The Huawei MatePad Air (2024), launched in August 2024, is a feature-packed tablet designed for productivity and entertainment. It offers a 12-inch IPS LCD display with a 144Hz refresh rate, up to 12GB of RAM, and 66W fast charging, making it a versatile device for professionals, students, and casual users. Running on HarmonyOS 4.2, this tablet is optimized for multitasking and delivers a smooth user experience. In this comprehensive review, we explore the MatePad Air’s design, performance, and whether it’s a strong contender in the tablet market.
Huawei MatePad Air (2024) Specifications (Responsive Table):
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | August 13, 2024 |
| Weight | 555g |
| Dimensions | 270 x 183 x 5.9 mm |
| Build | Glass front, aluminum back, magnetic stylus support |
| Display | 12.0-inch IPS LCD, 144Hz, 1000 nits peak, 2800 x 1840 pixels (~279 ppi) |
| Operating System | HarmonyOS 4.2 |
| Memory | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | 13 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultrawide), LED flash, 4K video |
| Selfie Camera | 8 MP, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | Stereo speakers (6 speakers), no 3.5mm jack |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, USB Type-C 3.1 |
| Battery | 10100mAh, 66W wired charging |
| Colors | Pink, Green, White, Gray |
| Price | About 370 EUR |
Design and Build Quality:
The Huawei MatePad Air (2024) is designed to be both stylish and functional, with a slim 5.9mm profile and weighing just 555g, making it easy to carry around for extended periods. Its premium aluminum back provides durability while maintaining a lightweight feel. The tablet supports a magnetic stylus, which makes it an ideal choice for professionals, artists, and students who need a device for note-taking, sketching, and productivity tasks.
Available in four attractive colors—Pink, Green, White, and Gray—the MatePad Air allows users to choose a color that suits their style.
Display:
The MatePad Air is equipped with a 12-inch IPS LCD display, offering a resolution of 2800 x 1840 pixels and a 144Hz refresh rate. This high refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and fluid animations, making it perfect for gaming, video playback, and multitasking. With a peak brightness of 1000 nits, the display remains highly visible in bright environments, making it suitable for outdoor use.
The 3:2 aspect ratio, along with the ~86.3% screen-to-body ratio, provides an immersive viewing experience, ideal for productivity tasks, video editing, and reading.
Performance:
The Huawei MatePad Air is powered by HarmonyOS 4.2, which is optimized for multitasking and offers a fluid user experience. Whether you choose the 8GB or 12GB RAM variant, the tablet is capable of handling multiple apps and browser tabs simultaneously, without experiencing slowdowns. It comes with either 256GB or 512GB of internal storage, offering plenty of space for files, apps, and media, though it lacks a card slot for further expansion.
With the support of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, connectivity is fast and reliable, whether you’re streaming content or transferring files wirelessly.
Camera Performance:
While the MatePad Air is primarily a productivity and entertainment device, it still offers decent camera performance:
- Main Camera: The 13 MP main sensor, along with an 8 MP ultrawide lens, captures sharp images and videos. The camera supports 4K video recording at 30fps, which is impressive for a tablet, making it suitable for video content creation or professional presentations.
- Selfie Camera: The 8 MP front-facing camera performs well during video calls and selfies, and it supports 1080p video recording at 30fps, ensuring good quality video communication.
While the camera system isn’t as advanced as those found on flagship smartphones, it’s more than sufficient for casual photography and video conferencing.
Audio:
The MatePad Air features six stereo speakers, delivering excellent sound quality for media consumption. Whether you’re watching movies, playing games, or attending virtual meetings, the audio quality is immersive and well-balanced. However, the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack may be a drawback for users who prefer wired headphones, though Bluetooth audio options are available.
Battery Life:
With a 10100mAh Li-Po battery, the MatePad Air offers exceptional battery life, easily lasting through a full day of heavy use. Whether you’re streaming video, browsing the web, or working on documents, the tablet delivers reliable battery performance.
The 66W wired fast charging ensures that even when you need to recharge, it’s a quick process. The tablet can go from 0% to 100% in just over an hour, making it convenient for users who are frequently on the move.
Software:
HarmonyOS 4.2 is designed for seamless multitasking, allowing users to split the screen, use floating windows, and easily switch between apps. The software is intuitive and offers an excellent user experience, especially for productivity tasks. With Huawei’s ecosystem integration, the MatePad Air works smoothly with other Huawei devices, allowing for easy file transfers, multi-screen collaboration, and more.
Price and Availability:
At around 370 EUR, the Huawei MatePad Air (2024) is competitively priced for a tablet with premium features. It offers a strong balance of performance, design, and functionality at a reasonable price, making it a great option for students, professionals, and anyone looking for a versatile, high-quality tablet. It has been available globally since August 13, 2024.
Conclusion:
The Huawei MatePad Air (2024) is a solid choice for users seeking a premium tablet experience at a mid-range price point. With a high-refresh-rate display, excellent performance, and long-lasting battery life, this tablet is perfect for a wide variety of tasks, from content consumption to productivity. Its lightweight design and magnetic stylus support make it particularly appealing to professionals and creatives.
While the absence of cellular connectivity and a headphone jack may be drawbacks for some, the MatePad Air makes up for these shortcomings with its overall performance and user experience. If you’re looking for a versatile, powerful tablet at an affordable price, the Huawei MatePad Air is well worth considering.
Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
