TECNO MEGABOOK S1 2023: the MacBook for most of us
The TECNO MEGABOOK S1 drew eyes at Mobile World Congress
No longer a luxury, laptops are truly a necessity. From remote work for professionals, content creators and of course, students, the laptop is the workhorse device that a majority of us use to get things done. For years, there’s been a battle between the PC world and the Mac world. But finally, we’re starting to see the best of both worlds come together in high-quality, cost-effective laptops like the TECNO MEGABOOK S1 2023 that was introduced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) this year.
The new TECNO MEGABOOK S1 2023 is an affordable Windows laptop that will immediately remind you of a MacBook, it’s similar in almost every way except its price. Its design, display and performance surprised me at the tradeshow in Barcelona where it was showcased alongside the company’s new foldable phone, the PHANTOM V Fold.
This story was developed in partnership with TECNO, which provided a smartphone review unit and helped cover the cost of my attendance at MWC. Our editorial opinion about the products mentioned remains just that – ours.
The TECNO MEGABOOK S1 2023 laptop follows the company’s first foray into the computing space, the TECNO MEGABOOK T1, but with more flagship specs. Already, I can tell it's a solid contender. With a magnesium alloy body, a 3.2K high-resolution 120Hz screen and an Intel 13th i7 gen processor, the specs in this laptop all come together in a package that punches above its weight.
Ultra Light & Slim Design
The first thing that catches your eye when you see the TECNO MEGABOOK S1 2023 is the streamlined and elegant design. The laptop’s design balances being light and thin with the kind of performance that is able to live up to its price. It weighs just 1.35kg (lbs) and is 13.5mm thick, making it feel ultra slim in your hands. TECNO is also promoting the laptop for having the industry’s first Iceless Craft surface technology that includes five layers of nanomaterial paint, providing users with a look and feel that is beautiful, durable and keeps annoying fingerprints away.
At this size, it makes room for plenty of ports – seven to be exact – including a USB 4.0 port that’s capable of 40Gbps transfer speed. There’s USB-C, HDMI 2.0, USB 3.0 and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Within the backlit keyboard, there’s a fingerprint sensor for quickly and securely logging into the laptop and it, of course, also doubles as the power button.
Eye-catching display
Seeing the Tecno MEGABOOK S1 2023 display in person for the first time at MWC 2023, I was immediately impressed with its screen. It has a 3.2K resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 16:10 aspect ratio (while movies are in 16:9, laptops and monitors are often 16:10, which makes them more friendly for reading documents and websites). Even more, the laptop offers 450 nits of light and a DC Smart Sensor so the screen transitions through both day and night use, as well as inside and outdoor use with ease.
That 90% screen-to-body ratio is what makes the MEGABOOK stand out. It creates a borderless display that compliments the high-end-looking design. TECNO was still able to include an AI-tuned 2MP camera into this display at the top that is appropriate for web conferencing, live streaming or video chats with friends.
Specs
⚙️ Intel 13th Gen Core i7-1360P
🐏 16GB LPDDR5 RAM
🗄️ Up to 1TB SSD storage
🥶 Dual-fan + VC ICE STORM cooling system
🪨 Magnesium alloy body, iceless nano coating technology
📐 1.35kg, thick 13.5mm
🔌7 ports, including USB 4.0, USB-C, HDMI 2.0, USB3.0, 3.5mm jack
👇2-in-1 fingerprint button
⌨️ Starry backlit keyboard
📺 3.2K resolution
🏃♂️120Hz high refresh rate
💡DC smart sensor with 450 nits brightness
📷AI 2MP camera with smart facetime
Built-in features for convenience
Something unique about the TECNO MEGABOOK S1 is the way it integrates with TECNO’s flagship mobile line, PHANTOM. Their next-generation OneLeap technology creates a bridge between the TECNO PHANTOM X2 and the MEGABOOK S1 to allow for seamless premium-level data transfers, making sending photos or files from your phone to your laptop (and back again) in only seconds.
While slim in design, the MEGABOOK features a TECNO VOC sound system that gives users an immersive sound experience when watching movies.
Enabled through NFC functionality, the laptop is set up for data sharing, files management, multi-screen collaboration and reserve network sharing, making sharing passwords easier. All-in-all, it packs a number of convenience features comparable with other high-end laptops in its price range.
Performance
Last but not to be overlooked, the MEGABOOK S1 packs an Intel 13th-gen Core i7-1360P processor that provides enough power for computing users who don’t want to wait for the Intel 14th gen chipset.
At its highest end, it has 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, a 1TB SSD and keeps everything running smoothly with a dual-fan system dubbed VC Ice Storm. I’ll have to test how everything balances out when I get a review unit in, but in my brief time with the MEGABOOK S1, the chipset should perform for content creators and gamers who want an alternative to what Apple and Dell are offering at much higher prices.
TECNO has become a big name in regions where this laptop will launch in May or June – across East Europe, Africa and Asia. I’m eager to see more from the company in the United States, as it could be a competitive entry at the exact time we need something like the MEGABOOK.