HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 review: a tablet with Google services?
Verdict in brief
With GBox, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro is, for Jen, a serious and, for its display size, cheaper alternative to Apple and Samsung tablets. The display, speakers and thin design are strong. Only the preinstalled shortcut apps bother her. GBox, however, is a third-party app.
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Pros
- Very thin and light at 5.5 mm and 580 g
- Sharp OLED display with strong color reproduction and extremely thin bezels
- Six stereo speakers with real surround sound
- Google apps run flawlessly via GBox
- 10,100 mAh battery lasts several days
- Conceivable as a laptop replacement with keyboard and M-Pencil
Cons
- Half-preinstalled apps on the second home screen don't fit the premium feel
- The 8-megapixel rear camera is only enough for Jen for scanning documents
- GBox is a third-party app that gets access to your data
The MatePad Pro is HUAWEI’s newest 13.2-inch top-end tablet. Anyone who says you can’t seriously use HUAWEI devices since the end of Google is missing a really good alternative to Galaxy Tabs and iPads. That’s only half the truth. HUAWEI builds really nice, high-quality devices, and the MatePad Pro is no exception.
Design: thin, light, slim bezels
At 5.5 mm, the tablet is unbelievably thin, and it weighs 580 g. That looks futuristic and is pleasantly light. After all, you don’t use a tablet like a laptop firmly at the desk, but take it to the couch, into the kitchen or on trips.
The display bezels are extremely thin. The screen-to-body ratio is 94%. For comparison: the 12.9-inch iPad Pro gets 85%, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra about 90%.
Display and sound
When I first turned it on, two things blew me away: the six stereo speakers in total, which don’t just promise surround sound but deliver it, and the sharp OLED display with insane color reproduction. Movies and videos are really fun on it.
Google apps via GBox
Officially, the Google services are missing because of the US embargo. With a small workaround, though, you can get them onto the device. You download the GBox app from HUAWEI’s own AppGallery and through it you get the Google Play Store with all the apps that are also available on any other Android tablet:
- Google apps like Google Maps, Google Photos, Chrome, YouTube and YouTube Studio
- Google Drive, with which I keep my Samsung and Apple devices in sync
- Instagram, TikTok, CapCut, Netflix, Amazon Prime and Notion
- Office apps: Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Word and Microsoft Teams
The apps are easy to install and run flawlessly, as if they were made for the MatePad Pro.
On the subject of privacy
GBox is a third-party app. You don’t know the manufacturer exactly and don’t know how it is funded. It gets access to your data as soon as you sign in to your Google account via GBox. I always look closely at how data is used. But I don’t discuss privacy with people who use WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. Anyone who installs WhatsApp and agrees to the terms grants far-reaching licenses to their data. Even anyone who uses funny face apps often gives access to contacts, emails and SMS. You pay for every free app with your data, that’s the rule of thumb. So take a close look at third-party apps.
Performance and working
The MatePad Pro becomes a workhorse with the magnetic keyboard and the M-Pencil. The Kirin 9000W and 12 GB of RAM ensure smooth working, and the 10,100 mAh battery lasts several days with my usage. For many people, the tablet can therefore be a laptop replacement.
The 16-megapixel front camera for video conferences sits in a rectangular notch horizontally in the center, which I find sensible. The 8-megapixel rear camera is there. You can scan documents with it; I can’t think of more.
The only thing that bothers me
On the second home screen there are half-preinstalled apps, partly junk, as links. If you tap them, they install themselves. That doesn’t fit the premium feel when unboxing. It’s as if you bought a Louis Vuitton bag and there’s a free plastic bottle in it as a bonus. Just delete these apps and install only GBox.
Price and comparison
| Tablet | Size | RRP |
|---|---|---|
| HUAWEI MatePad Pro | 13.2 inches, 256 GB | €999 |
| iPad Pro | 12.9 inches | €1,449 (without case and pencil) |
| Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra | 14.6 inches | €1,339 (with S Pen) |
Verdict
With the MatePad Pro, HUAWEI has shown that they haven’t disappeared from the market. Thanks to GBox, it is for me a serious and, for the display size, also more affordable alternative to Apple and Samsung tablets. The HUAWEI Watch GT 4, too, has been impossible to imagine off my wrist since its market launch, and the FreeBuds have unexpectedly become my favorite headphones. For my next tablet, I will definitely include HUAWEI in the purchase decision, maybe for my next smartphone, too.
Questions and answers
- Do Google apps run on the HUAWEI MatePad Pro?
- Yes, via a workaround. You download the GBox app from the Huawei AppGallery and through it you get the Google Play Store with apps like Google Maps, Chrome, YouTube, Google Drive, Instagram, Netflix and the Office apps.
- How much does the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 cost?
- With 256 GB it costs €999 RRP.
- How thick and heavy is the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2?
- It is 5.5 mm thin and weighs 580 g.
- Is GBox safe?
- GBox is a third-party app from a manufacturer you don't know exactly. It gets access to your data as soon as you sign in with your Google account. Jen says you should look closely at how data is used.
