What you need to know
- Huawei has introduced a new MatePad Pro with an 11-inch display.
- The new Android tablet's display features a 120Hz refresh rate and a 2560 × 1600 resolution.
- It is likely to be available globally and is powered by a Snapdragon 888 or 870 chipset.
At its Smart Office event today, Huawei announced the MatePad Pro (2022), its new Android tablet powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 processor and a slew of decent specs you'd expect to find in a capable device.
The new Huawei MatePad Pro is smaller than its predecessor, sporting an 11-inch display with a 2560 × 1600 resolution. Last year's MatePad Pro sports a 12.6-inch screen, but if a faster refresh rate is your thing, you should get the latest version. Its display can handle up to 120Hz versus last year's model with a 60Hz refresh rate.
In addition to the Snapdragon 888 SoC, it includes Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870 chipset in some markets. Having said that, it still promises better performance than some of last year's best Android tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, which is powered by a Snapdragon 865 SoC.
Huawei's new tablet marks a pivotal shift in terms of processors, seeing as last year's model was the last to use the company's in-house Kirin chipset. The processor is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage.
On the back, you'll find a dual camera setup comprising a 12MP main sensor and an 8MP wide-angle shooter. A 16MP front camera handles your selfies.
An 8,300mAh battery keeps the lights on. The charging speeds vary based on its chipset, though. The Snapdragon 888 variant supports 66W SuperCharge. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 870 model tops out at 40W fast charging.
The MatePad Pro ships with a new Huawei M-Pencil in white color, promising a better grip and writing experience.
Huawei has also unveiled a new magnetic smart keyboard featuring 1.5mm key travel. It supports various modes, depending on where you use the tablet. You can magnetically connect the Bluetooth keyboard to the device for a more traditional laptop setup, or keep it detached if necessary. Furthermore, you can adjust the case's kickstand from 120 degrees to 165 degrees in studio mode — handy if you want to draw something on the screen using the M-Pencil.
Things get a bit more exciting when you take a closer look at the keyboard case. It comes with a built-in antenna hidden in the back of the keyboard. The embedded antenna relies on Huawei's Signal 1.0 technology to amplify signals from the tablet. Huawei says this leads to better network coverage.
The MatePad Pro runs HarmonyOS 3.0 out of the box. There's no official word yet on its market release, but the tablet is expected to be available globally.
