Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 – Review

The persistence Huawei has shown is definitely worth noting, as despite being hobbled by severe component and software restrictions in the West, the company continues to introduce new hardware. The Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 is a powerful and sleek tablet that boasts strong accessories and a super-sized, outstanding display. It is a high-end tablet designed to compete with the likes of Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Plus.

Design and build

There is no doubt that Huawei knows how to build unique and compelling hardware. The MatePro 13.2 is a massive tablet that boasts a display of 13.2-inch, yet it only weighs 580g and is about 5.5mm thick. It has accomplished this feat because it is made mostly of plastic. The rear is made up of glass fiber and looks metallic due to the nano-scale optical finish, while the frame is entirely of plastic.

This means that it is not as premium as its competitors, but you can hold it comfortably for long durations. For a tablet, the screen bezel is minimal, so you can enjoy a screen-to-body ratio of 94%. Green and Golden Black are the two color choices. It does not have a fingerprint sensor, but the facial recognition is very secure, which is rare for a non-Apple tablet.

Screen and speakers

The ginormous 13.2-inch OLED display is the main feature of the Matepad Pro 13.2. It has a resolution of 2880 x 1920 and it is an excellent multimedia tool. The 144Hz refresh rate makes the tablet highly fluid and the brightness is also truly exceptional. Color accuracy is also impressive and you will enjoy watching video content on the screen.

But, the lack of content can be quite disappointing because the sound output is also quite superb. There are six speakers in the super-sized tablet that produce crisp and spacious audio. Even at loud volumes, it manages to remain clear.

Specs and performance

Huawei has opted for the home-brewed Kirin 9000s chip that was also used in the Huawei Mate 60 Pro smartphone. The chip is certainly a capable one and when combined with 12GB of RAM in the MatePad Pro 13.2, it is able to deliver hitch-free and fluid performance when you scroll through menus and jump between apps. But, it should be noted that the tablet is not designed for avid gamers. Nonetheless, it still manages to remain cool for the most part. It also boasts lots of storage with options of 256GB and 512GB.

M-Pencil and Smart Magnetic Keyboard

As part of the MatePad Pro 13.2 ecosystem, Huawei has produced a Smart Magnetic keyboard and the third generation of its M-Pencil stylus. The latter attaches to the top of the tablet magnetically and also gets charged there. You can enjoy a strong drawing and writing experience with it. As for the keyboard, it connects wirelessly to the tablet and provides an excellent writing experience.