Tag Archives: Thwarted

"A great display and convenient features like wireless charging make the MatePad Pro desirable, but it can't beat the iPad."

• Colorful screen with an aspect ratio of 16:10

• Wireless charging is welcome

• Great audio performance

• Good multitasking / desktop software

• Limited availability of the app

• Mediocre camera

I recently tested the Apple iPad Pro 2020 and the Magic Keyboard. This superb tablet and keyboard have become an integral part of my daily technical routine and replace my MacBook Air and phone for longer use when I'm on the couch.

Huawei's alternative, the MatePad Pro tablet (with keyboard case), is a challenger to Apple's experience, and I was excited to see how it compares to the all-conquering iPad Pro. The MatePad Pro has a lot to offer, but Apple's iPad Pro sets a high standard for deletion.

design

The Huawei MatePad Pro has a 10.8-inch screen, is 7.2 mm thick and weighs 460 grams. The total space requirement differs from the more square iPad due to the wider aspect ratio of the screen, which makes it appear more cinematic.

This is not a heavy device, but it feels significant. Every corner is neatly rounded and the chassis itself is curved, while the weight is centrally balanced. I found this to be a disadvantage when I held it upright with one hand as the top of the tablet felt heavy when the gravity took over. The screen is surrounded by frames that still give your palms enough buffer when you hold it in landscape orientation.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Huawei uses a hole-punch selfie camera with the MatePad Pro, as we saw on some smartphones. It is located in the top corner of the screen and is very good for unlocking the face as it is not covered by the palm of your hand. It disappears quickly when you watch videos, just like on a phone. It is also a good visual indicator of which end is imminent.

Turn the tablet over and everything is very simple in design. There's a dual-lens camera, some Huawei and Harmon Kardon brands (which power the speaker system), and that's all. My evaluation tablet had a muted steel-gray color, but lighter orange and green models are also available. Take a look at the top and bottom. You only see the speaker grille and the Type C USB charging port.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The dimensions of the MatePad Pro make it easy to take with you. I took it out in a small bag when I took a couple of photos and it never felt awkward or added any uncomfortable amount of weight. Even if you wrap it in the keyboard case, it stays that way. The thin screen bezels give it the same modern look that I loved on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e, and apart from the somewhat cumbersome weight balance, the MatePad Pro is a real eye-catcher.

The keyboard case

Huawei sells you a keyboard case for the MatePad Pro if you want to do light work, but it is not a magic keyboard. Instead, think of it as the Huawei equivalent of Apple's Smart Keyboard. It is a wrapper that covers the tablet's body and screen and then opens to reveal a keyboard and provide a convenient way to support the tablet for easy viewing and typing.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The case is magnetically attached to the MatePad Pro, but the connection isn't as strong as I would like it to be. When I "opened" the case to use the keyboard, I often used the edge of the case to do it, and it usually separated from the body, which became frustrating. It doesn't feel very good either. It is a hard structured plastic rather than leather or another soft material.

There are two preset angles for the screen. The base of the tablet magnetically snaps into pre-cut grooves in the case and is far more secure than the back of the case. It will definitely not come off. I found that the two perspectives covered most eventualities, whether I was typing on a desk or watching a video on my lap.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

How about typing? It depends on whether. The keyboard is not suitable for working on your lap because the space requirement is quite small and the whole thing shakes. Put it on a desk and the experience is far more stable. The feeling is pleasant and the keys have a lot of travel. However, the sunken keyboard is small and the keys are loud.

Google's G Suite is not directly supported, and Huawei's browser is not supported by the web-based version. However, this works fine in Firefox – provided that you activate the desktop view. Huawei installs WPS Office pre-installed, and Microsoft Office Mobile is available through the Huawei App Gallery. Both can be scaled to the screen of the MatePad Pro, but Office requires a subscription to save and share documents.

I like how light the keyboard is. It adds very little volume to the MatePad Pro and is quite portable. This is not a great keyboard case for all-day use. However, if you type on an airplane or want to whip out the tablet in a cafe, that's fine.

Huawei sells the keyboard case separately for £ 129, which is about $ 160. It is also available as a package with the tablet.

