Huawei’s record in producing high-quality laptops is very good indeed, I reviewed a few for my day job over the years as well as MateBook X Pro more recently for TechStomper. Huawei MateBook D15 is a little different to the rest insofar as it starts from a surprisingly low price given the Chinese tech giants preference for premium in this market.
Our review model Huawei MateBook D15 comes with 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1155G7 (2.40Ghz), 8GB of RAM and an integrated Intel IrisXe graphics solution and comes in around €849.
A Very Huawei Housing
Huawei MateBook D15 is an eye-catching device. A hunk of aluminium shaped into a oblong slab with sharp corners softened a little.
Read more: Huawei MateBook X Pro (2021) review – Portable Power at a Premium
The whole device save for the minimal screen surround wears the ultrafine frosted metal and it lends an instant look of premium.
Combined with another indicator of luxury, a screen-to-body ratio of 87%, Huawei MateBook D15 doesn’t look out of place with its upmarket siblings.
Our review model wears a graphite-tinged frosted grey that Huawei have named ‘Space Grey’. It’s a fetching shade that suggests business but doesn’t insist on it.
The design reflects Huawei’s personal electronics design language. That 2020s reliance on macro detail seen here on those solitary simple logos on the lid and under screen, the unified brushed aluminium chassis, and bold simple lines.
The style is similar to Huawei MateBook D14 (2020) in many ways, the two share the textured aluminium chassis, round recessed fingerprint sensor button and the display’s visage.
MateBook D15 uses bolder and more aggressive lines, sharpening up D14 (2020)
Solid, Satisfying and Safe
It’s an elegant design to behold but it also feels solid. The weighty frame, composed of few parts, is joined by a wide singular hinge. The body and display are satisfyingly rigid.
The hinge offers resistance without feeling stiff, keeping the display in place no matter the angle.
At around 1.6g kilograms, it’s just about light enough for the average person to hold in one hand to show something to someone. But it’s also just about heavy enough to be need care flinging it around.
The device’s footprint is minimal with little bezel outside of that 15.6″ display to add to it. Huawei MateBook D15’s a little thicker than it premium siblings at just under 17mm.
Though it’s worth nothing that it’s still slim enough to be convenient to carry or place in a rucksack of satchel. It’s also slim for a device well under a grand.
Workhorse
Huawei MateBook D15 runs an i5 clocked at 2.40Ghz – it’s light on the battery and more than adequate for the majority of work, college or entertainment purposes.
Read more: Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro review – Premium Design Meets Innovation
The 8GB RAM of our review model is similarly adequate for most word processing, editing, research and media consumption applications.
The integrated graphics solution and the 8GB of RAM don’t allow for more contemporary 3D AAA games to run well. We couldn’t get a consistent 30fps with the lowest settings on Forza Motorsport 7 .
That’s a high bar to pass, admittedly, and the device could handle seventh-gen. of console era games at 60fps while running at 720p.
Huawei MateBook D15 is more a workhorse than a powerhouse – at less than €900 while rocking a robust, stylish frame, that’s more than good enough.
Keyed In
The keyboard of Huawei MateBook D15 is excellent for laptop of its dimensions. The keys are large, lightly textured and relatively resistant to flexing. A square key design and the dearth of flex allow for fast typing with reliable activation of each individual input.
Despite not filling the entire area that keyboard resides on the chassis, each key is large enough with just enough separation for extended periods of comfortable typing.
The track pad is large at around 15×7.5cm (6×3 inches). Huawei MateBook D15’s pad certainly has enough surface area to take advantage of the multitouch gesture shortcuts.
Price Display
Another area where Huawei MateBook D15 is more functional than cutting-edge is its display. While the large screen-to-body ratio lends the device a premium looks, the display itself is price appropriate.
1,920×1,080 pixels is just about enough to avoid graininess at laptop distance on a screen this size. It’s not quite enough pixels to be called sharp nor can it do justice to Windows 11’s smooth new fonts and curved aesthetic.
