one every time I use it. Honestly, it made me work a lot faster so it’s a win for me.

What isn’t a win, and will honestly continue being an L for Huawei is the camera. It’s not because the quality is bad, but it’s just the placement of it. I know that they had to do it for the FullView Display, but it really is an unflattering angle.

Is the MateBook 14 your GadgetMatch?

For PhP 54,999 (US$ 1133), the Huawei MateBook 14 delivers on many fronts as a work laptop. It checks all the important boxes on what you need so you can work better. Plus, it lasts as long as you want it to without reaching for the charger, and stays cool too.

All the usual features Huawei puts in their laptops have their moments to shine. From the keyboard to the display, everything fits quite nicely for what you need it for. At this point, there’s really nothing you can do about the camera being where it is.

If you need a more than decent laptop for work or school, this is a great option to consider. All in all, It gives you premium yet energy-efficient performance that will keep you at the top of your game.

Deals

Get the MacBook Neo for as low as PhP 44 a day via Home Credit

Flexible installment payment plans available

Published

April 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

Home Credit is making the MacBook Neo accessible to more Filipinos with an exclusive pre-order installment offer for the new Apple laptop.

The latest offering can be brought home through flexible installments starting at as low as just PhP 44 a day. That’s not even a dollar a day.

This exclusive offer is available during the pre-order period from April 11 to 23. If you’re looking for a high-performance laptop at a great value, then now is the ideal time to upgrade or purchase your first higher tier notebook.

Here’s a quick breakdown of available Home Credit MacBook Neo installment plans:

256GB at 24 months: PhP 44/day
256GB at 12 months: PhP 82/day
512GB at 24 months: PhP 51/day
512GB at 12 months: PhP 97/day

Apple MacBook Neo

The Apple MacBook Neo is the company’s latest laptop, which is also its most affordable. It retails at just about US$ 499 to US$ 599 in the United States and SG$ 729 to SG$ 849 in Singapore.

It runs on an A18 Pro chip for 50% faster everyday performance compared to Intel Core Ultra 5-level PCs. This chip also has a 16-core Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence and 5-core GPU for graphics workloads.

The portable and lightweight laptop has a 13-inch 2408 x 1506 display, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 connectivity.

The MacBook Neo ships with MacOS Tahoe, complete with apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. Users are promised up to 16 hours of usage on a single charge.

In the Philippines, the device is available at Apple Authorized Resellers and Home Credit Philippines partner stores nationwide, including:

Abenson
Aerophone
Beyond the Box
Blue Box
Cell Boy
Digimap
Electroworld
Fone Style
Gadget Headz
Greentelcom
Inbox Stores PH
Laycom
Octagon
PC Express
Power Mac Center
Puerto Electronico
Silicon Valley
thinkingtools@mall
The Loop
Wiltelcom
8telcom

Laptops

MacBook Neo pre-orders now open through Beyond the Box

Exclusive freebies, more perks available

Published

April 12, 2026

GadgetMatch

Customers in the Philippines can now pre-order the MacBook Neo through Beyond the Box.

Those who avail of the device during the pre-order period can get up to PhP 10,000 worth in freebies. This is a curated bundle of essential accessories.

The MacBook Neo will also appear at these two cafes, inviting those who plan on upgrading to experience Apple’s new offering first-hand:

April 16: Scout’s Honor, Uptown Mall
April 17: The Matcha Tokyo, Opus Mall

Attendees who pre-order on the spot will also enjoy complimentary beverage, live DJ performances, and the opportunity to engage with social media personalities.

And to ensure the MacBook Neo is more accessible, Beyond the Box is offering 0% interest installment plans. This is both through major credit cards, Home Credit, and GCash’s GGives.

Reservations can be made through all Beyond the Box, Digital Walker, and open_sources branches nationwide.

Alternatively, the MacBook Neo is available through beyondthebox.ph, Lazada, and Shopee. It is priced at PhP 33,990 (education) and PhP 39,990 (retail).

Apple MacBook Neo

The Apple MacBook Neo is the company’s latest laptop, which is also its most affordable. It retails at just about US$ 499 to US$ 599 in the United States and SG$ 729 to SG$ 849 in Singapore.

The portable and lightweight laptop has a 13-inch 2408 x 1506 display, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 connectivity.

The MacBook Neo ships with MacOS Tahoe, complete with apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. Users are promised up to 16 hours of usage on a single charge.

Gaming

Razer Blade 16 (2026) packs more cores, faster memory

Razer’s thinnest gaming laptop yet

Published

March 26, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Razer has officially unveiled the 2026 version of its Blade 16, doubling down on what it does best: squeezing high-end performance into an ultra-slim chassis.

This year’s refresh focuses on meaningful internal upgrades. That includes a new Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, faster LPDDR5X memory, and NVIDIA’s latest RTX 50 Series laptop GPUs — all while keeping the Blade 16 as the thinnest gaming laptop in Razer’s lineup.

Performance gets a serious bump

At the core of the new Blade 16 is the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H, featuring 16 cores and up to 4.9GHz boost clock. Razer claims a 33% increase in core count versus the previous generation, translating to stronger performance across gaming, content creation, and AI workloads.

There’s also an integrated NPU capable of up to 50 TOPS, enabling faster on-device AI tasks like image generation and live translation.

Memory gets a notable upgrade too. The Blade 16 now supports up to 64GB of LPDDR5X-9600MHz RAM, which Razer positions as the fastest available in a laptop today. The result: quicker responsiveness for heavy multitasking, creative apps, and AI-assisted workflows.

On the graphics side, NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 50 Series (Blackwell architecture) brings DLSS 4 and enhanced AI capabilities for both gaming and creator use cases.

Display and design stay premium

Razer isn’t fixing what isn’t broken. The Blade 16 retains its signature CNC-milled aluminum chassis, measuring just 14.9mm thick and weighing around 2.14kg.

The display remains a highlight. You get a 16-inch QHD+ OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, now brighter and certified for VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 1000. It supports full DCI-P3 coverage, Calman calibration, and NVIDIA G-SYNC, making it just as suited for creators as it is for competitive gaming.

Battery life and efficiency improve

Despite the performance gains, Razer is also pushing efficiency. Thanks to Intel’s newer architecture and system-level optimizations, the Blade 16 can hit up to 13 hours of productivity use and up to 15 hours of video playback under ideal conditions.

That’s a notable improvement for a machine in this class, especially given its slim form factor.

Connectivity and audio step up

The 2026 Blade 16 gets a future-ready connectivity suite, including Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.0. There’s also a full set of ports, from USB-A to HDMI 2.1 and an SD card reader.

Audio gets an upgrade too. The six-speaker system now supports THX Spatial Audio+ with virtual 7.1.4 surround, aiming to deliver more immersive sound both on speakers and headphones.

Price and availability

The Razer Blade 16 configured with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB VRAM) and 32GB LPDDR5X-9600MHz RAM is priced at US$3,499.99 / €3,599.99 MSRP.

It is available now, exclusively via Razer.com and select RazerStores worldwide.

Still the Blade, just sharper

At a glance, the 2026 Blade 16 doesn’t reinvent the formula. But under the hood, it pushes performance, memory speed, and efficiency forward in ways that matter.

It’s still the same idea: a no-compromise gaming laptop that looks like it belongs in a minimalist workspace — just faster, smarter, and a bit more future-proof this time around.