Huawei MatePad Pro Papermatte Edition review: the tablet that thinks it’s a laptop

Huawei’s MatePad Pro Papermatte Edition gets an anti-reflection coating for its OLED screen and a keyboard case with a trackpad. What’s not to like?

Huawei MatePad Pro Papermatte Edition
(Image: © Future/Ian Evenden)

Our Verdict

Tablets with ‘pro’ in the name need to be careful, because the M4 version of the iPad Pro has that particular market well and truly cornered. Step things down a bit in your power expectations, and the Huawei MatePad Pro is a pretty good performer, its Papermatte OLED screen offering a bright and colourful experience that’s largely free from reflections (though attractive to fingermarks) and with keyboard and stylus accessories that turn it into a kind of Android-powered laptop.

For

  • Excellent matte-coated OLED screen
  • Keyboard case and stylus work well
  • Reasonable software selection

Against

  • HarmonyOS still has a few issues
  • Screen picks up fingerprints easily
  • Keyboard case a bit awkward

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Huawei’s Papermatte screens are some of the best we’ve seen in an Android tablet, and the MatePad Pro doesn’t disappoint, placing an OLED panel behind the anti-reflection coating for a best-of-both worlds combination that cuts reflections while remaining colourful and bright.

While this is a more expensive tablet than the similar MatePad 12X, it’s also lighter and slightly more powerful, and can come bundled with a keyboard case and stylus, both of which work instantly.

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Chipset:Kirin T91
Memory:12GB RAM
Storage:256/512GB SSD
Operating system:HarmonyOS 4.2 (Android 12)
Screen:12.2in, 2800x1840 Tandem OLED
Rear cameras:13MP wide, 8MP ultrawide
Front camera: Unspecified
Connectivity:Nearlink, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, USB 3.1 Type-C
Battery:5000mAh
Dimensions:183x271x5mm
Weight:508g
Apple iPad Air (M2, 2024)

Apple iPad Air (M2, 2024)

The junior iPad is the sweet spot between cost and functionality in Apple’s tablet range.

Honor Pad 9

Honor Pad 9

A budget Android tablet with a big, sharp, bright screen and performance befitting the mid-range.

Lenovo Tab P12 with Matte Display

Lenovo Tab P12 with Matte Display

Slightly cheaper than the MatePad Pro, this matte-coated Android tablet is great for reading or doodling.

The Verdict
8

out of 10

Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 PaperMatte Edition WIFI

Tablets with ‘pro’ in the name need to be careful, because the M4 version of the iPad Pro has that particular market well and truly cornered. Step things down a bit in your power expectations, and the Huawei MatePad Pro is a pretty good performer, its Papermatte OLED screen offering a bright and colourful experience that’s largely free from reflections (though attractive to fingermarks) and with keyboard and stylus accessories that turn it into a kind of Android-powered laptop.

Ian Evenden

Ian Evenden has been a journalist for over 20 years, starting in the days of QuarkXpress 4 and Photoshop 5. He now mainly works in Creative Cloud and Google Docs, but can always find a use for a powerful laptop or two. When not sweating over page layout or photo editing, you can find him peering at the stars or growing vegetables.