For years, the conversation about Huawei in the West has been about what the company cannot do. However, focusing solely on the restrictions ignores the engineering capabilities of the company. While the software ecosystem remains a hurdle for the average user, the hardware team continues delivering some marvels, and the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) is a clear example of this.
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro is not a budget device but a premium slate that aims to compete directly with the behemoths in the segment —like the iPad Pro and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S Ultra series. This 2025 model brings specific internal updates, most notably the transition to the Kirin T92A chipset. Over the past month, we have used this tablet as a primary media consumption tool, a digital notebook, and a laptop replacement. Was this top-tier hardware up to the task? Find out below.
The 2025 edition of HUAWEI’s flagship tablet is a premium device full of virtues, but with some key caveats for those extremely dependent on the Google ecosystem.
Pros
- Premium design with super-slim body and sturdy build
- Vibrant AMOLED display at 144Hz
- Great battery endurance
- Even better fast charging (fully charges in less than 1 hour)
- Snappy performance in common tasks
- Powerful speaker system with true bass and spatial separation
- Can effectively replace a laptop for certain work areas via the Glide Keyboard accessory
Cons
The SoC (especially the GPU) is not on par with rivals at similar prices
Lack of native Google services can be a significant hurdle for many
Expensive
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025): Specs
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Hardware and Design
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Display
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Performance
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Benchmarks
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Battery Life and Charging
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Software
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Keyboard and Stylus Experience
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Camera
Should You Buy the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025)?
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025): Specs
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025)
| Display | 12.2-inch, 2,800 x 1,840 px, 144Hz |
|---|---|
| Processor | Kirin T92A |
| RAM | 12GB, 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery | 10,100mAh |
| Cameras | 50MP main (f/1.8 aperture), 8MP ultra-wide |
| Colors | Black, Green |
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Hardware and Design
Upon unboxing the MatePad Pro 12.2-inch, the first thing you notice is the build quality. At 508 grams and just 5.5mm thick, it is undeniably one of the most portable 12-inch tablets on the market. Huawei has managed to shave off significant weight without making the device feel hollow or fragile. It is dense and rigid, balancing well in the hand despite its large size.
Our unit comes in “Inkstone Black,” with the rear panel crafted from a fiberglass material with a subtle, textured finish. This model boasts a “business-like” look, fitting easily into a corporate boardroom. While the rear texture does a decent job of hiding fingerprints compared to a glass back, the dark colorway does eventually show oils from your hands after a long day of use.
The transition from the back panel to the frame is smooth. The frame houses a powerful quad-speaker array, a USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port, and the power button integrated with a fingerprint sensor. We found this side-mounted sensor to be generally reliable, unlocking the device instantly about 90% of the time, though it can struggle slightly if your thumb is positioned at an awkward angle.
An interesting functional design element on the top edge (in landscape) is the NearLink magnetic charging zone for the M-Pencil. The magnet is strong—perhaps stronger than necessary—ensuring the stylus snaps into place with a loud click. It is unlikely to be knocked loose inside a bag.
The rear camera module adopts Huawei’s signature circular “Star Ring” design language. This component protrudes noticeably from the slim chassis. If you plan to use the tablet flat on a desk for drawing or typing without a case, be prepared for a significant wobble. The imbalance is pronounced enough that tapping the top-left corner of the screen causes the device to rock, making a case essentially mandatory for flat-surface usage.
Structural integrity appears solid. With our daily use, the device exhibited no flexing or creaking. Despite the razor-thin profile, the internal magnesium alloy frame seems sufficiently resilient to prevent the tablet from warping under normal backpack pressure.
Special mention to the audio experience. It is surprisingly robust, being able to effectively separate the high and low frequencies. There is a perceptible “thump” to explosions and bass-heavy music tracks that most tablets simply flatten out. The stereo separation is also great; you can clearly hear footsteps moving from left to right in landscape mode on shooters, for instance. The quad-speaker system is excellent for both media consumption and gaming.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Display
The centerpiece of this tablet is its large 12.2-inch OLED display. The tablet is available in two screen versions: standard and PaperMatte. The latter offers a paper-like surface and an anti-glare coating, although it produces less vibrant colors. Our review unit features the standard glossy glass finish.
The visual output is remarkable. The resolution of 2,800 x 1,840 provides excellent pixel density, resulting in sharp text and detailed images. The glossy finish, while reflective, allows the OLED panel to exploit its full contrast potential. Blacks are perfectly deep, merging seamlessly with the black bezels of the device, and colors pop with an intensity that matte screens often diffuse. For watching high-dynamic-range (HDR) content in a dim room, this glossy panel is better than that of the matte variant, delivering a punchier image with a peak brightness of 2,000 nits.
