The Honor MagicBook Pro 16 has recently been released in Europe and has generated quite a buzz. With its impressive specifications and sleek design, this laptop aims to offer a premium experience for both productivity and entertainment. This review will delve into various aspects of the MagicBook Pro 16, including its build quality, performance, display, audio, and overall usability.
Design and Build Quality
The Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is available in two colors: a striking purple and a more understated white. The purple variant, though stylish, tends to show smudges and fingerprints quite easily. For those who prefer a cleaner look, the white version might be a better choice, though it’s worth noting that white laptops can sometimes yellow over time. The laptop weighs 1.79 kilos, which aligns with Honor’s claims. However, considering the charger, the total travel weight comes to 2.28 kilos.
The build quality of the MagicBook Pro 16 is commendable. The laptop’s top is made from alloy, providing a sturdy feel. The hinge is robust and allows the screen to open fully, which is a handy feature for various viewing angles. The backlit keyboard is also well-designed, offering 1.5mm of key travel with minimal flex, making it comfortable for typing.
The keyboard includes a number pad and a power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello. The touchpad is smooth and accurate, equipped with hardware left and right mouse buttons and supporting Windows 11 gestures.
Display
One of the standout features of the MagicBook Pro 16 is its 16-inch IPS screen. The display boasts a 3K resolution with up to a 165Hz refresh rate, which can be adjusted to 120Hz or 60Hz depending on your preference. The screen’s brightness peaks at over 500 nits, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The anti-glare coating is effective, reducing reflections even under bright lights.
Color accuracy is another strong point of the display. It covers 91% of the Adobe RGB color gamut, 99% of the P3 color gamut, and 89% of the NTSC color gamut, ensuring vibrant and accurate colors. Additionally, the screen is TÜV Rheinland Flicker-Free and Low Blue Light certified, making it easier on the eyes during extended use.
Performance
Under the hood, the MagicBook Pro 16 is powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor, which features 14 cores and 18 threads, with a maximum turbo frequency of 4.5 GHz. This CPU provides ample power for multitasking, productivity tasks, and light gaming. Paired with Intel Arc graphics, the laptop can handle a range of applications and media consumption smoothly.
The laptop comes with 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM running at 6400 MT/s, which is a bit unconventional but offers excellent performance. The 1TB SSD, specifically the Western Digital SN56, provides fast storage speeds, though it’s worth noting that Honor has partitioned the drive into two sections: one for the operating system and one for data. While this might be beneficial for some users, others might prefer a single, unified partition.
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Ports and Connectivity
The MagicBook Pro 16 includes a variety of ports to meet different connectivity needs. On the left side, you’ll find a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The right side is devoid of ports, but the back houses additional ports, including two USB 3.2 ports and an HDMI output. The placement of ports on the back is somewhat unconventional but keeps the sides of the laptop clean and uncluttered.
For wireless connectivity, the laptop is equipped with an Intel Wi-Fi 6 card (AX2011) and supports Bluetooth. While Wi-Fi 6 offers fast and reliable performance, it would have been preferable to see Wi-Fi 6E for even better speeds and future-proofing.
Battery Life
The MagicBook Pro 16 is powered by a 75Wh battery, which provides decent battery life. In real-world usage, you can expect around 7 to 8 hours of battery life at 30% brightness for tasks such as web browsing, streaming, and document editing. More demanding activities will naturally reduce this figure. The laptop comes with a 135W charger, which is Honor’s SuperCharge technology and works with other Honor devices as well.
Audio
The laptop features six speakers, including down-firing speakers on the sides and additional speakers next to the keyboard. This setup results in a surprisingly good audio experience for an ultrabook. While the speakers lack deep bass, they offer clear and loud sound, making them suitable for video calls, presentations, and media playback. A sample of the audio at 80% volume reveals that the speakers perform above average for this category of laptop.
Software and Included Features
The MagicBook Pro 16 runs Windows 11 Home, which can be upgraded to Windows 11 Pro if needed. The laptop includes a quick start guide, a warranty card, and a 135W power supply with a standard connector. The fingerprint reader, integrated into the power button, works well with Windows Hello for quick and secure logins.
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Benchmark Performance
In benchmark tests, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H performs admirably. In Cinebench R23, the laptop achieves high scores for multicore performance, thanks to its 18 threads. Single-core performance is slightly lower than previous generations, but still respectable. Geekbench results show similarly strong multicore performance, with single-core scores being adequate.
The Intel Arc graphics provide a solid performance boost over previous integrated graphics solutions. In Night Raid, a benchmark tailored for integrated graphics, the MagicBook Pro 16 scores near 40,000, which is impressive. For gaming, older titles run smoothly on high settings, while more demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 struggle at lower settings and resolutions.
Real-World Performance
In everyday use, the MagicBook Pro 16 feels snappy and responsive. Applications load quickly, and multitasking is seamless. The Wi-Fi performance is robust, thanks to the three-antenna setup, providing stable and fast connections. However, the lack of Wi-Fi 6E is a slight drawback for those looking for the latest in wireless technology.
Video playback is excellent, with the laptop handling 4K video and high-bitrate files without any dropped frames. The integrated Arc graphics also shine in video editing tasks, making the laptop capable of handling 4K video editing smoothly, a feat that was previously challenging for laptops without dedicated GPUs.
Webcam and Microphone
The MagicBook Pro 16 features a full HD 1080p webcam, which performs adequately. While the image quality could be better, the integrated microphones are impressive, offering clear and crisp audio. This makes the laptop well-suited for video conferencing and online meetings without the need for external microphones.
Gaming Performance
Gaming on the MagicBook Pro 16 is a mixed bag. While older and less demanding games run well at higher settings, modern titles like Cyberpunk 2077 are challenging for the integrated Arc graphics. At 720p resolution and the lowest settings, the game experiences significant frame dips and lag, making it almost unplayable. For casual gaming or older titles, the laptop performs well, but it is not designed for intensive gaming sessions.
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Final Thoughts
The Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is a well-rounded laptop that offers a lot of value. Its strengths lie in its impressive display, solid build quality, and strong performance for productivity and media consumption. The inclusion of six speakers and a high-refresh-rate screen adds to its appeal, making it suitable for both work and entertainment.
However, there are a few areas where the MagicBook Pro 16 could improve. The webcam quality is mediocre, and the lack of Wi-Fi 6E is a missed opportunity for faster wireless speeds. Additionally, the placement of ports on the back, while keeping the sides clean, might be inconvenient for some users.
Priced at around €1,300, the Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is competitively positioned, though a slight price reduction could make it even more attractive. Overall, if you are looking for a powerful and versatile laptop with a premium display and good audio quality, the Honor MagicBook Pro 16 is a strong contender.
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