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Haier Pad 971 Tablet Review

Superb display. Aluminum casing, IPS-display, QXGA resolution, expandable storage, and quad-core CPU for under 200 Euros (~$228)? The Pad 971 from the Chinese manufacturer Haier offers very good specifications for a comparatively low price. In our review it surprises with a great display, but the storage performance is very bad.
Android Tablet

For the original German review, see here.

The Chinese company Haier offers its first 9.7-inch tablet, the Pad 971. The resemblance of the entry-level Android device to Apple's iPad Air-series is pretty obvious – both visually as well as in specifications. It is slim, light and has a nice aluminum chassis. It is also equipped with an IPS display, which has a similar size and a similar QXGA resolution (2048x1536 pixels) as the tablets from Apple. The specified battery capacity of 7800 mAh is also similar to Apple's iPad Air 2.

We can find significant differences when we look at the processor. Haier uses a quad-core SoC from RockChip for the Pad 971, which is supported by 2 GB of RAM. The internal storage has a capacity of 16 GB and can be expanded by up to 32 GB via a microSD-card.

It is pretty difficult to find a direct rival for the Haier Pad 971, which retails for 180 Euros (~$206). Some rivals with a similar price, such as Amazon's Fire HD 10, have a much lower display resolution – in this case 1280x800 pixels – while possible comparison devices with similar pixel densities are much more expensive (Apple iPad Air 2, around 450 Euros/~$514). We will use the following devices for comparisons with the Haier Pad 971: the Xiaomi MiPad 2, the Amazon Fire HD 10 as well as the Yoga Tab 3 and the Tab 2 A10-70 from Lenovo. We will also use the Apple iPad Air 2 as a reference due to the similarities.

Haier Pad 971
Processor
Rockchip RK3288 4 x 1.8 GHz
Graphics adapter
ARM Mali-T760 MP4
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
9.70 inch 4:3, 2048 x 1536 pixel 264 PPI, Multi-touch, LCD, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10.22 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Card Reader: microSD (up to 32GB), Sensors: Position sensor
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.6 x 240 x 168 ( = 0.3 x 9.45 x 6.61 in)
Battery
7800 mAh Lithium-Ion, measured 6700 mAh
Operating System
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Camera
Primary Camera: 2 MPix
Secondary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Keyboard: onscreen, charging adapter, micro-USB cable, manual, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
540 g ( = 19.05 oz / 1.19 pounds), Power Supply: 82 g ( = 2.89 oz / 0.18 pounds)
Price
180 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The test model of the Haier Pad 971 has a gold colored anodized aluminum case, which leaves a very good tactile impression. With a weight of 540 grams (~1.2 lb) and a thickness of just 7.6 millimeters (~0.3 in), it also feels very good in the hands. A minor issue is the sharp plastic edge between the display and the metal frame.

The front of the Pad 971 is made entirely of glass, which sits flush with the chassis. The gaps are even and the build quality of the volume and power buttons on the aluminum frame is – like the tablet itself – on a high level. The layout and the pressure points are also well-defined. The back panel cannot be removed. The microSD slot is located at the top of the tablet. It is protected by a small cover, but is easy to access.

The slim construction of the Haier Pad 971 results in ripples on the screen when we apply pressure on the back. This should not be a big deal in practice, because the stability and the torsion resistance of the device is good – you can only provoke creaking or ripples on the screen with a lot of force.

❌
262 mm / 10.3 inch 159 mm / 6.26 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 432 g0.952 lbs253 mm / 9.96 inch 185 mm / 7.28 inch 9.5 mm / 0.374 inch 665 g1.466 lbs247 mm / 9.72 inch 171 mm / 6.73 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 518 g1.142 lbs240 mm / 9.45 inch 168 mm / 6.61 inch 7.6 mm / 0.2992 inch 540 g1.19 lbs200.4 mm / 7.89 inch 132.6 mm / 5.22 inch 6.95 mm / 0.2736 inch 332 g0.732 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity

The connectivity of the Haier Pad 971 is restricted to the essentials and you have to forgo a GPS module, an NFC chip, fast charging as well as a status LED. At least, you can expand the 16 GB internal eMMC storage by up to 32 GB via a microSD-card. Counting the operating system and preloaded apps, users can use about 10.22 GB for their own apps and files.

You can charge the tablet via micro-USB port at the top, which supports the 2.0 standard. USB flash drives or external keyboards can be attached via OTG adapter (on the go). We could not copy apps to the memory card via APP2SD functionality during the review and our 64 GB reference Toshiba Exceria Pro M401 SD card was not recognized by the test model, either.

