Notebookcheck Reviews — Tech — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 17:59:00 +0200
Summary
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max is a large premium tablet billed as a potential laptop replacement, featuring a huge, very bright 144 Hz OLED display with a PaperMatte matte finish, a slim 5 mm aluminum chassis, and powerful speakers. Priced at €1,299 in Germany with a keyboard included—and compatible with the optional M-Pencil Pro stylus—its accessories and good everyday performance from the Kirin 9030 Pro chip make it a credible PC replacement for productivity, though graphics performance trails competitors. Key drawbacks include the lack of Google services on HarmonyOS 4.3 (based on Android 12), preinstalled third-party apps and in-system advertising, no 6 GHz Wi-Fi, no cellular or NFC options, and comparatively short battery life. On the plus side, it offers Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NearLink, low temperatures, accurate outdoor GPS, and fast display response times suitable for gaming. The review concludes it is an impressive premium tablet that excels in display quality and multimedia but does not lead its class in every area.
The laptop killer for the couch? – Huawei MatePad Pro Max review
Big. Bigger. Max.
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max aims to be both a tablet and a laptop, combining a huge display with plenty of performance and smart accessories. But can it really replace a computer in everyday use, or does it ultimately remain “just” a tablet? Daniel Schmidt, 👁 Daniel Schmidt (translated by Christian Hintze) Published 🇩🇪🇳🇱...🇫🇷🇪🇸🇵🇹🇮🇹🇨🇳🇸🇪🇹🇷🇵🇱🇭🇺 5G Android Tablet Touchscreen
Huawei MatePad Pro Max verdict
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max stands out above all for its huge, very bright OLED display with an excellent PaperMatte finish, high-quality build, and powerful speakers. Input and accessories also make the tablet a serious PC replacement for productive tasks. Everyday performance from the Kirin 9030 Pro is good, but Huawei falls well behind the competition when it comes to graphics performance.
There are also compromises on the software side: the lack of Google services, a large amount of preinstalled third-party software, and advertising detract from an otherwise well-rounded package. The lack of 6 GHz Wi-Fi and comparatively short battery life also cost it points. On the other hand, the Pro Max scores with good connectivity, low temperatures, and an extremely slim design. Nevertheless, it is an impressive premium tablet that particularly excels in display quality and multimedia, but does not lead the pack in every area.
Pros
+OLED display with PaperMatte finish
+high-quality build and slim chassis
+excellent speakers
+modern connectivity with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and NearLink
Microsoft Surface Pro (2026), 13-inch Premium Performance 2-in-1 Laptop, Snapdragon X2 Plus Processor, Touchscreen Display, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage, Windows 11 Copilot+ PC Built for AI, Dune
Large display, slim chassis, and plenty of performance: With the MatePad Pro Max, Huawei aims to finally blur the line between tablet and laptop. But is the powerful hardware enough to actually replace a computer in everyday use? We put the XXL tablet through its paces in daily use.
With a chassis height of just 4.7 mm, the Huawei MatePad Pro Max aims to be the thinnest tablet in its size class, which would make it another 0.1 mm thinner than the MagicPad 4. We measure exactly 5 mm in the center of the tablet, while the thickness reaches up to 7.85 mm around the cameras. Despite the slight increase in thickness, wobbling on flat surfaces remains limited.
The MatePad Pro Max impresses with clean, tight gaps and excellent build quality. The aluminum frame also gives the tablet a premium look and feel. It sits comfortably in the hands and feels rigid, although it does produce a little creaking.
The MatePad Pro Max is available in gray and blue. It is neither dustproof nor waterproof.
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max offers a modern, high-end feature set. In our copy test with a connected Samsung Portable SSD T7, the USB 3.2 port achieves a fast data transfer rate of 252 MB/s. The interface also supports wired video output, although it only mirrors the display.
Like most Huawei tablets, the Pro Max also supports NearLink, which is required to connect the optional keyboard and stylus.
Software – Android 16 finally on the horizon
The MatePad Pro Max runs Huawei's HarmonyOS 4.3, which is still based on Open Android 12. According to our colleagues at Huawei.Blog, EMUI 16 will probably be based on Android 16. If that is confirmed, we expect at least all products featuring Huawei's current flagship SoC to receive an update, which would include the Pro Max. Huawei has not yet confirmed this, however. The tablet receives security patches for six years.
As with all Huawei products, Google Play services are not installed. The Play Store can nevertheless be accessed through the Aurora Store. It can be downloaded directly from the AppGallery and is easy to set up. You can find out how to do this in this article.
Huawei installs quite a few third-party apps and also displays a fair amount of app advertising throughout the system. However, this can be uninstalled or disabled.
