In addition to its sizable display, the MatePad Pro 13.2 also has a stylus that uses NearLink technology for the first time, promising a notable reduction in latency and precision. Nevertheless, entertainment is also taken care of with six speakers and HDR capabilities. A versatile player? As the name implies, the Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 is actually in a different category and is best characterized as the successor to the MatePad Pro 12.6 or the MatePad Pro 11.
The Huawei tablet is instantly identifiable as a high-end product thanks to its fragile design and many luxury features. Any concerns are eliminated when considering the price, as the MatePad Pro 13.2 starts at 999 euros (12/256 GB, black) – merely the tablet. A keyboard cover is also available for the green, 512 GB storage variant, which costs 1,199 euros. The SoC is the big unknown. We also looked more closely at the Kirin 9000W because Huawei doesn’t disclose much information.
Case – Super-slim tablet from Huawei
The Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 is remarkably light and only 5.5 millimeters thick, even with its huge display. The tablet’s 92 percent display-to-surface ratio attests to its extremely thin edges. We are rather pleased with the MatePad’s build quality. The gaps are even and close-fitting, and even when twisted, the case does not give way or even make a slight creaking sound. The Huawei tablet comes in green and black colors and lacks IP certification.
With a connected M2.SSD (Samsung 980 Pro), the Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2’s USB 3.2 port (Gen. 1) achieved a quick 327.55 MB/s in the copy test and allows wired image output. In the latter case, the tablet lacks a desktop mode and just has a mirrored screen. Supported file systems include NTFS, exFAT, and FAT32 for connected storage discs.
The MatePad Pro 13.2 runs Huawei’s proprietary HarmonyOS 4.0 operating system, which is built on Android 12. Here, Google services are not pre-installed, not even the Play Store. Regarding the length of time or the timeline for updates, Huawei does not give specific information. Experience, however, has shown that the manufacturer distributes these for its high-end items over a number of years. For instance, the most recent HarmonyOS 4.0 is installed on a Mate 30 Pro from 2019. The security patches on the tablet were current as of December 1, 2023, and hence still quite current, at the time of testing.