Display quality

The 10.8-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:10, making it ideal for watching movies. The slim 4.9 mm bezels ensure an excellent full-screen appearance with a rich screen-to-body ratio of 90%.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Amazon's Prime Video and the UKTV Play app are available through the app gallery. However, YouTube can only be accessed via a browser.

The quality varies frustratingly. The resolution of the screen is not high enough to play 4K content via Amazon Prime. Instead, it is downgraded to an uncomfortable level of quality. Compare the Grand Tour on the MatePad Pro with the iPad Pro 2020, and there's a rift between them. The MatePad Pro looks overwhelming.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Switch to YouTube and things couldn't be more different. Watching versions of the stunning 2K resolution videos from Carfection is great. Many episodes use the majority of the screen in the ratio 16:10 and show a wonderful color balance and dynamics.

The screen is more reflective than I would like and has often asked me to pull the curtains so that I can see the screen better. I have nothing to do with the iPad Pro.

Audio comes from four speakers. The stereo separation in landscape orientation is really good, with the language coming through very clearly. There is also a lot of bass booming in the case of the tablet.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Netflix is ​​a no-go, and the same goes for Disney + and NowTV, which keeps subscribers to these services from buying a MatePad Pro. However, Crunchyroll can be viewed through the browser.

I also found the lack of Kindle or Comixology apps frustrating as it took effort to find or create compatible files so I could read them on the MatePad. This has reduced my enjoyment of the MatePad Pro. If watching shows and films or reading books about these services is high on your list, this is not the tablet for you.

software

Just like the Huawei P40 Pro, the MatePad Pro uses Android 10, but without integrated Google services. The open source version of Android is covered with Huawei's EMUI interface and uses Huawei Mobile Services instead of Google Mobile Services. This means that there is no Google Play Store or Google Apps as well as various internal changes that make page loading impossible. Instead, you need to use Huawei's growing App Gallery Store or Amazon App Store for your apps.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The situation regarding the availability of apps has not changed since the test of the Huawei P40 Pro, and only a little since my experience with the folding smartphone Mate Xs.

Many apps that may be considered essential are missing or difficult to install. It is possible to use APK files, but there are always security concerns, and it may be unwise to use them with apps that contain payment or other personal information.

While it is not so important for a tablet to have messaging apps – which is a good thing, since notifications on the MatePad occasionally occur, which is a similar problem to the P40 Pro – the enjoyment comes instead from media and games. The MatePad Pro is restless when streaming apps. So what about games?

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Unfortunately, it's a similar story. Yes, the App Gallery has some big names, including Asphalt 9 and World of Tanks, but I can't find my other main supports like DariusBurst, Hill Climb Racer, Reckless Racing 3 or Riptide GP in the App Gallery.

Riptide GP is available in the Amazon App Store if I want to pay for it again in the past after purchasing it on Google Play. Asphalt 9 Legends is a lot of fun and looks stunning on the huge screen, while the sound is just as bright as when watching videos. I really miss the opportunity to try the other games that I really enjoy.

How about optimizations for the tablet? There is multitasking that works identically with iOS 13 on the iPad. You slide in a special launcher and then tap and drag icons to open two screens at the same time, or tap to display them as a floating window at the top. Not every app supports split screen viewing, including Firefox, if you use it as a browser. Office, WPS Office and the gallery as well as Facebook and Twitter (both installed via an APK) are fine.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The EMUI desktop mode is interesting. EMUI is activated with a shortcut in the notification shadow and is similar to Windows 10. The floating windows are practical and far more customizable than in tablet mode. I found it easier to focus on the job when using it because it feels better to use than the tablet layout. It's also quick to quit and works well with the keyboard – but not all apps work. Even WPS Office warns that some features may not be available when used in desktop mode.

There is also a pre-installed app for kids called Kids Corner. It offers a variety of security measures, from daily limits to blue light filters and a main password. Once inside, there is a painting area, a dictation machine app and a child-friendly camera app. Apps have to be added to Kids Corner manually. You need to look for kid-oriented apps in the app gallery. Although the list is long, many are localized and there were no major brands that I recognized.

