#TechReview: Huawei MatePad Pro

A High Performance Tablet That Keeps You Productive and Entertained All Day Long

About two months ago, not long after the Movement Control Order (MCO) was in force, I received a brand-new unit of Huawei MatePad Pro to test out ahead of its release in Malaysia. I have to say I’m glad to have this tablet during the lockdown period as it allowed me to keep up the productivity, and to enjoy some entertaining moments while working from home – the ‘new normal’ that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to.

Huawei MatePad Pro and its accessories, HUAWEI M-Pencil and Smart Magnetic Keyboard

Before I share you my experience of using the Huawei MatePad Pro that comes with its accessories, HUAWEI M-Pencil and Smart Magnetic Keyboard, and how it has become a tablet I can’t live without, I’m going to give you a quick glance at the specifications and features of this new tablet.

MatePad Pro: Huawei’s Latest Flagship Tablet

Huawei MatePad Pro runs on EMUI 10.0.1 based on Android 10

Being the latest flagship tablet of this Chinese technology conglomerate, Huawei MatePad Pro is a high performance tablet that’s empowered with cutting-edge technology and new productivity features – for better productivity and entertainment performance. The tablet comes in a slim and symmetrical design, making it looks appealing and comfortable to hold in hand.

Huawei MatePad Pro has an ultra-slim body

Sporting a 10.8-inch 16:10 display in an ultra-slim body, the MatePad Pro offers 90% screen-to-body ratio and bezels of just 4.9mm for a larger viewing display. It’s powered with Huawei’s cutting-edge Kirin 990 flagship chipset and supports LPDDR4X dual-channel RAM up to 8GB with three storage configurations – 128/256/512GB. The tablet boasts a 12-layer cooling system and a large 7250mAh battery. It possess a vibrant 2K QHD display supporting the DCI-P3 cinematic colour gamut and HUAWEI ClariVu Display Enhancement technology, as well as powerful stereo speakers and five-capsulemicrophone tuned by HarmanKardon. What’s more, it’s the first tablet in the world to support wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

MatePad Pro offers 90% screen-to-body ratio and bezels of just 4.9mm for a larger viewing display

A High-Performance Tablet for Productivity and Entertainment

To be honest, given my past poor experience with android tablet, I didn’t have high expectation towards this tablet in the first place – but that changed once I got my hands on it.

Huawei MatePad Pro is compatible with the Huawei M-Pencil and the Smart Magnetic Keyboard

Huawei MatePad Pro is responsive and easy to use. It is even better when using with the Huawei M-Pencil and the Smart Magnetic Keyboard that can be paired via Bluetooth. With the help of the very responsive M-Pencil, I can take note and draw diagrams easily on the tablet during my ZOOM meetings and discussions, and send out minutes or recaps right after the meeting has concluded. It really saves my time and increase my productivity. The charging of the M-Pencil is effortless, just place it in the upper part of the tablet with a magnetic click, and the wireless charging will start automatically.

The M-Pencil connects to MatePad Pro via bluetooth

As for the Smart Magnetic Keyboard, I like to use it when working on articles as it gives me a comfortable typing experience similar to that of a laptop. The keyboard case is a solid leather-bound cover that feels high-quality and offers good protection to the tablet. Its sleek design didn’t add any extra bulk to the tablet, making it easy to carry from room-to-room. During the working from home period, when I was bored working on my desk, I would simply sit on the couch in the living room or the high chair at the kitchen island, and typed away on the tablet with the Smart Magnetic Keyboard.

The sleek design of the Smart Magnetic Keyboard didn’t add any extra bulk to the tablet
The Smart Magnetic Keyboard offers comfortable typing experience similar to that of a laptop

Another thing I like about this tablet is that it possesses a high QHD display with an pixel density of 280ppi that comes with Eye Comfort Mode, which able to reduce eye strain and allow user to work on the tablet for longer periods of time. This is very important for someone like me who’s spending hours in front of the screen everyday rushing deadlines. The Eye Comfort Mode is certified for low blue light emission by TÜV Rheinland, allows user to customise the display colour temperature to your liking, in order to prevent the eye discomfort of the user. Nowadays I prefer to do my reading and video watching on this tablet since it has a larger screen and sharper resolution with the Eye Comfort Mode, make my viewing experience more comfortable with less eye fatigue even when viewing for long hours.

The portable size of the tablet allows you to take it anywhere you are; and its high QHD display and pixels offer better viewing experiences.

I’m also pretty impressed with its long battery life, which allows me to work on the tablet all-day without needing to recharge. Its massive 7250mAh battery can support up to 12 hours of continuous HD video, 11.5 hours of internet browsing and 11 hours of productivity tasks.

Huawei MatePad Pro supports Multi-Window for effortless multitasking.

Huawei MatePad Pro supports Multi-Window for displaying up to three apps simultaneously, which enables effortless multitasking. This allows me to open wordpress post page on one side and have browser on for reference on the other.

The tablet also come with a rich suite of applications such as Multi-screen Collaboration which is enabled by Huawei Share, allows the seamless integration of the tablet and other compatible Huawei devices. Whereas its App-Multiplier feature enables split screen of the same app. When you’re using the tablet in landscape mode, App-Multiplier enables the information of one app to be delivered through two independently operable windows. You can also drag and adjust the size of both windows to suit your own preferences.

Huawei is also bringing new dimensions to the video calling game with the introduction of MEETime – an exlusive function that allows users to share their screens whilst on the call, as well as enable them to make edits on the shared images and make notes in real time.

In addition, it comes with the third party apps such as WPS and Nebo include custom features that are tailored for the tablet and its accessories, augmenting the already rich user experience with extra capabilities.

Huawei MatePad Pro is a quality, high-performance tablet that is packed with exceptional features

In summary, Huawei MatePad Pro is a quality, high-performance tablet that is packed with exceptional features for ultimate productivity and entertainment. It’s a tablet you cannot live without once you’ve experienced it.

Huawei MatePad Pro is now comes in a bundle package priced at RM2,898 (RRP: RM3,197). The bundle includes the HUAWEI M-Pencil and Smart Magnetic Keyboard. And another good news is the MatePad Pro 5G version is coming soon to Malaysia. Please stay tuned!

[Update] Huawei MatePad Pro 5G will be available from 26 June 2020 in Malaysia. It will come in Forest Green priced at RM3,299 with the specification of 8GB RAM and 256GB ROM. For every purchase of the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 5G, customers will receive a package of free gifts to complement the tablet. For details, head over to Huawei store at https://shop.huawei.com/my/.

You can shop for the tablet at https://mshop.huawei.com/my/product/huawei-matepad-pro.

Read also: #NewIn Tablet: HUAWEI MatePad Pro Up For Pre-Order Until April 10 at RM2,399