HONOR MagicBook Pro Rapid Review
Key Specs
Windows 10 Home
RAM: 16GB dual-channel DDR4
Up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
16.1” HONOR FullView Display
Battery life: up to 11 hours
Last year, I had the HONOR (excuse the dad joke!) of reviewing the HONOR MagicBook 15. While I was impressed with the laptop, on the whole, I did feel a little disappointed with the gaming capabilities. Does HONOR’s latest laptop, the MagicBook Pro, provide an option for users looking for a gaming and productivity device? Read on in my Rapid Review.
Design and Build Quality
The first thing you notice about the MagicBook Pro is that it looks and feels incredibly well built. It comes in a “mystic silver” finish, and the aluminium body looks great. It is also relatively thin and light, so it won’t be too much of a burden to carry around when life eventually returns to normality. Some noticeable upgrades compared to the MagicBook 15 is the inclusion of two speakers found on either side of the keyboard.
Talking of the keyboard, the MagicBook Pro is a delight to type on, adding backlit keys is another welcome and useful addition. The trackpad is large and responsive, making it comfortable to use.
Screen
As with the MagicBook 15 that I reviewed, the MagicBook Pro sports an almost bezel-less, 16.1” Full HD FullView Display, text is clear and crisp, and the colours are vibrant. The screen also has an anti-glare feature which came in handy when using the laptop at my kitchen table on a bright sunny day. Combined with excellent speakers, watching films on the laptop is a great experience.
Immersive Sound
Speaking of the speakers, I was very impressed with the output; they are very loud, and the quality is good. HONOR say that the speakers provide virtual surround sound. To test this, I listened to a couple of surround sound test videos, and there was definitely an element of spatial sound output from the speakers.
Peak Performance
I was very impressed with the overall capabilities of the MagicBook Pro. Powered by a 10th gen Intel Core i5-10210U and 16GB DDR4 RAM, I was able to complete all tasks that I needed to do, and at no point did I feel that the laptop was struggling. This included all working from home tasks like video conferencing, word processing, browsing the web, and some basic video editing.
Regarding performance, even when multitasking, I was impressed with how quiet and cool the MagicBook Pro was.
Great for Gaming?
The MagicBook Pro has an NVIDIA GeForce MX350, an entry-level mobile graphics card for laptops. Combined with the 10th gen Intel Core i5-10210U and 16GB DDR4 RAM, you can expect to play more graphically intensive games with graphics set to medium. I played Gears Tactics, set to medium, and it was more than passable. With other games, like The Falconeer, I was able to play it with graphics set to high, and in some aspects, max. If you’re looking for a laptop to play graphic-intensive games at high settings, this is not the laptop for you. In fairness to HONOR, they state that the laptop can used for leisure gaming, and I would agree with that statement.
Performance Mode
Another feature of the MagicBook Pro is Performance Mode. Pressing Function and P switches from standard mode to performance mode. Switching to performance mode optimising the settings for maximum performance gives the laptop a boost in speed. This, of course, has a negative impact on battery life. Your laptop also needs to be plugged in to take advantage of this mode. In my testing, I didn’t notice too much of a boost in performance, but that’s because I never felt that the laptop was struggling in the first place. People who use more power-intensive apps might notice more of a difference when using this mode.
Battery Life
The MagicBook Pro has a 56Wh high energy density battery, which HONOR says can provide up to 11 hours of power. During my time with the laptop, when using it for everyday activities; emailing, tweeting, browsing, listening to podcasts, and watching the occasional YouTube video, I could squeeze around 10 hours, which is more than enough to get you through a workday. I must clarify that this was when the laptop was in Standard Mode. The MagicBook Pro can be charged using the included 65W fast charger, which allows you to charge the laptop to 50% in about half an hour.
Security Features
The MagicBook Pro allows you to log in to the computer using the fingerprint power button. I have to say that the fingerprint scanner is extremely fast and logs you in instantaneously. An additional security feature is a pop-up webcam. There’s a little white light to show that it is in use; this is handy if you forgot to close it.
Plenty of Ports
The MagicBook Pro has enough ports for everyday users, including; a 3.5mm headphone jack, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, one USB-C port and an HDMI port.
Conclusion
The HONOR MagicBook Pro is a great looking laptop that provides enough power to satisfy those looking for a great productivity tool and those who want to play the occasional game. Furthermore, with the combination of great sound, a lovely display, fingerprint scanner, and pop-up camera, the MagicBook Pro would be an excellent choice for students and those working from home.
Rapid Reviews Rating
You can find out more about the HONOR MagicBook Pro at the HONOR UK Store.
Micetopia Review
You May Also Like
