Summary

Huawei is one of the few Android manufacturers that has not abandoned the tablet market. At MWC 2018, he presented his new 10.8-inch MediaPad M5 which is now in our hands. What attract even skeptics? Verdict.

Data sheet

This test was carried out using a device lent by the brand.

Design

In terms of design, it's hard not to notice how the Huawei MediaPad M5 looks very similar to the iPad, especially after using one just before. Its gray metal back and inwardly rounded edges have exactly the same feeling as Apple products.

That said, there is a major difference between the two: the Chinese manufacturer's tablet is clearly designed to be used in landscape mode, for videos. Also, the organization of its keys is not particularly practical for use in portrait mode.

In landscape mode, the volume keys are located on the right edge, above a classic lock key. The USB type-C port is also present on the bottom of this side. Placed on the same side but on the front is the fingerprint scanner that can also be used as a trackpad like the brand's latest smartphones.

In portrait mode, this organization is problematic. We will naturally tend to place the fingerprint scanner at the bottom, which therefore replaces the volume and lock keys below the tablet in an unpleasant position. Might as well reverse the shelf to have them on top? Naturally, but the fingerprint sensor then becomes the misplaced key.

This problem is much less present by keeping the navigation buttons on the screen, but it is still strange that the manufacturer did not think about it. The back of the device stands out especially for its two lines of speaker grilles which will be very difficult to block by accident. Three pins are also placed there to accommodate the accessories provided by the manufacturer such as the keyboard.

Despite this hazardous placement of the keys, the builder's finishing work is impeccable. The tablet is, moreover, extremely light and therefore particularly pleasant in the hand, even lying down.

Screen

The Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 has, as its name suggests, a very large 10.8-inch screen. This is an IPS LCD panel supporting a maximum definition of 2560 x 1600 pixels. We are dealing with a classic 16:9 display ratio, as is mostly the case on Android tablets: we are therefore on familiar ground, especially with this LCD panel which still offers very good viewing angles.

At a glance, the colors are very well balanced and extremely pleasant, for a screen that is quite bright enough that can be used easily even with stubborn sunlight reflecting on the tablet. Its contrast is also satisfactory. It is especially its color temperature that we will notice, since it seems to follow the majority trend making the blues more present than the rest.

Under our probe, these first impressions are confirmed. The Huawei MediaPad M5 offers a satisfactory maximum brightness of 391 cd/m² with a nice contrast ratio of 1378:1. Its color temperature registers at 7700K, which is still quite cold but in the trend.

In any case, it perfectly covers the sRGB range and extends beyond, even if we note a tendency to largely favor blue (117%) to the detriment of red (84%). Fortunately, it is possible to take full control of the balance in the settings of EMUI 8.1 to find a more natural setting, for those who prefer it.

Software

We are here in the presence of a tablet with Android 8.0.0 Oreo from the outset with the EMUI 8.0 interface. The security patch is a little behind, since it is dated February 2018.

As is unfortunately often the case with Android tablets, here we are very clearly in the presence of an enlarged version of Android on a larger diagonal. We therefore find EMUI 8.0 as we already know it by heart on the brand's phones, an interface which allows you to personalize its elements in depth but which may seem somewhat outdated graphically.

Above all, we feel that Android has definitively abandoned the idea of ​​​​corresponding to the tablet format. The Play Store no longer even has a section dedicated to applications optimized for tablets, rare as they are. However, we find its marks, and applications like Netflix or Crunchyroll basically do not need that to be interesting on the tablet.

The fact remains that after having tested the iPad 2018 a little earlier, we feel the emptiness. The best example is multitasking: it does its job, but is clearly made for smaller diagonals.

Note that the fingerprint scanner can be used as a trackpad and can thus be used to make the navigation keys disappear from the screen. However, because the tablet is designed to favor use in landscape mode and its borders are very thin, we tend to press it unintentionally and return to the homepage in the middle of a video. It is not very optimal, but we end up reviewing its handling in the long run.

Performance

To ensure a good experience, the Huawei MediaPad M5 is equipped with the SoC Kirin 960 coupled with 4 GB of RAM. This is a configuration relative to a high-end smartphone from the beginning of 2017 for HiSilicon.

This configuration is far from having breathed its last, and provides the tablet with enough power to be constantly fluid. Launching any application, even the most greedy possible, is no problem for him.

I was able to quietly play my little games of Hearthstone and discover Shadowverse, as well as launch much more demanding games like Honkai Impact 3rd (my latest favorite) without the slightest problem, always in maximum configuration. Managing all these beautiful people in 2K definition has never posed the slightest concern to the chip.

The heating of the tablet is also quite minimal and well managed. There is a precise heating point, but the heat is dissipated so quickly that it is rarely noticed.

Camera

It's always difficult to find a use for a rear sensor on a tablet, but the 10.8-inch Huawei MediaPad M5 is still equipped with a single module with a rear sensor. 13 megapixels. This offers performance such as we are used to seeing on tablets, namely rather correct in the middle of the day with a lot of light, but nothing more. The noise is very present as soon as the conditions deteriorate and the sharpness quickly takes a hit.

At the front, we find an 8-megapixel photo sensor. After testing the 2018 iPad, I was somewhat hopeful that this one would offer better performance… which it really doesn't, despite the big difference in megapixels between the two. This is at least good proof that the sensor is nothing without good software optimization.

Sound

To ensure a good audio experience, the Huawei MediaPad M5 is equipped with four speakers whose grilles are located on the rounded edge of the device at the back. These are organized in the form of a line of points running through the lines of the device.

This is an excellent configuration that allows you to have clear sound without ever obstructing the audio outputs. The sound is clear, offers a satisfactory volume and pleasantly accompanies the overall experience; That's a good point.

That said, it should be noted that this tablet does not have a jack. If the excuse of lack of space can be swallowed on a smartphone, it is more difficult to justify it on a tablet. Bluetooth 4.2 will accommodate the slightest wireless headset of course, and a jack / USB C adapter is supplied with the tablet, but this absence remains regrettable.

Autonomy

A good tablet must stand out for its autonomy. The Huawei MediaPad M5 offers the services of a large 7500 mAh battery to successfully keep up.

In fact, the autonomy is really excellent. The tablet easily holds up through the week of heavy use into the evening without ever shaking, whether it's gaming, watching episode after episode, or just reading its usual stream.

The highlight of the show is above all the fast charging Huawei Supercharge offered here, the associated charger being also provided in the box. In 30 minutes of charging, the tablet quietly recovers 30% battery and recharges in 2 hours. This is much better than most tablets currently available, which due to the size of their battery naturally charge more slowly than a smartphone.

Add in all the usual EMUI modes to optimize battery life, including the ability to dynamically change the display definition to always keep more precious percents, and you have a companion made to last.

Photo gallery

Price and release date

The 10.8-inch Huawei MediaPad M5 will be released on April 22 at the recommended price of 399 euros in its basic configuration with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, Wi-Fi only. It is also possible to acquire 64 and 128 GB storage versions, as well as 4G.