However, the glossy surface brings the traditional downsides of glass tablets, like. reflections. Under overhead office lighting or outdoors, the screen turns into a dark mirror. While the high brightness can power through most glare, you will find yourself adjusting your viewing angle to dodge light sources when you leave home.
The 3:2 aspect ratio is a nice choice for productivity. Compared to the wider 16:10 ratio found on many Android competitors, the 3:2 format offers more vertical real estate in landscape mode. It feels less like a movie screen and more like a digital sheet of A4 paper. This is ideal for web browsing, document editing, and split-screen multitasking.
The screen supports a refresh rate of up to 144Hz. System animations are fluid, and scrolling through long web pages is visually consistent without the ghosting effect. The touch response is immediate, a key factor for a device that relies heavily on gesture navigation.
Huawei also incorporates 4,320Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. This is a technical detail that matters for user comfort. At lower brightness levels, many OLED panels flicker in a way that can cause eye strain for sensitive users. The high frequency here effectively fixes that issue, making the tablet comfortable to use for late-night reading sessions.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Performance
The MatePad Pro (2025) is powered by the Kirin T92A chipset. It is important to contextualize this processor correctly. Due to trade restrictions, Huawei does not have access to the absolute bleeding-edge lithography available to Apple or Qualcomm. As such, we can see the Kirin T92A as a highly optimized mid-to-high-range chip rather than a market-leading monster.
In daily use, performance is smooth as butter. HarmonyOS optimization plays a significant role here. Navigating the UI, opening apps, and switching between tasks feels snappy and responsive. For animations, Huawei uses an iOS-like approach, resulting in highly detailed visuals, which contributes to an excellent overall user experience.
The 12GB of RAM provides a comfortable buffer. We regularly kept a dozen apps open, including a browser with multiple tabs and a video player, without seeing aggressive background killing of tasks.
However, the limitations of the silicon become apparent when pushing the device hard. While the CPU handles multitasking well, the GPU is not on par with the latest Snapdragon or Apple’s chips.
Gaming performance illustrates this clearly. Titles like PUBG Mobile, which are well-optimized for a wide range of hardware, run smoothly at high settings. But graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail tell a different story. Genshin Impact sets the graphics quality to “Medium” by default. However, we found that you can increase the “Render Resolution” to “High” instead of “Medium” and maintain decent performance. On a large device, it’s ideal to have the highest possible resolution—the default Render Resolution setting (Medium) makes characters appear blurry.
Honkai: Star Rail seemed promising when checking the default graphics settings. The game automatically sets the “Graphics Quality” and “Resolution” values to “High.” However, upon starting to play, you realize that this is more than the hardware can handle for a smooth experience. While you can play like this, you’ll encounter constant hiccups during battles—and even randomly while walking or in cutscenes. For this game, it’s best to keep the Resolution on “High” and lower the “Graphics Quality” to “Medium.”
If you’re a Call of Duty: Mobile player, you’re in luck. The game automatically sets “Graphics Quality” and “Resolution” to “High.” Fortunately, unlike Honkai, CoD accurately estimates the tablet’s hardware capabilities. You can play smoothly and without any issues at these default settings.
Thermal management is pretty decent, in part thanks to the large surface area of the tablet. During stress tests, the device warms up near the camera module, but the heat spreads relatively evenly across the backplate. It never became too hot to hold, suggesting the vapor chamber cooling solution is doing its job effectively within the constraints of the chassis.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Benchmarks
Benchmarking the MatePad Pro 12.2 sets the record straight regarding raw power. The numbers reflect a device built for stability and efficiency rather than topping rankings.
In Geekbench 6, the Kirin T92A consistently posted Single-Core scores around 1,500 and Multi-Core scores near 4,600. To place this in the current landscape, these scores are comparable to flagship Android tablets from 2022. While this is enough for almost all productivity apps and media playback, it falls significantly behind current-gen competition that scores double (or even more) in these metrics.
| Device | Single-Core | Multi-Core | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2 (2025) | 1,504 | 4,595 | 3,248 |
| Huawei Mate X7 | 1,107 | 4,913 | 6,136 |
| Google Pixel 9 | 1,771 | 4,502 | 6,560 |
AnTuTu v10 resulted in a total score of around 1,22K. The breakdown reveals that memory speeds and UX (User Experience) scores are strong, which aligns with our real-world findings of a smooth interface. The GPU score, however, drags the total down, confirming that graphical horsepower is the bottleneck.
