Month: June 2022

The MateBook X Pro for 2022 is yet another almost perfect laptop. It has various upgrades and improvements, yet still struggles in one key area

Huawei’s flagship laptop is back for another pop at the high-end market and the MateBook X Pro for 2022 is better than ever thanks to a raft of upgrades.

Headline features include a bigger screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, a larger trackpad with new gestures, speedy 90W charging and, wait for it, the webcam is no longer in that awkward pop-up key in the keyboard.

After years of being nearly perfect, the X Pro is still not quite there but largely in different ways to before. Battery life is still an issue, for example, and we must now mourn the loss of the trusty USB-A port.

Design & Build
Slightly bigger but still luxurious
Webcam back in the bezel
Exclusively USB-C
On the whole, the MateBook X Pro is the same laptop it’s always been. However, there are a number of tweaks to the design that result in some big differences to the experience.

With a larger screen, it’s perhaps no wonder that the laptop is a little heavier than before – but only slightly at 1.38kg. It’s also a touch thicker at 15.5mm but this isn’t noticeable.

The most obvious change when you open the lid – which can be done with one finger, offering an exceptionally smooth and satisfying experience – is the larger trackpad that goes all the way to the front edge of the chassis.

If a trackpad was a swimming pool, then this would be an infinity pool and I rather like it. More on what the trackpad can do in the next section.

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The Asus ROG Flow Z13 offers the one thing traditional gaming laptops can’t: portability. The question is whether that’s enough to justify the premium price tag

While gaming laptops are nothing new, there’s a theme among the top performers: they’re still all bulky and heavy. Asus is one of few companies trying to change that, with experimental devices like 2021’s ROG Flow X13 and now, the tablet-form ROG Flow Z13.

The idea is appealing – it’s a 2-in-1 not dissimilar in design to Microsoft’s Surface Pro line, but with a dedicated GPU and other top-end specs that put it in line with full-on gaming laptops.

There’s also compatibility with the company’s XG Mobile eGPU to spice things up, which has the potential to turn the Flow Z13 into a desktop gaming powerhouse – but it all comes at a very high premium compared to competing gaming laptops.

Has Asus done enough to tempt users from traditional gaming laptops?

Design & Build
Portable 2-in-1 design
Lighter than a traditional gaming laptop
Rear-facing intake vents keep it cool
The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is, simply put, a marvel of engineering. The 2-in-1 tablet barely measures any larger than Microsoft’s Surface Pro 8, yet manages to pack in enough tech to qualify as a fully-fledged gaming laptop with a 12th-gen Intel CPU and an Nvidia GPU at its heart.

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The Surface Laptop Studio works well in each of its three distinct modes, but this new form factor won’t please everyone looking for a hybrid laptop

Ever since the Surface range debuted a decade ago, Microsoft has specialised in hybrid devices. The original Surface Pro tablet could become a laptop of sorts thanks to an optional keyboard, but the company has experimented with different form factors in the years since.

Another new one was added to the mix in 2021 in the form of the Surface Laptop Studio. Rather than detaching the keyboard entirely, it has a flexible hinge that lets you move the display between three key positions. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a design like this, but its introduction here is a clear signal of intent from Microsoft.

But does it do enough to convince creative pros away from an iPad Pro or Mac? Or can it even tempt consumers? I spent a few weeks testing the Surface Laptop Studio to find out.

Design & Build
New 3-in-1 design works well but has its limitations
Great video calling features
Limited port selection
The Surface Laptop Studio replaces the Surface Book as Microsoft’s high-end hybrid laptop, adopting a very different form factor in the process. Instead of a laptop with fully detachable display, the screen on the Laptop Studio can be pulled forward in front of the keyboard or lay flat on top of it.

This technically makes it a 3-in-1 device, although you lose the flexibility of using the screen as a standalone tablet. You’re also limited to these three fixed positions, unlike on convertible laptops with 360° hinges. I found this particularly problematic with the display pulled forward in Stage mode, which isn’t the most natural angle for watching videos – but there’s no way to adjust it.

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Huawei is finally launching the biggest laptop in the MateBook range outside of China, with the AMD-flavoured MateBook 16 now available to buy in parts of Europe, and a UK release expected (but still unconfirmed) in the near future.

Sporting a massive 16in FullView display, the latest AMD processor and a unique aspect ratio tailored to productivity, the MateBook 16 could be a hit for remote workers, but creatives might be a little disappointed – especially given the high-end asking price.

Is the Huawei MateBook 16 worth the premium price tag? Keep reading to find out.

Design & Build
Stylish design similar to others in the MateBook range
Fairly portable for a 16in laptop, but it’s heavy at 2kg
Premium sandblasted aluminium chassis
Huawei hasn’t rewritten the rulebook when it comes to the design of the MateBook 16, looking just like every other recent MateBook – just bigger. That’s not necessarily a problem though; just like the rest of the range, the MateBook 16 looks sleek, premium and let’s be honest, faintly like a MacBook Pro.

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The Asus TUF Gaming A15 has a decent Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics core, an impressive and bold 1440p screen and a good AMD processor – combine those attributes and you’ve got a laptop that will make any game look great at an affordable price

The Asus TUF Gaming A15 has been around for several years, but Asus has never been complacent with its most affordable gaming notebook – the firm has kept refining the design and beefing up the internals.

This 2022 model has received faster components and more ambitious display options inside a case that’s lighter than the older machine.

That bodes well when the rig we’ve reviewed (the FA507RM) costs £1,499 in the UK and has a US RRP of $1,499, and the current entry-level version (FA507RE) starts at a tempting £1,199 or $1,049. We’re hoping for some cheaper SKUs to arrive soon as the Asus site lists an RTX 3050 as an option.

There’s plenty of competition at this end of the market, though, so we’ve got to find out if 2022’s Asus TUF Gaming A15 can stand up against rivals like the Acer Nitro 5.

Design & Build
Bold, military-inspired design
Mediocre build quality but a reasonably lightweight
Fine mainstream connectivity but no surprises or futuristic features
The Asus TUF range isn’t usually shy about its military-inspired design, and that remains true: the Asus TUF Gaming A15’s moulded lid looks like it’s secured with rivets, and you’ll find edges with utilitarian air vents alongside numerous TUF logos. The military design is perhaps immature, but the Asus doesn’t look awful.

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