Honor MagicBook X 16 2023

The Honor MagicBook X 16 2023 is turning heads with its massive 16-inch screen and a price tag of £700. It seems almost too good to be true. But, if you take a closer look, there might be a catch. For starters, it’s packing a 12th-generation Intel processor, which isn’t exactly the latest and greatest. And the mid-range Core i5-12450H processor it’s got under the hood doesn’t exactly blow you away with its power. Still, it manages to hold its own and delivers decent all-around performance.

When we ran benchmark tests to gauge its Windows performance, it came in about 10 percent behind our top pick, the Acer Swift 3 14-inch. However, it doesn’t really shine in the gaming department either. In fact, in our tests, it clocked in at less than half the speed of the Swift 3. That’s disappointing news for folks who are into games like Microsoft Flight Simulator or similar titles. You might be able to get these games to run if you lower the detail settings, but it’s not going to be the most enjoyable experience.

The memory and storage specs also fall short compared to the Swift 3. With 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, the MagicBook X is a bit behind Acer’s 16GB and 1TB, respectively. Now, those numbers might not be mind-blowing, but the real selling point of this laptop is its screen size. At 16 inches diagonally (compared to the Swift 3’s 14 inches), you’re getting a lot more room to work with. Whether you’re arranging windows, watching TV shows, or diving into movies, the extra screen real estate is a big plus.

Considering its price, the display is pretty decent. Whites look clean, and it can reproduce 96 percent of the sRGB color standard. It would have been great if the brightness could push higher than 339cd/m2, and the 1920×1200-pixel resolution stretched across the large screen means you won’t get the razor-sharp clarity of a higher resolution, but considering the cost, it’s still pretty impressive.

The built-in 720p webcam doesn’t deliver the most vibrant colors, but it’s perfectly fine for your everyday video calls. The focus is clear, and the dual microphones capture audio well, although it might sound a bit echoey. Unfortunately, the webcam doesn’t support Windows Hello, but the fingerprint reader built into the power button on the top right of the keyboard does. And it’s impressively fast and reliable.

Now, onto the keyboard. It’s got its pros and cons. The quiet typing experience is a definite plus, and the wider chassis makes room for a separate number pad without making it feel cramped. However, some keys like the slimmed-down apostrophe and hash keys might be a bit challenging to hit accurately. On the bright side, the spacebar and Enter key are easy to locate. The touchpad keeps things simple. It’s a reasonable size (120x72mm) and is responsive to your touch.

But the real surprise is the laptop’s all-metal chassis, including the base. This gives the MagicBook a solid and well-built feel, although it does tip the scales slightly at 1.7kg, a bit heavier than average. Still, you can confidently toss this slim laptop into your bag and know that it’ll stay reliable all day long. Battery-wise, it impressively lasted over nine hours with light use and nearly 13 hours when left idle.

Honor MagicBook X 16 2023 SPECIFICATIONS