| Device | Score |
|---|---|
| HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2 (2025) | 1,217,510 |
| Huawei Mate X7 | 1,624,366 |
| Google Pixel 9 | 1,125,355 |
In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme stress test, the tablet shined in stability. It maintained a great stability rating across the 20-minute loop. This indicates that while peak performance is lower than competitors, the MatePad Pro can sustain that performance level for longer periods without aggressive throttling. This is a great behavior for professional workflows.
| Device | Best Loop | Lowest Loop | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2 (2025) | 1,184 | 1,179 | 99,6% |
| Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | 1,390 | 4,203 | 99,6% |
| Google Pixel 9 | 2,554 | 1,754 | 99.2%% |
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review Thermals
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 2025 is particularly efficient in terms of thermals. Of course, the tablet form factor, with plenty of space available for heat dissipation, plays a big part in this. We also have to give the company the merit they deserve considering how thin the device is.
| Benchmark | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Geekbench | 30.9 °C/87.62°F |
| 3D Mark Extreme Stress Test | 32 °C/89.6°F |
| Antutu | 30,1 °C/86.18°F |
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Battery Life and Charging
The tablet houses a dual-cell battery with a total capacity of 10,100 mAh. Given the thinness of the device, this is a respectable size. The combination of the OLED panel and the Kirin T92A’s efficiency cores results in solid endurance.
In our standard video drain test, the MatePad Pro lasted approximately 20:28 hours. This is competitive and should easily cover a long-haul flight. For mixed productivity usage—involving word processing, web research, and background music streaming—we reliably got through a full 8-hour workday with between 40% and 50% battery remaining.
Standby time is excellent. HarmonyOS handles well the background processes, meaning you can leave the tablet on your desk for a weekend and come back to it with plenty of charge left.
The standout feature here is the charging speed. The included 100W Huawei SuperCharge brick is remarkably fast. In our testing, the tablet charged from 0% to 50% in roughly 25 minutes, with a full charge taking just under an hour. For a battery of this size, these speeds are a game changer. It eliminates the need to charge overnight, as a quick plug-in during a lunch break provides enough power for the rest of the day.
| Device | Battery life | Charging |
|---|---|---|
| HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) | 20:27:32 | 0:57:35 |
| HONOR MagicPad 3 | 17:52:12 | 1:29:55 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra | N/A | N/A |
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Software
The MatePad Pro won’t win you over with its benchmark figures, so it needs to excel in other areas. This is where HUAWEI’s polished software comes into play. The tablet runs HarmonyOS 4.2. Visually, the interface borrows heavily from iPadOS in terms of iconography and control centers but adds its own layer of utility.
Multitasking is robust. The “App Multiplier” allows apps to display two windows side-by-side (like seeing your inbox list on the left and an open email on the right). There’s also a useful and intuitive floating window system. The “Super Device” ecosystem features are genuinely useful if you own a Huawei laptop or phone, offering seamless file transfer and screen extension.
The inclusion of the “PC Application Engine” allows for a desktop-class version of WPS Office. This provides a UI that mirrors a Windows environment, complete with mouse support and advanced formatting ribbons. The tablet offers arguably one of the best document-editing experiences in the segment, making the device a viable laptop replacement for writers and administrators.
That said, the absence of native Google Mobile Services (GMS) is a significant hurdle for global markets. There is no Play Store, no YouTube app, no Chrome sync, and no Google Drive out of the box.
For finding your favorite apps, you’ll have to rely on the Huawei AppGallery and “Petal Search.” The AppGallery is continually improving, hosting many banking apps, Microsoft Office, and major social media platforms like TikTok and Telegram. However, most likely you won’t find some—or many—of your everyday tools or games. For apps not in the store, Petal Search guides you to third-party APK repositories. This process works, but it lacks the security and seamless update management of the Play Store.
It’s worth noting that you can install both alternative app stores and Google Play Services yourself. For Huawei users in the global market, Aurora Store (an open-source bridge to the Play Store that securely downloads apps and updates directly from Google’s servers) is especially popular. For Google’s services, there are options like virtualization (via GBox or other tools) or the more effective microG (an alternative open-source implementation for Play Services with Google login support). Getting and installing these tools isn’t particularly difficult. However, it does require some research, which adds friction to the process. So, if you’re extremely dependent on Google services, this is something to keep in mind.
