Historically speaking, budget Windows laptops are full of compromises: usually they have poor displays, sluggish performance, or mediocre construction. In particular, slow performance - attributed to entry-level processors combined with the resource-heavy Windows operating system - has allowed Chromebooks to gain traction in the budget space. This is despite Windows-powered machines having support for a wider legacy applications and programs.Luckily, the Chuwi HeroBook seems to be an exception to the norm - breaking free from all the usual issues I’ve encountered with cheaper Windows laptops. To keep things short: for $200, this is one of the most consistent laptops you’ll find - performance is surprisingly quick for basic tasks, and it has very little compromises.Positives:1) Design - Although the body of the laptop is made out of plastic, it feels solid and dark grey color could pass as a much more expensive model. I was delighted to see that the lid can be opened using just one hand (a detail usually only flagship devices have). The weight is well balanced, and the hinge mechanism feels smooth. The profile is slim, and makes the laptop easy to travel with.2) Input - The keyboard takes advantage of the entire width of the laptop, resulting in larger keys than most 14” options. Overall, there’s a good amount of tactile feedback from the keys, making it a great choice for writing longer docs, even though the keys aren’t backlit.The touchpad, which measures over 5”, is super spacious. Gone are the days of tiny trackpads on cheap netbooks - this one allows for comfortable scrolling and multi-touch gestures.3) Display - For the price, most laptops have a TN panel at HD (720p) resolution. Chuwi instead opted for a FHD (1080p) IPS screen, which means wide viewing angles and sharp looking details. More importantly, the screen is matte, which means I was able to still use it in challenging lightning conditions, as it doesn’t glare as much as glossy finishes. Overall, it’s a great panel, even though it’s not a touchscreen.4) Performance - The processor inside is the Intel X5-E8000. Although it’s part of the Intel Atom family, don’t confuse it with the more commonly used Z8350. Whereas the Z8350 struggles on even the lightest tasks, the E8000 is one of the higher end chips in the Atom series. In benchmarks and real-world usage, I found it closer to an Intel Celeron in performance. Although it’s still not a powerhouse, web browsing is silky smooth (3-4 tabs open), system navigation is snappy, and boot-up times are almost instantaneous. It’s a noticeable step forward in speed.Other components include 4GB RAM and 64GB storage (other models for the price usually have only 32GB system storage).Reception is also above average. I found that in areas where other budget laptops would disconnect from Wi-Fi, this laptop still held onto the signal. This is essential, because a laptop can have blazing fast internals, but it’s only as good as it’s weakest link. A poor Wi-Fi antenna can result in unusable web browsing, so it's great that Chuwi have put in extra effort on this component. And yes, there’s Bluetooth as well!5) Battery life - One benefit of an Atom family, is that they are really energy efficient (and fanless). On a full charge, this laptop can last me approx. 9 hours of use. For a 14” device, I think this is pretty impressive, and gets me through 1-2 days of use before I need to recharge it.6) Clean version of Windows 10 Home installed (fully activated)Negatives:1) Charger is a proprietary round plug (Chuwi’s other devices have shifted to USB-C, which I think is a more convenient design).2) Back in the days of Windows 7, home edition (especially laptops geared towards students) would often include a version of Microsoft Word/Office for free. On here, it’s simply a trial of Office - although you could always use OpenOffice or Google Docs in-stead.3) 4GB Ram is good for an entry-level laptop, but for heavier multitasking (or programs like Photoshop/video editing) it won’t be the fastest experience (be reasonable with these expectations)4) Could add some more metal/aluminum parts to the construction in a future modelOverall, the Chuwi HeroBook is an impressive showing. Despite the low price, it’s managed to get all the essentials right - from solid hardware, stable performance, to a long lasting battery. Areas of improvement are minor and easy to forgive at the price; making this my favorite budget Windows laptop I've purchased thus far!