Sustainability
Huawei avoids obvious plastics in the packaging, although the package itself is wrapped in plastic film. The tablet is not designed to be repaired by the user.
Huawei also does not provide detailed information on the sustainability of the MatePad Pro Max.
Communications and GNSS – No 6 GHz Wi-Fi on the MatePad Pro Max
There is no cellular option for the MatePad Pro Max, nor is there NFC. On the other hand, it offers an otherwise nearly complete and modern connectivity package with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and NearLink.
Unfortunately, the 6 GHz frequency band is not supported for Wi-Fi. Transfer rates are nevertheless high thanks to the modern standard, although they could be somewhat more stable. In everyday use, however, this does not result in any noticeable limitations.
Huawei MatePad Pro Max 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be; iperf3 transmit Wi-Fi6/7 RT-BE96U; iperf 3.21: Ø1708 (1412-1822) MBit/s
Huawei MatePad Pro Max 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be; iperf3 receive Wi-Fi6/7 RT-BE96U; iperf 3.21: Ø1758 (1434-1975) MBit/s
GPS test: in a building
GPS test: outdoors
Satellite positioning with the Huawei MatePad Pro Max is fast and accurate outdoors. Indoors, however, the tablet has a harder time determining its location, and accuracy decreases.
During a bike ride, we compare the tablet with the Garmin Venu 2. It becomes apparent that the Pro Max retrieves its location less frequently, but still provides a solid track recording. That is more than sufficient for navigation tasks.
GNSS test drive: lake
GNSS test drive: city
GNSS test drive: summary
Cameras – Optics with natural colors
Selfie with the MatePad Pro Max
The two cameras on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max are certainly not a highlight when it comes to photography, but they deliver clear image quality in good lighting conditions, producing good results for documentation purposes and providing an appealing video-calling experience.
Videos can be recorded in Ultra HD at up to 60 FPS with both cameras, but there is no optical image stabilization.
Image comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Accessories and warranty – Accessories turn it into a PC replacement
In Germany, the €1,299 MSRP (roughly $1507,15) also includes the keyboard. A polishing cloth and a USB-C cable are also included in the box. An optional compatible power adapter, the Huawei M-Pencil Pro, and a mouse are available. Huawei usually offers the former at a significant discount when purchasing the tablet directly. If you already own a Bluetooth-enabled mouse, you can use that as well.
Input devices and operation – Fingerprint sensor in the power button
The capacitive touchscreen on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max offers excellent gliding properties and accurately recognizes input across the entire surface. The optional M-Pencil Pro provides an excellent writing experience and a wide range of features. It is suitable not only for taking notes but also for creative work.
Huawei does not include a vibration motor. For biometric security, however, there is a fingerprint sensor built into the power button. Face recognition via the front-facing camera is also supported.
In addition to knuckle gestures, smart-sensing features are also implemented. These allow the display to remain on while you are looking at it and enable contactless scrolling.
The keyboard not only includes a well-positioned storage slot for the stylus, but also offers a great typing experience and a small trackpad. Unfortunately, only two viewing angles are available, and both are fairly steep.
... but it can also be safely stored in the keyboard.
Display – OLED with PaperMatte finish
Subpixel structure behind the PaperMatte overlay
The huge display on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max has a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz and is rated to reach up to 1,600 nits.
In our test, it briefly reaches 987 cd/m² in the center of the screen with a full-screen white image, but then quickly dims to 908 cd/m², which is why we used the lower value as the reference. With smaller white areas, brightness increases further, although we measure no more than 1,485 cd/m².
PWM is used to control brightness, reaching a high-frequency level of 1,479 Hz at minimum brightness. The base frequency is also comparatively high at 360 Hz, making issues for sensitive users unlikely.
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
The display backlight flickers at 360 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .
The frequency of 360 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware.
In comparison: 52 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 7680 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.
Minimum display brightness
25 % display brightness
50 % display brightness
75 % display brightness
Maximum manual display brightness
Measurement series at a fixed zoom level and different brightness settings (The amplitude curve at minimum brightness appears flat, but this is due to the scaling. The enlarged version of the amplitude at minimum brightness is shown in the information box.)
The Huawei tablet's color reproduction is good. However, given its premium positioning, it is somewhat too cool and could be calibrated more accurately.
Grayscale (profile: standard, white balance: standard, color space: sRGB)
Colors (profile: standard, white balance: standard, color space: sRGB)
Color space (profile: standard, white balance: standard, color space: sRGB)
Display Response Times
ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
↔ Response Time Black to White
0.94 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined
↗ 0.4695 ms rise
↘ 0.47 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 4 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (19.7 ms).
