 |
| Chuwi now offers the CoreBook Air with an Intel SoC. |
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the budget-to-midrange laptop space, the name Chuwi CoreBook Air probably rings a bell. We’ve already put the previous AMD-powered version through its paces, and it left a solid impression for anyone seeking a lightweight, affordable ultraportable. But just when you thought you knew what to expect, Chuwi goes and shakes things up. The company has now listed the CoreBook Air 226V – and this time, it’s ditching AMD in favor of an Intel processor.
That’s right: the new model houses an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V, flanked by 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 512 GB SSD. For power users who like to tinker, the SSD is replaceable via a single M.2 2280 slot. The pre-installed drive runs on PCIe 3.0, but the slot itself supports four PCIe 4.0 lanes – so you can easily drop in a faster NVMe drive down the line. Chuwi is offering this configuration as the sole option for now, and it’s already up for pre-order at $859. Shipping is expected to kick off on May 21.
A Familiar Design with a New Brain
If you’ve seen the previous CoreBook Air, the 226V won’t surprise you in the looks department – and that’s not a bad thing. Measuring 312.9 x 22.5 x 16.8 mm and weighing roughly 1 kg, it remains one of the most portable 14-inch laptops around. Slip it into a backpack and you’ll barely notice it’s there. The display is a 14-inch IPS panel with a crisp 2,880 x 1,800 resolution and a smoother-than-average 90 Hz refresh rate. That’s a nice bump from the typical 60 Hz you’d expect in this price bracket – scrolling through long articles or working with spreadsheets feels noticeably more fluid.
For those who need to stay connected on the go, the CoreBook Air 226V supports Wi-Fi 6E, and there’s a 2-megapixel webcam on board for video calls. Nothing groundbreaking on the camera front, but it gets the job done for Zoom or Teams.
Ports That Actually Make Sense
One area where Chuwi has consistently done well is port selection, and the CoreBook Air 226V continues that trend. You get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which are incredibly versatile. Not only do they handle fast data transfer and USB PD charging, but they also support monitor output – and in principle, you could even connect an external graphics card enclosure. That’s a surprising amount of expandability for a sub-$900 laptop.
Elsewhere, you’ll find one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, a USB 2.0 port (handy for a mouse or dongle), HDMI 2.0, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. Whether you’re connecting to an external monitor, a wired headset, or an older USB accessory, you probably won’t need a dongle.
Why the Switch to Intel?
The move from AMD to Intel’s Core Ultra 5 226V is interesting. The previous model (which some of you may recall from our earlier hands-on coverage) offered impressive battery life and competent integrated graphics for everyday tasks. With the Core Ultra 5 226V, Chuwi seems to be betting on Intel’s new efficiency cores and AI acceleration (thanks to the NPU built into Meteor Lake-derived chips). While we haven’t benchmarked this exact configuration yet, the 226V is expected to deliver snappy performance for office work, web browsing, light photo editing, and even some casual gaming via the integrated Intel Arc graphics.
For those who want to dig into the official specs or place a pre-order, you can check out Chuwi’s regional stores. The German Chuwi product page has full technical details, while the US store is also listing the CoreBook Air 226V for pre-order at the same $859 price point.
Early Verdict: A Compelling Lightweight Contender
At $859, the CoreBook Air 226V isn’t the cheapest ultraportable on the market, but it’s hard to find another 1 kg laptop with a 2.8K 90 Hz display, Thunderbolt 4, and a next-gen Intel Core Ultra chip at this price. The replaceable SSD is a nice touch for longevity, and the port selection is genuinely generous. If Chuwi delivers on build quality and battery life – two areas where the previous AMD model performed well – this could be a sleeper hit for students, remote workers, and frequent travelers.
Shipping begins May 21, so early adopters won’t have to wait long. We’ll be getting a review unit in soon to test real-world performance, thermals, and battery runtime. In the meantime, if you’re curious about how this model stacks up against its AMD predecessor, check out our previous analysis here. And for the official pre-order, head to Chuwi’s US product page or the German site depending on your region.
Stay tuned for the full review.