Software

The operating system of the Haier Pad is Android 5.1 Lollipop. It is uncertain whether there will be an update to the latest version Android 6.0 Marshmallow and we have no further information as of this review. The user interface has been barely modified – the UI is very similar to Google's standard Android except for some minor adjustments. Fortunately, Haier has dispensed with unnecessary bloat ware; only a handful of apps are preloaded besides the usual Google apps. There are no additional software features.

Communication & GPS

The Wi-Fi module of the entry-level device supports the 802.11n standard and enables theoretical transfer rates of up to 600 Mbps. The signal quality of the tablet is good in practice and the Wi-Fi connection was stable without any dropouts. A SIM-card slot for mobile Internet connections with the Pad 971 is not available. Wireless connections with other devices can be established via Bluetooth based on the older 4.0 standard.

Video calls with the front camera via Skype worked very well during our review. The voice quality via the integrated speaker was good and we did not notice any annoying background noises or the like. The integrated microphone of the tablet on the other hand created a slightly distorted voice that our call partner found disturbing.

Cameras

front camera

The entry-level tablet uses 2 MP cameras at the front and back. Haier could have actually dispensed with the rear camera of the Pad 971, because the quality of the pictures is just too poor. Our sample shots are blurry and lack details, so you can hardly recognize contours. The color reproduction is also poor– the pictures look gray and lack contrast. Only the brightness of the pictures is okay. The front camera cannot compete with modern high-end tablets, either, but at least it does manage a decent performance. Thanks to 1600x1200 pixels, video calls are supported in the HD resolution.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images
test chart
test chart

Accessories & Warranty

Besides the tablet itself, you get a modular power adapter, a micro-USB cable as well as a manual and a quick-start guide. A protective display cover is already installed ex-works, but it is very prone to scratches.

The warranty period is 24 months.

Input Devices & Handling

The capacitive multi-touchscreen of the Haier Pad 971 convinces with precise and smooth inputs. The glass surface is very convenient to use and the pad recognizes inputs with up to ten fingers. Haier installs the typical Android keyboard from Google for text inputs. If the latter is not customizable enough for you, it is possible to install alternatives from the Play Store.

onscreen keyboard
onscreen keyboard

Display

subpixel arrangement

Haier uses an LCD screen with a diagonal size of 24.6 centimeters (9.7-inch) for its first tablet. The IPS panel with the QXGA resolution (2048x1536 pixels) manages a high pixel density of 264 PPI. Contents, even very small fonts, are conveniently sharp on the screen.

The LED backlight of our review unit manages a maximum luminance of 310 cd/m². A good result, which is subjectively rather too low and some of the comparison devices are much better. However, the maximum luminance of the Haier Pad 971 is sufficient for everyday tasks. The brightness distribution is very even at 90%, so large colored surfaces appear uniform as well. The Pad 971 does not have an adaptive ambient light sensor to adjust the luminance. Our realistic APL50 test (average picture level) with an even distribution of bright and dark surfaces returns a maximum luminance of 296 cd/m² in the center (black value 0.37 cd/m²). The minimum luminance is 53.62 cd/m² – a comparatively high value.

310
cd/m²		310
cd/m²		307
cd/m²
290
cd/m²		294
cd/m²		293
cd/m²
280
cd/m²		283
cd/m²		280
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LCD
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 310 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 294.1 cd/m² Minimum: 53.62 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 294 cd/m²
Contrast: 795:1 (Black: 0.37 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.2 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.1
ΔE Greyscale 3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
Gamma: 2.3
Haier Pad 971
Mali-T760 MP4, RK3288, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
Adreno 304, 212 APQ8009, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
Mali-T760 MP2, MT8165, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
Screen
5%
-3%
12%
19%
6%
Brightness middle
294
458
56%
425
45%
363
23%
352.9
20%
423
44%
Brightness
294
434
48%
402
37%
344
17%
335
14%
427
45%
Brightness Distribution
90
86
-4%
91
1%
87
-3%
88
-2%
92
2%
Black Level *
0.37
0.43
-16%
0.4
-8%
0.34
8%
0.191
48%
0.61
-65%
Contrast
795
1065
34%
1063
34%
1068
34%
1848
132%
693
-13%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.2
4.18
-31%
4.98
-56%
3.25
-2%
4.31
-35%
2.86
11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.5
6.61
-2%
5.68
13%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3
4.54
-51%
5.2
-73%
2.78
7%
4.36
-45%
2.37
21%
Gamma
2.3 96%
2.15 102%
2.65 83%
2.23 99%
2.33 94%
2.43 91%
CCT
6882 94%
7083 92%
7249 90%
6722 97%
7045 92%
6941 94%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
88

* ... smaller is better

The combination of luminance and low black value (0.37 cd/m²) results in a decent contrast ratio of 795:1. The analysis with the spectrophotometer and the CalMAN software shows very low deviations for the colors (3.2) and grayscale (3.0) close to the ideal value <3. The measured color temperature of 6882 Kelvin is slightly too cool, but in practice there is no visible blue cast. This performance is quite impressive when you consider that the Haier Pad 971 is an entry-level tablet. The subjective and objective impression is similar to the much more expensive Apple iPad Air 2 – except for the maximum luminance.