But again it’s more than enough for all but video and photo editing, and covers the MateBook D15’s price.
One area where the display isn’t quite the workhorse it is elsewhere is the screen brightness. Topping out at 250nits (typ.), MateBook D15 can be hit or miss when on the go. Working outside or next to a large window on a sunny day with the device can be inconvenient.
Run and Recharge
The 42Wh battery delivers about average stamina for a device of its size and spec. My regular workload would run the battery to near spent in around five hours.
With a little compromise, I could get six but a full eight-hour work day of word processing to cloud services, content editing, light image processing, browsing and a few YouTube videos is out of the question.
On the other hand, the unit charges via a 65W ‘Supercharger’ over USB Type-C. This charges the device at impressive speeds for the versatility and convenience you get with USB. From 0-100% takes around 110 minutes and it’s powerful enough to juice up quite quickly while using it.
On the Share
For users of Huawei smartphones, there is one more major feature that adds to an already capable notebook. Huawei Share allows users to temporarily graft their smartphone to their PC.
By using NFC to open a connection, your entire phone is available on your Matebook D15 – contacts, files and even your apps will appear on your desktop, ready to collaborate seamlessly.
One feature that gives much more than it takes away is the hidden camera. Nestled amongst the F-keys is the unassuming camera button. A quick click and up the camera pops. It’s not the most flattering of angles but it’s not the big deal that the set-up is made out to be.
Port Selection
Despite a relatively generous frame on which to fit plenty of ports, the selection is mixed. The device sports three full-sized USB ports but only one is of USB 3.2 spec. The other two are USB 2.0.
Read more: Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 review – A Worthy Successor
There is just one USB Type-C port on Huawei MateBook D15. With the proliferation of cables and devices running the standard, having to share with the charging facility can be a nuisance.
A full-sized HDMI and combi audio socket make up the port cohort. Placement is good. The ports are split between the left and right side of the chassis aligned towards the hinge.
Type-C and 3.2 USBs join the HDMI on the left of the device. The two USB 2.0 and 3.5mm audio/mic socket are lined up on the right. The charging port and audio socket are nearest the hinge on the respective sides, a nice touch.
Specifications
| CPU | 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1155G7 (2.40Ghz) |
| GPU | Intel IrisXe – Integrated |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 (reviewed) 3,200Mhz, 16GB DDR4 3,200Mhz |
| Display | 15.6 inch diagonal, IPS, 16 : 9, 1920 x 1080 Maximum Brightness – 250 nits (Typical) Contrast Ratio – 800:1 Viewing Angle (H) – 170 degrees |
| Webcam | 720P HD |
| Audio | Dual mic, stereo speakers 2x2W |
| Storage | 512 GB NVMe PCle SSDMe PCIe SSD |
| Ports, I/O | USB – 3.2 Gen1 x 1 – 2.0 x 2 – USB-C x 1 HDMI x 1 3.5 mm headset and microphone 2-in-1 jack x 1 Charging/Display Dual 4K@60Hz, Max.3840 x 2160 – Data, Max.40 Gbps USB-A 3.2 x 1 3.5 mm Headset and Microphone Jack x 1 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi – IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax,160 MHz – 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz – 2 x 2 MIMO – WPA/WPA2/WPA3 Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Battery | 56W, Li-Po |
| Charger | 65W USB-C Supercharger |
| Dimensions | 357.8mm x 229.9mm x 16.9mm |
| Weight | 1.56kg |
Reliable, Pleasant, Competitive
It’s easy to forget the mid-range price asked of Huawei MateBook D15 when looking at the device, holding it in one’s hand or when typing on it. Huawei have brought their higher-end aesthetic, build and usability into something more affordable.
Competitors in the range may be build around a slicker CPU, boast a better screen or run an hour longer but few will look as good and feel as robust while doing it.
The balance of priorities on MateBook D15 is just about right for young professionals and students who need something more hard-wearing and capable than an entry-level model but would rather not blow their budget.