Returning to HUAWEI’s own services, we also tested the “GoPaint” app. This is a powerful drawing app that offers an extensive selection of brush engines and layers. The experience is different between the “standard” and PaperMatte versions of the tablet. On the glossy glass (our unit), the M-Pencil slides effortlessly. Some artists prefer this lack of friction for quick strokes. However, users who prefer the tactile resistance of a paper-like surface should opt for the PaperMatte variant. The lack of texture makes the stylus feel a bit slippery, although in both cases the latency remains extremely low.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Keyboard and Stylus Experience
As a tablet heavily focused on productivity, the performance of its accessories and peripherals is key. The Glide Keyboard and the M-Pencil (3rd Gen) truly unlock the capabilities of the HUAWEI MatePad Pro (2025). They transform the device from a media consumption screen into a genuine workstation—with some caveats.
The HUAWEI Glide Keyboard might be my favorite tablet keyboard design this year. The “Glide” moniker refers to its unique hinge mechanism. When you open the case, the keyboard tray pulls away from the screen, revealing a hidden, dedicated charging slot for the M-Pencil. This solves the “anxiety” of knocking your expensive stylus off the magnetic top edge when sliding the tablet into a backpack.
The typing experience using this keyboard is simply excellent. The keys offer a crisp, tactile snap with a short travel. The key spacing felt natural, avoiding having to resort to “hand gymnastics.” In fact, I wrote the majority of this review using the keyboard. The trackpad is small but responsive, supporting full multi-touch gestures that mirror the screen’s controls. However, it’s not all perfect; the keyboard adds significant weight, pushing the total package into “ultrabook” territory. Meanwhile, the material, while resistant to stains, picks up dust relentlessly.
Next is the M-Pencil Pro (3rd Gen). The stylus itself is fantastic—lightweight and boasting 10,000+ levels of pressure sensitivity via NearLink technology. The connection is rock solid, and latency is imperceptible.
If you’ve never used a stylus to write on glossy glass, it might feel like skating on ice. There’s zero bite or friction. The tip glides effortlessly, which is wonderful for quick navigation and broad, sweeping strokes in the GoPaint app. But for precision work—like handwriting notes or detailed sketching—you might struggle to maintain control. However, it’s just a matter of getting used to using the display and stylus combo; you just need a little time to adapt. If you want a paper-like experience from the start, then the PaperMatte edition of the tablet is ideal for you.
The stylus itself offers shortcuts to useful options, like the “squeeze” gesture to switch tools. Although it will probably take you some muscle memory to master without accidentally triggering it.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) Review: Camera
Tablet cameras are rarely a priority, but the MatePad Pro offers an adequate setup. The rear module contains a 13MP main sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide.
In good lighting, the main camera captures documents and reference photos with decent clarity and color accuracy. The dedicated document scanning mode is useful, automatically cropping and enhancing text. The ultra-wide camera is softer and struggles with dynamic range but is acceptable for quick shots of room layouts or whiteboards.
For occasional outdoor photos, the main sensor is decent, but nothing spectacular. It lets you take the occasional photo for social media, but you’d likely use your phone instead. The results show an oil painting effect in relatively complex textures, and the HDR handling could be much better.
The ultra-wide lens is there for “emergencies,” in case you need to take this type of photo and for some reason you have your tablet with you but not your phone. However, it’s best to avoid using it. The device’s ultra-wide photos worsen the HDR and oil painting effect problems of the main sensor, in addition to the resolution.
Low-light performance is poor, as expected from a tablet. The pictures show significant noise and loss of detail, although the flash helps for scanning documents in dim rooms.
Should You Buy the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025)?
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) is an impressive piece of hardware that exists in a complicated reality.
Ideally, you should buy this tablet if you value hardware excellence and design. The 508g weight and 5.5mm profile make it a joy to carry. The OLED display offers a spectacular viewing experience for movies and photos. The 100W charging and battery life are top tier.
It is also a strong candidate for users who live outside the Google ecosystem or rely primarily on Microsoft services and web browsers. This is a surprisingly capable productivity machine for writers and students. However, you should hesitate if you require the latest cutting-edge graphical performance. The Kirin T92A is stable and efficient, but it cannot compete with the raw power of the latest chips from Apple or Qualcomm for heavy gaming or 4K video rendering.
You should buy the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) if:
- You’re looking for a premium tablet experience for productivity and multimedia consumption.
- You value maximum portability in large-screen tablets, seeking lightweight and ultra-thin designs.
- You’re comfortable outside the Google ecosystem of services and apps.
You shouldn’t buy the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2-inch (2025) if:
- You’re looking for the most powerful tablet to play the most demanding titles at the highest graphics settings.
- You prefer to have Google services available natively out of the box.
- You don’t like Android interfaces heavily inspired by iOS/iPadOS.