CalMAN Colorspace (target color space sRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Grayscale (target color space sRGB)

The LCD screen performs quite well outdoors, but the tablet cannot overcome reflections and direct sunlight even at the highest luminance. The viewing angles are on par with an IPS display. The contents are hardly darker even from extreme angles and we cannot see color distortions.

viewing angles
outdoor visibility at maximum luminance

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15 ms rise
↘ 15 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 76 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
47 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23 ms rise
↘ 24 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 77 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19035 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Performance

The Haier Pad 971 is powered by a mainstream ARM SoC from 2014. The Rockchip RK3288 is a 32-bit processor with four Cortex-A12 cores. Combined with 2 GB DDR3 memory, our test model is usually on par with the comparison devices in the benchmarks, despite the higher display resolution. However, it cannot compete with the Intel Atom x5-Z8500 inside the Xiaomi MiPad 2. We can see a similar picture in our browser benchmarks: The Haier Pad 971 is sometimes clearly beaten by the Xiaomi MiPad 2, especially in Mozilla Kraken 1.1 and JetStream 1.1, but can beat the Lenovo tablets Yoga Tab 3 and Tab 2 A10-70. The results of the entry-level device are on a pretty low level compared to the iPad Air 2 – here we can see the price difference. 

The performance of the internal 16 GB storage is not very good – sequential transfer rates (read/write) in particular fall behind the rivals. At least the 4K performance is decent within the comparison group.

Subjectively, the Haier Pad 971 leaves mixed impressions. The benchmarks as well as the subjective browser performance show that the Rockchip RK3288 can handle the almost 3 million pixels. Browser contents are loaded pretty quickly and pinch-to-zoom as well as scrolling worked very well. However, long loading times when you open and close apps are common, even if they are already in the cache. The slow access times of the flash storage seem to affect the performance. There can also be hiccups and stutters during multitasking.

