Honor MagicPad 2 Tablet Review - 12.3-inch, 144-Hz OLED price-cutter
Impressive.
£600 is a lot of money for a tablet. The slim Honor MagicPad 2, however, gives you a lot in return: It is one of the most affordable 12-inch tablets with an OLED display. Its 144 Hz refresh rate, 3K resolution, 8 speakers and speedy Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 complete the first-rate spec sheet. But how does it fare IRL? We took a closer look in our review.Manuel Masiero, 👁 Daniel Schmidt (translated by Katherine Bodner) Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
Until now, the MagicPad 2 was officially only available in China. Now, Honor has presented a European version of the 12.3-inch tablet - and made it available at an attractive price.
In the UK, the MagicPad 2 is priced at £450. Granted, that's still a lot of money. But the MagicPad 2 is actually one of the most affordable 12.x-inch tablets that come equipped with an OLED screen. It also features a refresh rate of 144 Hz and 3K resolution (3000 x 1920 pixels). The display, according to Honor, has a brightness of up to 1600 nits.
The MagicPad 2 is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and 12 GB of RAM, which should ensure good performance. Overall, these specs place the tablet among the best of its class, coming up close to strong competitors such as the Apple iPad Pro 12.9. The Apple tablet, meanwhile, has a lower resolution and is limited to 120 Hz. And it's twice as expensive.
Comparison of potential competitors
Rating | Version | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84.8 % | v8 | 10 / 2024 | Honor MagicPad 2 SD 8s Gen 3, Adreno 735 | 555 g | 5.8 mm | 12.30" | 3000x1920 | |
| 91.8 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 11 / 2022 | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 M2, M2 10-Core GPU | 682 g | 6.4 mm | 12.90" | 2732x2048 | |
| 74.8 % | v8 | 06 / 2024 | Lenovo Tab P12 Paper Dimensity 7050, Mali-G68 MP4 | 615 g | 6.9 mm | 12.70" | 2944x1840 | |
| 91.3 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 10 / 2023 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740 | 586 g | 5.7 mm | 12.40" | 2800x1752 | |
| 89.3 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 05 / 2024 | Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro SD 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740 | 590 g | 6.26 mm | 12.40" | 3048x2032 |
Please note: We updated our rating system, which means that the results of Version 8 cannot be compared to Version 7. Find out more about this change here.
Case - a 12.3-inch tablet, slim and lightweigt
Despite its size, the MagicPad 2 is wrapped in a very slim unibody case and its 555 grams make it easy for users to hold the tablet in one hand for extended periods without tiring. At 5.8 mm, the 12.3-inch tablet is also very slim. You may notice that the tablet doesn't lie entirely flat on a hard surface, which is because of the rear camera module, which stands out of the chassis by about a millimeter.
The slim look is further underlined by the narrow 5-mm bezel, which is made of aluminosilicate glass. The tablet gives a good overall impression, even though the matte back cover is made of plastic instead of aluminum like the rest of the frame. The gap dimensions are tight and even and the tablet resisted our attempts at warping. However, the device does not have an IP rating.
Besides our white variant, Moonlight White, the Honor MagicPad 2 is also available in black.
Connectivity - Only available with 256 GB storage
In Europe, Honor's MagicPad 2 is only available with one storage option. With 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, the device currrently sells for £500 in the UK. The hardly lavish internal storage can't be expanded either, due to the lack of a micoSD card reader.
In China, the tablet is available with more options, including up to 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage capacity. But the advantages end there: Even the Chinese version does not support LTE or 5G, nor NFC.
The MagicPad 2 has a USB-C port that supports OTG but is limited to USB 2.0 speeds and thus doesn't enable image output. Using the Samsung 980 Pro SSD, we measured a leisurely transfer rate of 25.5 MB/s. Due to the missing 3.5-inch audio jack, the USB-C port is forced to take on the role of audio connector. The tablet supports DRM WideVine L1.
