big in size, small in price

For those looking for a large, elegant and versatile laptop PC without breaking the bank, this MagicBook X 16 presents itself as a good compromise. A computer that meets the most common needs without show-off or fuss.

Today, there is no need to spend a fortune to equip yourself with a large-format laptop PC that doesn’t look like the computers of yesteryear, all plastic, thick, heavy and, let’s say it, quite ugly. With the MagicBook

Let’s be clear, the MagicBook is not there to break speed records, it is not well equipped enough for that. Nevertheless, it provides good sensations for standard domestic use and is very comfortable in most situations. Obviously, with such a low price, Honor had to make a few concessions like on its MagicBook 14 that we put under the grill at the beginning of the year (read our test). Also, a few small design errors and questionable choices punctuate the picture. We were able to test this MagicBook X 16 for several days. Here is our verdict.

Honor MagicBook X 16: a neat design

The size is generous and yet the MagicBook X 16 does not lack style. All dressed in an aluminum alloy, her dress is classic, without embellishment and quite timeless. Embedding a 16-inch screen all the same, its dimensions remain generous with its 35.6 cm long and 25 cm wide. So bring a bag big enough to take it out and about. However, it remains quite thin with a maximum thickness of 1.8 cm at the hinge. In terms of weight, it is also quite slight given its size at 1.75 kg.

The connectivity is intended to be quite basic but sufficient for most uses. On the left side there is a USB-C port that also serves as a power outlet, a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port and a full-format HDMI port.

On the other hand, we have a second USB-A port and a jack socket. That’s all. A second USB-C socket would not have been refused in order to be able to connect, for example, an external drive even when the PC is charging.

Once opened, this MagicBook reveals a large keyboard with a numeric keypad, which is always very practical for entering numbers. If the typing turns out to be rather comfortable, we note a small particularity which destabilizes and annoys. At the bottom right of the numeric keypad, Honor has replaced the traditional Enter key with a Delete key. But what a strange idea! So much so that with reflexes well established with other laptops of the same type, we find ourselves railing quite regularly against this button which sows confusion.

On this MagicBook X 16, the biometric unlocking system is entrusted to fingerprint recognition, the sensor of which is placed on the power key. Well positioned on the keyboard, the system is rather responsive. Last note on the keyboard. This has a backlighting system. But like the MagicBook 14, it only offers two brightness levels which are a bit too weak to be really comfortable.

At the bottom of the keyboard, the trackpad has fairly modest dimensions (12 x 7 cm) for the size of the PC. It is also eccentric to the left. It is also rather responsive and provides a good sliding sensation under the fingers. On the right, we note the presence of the Honor Magic-link sticker. This is not a stupid sticker. It contains a device allowing you to quickly associate a brand smartphone with the PC.

Honor MagicBook X 16: a comfortable screen

One of the strengths of this MagicBook X 16 is of course its large screen. The device is thus equipped with a 16-inch IPS panel in 16:10 format that is particularly well suited to most uses, especially for office automation. It offers a definition of 1920 x 1200 pixels for a resolution of 142 ppi. This is again a good compromise for working in good conditions. The brightness is a little low (300 nits). However, Honor had the good idea to opt for a matte panel. Outdoor reflections are therefore less than with a shiny panel.

The screen can tilt up to an angle of 178°. You will therefore need to be careful when handling not to force the stop. At the top, there is a webcam with passable performance. It offers a definition of 720p which is suitable for videoconferencing but not more. And provided you benefit from good light conditions. When there are too many, the image is draped in a sort of veil. And when there’s not enough, digital noise joins the party. We saw much better.

Honor MagicBook X 16: decent performance

Technical sheet

To power this MagicBook A twelfth generation chip therefore (Alder Lake) beating eight cores (4 performance + 4 efficiency) which can climb to 4.4 GHz. It is possible to unleash the capacities by opting for High performance mode at the cost of higher power consumption and greater heat generation causing the fans to turn on. The Core i5 is supported in its task by an Intel UHD graphics circuit, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD. Small bonus, if the RAM is soldered on the motherboard, it is however possible to place a second M2 SSD in the chassis.

Thus equipped, the MagicBook X 16 offers very decent performance for its price. As shown by the various benchmarks to which we subjected it, office or web work will pose no difficulty for it. For relaxation, streaming video playback does not pose the slightest problem. However, we regret the poor audio quality. The sound delivered by the speakers placed on either side of the chassis but oriented downwards is not very convincing. Devoid of bass, the rendering is very metallic and the Nahimic software tool supplied with the device which allows it to be adjusted a little does not work miracles. Gaming and video editing, on the other hand, are not the MagicBook

Honor MagicBook

With this beautiful baby, we would have expected a fairly generous battery. However, you will have to make do with a 60 Wh battery here. As a result, you won’t have to go far from an outlet for too long. With our streaming test with the Netflix app, the MagicBook X 16 threw in the towel after 8h30 of playback. It’s a bit short. For recharging, Honor provides a 65 W charger. Allow 1h30 to refuel to 100%.

Honor MagicBook X 16: should you go for Honor’s large laptop PC?

Beautiful chassis, large and comfortable screen, very decent performance, the MagicBook X 16 appears to be a good laptop PC for everyday use. It shows great versatility for working and relaxing without asking any questions. Endurance is certainly not its strong point but with its size, it is more akin to a sedentary PC that is left permanently connected than to a portable machine. The only real downsides are the atypical (and annoying) layout of the numeric keypad and the poor audio and webcam quality. But what is above all the strength of this PC is its price. At less than 650 euros, we have an efficient and very convincing laptop PC which, moreover, can see its storage capacity evolve, which is not the case on many computers in this category. With the MagicBook X 16, Honor has created a convincing and truly affordable PC.