Huawei has officially launched the 2022 MateBook 14s in Europe, but you could be forgiven for thinking it’s the same device as last year. The company has taken a cautious approach to updating one of its best laptops, with a new processor and updated version of Bluetooth the only upgrades.
The laptop first went on sale in China in August, and has Intel’s Core i7-12700H from the latest 12th-gen range. It’s great to see Huawei opt for one of Intel’s most powerful laptop CPUs, although there’s still no option for a discrete GPU. Iris Xe integrated graphics and 16GB of RAM mean this should still be a great everyday laptop, albeit not suitable for the most demanding workloads.
Given its £1,299 price tag, you might have been expecting something more powerful. That’s £100 more expensive than the last version, but only due to the Core i5 version not being available this year – it’s the same price as last year’s i7 model. As usual, the device isn’t available in the US.
The only other change on the 2022 MateBook 14s is a move from Bluetooth 5.1 to 5.2. It’s a more energy efficient version of Bluetooth, but you almost certainly won’t be able to tell the difference.
Everything else is exactly the same as it was on last year’s MateBook 14s, but that’s no bad thing – that device remains one of the best laptops you can buy.
All of things we loved about the 2021 model are still present here. That includes a 14.2in, 2520×1680 touchscreen, complete with 90Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals.
You still get one of the best keyboards you’ll find on any laptop, plus a surprisingly great port selection: 2x USB-C (one Thunderbolt 4), 1x USB-A, full-size HDMI and 3.5mm headphone jack. Both the USB-C ports support 90W fast charging, although you should still get all-day battery life from the 60Wh cell.
And don’t worry, Huawei has stopped hiding its webcam within a fake key on the keyboard. It’s in the traditional position on the screen’s top bezel, although the underwhelming 720p resolution remains.
Despite this being a European launch, we only have that £1,299 UK price for now. It’s available from the Huawei Store now, where orders by 17 November get you a free pair of FreeBuds Pro 2 (worth £169.99) and optional half-price backpack. After that date, Huawei says the device will be available at ‘selected retailers’.
Also available now is the £159.99/€179 Watch GT 3 SE, which acts as an affordable alternative to the regular Watch GT 3 that launched last year. It includes the same 1.43in (466×466) OLED display as its regular sibling, plus sensors to measure heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen, stress levels, and track menstrual cycles.
Orders by 29 November include a free set of Huawei’s Scale 3 smart scales, plus optional discounts on a budget fitness tracker and smart speaker. Again, you’ll have to wait until after that date to buy one from other retailers.
Huawei
Related stories