Software - MagicPad 2 with Android 14
The MagicPad 2 runs on Android 14 and Honor's own user interface, MagicOS 8.0. The manufacturer has chosen to include various AI features, including Magic Capsule (a copy of Applie Dynamic Island), intelligent assistants such as Magic Ring (data exchange between compatible Honor devices) as well as an AI eraser for photos. You can find an overview of MagicOS 8'S features on the Honor website.
The Honor's Android updates are rather meager, unfortunately. While other Honor devices, including the Magic Pro series, receive up to 3 OS updates and 5 years of security patches, the MagicPad 2 is only slated to receive 1 OS upgrade and 3 years of security patches. The latter will be rolled out quarterly.
Sustainability
Honor uses almost no plastic in the packaging of the MagicPad 2 but does not include any information on how many recycled materials are included in the packaging or in the tablet itself. Nor does the manufacturer provide any information on the device's carbon footprint. There is no way for end consumers to purchase replacement parts for the MagicPad 2; however, the manufacturer does offer repairs.
Communication and GNSS - Honor tablet without GPS and cellular
The MagicPad 2 banks on WiFi 6 and has a stable transfer rate of up to 937 MBit/s in our test with our reference router Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000. This is almost enough to make full use of a Gigabit internet connection. (The initial slow throughput when sending data is due to the router still waking up.)
The Honor tablet has a faster WiFi transfer rate than both the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 and the Lenovo Tab P12. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ and the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro, however, it cannot use the 6-GHz band, which means that, overall, the tablet's WiFi performance is average compared to its alternatives.
The MagicPad 2 does not offer navigation services due to its missing GPS module. This is only available in China. Why a tablet feature would simply be removed for the international version, we do not know.
| Networking | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
Cameras - Good photos in daylight
The MagicPad 2's selfie camera has a resolution of 9 MP and, like the main camera, can record videos at up to 4K and 30 images per second. It's good enough for video chats but doesn't show a lot of details and is rather grainy even in good lighting.
On the back of Honor's 12.3-inch tablet sits a single camera. While it looks as if it were two lenses, the left is actually an LED flash. The 13-MP main camera has a warm color balance and takes good pictures in daylight that can even compete with the average mid-range smartphone. Our color analysis under controlled lighting did not reveal any major deviations (max Delta-E 10.03).
When motives are further away, the dynamic range remains high but the level of detail drops significantly and there is noticeable image noise in dark areas of the image. The main camera doesn't have good zoom and pictures of written text tend to be blurry. The camera is barely usable in bad lighting, as the photo motifs dissappear in the dark almost entirely.
The main camera records videos at max 4K and 30 images per second. They come out quite well. It is not possible to switch between the main and selfie camera while recording.
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.
Tageslicht-Aufnahme 1Tageslicht-Aufnahme 2Textdarstellung5-facher ZoomLowlight-Aufnahme
Accessories and Warranty - Need a power adapter?
The MagicPad 2 comes with a USB-C cable, a quick-start guide and warranty information. On the UK website, Honor also lets users add a 100-watt power adapter and earbuds to the bundle at no extra cost.
If you are planning to write and draw on the tablet, you will find suitable accessories in the Honor webshop. Available accessories inlude the Honor Magic Pen (£80) and the Smart Bluetooth Keyboard (£76).
The Honor MagicPad 2 comes with a warranty period of 24 months.
Input Devices & Operation - Stylus and keyboard available for purchase
Honor does not provide any information on the touch sampling rate of the 144-Hz display, but the OLED panel responds very quickly and precisely to inputs. The few physical keys on the tablet, the power button and volume rocker, are a little loose but have a crisp pressure point.
The manufacturer also provided us with the Magic Pencil 3 and the Smart Bluetooth Keyboard for testing. The stylus supports 4096 pressure levels and attaches to the top of the tablet magnetically. It takes 45 minutes to recharge and one charge can last for up to 10 hours.
The Smart Bluetooth Keyboard is both a cover and a keyboard. When opened to the keyboard, it has a fixed opening angle of 60 degrees and the tablet is held firmly in place with a magnet. The keys are 1.6 mm high and offer a comfortable typing experience. The keyboard does not support backlighting or a touchpad. Flipping the keyboard around to the back, so that it is hidden beneath the tablet, atuomatically locks the keys to prevent unwanted inputs.
