Chase Bernath / Android Authority
I’ve been trying to make the most of my tablets since I was 10 years old. Even when I got my first laptop in university, the tablet remained my main device. It carried me through typed assignments throughout high school and hundreds of calculus lectures in university. I know what it feels like to have a device that is so close to being perfect, but ultimately held back in silly ways that break the laptop replacement experience. HUAWEI says the £599 (~$783) MatePad 12 X (2025) is the perfect tablet for freelancers, creatives, and students. Naturally, I wanted to put that claim to the test and see how it compares to the best Android tablets.
Design and display
Evan Friesen / Android Authority
The design of this tablet really is quite nice. At 6mm thick and a curb weight of 555g, it’s slightly thicker and heavier than an 11-inch iPad Pro. The body is also striking, and really gives a similar feel to sandstone, just slightly smoother. HUAWEI doesn’t advertise any water or dust resistance, nor does it mention anything about the durability of the glass. One touch I do like is the sloped corners on the back of the device. I don’t think it looks quite as nice as a sharper edge, but it’s far more comfortable to hold. Comfort really does sum up the experience of this tablet. The whole thing is cozy in a way and feels very comfortable in the hands.
The display is easily the most impressive part of the tablet, and its matte finish is something I wish were featured more commonly on other tablets. The anti-reflection is also incredible and makes direct interior lights a non-issue. It even makes using the tablet outside far more comfortable by diffusing any oncoming reflections. The matte finish, unfortunately, makes fingerprints more pronounced.
It achieves a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, and the 144Hz refresh rate makes animations smooth as butter. The 2,800 x 1,840 resolution in this 12-inch screen provides fantastic sharpness and is a nice bump over the Galaxy Tab S11 at 2,560 x 1,600. Although there has been a lot of debate on whether matte screens are better than a glossy panel, I can say without a doubt that this one impressed me. I haven’t noticed any fringing, and the brightness certainly gets through. It feels incredible to the touch and when using HUAWEI’s M-Pencil Pro (not included). Sure, it’s no OLED, but at just under £600, it’s also not priced to the same level as a flagship tablet either, so concessions like this are to be expected — similarly priced competitors like the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus and OnePlus Pad 3 also opt for an LCD panel.
Battery and performance
Chase Bernath / Android Authority
One thing about the MatePad 12 X you can tell from the spec sheet: the battery is huge. 10,100mAh gives this tablet a 20% bump over the Galaxy Tab S11 (8,400 mAh) and just 15% less than the Tab S11 Ultra (11,600 mAh). HUAWEI claims a fourteen-hour video playback, but I was only able to run 480p YouTube videos for about six hours. The tablet also supports fast charging up to 66W, but only when using HUAWEI’s proprietary fast charger, sold separately.
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