AnTuTu v6 | 3DMark | GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | GFXBench 3.0 | GFXBench 3.1 | PCMark for Android | Geekbench 3 | BaseMark OS II | Mozilla Kraken 1.1 | Octane V2 | JetStream 1.1 | AndroBench 3-5
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
47100 Points ∼16%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
30993 Points ∼11% -34%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
73083 Points ∼25% +55%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
22422 Points ∼8% -52%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
101062 Points ∼34% +115%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
10121 Points ∼3%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
10236 Points ∼3% +1%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
25460 Points ∼7% +152%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
4488 Points ∼1% -56%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
21707 Points ∼6% +114%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
9208 Points ∼1%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
10844 Points ∼1% +18%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
27537 Points ∼3% +199%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
4092 Points ∼0% -56%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
31542 Points ∼4% +243%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
15496 Points ∼13%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
8558 Points ∼7% -45%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
20142 Points ∼17% +30%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
6786 Points ∼6% -56%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
10379 Points ∼9% -33%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
610 Points ∼5%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
0 Points ∼0% -100%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
1353 Points ∼12% +122%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
0 Points ∼0% -100%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
2676 Points ∼24% +339%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
540 Points ∼3%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
0 Points ∼0% -100%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
1300 Points ∼8% +141%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
0 Points ∼0% -100%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
3534 Points ∼21% +554%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
1111 Points ∼21%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
0 Points ∼0% -100%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
1580 Points ∼29% +42%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
0 Points ∼0% -100%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
1445 Points ∼27% +30%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
12 fps ∼0%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
22 fps ∼1% +83%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
13 fps ∼0% +8%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
9.3 fps ∼0% -22%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
52.1 fps ∼2% +334%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
16 fps ∼0%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
15 fps ∼0% -6%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
32 fps ∼0% +100%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
5.4 fps ∼0% -66%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
70.4 fps ∼1% +340%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
5.3 fps ∼1%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
12 fps ∼3% +126%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
6.3 fps ∼2% +19%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
3.8 fps ∼1% -28%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
4.9 fps ∼1% -8%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
27 fps ∼7% +409%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
7.1 fps ∼0%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
7.2 fps ∼0% +1%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
8.4 fps ∼0% +18%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
1.8 fps ∼0% -75%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
5.1 fps ∼0% -28%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
37.6 fps ∼2% +430%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
3.3 fps ∼0%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
7 fps ∼0% +112%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
6.3 fps ∼0% +91%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
11.5 fps ∼0% +248%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
4.9 fps ∼0%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
3.2 fps ∼0% -35%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
13 fps ∼0% +165%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
17.9 fps ∼0% +265%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
3888 Points ∼19%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
4061 Points ∼20% +4%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
5279 Points ∼26% +36%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
2720 Points ∼14% -30%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
4226 Points ∼21% +9%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
698 Points ∼14%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
766 Points ∼15% +10%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
331 Points ∼6% -53%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
686 Points ∼13% -2%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
1909 Points ∼2%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
1499 Points ∼2% -21%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
1075 Points ∼1% -44%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
2031 Points ∼3% +6%
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi MiPad 2
990 Points ∼15%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
1816 Points ∼27%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi MiPad 2
3170 Points ∼5%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
4530 Points ∼7%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
827 Points ∼9%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
663 Points ∼7% -20%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
1419 Points ∼15% +72%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
402 Points ∼4% -51%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
929 Points ∼10% +12%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
1967 Points ∼21% +138%
System (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
2088 Points ∼11%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
1433 Points ∼7% -31%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
1921 Points ∼10% -8%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
793 Points ∼4% -62%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
1700 Points ∼9% -19%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
4104 Points ∼21% +97%
Memory (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
342 Points ∼3%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
275 Points ∼2% -20%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
1379 Points ∼12% +303%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
229 Points ∼2% -33%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
1173 Points ∼10% +243%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
832 Points ∼7% +143%
Graphics (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
685 Points ∼2%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
573 Points ∼2% -16%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
1609 Points ∼5% +135%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
274 Points ∼1% -60%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
495 Points ∼2% -28%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
4920 Points ∼16% +618%
Web (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
1011 Points ∼42%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
856 Points ∼36% -15%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
952 Points ∼40% -6%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
527 Points ∼22% -48%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
755 Points ∼32% -25%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
1263 Points ∼53% +25%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
6884 ms * ∼8%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
5658 ms * ∼7% +18%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
4420 ms * ∼5% +36%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
15229 ms * ∼18% -121%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
17410 ms * ∼20% -153%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
2396 ms * ∼3% +65%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
5967 Points ∼6%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
5835 Points ∼6% -2%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
7994 Points ∼8% +34%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
2152 Points ∼2% -64%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
4116 Points ∼4% -31%
Apple iPad Air 2 2014
10512 Points ∼10% +76%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
33.13 Points ∼6%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
43.04 Points ∼8% +30%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
14.19 Points ∼3% -57%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
26 Points ∼5% -22%
AndroBench 3-5
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
5.37 MB/s ∼1%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
5.59 MB/s ∼1% +4%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
13.96 MB/s ∼2% +160%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
3.12 MB/s ∼1% -42%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
3.9 MB/s ∼1% -27%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
15.34 MB/s ∼3%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
13.84 MB/s ∼3% -10%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
24.42 MB/s ∼4% +59%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
10.9 MB/s ∼2% -29%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
17 MB/s ∼3% +11%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
14.57 MB/s ∼0%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
12.06 MB/s ∼0% -17%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
56.4 MB/s ∼2% +287%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
50.2 MB/s ∼2% +245%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
12.15 MB/s ∼0% -17%
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Haier Pad 971
56.9 MB/s ∼1%
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
126 MB/s ∼3% +121%
Xiaomi MiPad 2
147.9 MB/s ∼3% +160%
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
127.8 MB/s ∼3% +125%
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
144.2 MB/s ∼3% +153%

Legend

 
Haier Pad 971 Rockchip RK3288, ARM Mali-T760 MP4, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015 Mediatek MT8135, PowerVR G6200, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Xiaomi MiPad 2 Intel Atom x5-Z8500, Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 APQ8009, Qualcomm Adreno 304, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo TAB2 A10-70 Mediatek MT8165, ARM Mali-T760 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Apple iPad Air 2 2014 Apple A8X, PowerVR GXA6850, 128 GB eMMC Flash

* ... smaller is better

Games

The integrated graphics card ARM Mali-T760 MP4 of the SoC (System on a Chip) has 4 clusters clocked at up to 600 MHz (48 GFLOPS). The GPU performance of the Haier tablet cannot keep up with the Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) of the MiPad 2 – demanding games like “Modern Combat 5” or “Real Racing 3” are still running smoothly at high settings. Both the touchscreen as well as the position sensor worked perfectly during our review.

