In 2020 – 2021, Huawei is quite diligent in launching a variety of products from smartphones, wireless earbuds, tablet PCs, smart watches, and many more. One that managed to steal our attention is the latest tablet PC MatePad Pro. The features that this tablet brings are very complete. The specifications it carries are also very promising. Intrigued by what performance and features it brings? Check out our review below.
Huawei MatePad Pro design
Huawei MatePad Pro comes with a design that looks very premium. The body is quite slim and light. The thickness of the body is only about 7.2 mm. Meanwhile, it weighs only around 460 grams. It is very space-saving and not heavy when traveling. Coated in midnight gray, the appearance also looks luxurious and not on the market.
On the front, the MatePad Pro carries a 10.8-inch display panel with Full View Display technology. The screen panel is accompanied by an 8 megapixel front camera with a punch hole style and a very thin frame. The ratio of the screen panel to the body of the MatePad Pro reaches 90%. It’s a great relief to enjoy entertainment content or work.
The MatePad Pro display panel is also topnotch. With a QHD screen resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and a density level of up to 280ppi, the visuals on the screen look very sharp. The colors are also accurate with support for the DCI-P3 color standard. The screen brightness level reaches 540 nits. This allows the screen to remain clearly visible even in very bright lighting conditions. It is quite unfortunate that the screen panel has not been reinforced with a protective layer of Corning Gorilla glass.
Turning to the rear body, the MatePad Pro carries a camera module with a 13 megapixel sensor. The back of the body is a bit slippery. But, fortunately, the purchase package includes a keyboard case. The top of the body can be found the volume adjustment button and the SIM card slot. On the left side of the power button accompanied by a speaker. On the right side there is a USB-C port for recharging the battery and speakers.
Huawei MatePad Pro audio
On the MatePad Pro, Huawei has a quad speaker configuration. The four speakers can be found on the left and right sides of the body. The MatePad Pro audio system also supports Histen 6.0 3D stereo features and sound configurations set by the Harman Kardon manufacturer. The result? The sound output of the Huawei MatePad Pro feels very clear and powerful. Above average, other tablets in its class. This makes the MatePad Pro ideal for multimedia such as listening to music, watching movies to playing games.
Keyboard Case and M-Pencil Huawei MatePad Pro
Turning to the accessories, the unit we received is complete with a keyboard case and a Huawei M-Pencil stylus pen. It is undeniable that these two accessories immediately remind us of the keyboard case and Apple Pencil accessories for the iPad.
The Keyboard Case and Huawei M-Pencil carry a practical magnetic concept. The keyboard case looks quite luxurious with a layer of skin that is textured like an orange peel. With the magnetic concept of this keyboard case, it can attach directly to the back of the MatePad Pro quickly and easily.
When typing, the MatePad Pro angle can also be adjusted according to the convenience of each user. The buttons on the keyboard case are quite large. Soft also pressed and not noisy. It is very comfortable to use for long typing.
One drawback that we found is that the magnetic system is a little less robust. When attached to the body, the MatePad Pro is quite prone to detach or slide.
For M-Pencil itself, the magnetic system is quite strong. It is quite reliable when invited for mobility so that the M-Pencil is not lost because the M-Pencil can be attached directly to the upper side of the body. When sticking M-Pencil will recharge the battery automatically taking power from the MatePad Pro battery. So, there’s no need to worry about the battery running out.
Used for writing or scribbling, M-Pencil feels very responsive and comfortable to use thanks to its 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The sensation is quite natural and is similar to writing with a pen on paper. To support M-Pencil Huawei has also provided a special application called Nebo. But, the good news is M-Pencil also supports other drawing apps. When we use it with Adobe Draw, M-Pencil can still be used to draw comfortably and precisely.
Huawei MatePad Pro features
The Huawei MatePad Pro runs the EMUI 10.0.1 operating system which is based on Android 10.0. Google Services is still absent here. The replacement is Huawei Mobile Service (HMS) which we feel is more optimal. We won’t be going into any further detail on the EMUI 10.0.1 interface on the MatePad Pro. The reason is, the interface is still the same as the smartphone version. However, the experience or user experience using this tablet is very different from the smartphone version. This is thanks to the features that the Huawei MatePad Pro brings.
The first feature we will review is MultiScreen Collaboration. Through MultiScreen Collaboration it is possible to sync your smartphone to MatePad Pro for screen sharing. This feature has many advantages. It has only one drawback, which is only compatible with smartphones from Huawei. Incidentally we are Huawei Mate 20 users so we can immediately experience using this feature.
How to use MultiScreen Collaboration is also very easy. Just need to make sure WiFi and Bluetooth are active, then click the MultiSCreen Collaboration shortcut button in the notification bar. After that you will be asked to scan the barcode. After connecting all the interface displays on the smartphone will immediately appear on the MatePad Pro screen.
This feature means you no longer need to hold a smartphone. The reason is, all smartphone displays and functions can be controlled on the MatePad Pro screen.
What can be done? Very much. Sharing documents or photos from your smartphone to the MatePad Pro can be done with just drag and drop. You can answer phone calls, video calls and reply to messages that come to your smartphone. In fact, it is possible to run all applications on your smartphone, including Whatsapp chat applications to games. To test it, we even managed to play the game Genshin Impact on the bigger MatePad Pro screen.
