Today we present the CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus, a new laptop from CHUWI that we will look at in detail in our review. A lightweight, powerful laptop with a large screen.
This compact laptop weighs only 1.35 kg and has a good 16″ IPS screen that occupies 85% of its front. It is powered by the efficient AMD Ryzen 5 6600H processor, a low-power chip designed for office automation, browsing, light design apps, and gaming to a certain extent. It has 16 GB of LPDDR5 6400 MHz RAM and a 512 GB M.2 NVMe 2280 SSD storage unit that can be upgraded to 4 TB. Likewise, it also has two full USB-C 3.2 ports with DisplayPort video output.
Let’s see how this laptop performs in our tests and how it responds in our benchmarks.
- The 16″ CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus can be purchased from the official CHUWI store for €521.13 with shipping from Europe using the coupon PCTVCOREAIR
- The 14″ CHUWI CoreBook Air can be purchased from the official CHUWI store for €460.23 with shipping from Europe using the coupon PCTVCOREAIR
Details of the CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus laptop
Specifications
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 6600H 6N/12H 12H 4.5 GHz / 23 W TDP / 6 nm
- GPU: Radeon 660M / RNDA 2 / 1900 MHz
- System: Windows 11 Pro 64-bit / Office 2024 Pro
- RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5 6400 MHz
- Storage: 512 GB NVMe 2280 PCIe 3.0×4
- Display: 16″ IPS / 1920 x 1200 60 Hz / 100% sRGB / 300 nits
- Network: Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 (Realtek 8852BE)
- Cameras and audio: Front 2 MP / 2x 1.5W speakers / 1x microphone
- Keyboard: 60% format / Backlit / English Spanish stickers / Trackpad
- Connections: 1x USB-C 2.0 / 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen2 / 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen1 / Audio jack / 1x HDMI 1.4
- Battery: 60 Wh / 7 hours
- Extras: 19 V 3.42 A (64W) DC charger / USB-C PD 65 W
- Materials: Aluminum / 355.5x249x16.3 mm / 1350 g
Unboxing and first impressions
The new CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus laptop arrives in its box wrapped in protective foam to prevent damage. In the following video, you can see what the screen looks like, its design and construction, as well as hear the audio in one of our real-life tests.
Description
This elegant CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus computer is made entirely of aluminum and is lightweight. It is easy to carry, and on the upper front, there is a 2 MP camera with a physical lock and a microphone next to it.
The connectors are located on the sides of the laptop. There is an HDMI 1.4 output, two full USB-C 3.2 Gen2 connectors for fast charging and video, and another USB-C 2.0 connector for charging and audio jack. If desired, a USB-C HUB can be connected to expand connectivity.
The back cover has some kind of locking system, and we haven’t been able to remove it. Inside, we have 16 GB of LPDDR5 6400 MHz soldered onto the board, which is not expandable. We have a 512 GB M.2 NVMe 2280 SSD already installed, which can be expanded up to 4 TB if we manage to open the cover.
Screen
On the front, there is a fairly high-quality 16″ IPS panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. We found that the overall image is good from all angles. The color definition and contrast are very good, with 100% sRGB support, which gives us a high range of shades.
Keyboard and trackpad
The keyboard has a two-level backlighting system and a 60% format with very little flex when pressed in the center. The screen can be rotated up to a 180º angle. The top cover has a magnetic system that turns the laptop on and off when closed or opened.
The trackpad is not the largest we have seen, but it is comfortable to use. As we have seen, vinyl stickers in Spanish are included so that we can set it to our language if we want.
Camera and audio
The camera built into the CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus is of sufficient quality for video conferencing. It can be used for video conferencing with its 2 MP and built-in microphone. It also has two speakers, with fairly clear and powerful sound.
System and performance
Environment and user experience
We start up the CHUWI CoreBook X and, as we can see, Windows 11 Pro 64-bit and Office 2024 are correctly activated, and this system updates without any problems. We check that the system runs smoothly on the desktop; it is possible to load numerous browser tabs or play any multimedia content. Furthermore, we have a rather useless Chuwi app.
- Installed system version: Windows 11 Home 64-bit.
- Pre-installed software: No / Virus check OK.
- BIOS: AMI text / Delete key to enter / GPU and CPU options unlocked.
- Tutorials: Install Windows 11 / Migrate Windows to SSD/ Control with your Smartphone
Network, storage, RAM, and ports
In terms of connectivity, we find a Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 adapter (Realtek 8852BE) with good speed. The SSD is a PCIe 3.0×4 that reaches speeds of up to 4 Gbps. The soldered RAM is 16 GB of LPDDR5 6400 MHz RAM, but the performance is quite low, similar to 3200 MHz. See article on RAM with IGPU Gaming.
- Wi-Fi: Range 42 dBm / Link 5G 1200 Mbps / Bluetooth OK.
Processor and Benchmarks CHUWI CoreBook X
Integrated into the CHUWI CoreBook X is the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H processor manufactured in 6 nm with 6 cores and 12 threads up to 4.5 GHz. In terms of graphics, we have a Radeon 660M GPU up to 1900 MHz. This processor has a limited power consumption of up to 23 W TDP.
This computer has high performance for its power consumption and is suitable for light editing applications and 3D games without excessive load. It fits well within the range of economical, low-power laptops, and as we can see, it has well-positioned results.
Battery and thermal performance
This laptop has fairly good thermal performance; the fan is completely silent during normal use but can be heard when gaming. Its 6 nm processor is very efficient thanks to its large and small cores. The 60 Wh battery with the screen at medium brightness can last up to 7 hours with moderate use. The fan is quiet when desktop, but somewhat noisy when the processor is running at full capacity.
- Thermal performance: Idle 40ºC / Basic use 42ºC / Max 77ºC / CPU 4.5 GHz max. / Performance up to 85%.
- Gaming performance: LoL 75ºC / CPU 2.7 GHz on average.
- Noise: Fan active / 38 dB.
Gaming
We ran multiple performance tests on games, and the results are in line with this type of GPU integrated into low-power Intel processors. As we can see, the Radeon 660M GPU is suitable for games in 1080p or 720p quality and for heavy games to a certain extent.
- Settings: Medium quality / 1080p resolution / No VSync / Play emulators with RetroArch.
- On models with integrated Intel HD GPU at low settings and 720p resolution.
It is possible to play titles such as LoL with a comfortable frame rate, but in more demanding games such as Fortnite, the experience is not as optimal. As for emulators, we are limited to some simple Wii, PS2, and similar titles; we cannot handle demanding 3D console emulators, but it does support some Wii U games.
Video and audio test
Playback test
In terms of video playback, its integrated AMD Radeon GPU has a VPU with support for current codecs such as AV1. It is also compatible with HDR10 and supports multichannel audio up to 7.1. This PC is perfectly suitable as a multimedia system for using KODI, IPTV, or PLEX.
- Video: 1x HDMI / 2x USB-C DP / HDR10.
- Audio: HDMI up to 7.1 Stereo jack / Dolby DTS.
- Tutorials: Install KODI with add-ons / Auto refresh rate / Multichannel audio on Windows
Streaming services
We tested all the most popular streaming services such as YouTube, Netflix, HBO Max, Movistar, Disney, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV with their native apps or using the most compatible browser. Depending on the service, we can achieve 4K HDR quality.
- Streaming quality: 4K@60 HDR /Guide to 4K HDR and Dolby in streaming apps.
- Certificates:Dolby Vision / Dolby Atmos / AV1 Codec.
Conclusions and purchase links for CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus
Opinion
As we can see in the review, the CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus performs well thanks to its AMD Ryzen 5 6600H processor. It has an attractive design with a high-quality aluminum body, and its 16″ FullHD IPS screen looks great overall. The cooling system is effective for everyday use, and fan noise is only noticeable when running demanding games or apps.
This laptop comes standard with an expandable 512 GB M.2 NVMe SSD and 16 GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM, but we can’t expand it, so we can use it right out of the box without any problems. The keyboard is solid in use, and the camera, microphones, and speakers do their job. For wireless connectivity, we have Wi-Fi 6, which has given us good quality.
Overall, this CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus performs like a lightweight, efficient, and powerful laptop. It’s a computer that can be comfortably carried in a backpack without breaking your back.
Where to buy the CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus
- The 16″ CHUWI CoreBook Air Plus can be purchased from the official CHUWI store for €521.13 with shipping from Europe using the coupon PCTVCOREAIR
- The 14″ CHUWI CoreBook Air can be purchased from the official CHUWI store for €460.23 with shipping from Europe using the coupon PCTVCOREAIR
Rating
- Lightweight and stylish
- Full HD IPS display
- Aluminum body
- Efficient RDNA2 GPU
- Ideal for multimedia, office work, and light gaming
- Quiet fan on desktop
- Limited RAM speed
- Rear cover difficult to open
- Noisy fan at max power
