Tech review: Chuwi Hi13 2-in-1 laptop – feels like a Microsoft Surface Book at less than a third of the price
Chinese firm’s laptop/tablet is well built and feels more premium than its HK$2,900 price tag suggests, but while it satisfies as a computer, it falls short as a tablet
With the exception of Huawei and perhaps Xiaomi, Chinese consumer electronics brands have little problem with unoriginal hardware design (Gionee, for example, recently released a flagship handset that looks virtually identical to the iPhone 7 Plus). But if you’re OK with using a copycat product, you’ll often be rewarded with great value as Chinese products can offer similar features for much less. The Hi13, by Shenzhen-based Chuwi, is one such product.
Design and hardware
The Hi13 is an all-metal laptop that doubles as a tablet when the keyboard is detached. There’s no beating around the bush: it’s a rip-off of the Microsoft Surface Book. Most external specs and features are identical, from the 13.5-inch LCD IPS display with 3000 x 2000 resolution to the optional stylus to the way the tablet attaches to the keyboard via magnetic pogo pins.
How China’s ‘copycat’ tech companies are now the ones to beat
It’s a very well-built piece of hardware – the display, for example, gets up to 480 nits of brightness, which is high enough for outdoor use under the sun – that feels more premium than its budget price tag suggests (HK$2,900).