Huawei MediaPad M5 lite 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 MediaPad M5 Lite is a midrange Android tablet that offers solid performance, a vibrant display, and long battery life. It comes with a stylus and is designed for multimedia consumption. While it may not have the most powerful specifications or the best cameras, it is still a good option in the midrange tablet market.

Design and Build Quality

The MediaPad M5 Lite has a sleek and premium design with a glass front, aluminum back, and aluminum frame. It measures 243.4 x 162.2 x 7.7 mm and weighs 475 grams, making it a bit heavy but well-distributed for comfortable two-handed use. The 10.1-inch IPS LCD display has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, providing a sharp and vibrant viewing experience. The bezels are slightly chunky, but they offer a good grip from any angle. The tablet also features a fingerprint sensor on the front for secure and convenient unlocking.

Display

The 10.1-inch IPS LCD display on the MediaPad M5 Lite is one of its standout features. With a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels and a pixel density of approximately 224 ppi, it delivers sharp and vibrant visuals. The colors are accurate, and the viewing angles are wide. The display is surrounded by slightly chunky bezels, but they do not detract from the overall viewing experience.

Performance

Under the hood, the MediaPad M5 Lite is powered by the Kirin 659 chipset, an octa-core processor with a combination of Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.36 GHz and 1.7 GHz. It also has the Mali-T830 MP2 GPU for decent graphics performance. The tablet comes in two memory options: 32GB of storage with 3GB of RAM, or 64GB of storage with 4GB of RAM. While these specifications may not be the most impressive, they are sufficient for most everyday tasks and light gaming. However, heavy multitasking or demanding apps may cause some slowdowns.

Software and User Interface

The MediaPad M5 Lite runs on Android 8.0 Oreo with Huawei's EMUI 8 skin on top. While it offers a clean and intuitive user interface, one downside is that it is unlikely to receive any major software updates. This means that users may not have access to the latest Android features or security patches in the future.

Camera

The MediaPad M5 Lite is equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. While these cameras are sufficient for casual photography and video calls, they are not the best in terms of image quality. The rear camera can capture decent photos in well-lit environments, but it struggles in low-light conditions. The front camera is suitable for selfies and video chats, but it may lack detail and sharpness.

Battery Life

One of the strengths of the MediaPad M5 Lite is its long battery life. It is powered by a 7500mAh non-removable battery, which can easily last a full day of moderate to heavy use. With its efficient chipset and optimized software, the tablet can provide over 8 hours of screen-on time. It also supports 18W wired charging, allowing for relatively fast charging times.

Connectivity and Networking

The MediaPad M5 Lite offers various connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.2, and GPS with GLONASS and BDS. However, it does not have NFC or a radio. It features a USB Type-C 2.0 port for charging and data transfer. The tablet also supports a nano-SIM card slot for LTE connectivity.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

Compared to its competitors, the MediaPad M5 Lite holds its own in terms of design, display, and battery life. It offers a premium build quality similar to the iPad, but at a lower price point. The display is vibrant and sharp, rivaling the iPad's Retina display. Battery life is excellent, outlasting many other tablets in the midrange segment. However, in terms of performance and camera quality, it may lag behind devices like the iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab S4.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

Overall, the Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite is a good midrange Android tablet that offers a solid multimedia experience. It excels in areas like display quality, sound, and battery life. The inclusion of a stylus is a nice bonus for note-taking and drawing enthusiasts. However, it may not satisfy power users who demand top-notch performance or photography capabilities. If you're looking for a device primarily for media consumption and casual use, the MediaPad M5 Lite is a worthy contender at its price point.