Huawei MatePad SE Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Huawei MatePad SE is a feature-packed tablet that offers an immersive viewing experience and powerful performance. With its 10.1-inch IPS LCD display and slim design, this tablet provides vivid visuals and easy portability. Powered by HarmonyOS 2.0 and equipped with the Kirin 710A chipset, it delivers smooth multitasking and efficient performance. The tablet also boasts a generous battery capacity of 5100mAh, ensuring long-lasting usage. Additionally, the MatePad SE features a dedicated microSDXC slot for expandable storage and comes in different variants with varying RAM and storage options. With its affordable price point and impressive features, the Huawei MatePad SE is a compelling choice for anyone seeking a reliable and versatile tablet.

Design and Build Quality

The Huawei MatePad SE showcases an aesthetically pleasing design with a focus on sleekness and portability. Its physical appearance is characterized by clean lines and a slim form factor, measuring 240.2 x 159 x 7.9 mm and weighing only 450g. The tablet's compact dimensions make it easy to hold and carry, ensuring one-handed usability for extended periods.

The build quality of the MatePad SE is commendable, with a robust construction that enhances its durability. The materials used in its construction are of high quality, contributing to its premium look and feel. The back panel features a smooth texture, providing a comfortable grip and minimizing the risk of accidental slips. The finishing touches on the tablet are refined, adding to its overall appeal.

The design elements of the MatePad SE include minimal bezels surrounding the 10.1-inch IPS LCD display, resulting in a high screen-to-body ratio of approximately 77.4%. The frame of the tablet is sturdy and well-built, ensuring the longevity of the device.

The placement of buttons and controls on the MatePad SE is ergonomic, allowing for easy access and intuitive navigation. The tablet also incorporates stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon for an enhanced audio experience.

Overall, the Huawei MatePad SE exhibits a sleek design, premium look and feel, and a sturdy build, making it an attractive choice for users seeking a portable and durable tablet for their daily tasks and entertainment needs.

Display

The Huawei MatePad SE features a 10.1-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1200 x 1920 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:10. The screen size provides a spacious viewing experience, making it suitable for various tasks such as browsing, watching videos, or working on documents. The IPS LCD technology ensures good color accuracy and vibrant visuals, enhancing the overall viewing experience. With a pixel density of approximately 224 ppi, the display offers decent sharpness and clarity. The brightness levels are sufficient for indoor use, although outdoor visibility may be slightly compromised under direct sunlight. The touch responsiveness of the display is smooth and accurate, allowing for precise navigation and interaction with the device. While the display lacks specific information about display protection such as Gorilla Glass, it is advisable to handle the device with care to prevent scratches and damages. The viewing angles are wide, ensuring that the content remains visible from different perspectives. The MatePad SE does not feature HDR or wide color gamut support, limiting its capabilities in terms of color depth and contrast. Additionally, there is no mention of an anti-reflective coating or blue light filter, which could potentially affect visibility and eye comfort. However, the device does offer adaptive brightness, enabling the screen to adjust its brightness levels based on ambient lighting conditions. Overall, the Huawei MatePad SE's display provides a satisfactory visual experience with its decent size, resolution, and color reproduction, making it suitable for everyday tasks and multimedia consumption.

Performance

The Huawei MatePad SE showcases commendable performance with its Kirin 710A chipset, which is built on a 14nm process. This octa-core processor consists of four Cortex-A73 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.7 GHz. The CPU performance is decent, allowing for smooth multitasking and app loading speeds. It handles everyday tasks with ease and offers a lag-free user experience.

When it comes to gaming, the Huawei MatePad SE delivers satisfactory results. The Mali-G51 MP4 GPU provides satisfactory graphics performance, enabling a decent gaming experience. While it may not be the most powerful GPU in the market, it performs well in handling casual and mid-range games. It can handle popular titles with ease, ensuring a smooth gaming experience.

In terms of benchmarks, the Huawei MatePad SE's performance is reflected in synthetic tests. The chipset's efficiency is evident in CPU benchmarks, where it delivers respectable scores. The GPU efficiency also shines through in gaming benchmarks, providing satisfactory graphics scores.

Furthermore, the MatePad SE boasts system optimization and thermal management, ensuring that the device maintains a stable performance even during extended usage. The device does not suffer from excessive heating, which is crucial for sustained performance.

Overall, the Huawei MatePad SE offers a good balance of CPU and GPU performance. It is capable of handling everyday tasks and casual gaming without any major issues. While it may not be the most high-end tablet in terms of performance, it provides a smooth user experience and satisfactory gaming capabilities.

Software and User Interface

The Huawei MatePad SE comes with the HarmonyOS 2.0 operating system, which is Huawei's proprietary software. HarmonyOS offers a user-friendly interface with a smooth and intuitive user experience. The operating system provides a seamless integration between smartphones, tablets, and other Huawei devices, allowing for easy connectivity and synchronization. With HarmonyOS, users can enjoy a highly customizable experience, as the operating system allows for personalized theme settings and app layouts. The MatePad SE also comes with a range of pre-installed apps that cater to various needs, including productivity, entertainment, and communication. However, some users have reported the presence of bloatware on the device, which can be seen as unnecessary or unwanted apps that take up storage space. Despite this, the overall software experience on the Huawei MatePad SE is praised for its stability and performance. HarmonyOS offers smooth multitasking capabilities and efficient resource management, ensuring that the tablet operates smoothly even when running multiple apps simultaneously. Overall, the software on the Huawei MatePad SE provides a user-friendly interface, customization options, and a range of pre-installed apps, making it a versatile and efficient tablet for everyday use.

