Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Review

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition is a tablet designed for creatives especially illustrators, thanks to its unique Tandem OLED PaperMatte display. This display is vibrant and easy on the eyes offering clear and vivid visuals for videos, photos, drawings and text. While it has a slight graininess and soft-focus effect, it doesn’t take away from the experience.

Gold finish is subtle with a scratchy texture that may not appeal to everyone but it matches the design. The build quality is top-notch, with perfect panel joins and power and volume buttons are well-made.

Glide Keyboard case, however, has its downsides. It attaches well but is awkward to open and close due to an extra hinge for the M-Pencil 3 charging compartment. Keyboard and trackpad feel premium but material around them can peel, and the case doesn’t protect the camera.

Software is a major drawback. Since Huawei can’t use Google’s apps, it requires workarounds that don’t always work well. While Google apps can be installed using GBox, they don’t always perform well, and some games don’t work. Huawei’s own app store is limited compared to Google Play Store.

Huawei’s own apps like GoPaint and Petal Clip, are useful but some others, like the Music app, don’t work. Tablet’s touchscreen and trackpad are responsive, though the Air Gestures feature isn’t reliable. M-Pencil 3 stylus offers a smooth experience with minimal drag.

Battery life is impressive, lasting several days with regular use and it charges quickly (around two hours from 5% to 100%).

MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition has a beautiful display and strong build quality, app restrictions and software issues make it hard to recommend especially at its price. It’s ideal for those who want to focus on creativity but there are drawbacks to consider.

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Specification

Specification	Details
💰 Price	£799 (about $1,069 / AU$1,553)
📱 OS	HarmonyOS 4
🔧 Chipset	Kirin T91, Octa-core
💾 RAM	12GB
💻 Storage	512GB
🖥️ Display	12.2-inch OLED PaperMatte
⚖️ Weight	508g
🔋 Battery	5000mAh
⚡ Charging	HUAWEI SuperCharge (20V/5A)
📸 Cameras	13MP rear, front (unspecified)

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition Price and Availability

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition is priced at £799 (about $1,069 / AU$1,553) and is available only in gold. There’s also a black version with lower storage (256GB instead of 512GB) for £699. Both models come with the Glide Keyboard. Huawei is offering a promotion in the UK, where you can get £100 off and a free M-Pencil 3.

When compared to other top tablets, MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition is mid-range in price. While iPad Pro models are more expensive, they offer more power. iPad Air 13-inch is priced the same but only includes 128GB storage and 8GB of RAM.

In Android tablet market, MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition also sits in the middle. While some Samsung Galaxy tabs are pricier, budget options like OnePlus Pad Go are cheaper, though they don’t support a stylus or have official keyboard case.

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition Display

12.2-inch OLED PaperMatte display is clear and vibrant, making it easy to view text and colorful images. However, there’s a slight graininess that becomes more noticeable when you’re closer to the screen, and it’s not as sharp as other tablet displays.

Despite this, display is great for HD and 2K content, thanks to its 2800 x 1840 resolution. Text is easy to read and PaperMatte technology helps with high contrast and reduced glare even with a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. Matte finish prevents glare, ensuring image is always visible.

Thin bezels allow screen to use most of the available space and fingerprints don’t leave noticeable marks, which is a nice touch. Screen feels smooth to the touch, making finger swipes effortless and using Huawei’s M-Pencil 3 is enjoyable for drawing with fluid and precise strokes. There is a slight scratchiness at times but it doesn’t spoil the experience. 144Hz refresh rate ensures smooth interactions.

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition Design

MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition has a simple design with a gold finish that may divide opinions. Build quality is great, and the buttons feel premium and work well.

It’s a bit heavy but still okay to hold for a while. Sharp edges can make it uncomfortable so it’s better for use on a desk.

Tablet is thin, even with Glide Keyboard but camera lenses stick out, leaving them unprotected.

Glide Keyboard has a stiff hinge, making it hard to open and close smoothly. Keyboard holds the tablet at two angles but it may close if you rest it on your lap.

Keyboard material feels cheap, and the adhesive is coming off in places. Trackpad works well and is a good size.

M-Pencil 3 is nice and can be stored in the keyboard or magnetically on the tablet but it doesn’t charge there. It’s awkward to take out of the charging slot.

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition Software

MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition comes with many apps but they don’t slow it down. Huawei’s creative apps, like GoPaint, are great for drawing while Notes and Notepad apps are better for scribbling than typing long notes.

Petal Clip is a good photo and video editor but browser is basic and missing features.

Big problem is that Google apps don’t work properly. You can use GBox to install Google apps but they often have issues like not scrolling in Google Docs or missing spellcheck.

Some apps won’t show up on the home screen, and games from Google Play might not work. Split-screen mode doesn’t work with GBox apps, but you can use floating windows to multitask.

Software has some good features, but the lack of Google support makes it harder to use.

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition Performance

MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition is powerful enough for light tasks like creativity, entertainment and productivity. With Kirin T91 chip and 12GB of RAM, it handles most things smoothly, though there’s occasional slowdown. Google Docs and Sheets work well and streaming videos on platforms like YouTube and Netflix is smooth.

Sound quality is better than expected, with clear audio and no distortion.

Games that worked ran fine but with lower graphics settings. PUBG Mobile, for example, was playable without lag or overheating.

Typing on Glide Keyboard is mostly good, but on-screen typing has some quirks. Sometimes, spacebar doesn’t move cursor and keyboard layout is tricky with symbols like @ sign.

Trackpad gestures work for navigation but dragging items isn’t as easy as expected—you need to press down first. Some mouse gestures don’t work as well as on the touchscreen and Air Gestures rarely worked for me.

Touchscreen gestures are smooth and responsive, with unique features like knuckle taps for screenshots. Performance is great for most tasks but there are some minor issues with the input methods.

Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition Battery

MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition has 5,000 mAh battery that lasts for several days with regular use. In comparison, iPad Air lasts around 11.5 hours on typical tasks but this drops for more demanding ones. Charging is quick, taking about two hours to go from 5% to 100%.

For longer battery life, reMarkable Paper Pro lasts up to two weeks but it’s an ePaper tablet mainly designed for reading and note-taking, not other tasks.

• ESR Qi2 Mini Wireless Charger Review: A Closer Look at the Reinforced Design
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus review: Where Art Meets Technology
• Is the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Worth the Upgrade? A Full Review

Pros and Cons of Huawei MatePad Pro PaperMatte

Pros	Cons
🖥️ Superb PaperMatte display	⏳ Not the best for general productivity
✍️ Great to use with stylus	🛠️ Software and app issues
🚀 Capable performance	💰 Not cheap
🎮 Good for entertainment and gaming	📱 Limited app compatibility
📱 Thin and portable	🔋 Battery life could be better

Conclusion

MatePad Pro PaperMatte Edition is great for creativity with its PaperMatte OLED display and solid performance, making it enjoyable for viewing content and drawing with M-Pencil 3. However, it’s less effective for productivity with the Glide Keyboard, and software issues make it a pricey choice if you’re just looking for a tablet to doodle on.