The second feature is Multi Window. Multi Windows allows you to open two applications simultaneously on one MatePad Pro screen. To use it, you only need to sweep the left or right side of the MatePrPro screen until the Multi-Window dock appears. After the Multi Windows dock appears you will see an application icon. Click on these applications to take advantage of Multi Windows. This feature is definitely useful for users who often multitask and can speed up the workflow. Unfortunately, not all applications support this feature.
The third most interesting feature is PC Mode. This feature is the one we use the most. When you enter PC Mode, the Huawei MatePad Pro interface immediately changes to a desktop interface like on a PC. Even though the interface has changed, all the applications can still be run.
From our tests PC Mode is very comfortable and optimal for daily productivity. Creating documents and typing on the keyboard can rely on the WPS Office application. Browsing on the internet can still rely on the default browser application, or other applications such as Firefox, Opera mini, to Google Chrome. We can also run the WhatsApp Web application as usual on our laptops.
In short, in our opinion, PC Mode manages to provide an experience like using a real laptop. Our experience using the MatePad Pro like a laptop with PC Mode is also even more impressive because the MatePad Pro is compatible with a mouse via a Bluetooth connection.
Then what about the application? To get the MatePad Pro application, you still rely on AppGalery, which is an application store made by Huawei to replace the Google Play Store. The number of applications in AppGalery continues to grow even though they cannot compete with the PlayStore. Almost all essential applications that are used daily are also available on AppGalery. Including banking applications, e-commerce, news etc. Some of the applications that we use frequently such as Netflix and Spotify can also run smoothly on the MatePad Pro.
If there isn’t an application that you want in AppGalery, take it easy that Huawei has already set up Petal Search. Petal Search is Huawei’s smart search engine. Petal Search can search for anything, including searching for any application needed from Huawei AppGalery or third-party apk providers.
From our tests, the Petal Serarch collaboration and all the features it brings make MatePad Pro still very reliable even without Google services. MatePad Pro is also able to support our daily productivity, can be used to enjoy multimedia content, to hone our creativity by drawing thanks to M-Pencil without needing to use a laptop anymore.
Huawei MatePad Pro camera
Huawei MatePad Pro carries a rear camera with a resolution of 13 megapixels with an F / 1.8 lens. Unlike smartphones, cameras are not one of the superior features of tablets. But, in our opinion, the MatePad Pro camera is quite satisfying for a tablet. The photos look quite sharp and the colors are also relatively accurate in adequate lighting conditions. At least, the presence of this camera can be sufficient to just take photos when you are not holding a smartphone. The photo results are as follows:
Huawei MatePad Pro performance
The performance of the Huawei MatePad Pro is entrusted with the Kirin 990 chipset from Huawei which is supported by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal memory. Overall, the performance feels very fast when we use it. The benchmark results are as follows.
We hardly found any lag problem on this tablet PC. For productivity and multitasking, such as typing documents while browsing, to editing photos and videos to make all content run very smoothly. Moving in and out of applications feels very smooth. For entertainment, the specifications are very reliable for gaming or watching videos in high resolution. Playing Call of duty mobile or PUBG Mobile can run without problems at maximum graphic settings.
Huawei MatePad Pro battery
Then what about the durability of the battery? From benchmark testing using the futuremark battery with a capacity of 7250 mAh, it can record a usage time of up to about 21 hours by only connecting to WiFi only. The battery is indeed quite durable. As long as we use it everyday without using a 4G SIM card, only connect to WiFi for productivity such as creating documents, browsing, replying to emails, chatting, occasionally gaming, the battery can accompany us more than one day.
The good news is, with its huge battery capacity, the Huawei MatePad Pro is also supported by Huawei’s Super Charge feature. Thanks to this feature, charging the battery can be faster. With a recharge time of 30 minutes the battery can also be used for up to about 3 hours. Charging the battery also supports the wireless battery charging feature.
Conclusion
The Huawei MatePad Pro is a near-perfect tablet PC. Its powerful specifications are successfully combined with its gorgeous screen, top-notch speakers and extremely durable battery life. Another advantage, MatePad Pro is equipped with PC Mode, and can support Bluetooth keyboards and mice. This combination in our opinion is ideal for workers and quite perfect as a replacement for a laptop for daily work in the midst of the WFH trend.
The absence of Google services on the MatePad Pro is still a drawback. But, at least from our testing, almost all essential applications to support productivity and entertainment can keep it functional as a work partner. It only took a short time to adapt to Huawei Mobile Service.
With specifications and a series of features, the selling price of the Huawei MatePad Pro is in the range of 10 million. The selling price is indeed premium, but it is proportional to the specifications and all the features it carries. In the purchase package, you immediately get a keyboard cover and a Huawei M-Pencil which is worth 3 million Rupiah.
We highly recommend this tablet PC for young executives, workers or anyone who needs a full-featured Android tablet PC to support productivity or entertainment. By bringing a keyboard cover and a Huawei M-Pencil stylus pen, the Huawei MatePad Pro can also be an alternative to the Apple iPad Pro at a cheaper selling price.
The advantages of the Huawei MatePad Pro
+ Premium design
+ Relatively affordable price
+ Complete purchase package including keyboard case and Huawei M-Pencil
+ Full features
+ Beautiful screen + Powerful
performance
+ Very good speakers
+ Very long battery life
+ PC Mode is optimal for using it like a laptop
+ Supports 4G
Lack of Huawei MatePad Pro
– Multiscreen collaboration is limited to Huawei cellphone users
– The magnet in the keyboard case is not strong enough
– Does not support Google services
– Applications in AppGallery are still limited
– The screen has not been reinforced with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass
