The Honor X14 Plus and X16 Plus: Midrange Mediocrity in a Metal Jacket

Honors latest attempt at midrange laptops feels like an exercise in checking boxes rather than blazing trails. Sure, theyve slapped together some respectable specs-a Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD-but calling these machines refreshed is like putting a new coat of paint on a decade-old car and calling it revolutionary. If these laptops are supposed to wow us, someone forgot to include the instructions.

Can Intel Core Ultra 5 Really Save This Snoozefest?

The laptops are powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 325, which Honor claims can hit up to 52W of performance. Wow, 52 watts! Thats like saying your car can reach 52 horsepower-its technically true, but no ones planning a parade. Add to this 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB SSD, and youd think this setup could fly. But heres the kicker: they dont even mention cooling solutions. So, get ready for your laptop to double as a portable griddle when you push it too hard.

Display Options: Because Who Doesnt Love a Basic Panel?

The X14 Plus offers a 14-inch display at 2880x1800 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate-or if thats too fancy for you, a basic Full HD panel. Nothing screams midrange like giving users the choice between decent and meh. Meanwhile, the X16 Plus stretches things to a 16-inch panel with a slightly lower resolution of 2560x1600. Honor touts their eye-protection LCD panels, which is code for we reduced blue light because we dont have OLED. Thanks, Honor, my retinas are mildly grateful.

Battery Life Claims That Smell Fishy

Honor brags about an 80Wh battery with a runtime of up to 14 hours. But lets be real-up to is tech marketings favorite asterisk. That 14 hours is probably achievable only if youre staring at the desktop wallpaper while the brightness is set to candlelight. Dont even get me started on the 65W charger and 60W reverse charging support. Reverse charging a phone with this laptop feels like using a garden hose to fill a swimming pool.

Port Selection: A Rare Bright Spot, But Lets Not Get Excited

On paper, the I/O options are solid: two USB-C 3.2 Gen2 ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. But before you start clapping, ask yourself why the webcam is still stuck at a grainy 720p resolution. Its like they spent all their money on ports and forgot people might actually use this thing for video calls.

Pricing: Midrange Specs, Premium Aspirations

Starting at 5,999 yuan ($878) for the X14 Plus with the basic display, these laptops are priced like Honor thinks theyre Lenovo or Dell. The higher-res versions climb to 6,499 yuan ($952) for the X14 Plus and 6,699 yuan ($980) for the X16 Plus. For those prices, youd expect at least a 1080p webcam or, heaven forbid, a little pizzazz in the design. Instead, you get a metal chassis and nothing else to write home about.

Conclusion: The Honor X14 Plus and X16 Plus Are Just... Fine

Fine isnt exactly a selling point, but thats what these laptops are. Theyre not bad, but theyre also not exciting. If you want a laptop that youll forget about the moment you close the lid, congratulations, youve found your match. Everyone else? Keep looking.