My requirements for a tablet are different from those for a smartphone, but there are the same problems that affect the P40 Pro, the Mate Xs and even the Honor 9X Pro. Just as I can't get a line on my P40 Pro or can't access my WhatsApp chat backups, I can't watch Netflix or play DariusBurst on the MatePad Pro. That diminishes my enjoyment of an otherwise perfectly functioning and powerful tablet.

camera

Huawei knows a thing or two about cameras. Finally, the Huawei P40 Pro has the best Android camera available. However, tablets do not require such robust camera systems because they are mainly used indoors. The MatePad Pro has a single 13-megapixel camera on the back with an aperture of 1: 1.8, auto focus and flash. On the front is a single 8-megapixel camera with a fixed focus.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It’s not great. Huawei tried to arouse interest in the viewfinder with a highly optimized zoom slider. However, this is purely digital, so the quality is poor. Photos taken on a sunny day capture the blue sky, but have problems with overall contrast and leave shaded areas too dark. Photos in the early evening are affected in the same way.

The front camera is acceptable enough for selfies and video calls, but the placement makes it difficult to find a natural angle.

Overall there is really nothing to get upset about. It's a shame considering what Huawei can do with its cameras.

Performance and battery life

The MatePad Pro is the heart of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and the P40 Pro smartphone. The Kirin 990 chipset is used. It is matched to 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage space and offers space for a proprietary Huawei memory card. MicroSD cards do not fit. Huawei has announced a 5G version, but my test model is just Wi-Fi. The battery has a capacity of 7,250 mAh and is charged via a USB cable connection of type C or wireless charging.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Benchmark apps need to be downloaded as APK files, but Geekbench 5 refused to install through the APKPure store, so I could only use 3DMark.

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 4,785 volcano

This is comparable to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6's score, which contains a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset. I never had any performance issues with the MatePad Pro because apps opened quickly and the operating system was not delayed.

Battery performance is decent. It took me a day and a half during my in-depth tests, which included hours of watching videos, some games, general surfing and light work, and some photos. In normal use, the battery lasts four or five days before it needs to be charged.

However, I didn't use it that way. With wireless charging, you can easily place it on a charging base when not in use and charge the battery constantly. This is a real advantage. This means that the tablet was always on hand and always charged. I didn't have to think about plugging it in overnight.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Wi-Fi Huawei MatePad Pro costs £ 499, which is about $ 610. It comes with a two year warranty if bought in the UK. It is available through Huawei's own online store and in some retail stores, including curries. The MatePad Pro is not officially available in the United States, but can be purchased as an import. The keyboard case costs £ 129 or about $ 158, and an M Pen is yours for £ 100 / $ 122. Huawei also sells the tablet, case, and pen for £ 610 or about $ 745.

Our opinion

The biggest problem with the Huawei MatePad Pro is the Apple iPad. While the MatePad Pro is a good tablet for video, gaming, and easy productivity, there is no compelling reason to prefer an iPad Air or an 11-inch iPad Pro.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. The Apple iPad is the best tablet you can buy today, and it almost doesn't matter which model you buy.

Yes, the iPad Pro 2020 is the best, but it's also very expensive. If you want the 11-inch model and smart keyboard to match the MatePad Pro and keyboard in our test, the $ 799 tablet and $ 179 smart keyboard cost a total of $ 978 .

Instead, we recommend that you buy the Wi-Fi iPad Air with its 10.5-inch screen for £ 499 or £ 479 and the Smart Keyboard for £ 179 or £ 159. This recommendation applies regardless of whether you are in the United States or the United Kingdom.

If you'd rather stick to an Android tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is recommended for $ 649 due to the higher availability of the app. The keyboard case costs another $ 179.

Do you want more options? Check out our favorite tablets from 2020.

How long it will take?

This is not a water-resistant or robust tablet. Doing so will take many years in terms of performance, screen quality, and the potential to serve as a general work machine if you also buy the keyboard case. Huawei is confident that the app gallery will fill up over time, so that the availability of the apps can also improve.

My MatePad Pro review has Android 10 with the April security update. While EMUI is receiving updates from Huawei, it is not known whether the core version of Android will change in time.

Should you buy it

No. The MatePad Pro struggles to compete with the Apple iPad Air, which is about the same price when purchased with the Smart Keyboard. It offers better access to apps, an excellent software experience with frequent updates and a similarly impressive screen.

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