Real Racing 3
Modern Combat 5

Emissions

Temperature

We can measure a maximum idle temperature of 33.8 °C (~93 °F) at the front of the Haier Pad 971. The tablet warms up to 41.4 °C (~107 °F) under load, which is simulated by the app Stability Test (>1 hour). The warming is perceptible in practice, but it is never inconveniently hot.

Max. Load
 40.8 °C
105 F		41.4 °C
107 F		37.4 °C
99 F		 
 35.7 °C
96 F		35.4 °C
96 F		36.7 °C
98 F		 
 35.8 °C
96 F		36.7 °C
98 F		36 °C
97 F		 
Maximum: 41.4 °C = 107 F
Average: 37.3 °C = 99 F
38 °C
100 F		40.9 °C
106 F		38.6 °C
101 F
36.2 °C
97 F		36.9 °C
98 F		36.1 °C
97 F
35.7 °C
96 F		35.2 °C
95 F		35.1 °C
95 F
Maximum: 40.9 °C = 106 F
Average: 37 °C = 99 F
Power Supply (max.)  46.9 °C = 116 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.3 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.4 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 34.1 °C / 93 F, ranging from 21.2 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.9 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 33.5 °C / 92 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.1 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

The mono speaker is located at the rear of the tablet. It offers a comparatively decent sound, but it is rather unbalanced. Our analysis of the pink noise diagram shows that there is hardly any bass, whereas high tones are well-differentiated. There were no distortions during music playback on the Haier Pad 971. The maximum volume of 89.6 dB(A) is one of the highest in this comparison group.

Pink Noise diagram

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The idle consumption of the Haier Pad 971 is very low, just like the difference between minimum (min. brightness, airplane mode) and maximum (max. brightness, WLAN) power consumption while idling. The maximum consumption under load is 6.95 watts, which is roughly on par with the comparison devices.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.13 / 0.52 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.38 / 1.46 / 1.6 Watt
Load midlight 5.06 / 6.95 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Gossen Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

battery capacity (AIDA 64)

We cannot confirm the specified battery capacity of 7800 mAh for the Haier Pad. According to the app AIDA64, the battery of the tablet has a capacity of only 6700 mAh. Our Wi-Fi test with an adjusted display brightness of 150 cd/m² still determines a good result of 7 hours and 3 minutes for the Pad 971. The provided 5-V-PSU needs 3 hours and 48 minutes before the battery is fully charged again.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
7h 03min
Haier Pad 971
Mali-T760 MP4, RK3288, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Amazon Fire HD 10 inch 2015
PowerVR G6200, MT8135, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Xiaomi MiPad 2
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8500, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 YT3-X50F
Adreno 304, 212 APQ8009, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Lenovo TAB2 A10-70
Mali-T760 MP2, MT8165, 16 GB eMMC Flash		Apple iPad Air 2 2014
PowerVR GXA6850, A8X, 128 GB eMMC Flash
Battery Runtime
6%
0%
83%
22%
WiFi v1.3
423
450
6%
421
0%
776
83%
515
22%
WiFi
630

Pros

+ build quality
+ tactile feel
+ display
+ SD-card slot

Cons

- slow flash storage
- performance
- connectivity
- camera

Verdict

In review: Haier Pad 971. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.
In review: Haier Pad 971. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.

The build quality of the Haier Pad 971 is very good given that it is a device with an entry-level price. The materials as well as the great display would really create a recommendable mixture of price and performance – even though the connectivity covers only the essentials. The major "drawback" of the Android tablet is the performance of the internal 16 GB storage. Its access times are below-average even in this price range and clearly affect the system performance. The Rockchip SoC sometimes also has problems with the high display resolution (2048x1536 pixels). The camera at the back is not very useful, because the pictures of the 2 MP sensor are just not good enough.

The Haier Pad 971 will not be the right tablet if smooth performance and photography are important to you. However, if you can live with these limitations you will get a good entry-level device where the build quality, materials as well as the quality of the IPS display are better than you would expect for this price.

Haier Pad 971 - 04/26/2016 v5.1(old)
Marcus Herbrich

Chassis
85%
Keyboard
85 / 80 → 100%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
29 / 65 → 44%
Weight
82 / 40-88 → 88%
Battery
89%
Display
83%
Games Performance
26 / 68 → 38%
Application Performance
36 / 76 → 47%
Temperature
88%
Noise
100%
Audio
68 / 91 → 74%
Camera
40 / 85 → 46%
Average
69%
83%
Tablet - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Reviews > Haier Pad 971 Tablet Review
Marcus Herbrich, 2016-05- 6 (Update: 2018-05-15)