Huawei MatePad Pro: An outstanding tablet without Google Play support

With the trade restrictions in place for Huawei, one might think that it is the end of the road for the company. On the contrary, the company is proving it can still continue to manufacture and sell some of the best mobile devices. On the subject of productivity, Apple has the iPad Pro series while Samsung has its Galaxy Tab S6. These come with optional keyboard covers that can basically offer a typing experience close to that of an actual laptop. Now, Huawei is ready to compete with the MatePad Pro and it just might pull it off.

For consumers who might be wondering, the tablet runs on Android 10 with EMUI 10 on top. Unfortunately, with the ban still in place, it does not have access to the Play Store and other Google applications. However, there are workarounds in place for users who really want to install the apps they want on the tablet. As Engadget puts it, the MatePad Pro somehow resembles the 11-inch iPad Pro with its thin bezels and rounded corners.

Meanwhile, a closer look reveals that its bezels are in fact slimmer at only 4.9 mm. Huawei was able to pull it off with the help of a hole-punch front-facing 8-megapixel camera. Moreover the 10.8-inch IPS LCD panel boasts of a 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution, which is likewise higher than that of the iPad Pro. Maximum brightness output comes in at 540 nits and it even supports DCI-P3 colour gamut for users who demand visual accuracy. Overall, the MatePad Pro is reportedly impressive in the display department.

The tablet runs on an in-house Kirin 990 SoC alongside a 6 GB or 8 GB RAM depending on the internal memory. Huawei is offering two storage sizes at 128 GB or 256 GB, while buyers can pit for the Wi-Fi or LTE variant. Audio performance is apparently top-notch via the quad-speaker configuration with Harman Kardon enhancement that delivers stereo sound in any orientation.

On the rear is a 13-megapixel camera with a LED flash -- a configuration that is rarely seen on a tablet. Battery capacity is rated at 7,250 mAh and compatible with the 40W Huawei SuperCharge standard. Furthermore, the MatePad Pro supports 15W wireless charging and 7.5W reverse wireless charging. Then there's the optional M-Pen Stylus and keyboard cover for those who want to use the tablet as a laptop replacement.