Camera

The Huawei MatePad SE features a single 5-megapixel rear camera with an aperture of f/2.2. While the camera may not boast high-end specifications like some smartphones, it still delivers decent image quality for everyday photography. The camera performs well in daylight conditions, capturing images with good sharpness and natural colors. It also offers HDR (High Dynamic Range) functionality, which helps to enhance the dynamic range of photos and bring out more details in both bright and dark areas. However, in low-light situations, the camera's performance may be limited due to its smaller aperture and sensor size. The device lacks optical image stabilization, which could have improved image stability and reduced blurriness in handheld shots. The camera does have features like AI scene recognition, which can automatically detect and optimize settings for different scenes, such as landscapes or portraits. It also supports video recording, capable of capturing videos in 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second. However, the absence of 4K video recording and advanced video stabilization features may limit its versatility for video enthusiasts. Overall, while the Huawei MatePad SE's camera may not be its standout feature, it is still capable of capturing decent photos for everyday use.

Battery Life

The Huawei MatePad SE is equipped with a non-removable Li-Po 5100 mAh battery, which provides decent battery life for everyday use. The tablet supports 10W wired charging, allowing for a convenient and relatively fast charging experience. However, it does not support fast charging or wireless charging options. The battery capacity is sufficient to provide a good screen-on time, allowing users to enjoy their favorite content without worrying too much about battery drain. The tablet also features battery optimization features and power efficiency, which helps in maximizing the battery life and performance. Standby time is also respectable, ensuring that the tablet remains ready to use even after being idle for extended periods. Overall, the battery performance of the Huawei MatePad SE is reliable, providing users with a satisfactory battery backup for their daily tasks and entertainment needs.

Connectivity and Networking

The Huawei MatePad SE offers a range of connectivity options to ensure a seamless user experience. It supports various network compatibility including GSM, HSPA, and LTE, allowing users to stay connected wherever they go. With its dual SIM capabilities, users have the flexibility to use two different SIM cards simultaneously.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the MatePad SE supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, ensuring fast and reliable internet access. It also has Bluetooth 5.1 with A2DP and LE, providing efficient data transfer and compatibility with a wide range of Bluetooth devices.

For navigation and location services, the MatePad SE features GPS, GLONASS, and BDS, allowing users to accurately track their location and navigate with ease.

In terms of physical connectivity, the MatePad SE is equipped with a USB Type-C 2.0 port, which enables fast data transfer and charging. It also supports USB On-The-Go (OTG), allowing users to connect various external devices such as flash drives or keyboards.

While the MatePad SE lacks NFC capabilities, it compensates for it with its extensive connectivity options. It does not support wireless charging, but it does come with a 10W wired charging option.

Overall, the Huawei MatePad SE offers a wide range of connectivity options, ensuring that users can stay connected, navigate efficiently, and connect to various devices seamlessly. Whether it's browsing the internet, transferring data, or connecting to peripherals, the MatePad SE has you covered.

Additional Features

• Standout Features: The Huawei MatePad SE offers several standout features that make it a desirable tablet. With its sleek and slim design, it is lightweight and portable, making it easy to carry around. The tablet also boasts a large 10.1-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1200 x 1920 pixels, providing vibrant and clear visuals.


• Wireless Charging: One of the notable features of the MatePad SE is its support for wireless charging. With Qi wireless charging technology, users can conveniently charge their tablet without the hassle of cables and connectors.


• Advanced Sensors: The tablet is equipped with a range of advanced sensors, including an accelerometer and gyroscope. These sensors enhance the user experience by enabling features like automatic screen rotation and gesture control.


• IP Rating: The MatePad SE does not come with any specific IP rating for water resistance or dustproof capabilities. It is important to note that the absence of an IP rating means the tablet may not be fully protected against water or dust.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

The Huawei MatePad SE is a budget-friendly tablet that offers decent performance and features at an affordable price. When comparing it to related gadgets in the market, it competes with devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite and the Lenovo Tab M8 (3rd Gen).

In terms of specifications, the MatePad SE features a 10.1-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1200 x 1920 pixels. It is powered by the Kirin 710A chipset and comes with options for 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB of internal storage. The tablet runs on HarmonyOS 2.0, Huawei's own operating system.

Compared to its competitors, the MatePad SE offers a similar display size and resolution. However, it falls behind in terms of processing power as the Kirin 710A chipset is not as powerful as the MediaTek Helio P22T found in the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite or the MediaTek Helio P22T found in the Lenovo Tab M8 (3rd Gen).

When it comes to cameras, the MatePad SE features a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. While these cameras are decent for basic photography and video calls, they are not as impressive as the cameras found in some other tablets on the market.

In terms of pricing, the MatePad SE is positioned as a budget-friendly tablet with a price of around 190 EUR. Compared to its competitors, it offers good value for money, especially considering its display size and storage options.

In conclusion, the Huawei MatePad SE competes well with other budget-friendly tablets in the market. While it may not offer the most powerful performance or the best cameras, it provides a good balance of features and affordability. If you are looking for a budget tablet with a decent display and adequate performance, the MatePad SE is worth considering.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Huawei MatePad SE offers a budget-friendly option for those seeking a reliable and versatile tablet. With its sleek design and compact size, it is easy to carry around and comfortable to use. The vibrant IPS LCD display provides a satisfactory viewing experience, while the Kirin 710A chipset ensures smooth performance for everyday tasks. The availability of different storage and RAM options allows users to choose according to their needs. However, the tablet falls short in terms of camera performance and battery life. Nevertheless, considering its affordable price point, the Huawei MatePad SE is a decent choice for individuals looking for a reliable tablet for basic multimedia consumption and productivity tasks.