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
0.52 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined
↗ 0.273 ms rise
↘ 0.251 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.13 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 1 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (30.8 ms).
The MatePad Pro Max makes an excellent impression outdoors. The matte PaperMatte finish makes a huge difference and provides excellent readability even in direct sunlight.
The display's viewing-angle stability is very good, with only a slight drop in brightness at shallow viewing angles.
The MatePad Pro Max is nominally equipped with the Kirin T93 Pro. As Huawei confirms to us, this is simply the Kirin 9030 Pro, Huawei's most powerful chipset at the moment.
While the SoC does not exactly set the benchmarks on fire, it delivers very good everyday performance and handles multitasking without any noticeable delays.
Graphics are handled by the Maleoon 935, which now also supports ray tracing. This is an area where the tablet cannot keep up with the current competition.
Surface temperatures remain below 40 °C even under sustained load. The SoC remains stable in most stress tests and throttles relatively little, but still delivers only around 50% of the competition's performance.
Power Supply (max.) 26.5 °C = 80 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.1 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet. (+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.8 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet. (+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39.8 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 33.2 °C / 92 F (+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.6 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
The six drivers in the Huawei MatePad Pro Max can get extremely loud while also delivering genuine bass and a surprisingly balanced sound profile. Despite the tablet's low profile, they rank among the best speakers found in a tablet.
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Huawei MatePad Pro Max audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.3 dB) Bass 100 - 315 Hz (+) | good bass - only 4.1% away from median (+) | bass is linear (6.1% delta to prev. frequency) Mids 400 - 2000 Hz (+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median (+) | mids are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency) Highs 2 - 16 kHz (+) | balanced highs - only 2.2% away from median (+) | highs are linear (3.9% delta to prev. frequency) Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz (+) | overall sound is linear (8% difference to median) Compared to same class » 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 98% worse » The best had a delta of 7%, average was 20%, worst was 129% Compared to all devices tested » 2% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 98% worse » The best had a delta of 4%, average was 23%, worst was 136%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.6 dB) Bass 100 - 315 Hz (±) | reduced bass - on average 8% lower than median (±) | linearity of bass is average (7.3% delta to prev. frequency) Mids 400 - 2000 Hz (+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median (+) | mids are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency) Highs 2 - 16 kHz (+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median (+) | highs are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency) Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz (+) | overall sound is linear (8.5% difference to median) Compared to same class » 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 97% worse » The best had a delta of 7%, average was 20%, worst was 129% Compared to all devices tested » 2% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 97% worse » The best had a delta of 4%, average was 23%, worst was 136%
Battery life – 9,760 mAh in the MatePad Pro Max
Power consumption
The Huawei tablet's power consumption is low, although it could be slightly lower when idle at minimum display brightness.
The MatePad Pro Max has the smallest battery in our comparison and also delivers the shortest runtimes. Considering its size, however, the results are still very good.
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max shines with its outstanding PaperMatte OLED display, strong feature set, and first-class audio, but falls behind the competition in performance, software, and battery life.
Amazon: 1. $172.73 Lenovo Idea Tab - College Ta... 2. $349.98 TCL NXTPAPER 14 Android Tabl... 3. $1,299.99 Microsoft Surface Pro (2026)... List Price: 1299€
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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Editor of the original article:Daniel Schmidt - Managing Editor Mobile - 1003 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2013
As a child I was fascinated by my Commodore 16, and this sparked my enthusiasm for computers. Using my first modem, I surfed the BTX videotext system and later the World Wide Web. I have always been captivated by the latest technologies, and this is especially true for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. I’ve been part of the Notebookcheck team since 2013 and have also on occasion written for Notebookinfo.de, and I’m looking forward to testing new innovations for our readers. I like to spend my spare time indulging in photography and barbecues and being with my family.
Translator:Christian Hintze - Managing Editor Laptops - 2353 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2016
A C64 marked my entry into the world of PCs. I spent my student internship in the repair department of a computer shop and at the end of the day I was allowed to assemble my own 486 PC from “workshop remnants”. As a result of this, I later studied computer science at the Humboldt University in Berlin, with psychology also being added to my studies. After my first job as a research assistant at the university, I went to London for a year and worked for Sega in computer game translation quality assurance. This included working on games such as Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and Company of Heroes. I have been writing for Notebookcheck since 2017.
Original article: https://www.notebookcheck.net/The-world-s-thinnest-tablet-is-a-powerhouse-Huawei-MatePad-Pro-Max-review.1381968.0.html Source: Notebookcheck Reviews