As far as work laptops are concerned, 2022’s version of the Huawei MateBook D15 checks all the right boxes one would seek from an everyday workhorse. It is sleek, comes with a bright screen, very portable, and most importantly, easy on the wallet.

In a world where even the price of a plate of chicken rice is skyrocketing, the fact that one is able to acquire a reliable laptop without having to break the bank is a godsend.

But before we go any further into the review, let’s address the elephant in the room, shall we? Yes, at a glance, the D15 does heavily resemble a Macbook, but who’s complaining? Once you factor in the price difference and what the MateBook has to offer, all that prejudice is instantly compensated by the sheer practicality of Huawei’s offering.

Large Offerings, Small Frame

The sleek metal body adds to the overall premium look although be warned – all you need is a stray coin to wipe that pristine look off the exterior. While it isn’t much of a fingerprint magnet, it does tend to capture smudges quite easily, especially when transferring it between your carrier bag.

It has to be said that like the MacBooks which inspired the MateBook line, the D15 is sleek and light to carry. Weighing just shy above1.5kg, you won’t have any issues lugging it around town. The screen opens up to an almost flat configuration, stopping just at the 178-degree angle. Definitely not a trait that’ll sway or deter would-be buyers but I thought it is worth pointing out.

Personally, I am not so keen on the premium finish as I prefer the more utilitarian approach. Ruggedness tops style any day of the week. Another downside of simply resembling an Apple product is that it increases the MateBook’s probability of getting nicked off your table at the neighbourhood coffee shop by tenfold.

A familiar type

The most important aspect of being an everyday workhorse is a good keyboard setup. And thankfully, the D15 did not disappoint.

Porting over from my daily driver which is the Lenovo T480 Thinkpad which has a great keyboard I must say, I did not encounter too many issues acclimatizing with the D15. Funnily enough, more than your typical Windows user, it’s those porting from a Macbook Air or Pro who would instantly feel at home due to the ‘inspired’ keyboard layout. From the typing sensation to the distance between the keys; everything is almost indistinguishable from when typing on a Mac.

All is good. Almost. Like on most Mac keyboards, my main issue is the half-sized up and down keys on the bottom right. This is your chance to differentiate yourself, Huawei. Do something about it. Credit where it is due; the trackpad is excellent so is the ON/OFF and fingerprint reader button which sits at the top right corner of the keyboard layout. Nothing much to complain about here.

What is worth complaining about is the lack of ports as the D15 only comes with three USB ports, one HDMI and one 3.5mm headphone jack. I suppose being in the ultrabook categories, something’s got to give. And just like the MacBook Air, the lack of ports may be a deal-breaker to many.

The D15 sports a reasonably bright, 15.6-inch screen – adequate for outdoors typing save for the most intense lighting conditions. I do wish that the bezels could be slightly thinner though. The glaring black frame does make the ultrabook look as if it came from the mid-2000s.

This is definitely not a machine you want to be playing Valorant or any latest game in that matter. However, it will tolerate hardware-friendly titles such as Football Manager with the graphics turned down to the bare minimum.

The battery offers almost a whopping 8 hours of standby time at a full charge. Eight. Hours. Let that sink in.

Although, something peculiar happened. The estimated standby time plummeted quite rapidly as the battery percentage trickles down, even by several per cent. Surely 1% of battery life is not equivalent to over two and a half hours of standby time, right?

Based on my daily use, however, the machine runs anywhere between three to five hours on average before I start reaching out for the charging cable although your mileage may vary.

Speaking of charging cables, the D15 is powered directly via a USB-C port, which is handy, especially for Android phone users. A huge power adapter is included in the box but what we don’t like, is the length of cable which comes along with it. Clearly, it is several feet too short.

The D15 brings premium without the corresponding price tag and in our books, in this current financial climate we are going through, is a huge plus. Starting at RM1899 for its i3/8GB/256GB model and going all the way to RM3399 for the top-end variant (i5/16GB/512GB), no joke, the D15 is a steal.

If you are in search of a reliable workhorse and share the similar design philosophy and style of a MacBook but are strictly bound to the Windows ecosystem, look no further: the MateBook D15 should be a serious contender in your shortlist.

Final Score: 80/100

A review unit of the MateBook D15 was sent to us for review. Test unit specifications; i5/8GB/512GB with the RRP of RM3099.