The MagicPad 2 is not equipped with a fingerprint reader. The selfie camera can be used for 2D face recognition, which works well even in the dark, provided the display is bright enough. The tablet can be set up to recognize up to 5 faces.
Display - 3K OLED panel with 144 Hz
One of the MagicPad 2's absolute highlights is its bright and accurate 3K display. The OLED panel has a resolution of 3000 x 1920 pixels, which equals a very high pixel density of 290 PPI. In addition, the display has a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, which the tablet dynamically adapts to the content being displayed. Alternatively, it can also be set to 60, 90 or 144 Hz. The MagicPad 2 supports HDR10, HDR 10+ and HLG.
On a pure white background, the display has an average brightness of 650 cd/m². The result is similar when this measurement is done on smaller image sections (APL18). The OLED panel increases its brightness to 1503 cd/m² for HDR content, coming close to the 1600 nits reported by the manufacturer. If the brightness sensor is deactivated, the display can be set to a maximum of 601 cd/m² and the minimum brightness is 2.26 cd/m².
The OLED panel flickers with a low frequency of 90 Hz at all brightness levels we measured. This can be an issue for sensitive users. However, the tablet also has a special PWM dimming mode of 4320 Hz, which our measurements come very close to (4166 Hz).
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 645 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.83
ΔE Greyscale 1.5 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
98.4% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.25
| Honor MagicPad 2 OLED, 3000x1920, 12.3" | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 Mini-LED, 2732x2048, 12.9" | Lenovo Tab P12 Paper LTPS, 2944x1840, 12.7" | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ AMOLED, 2800x1752, 12.4" | Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro IPS, 3048x2032, 12.4" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -22% | -100% | -51% | -44% | |
| Brightness middle | 645 | 611 -5% | 148 -77% | 574 -11% | 867 34% |
| Brightness | 650 | 605 -7% | 139 -79% | 551 -15% | 810 25% |
| Brightness Distribution | 94 | 92 -2% | 90 -4% | 89 -5% | 87 -7% |
| Black Level * | 0.3 | 0.58 | |||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.3 | 1.4 -8% | 3.59 -176% | 2.01 -55% | 2 -54% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 2.1 | 3.3 -57% | 5.52 -163% | 4.93 -135% | 5.5 -162% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.5 | 2.3 -53% | 3 -100% | 2.8 -87% | 3 -100% |
| Gamma | 2.25 98% | 2.22 99% | 2.243 98% | 2.066 106% | 2.29 96% |
| CCT | 6658 98% | 6930 94% | 7115 91% | 6566 99% | 6957 93% |
| Contrast | 493 | 1495 |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 90 Hz Amplitude: 18.02 % Secondary Frequency: 4166 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 90 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 90 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8356 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
A series of measurements with fixed zoom and various brightness settings (the amplitude curve at minimum brightness appears very flat, however, this is due to the scaling. The enlarged version of the amplitude at minimum brightness can be seen in the info box.)
With its OLED panel, the MagicPad 2 not only matches the resolution and brightness of competitors such as the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+, The test shows that it is also in no way inferior to them in terms of image quality. If you leave the color mode in the display settings set to Normal and the color temperature set to Standard, the MagicPad 2 scores with excellent color accuracy and a practically ideal white balance.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1.16 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.583 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.577 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 4 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 8.84 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.999 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 7.844 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 20 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.1 ms). | ||
The MagicPad 2 is suitable for outdoor use, though on sunny days, the increased display brightness may not be enough to allow users to read the display. In shade, however, the OLED panel with its stable viewing angles is always easy to read.
Performance - MagicPad 2 with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
Equipped with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, the Honor MagicPad 2 is one of the fastest tablets available, putting it in the same league as the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2). The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+, however, is still slightly faster with its higher clocking Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.
| UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (13576 - 15572, n=6) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Average of class Tablet (2597 - 74821, n=66, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| Geekbench AI | |
| Single Precision TensorFlow NNAPI 1.1 | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (407 - 1065, n=2) | |
| Average of class Tablet (243 - 1243, n=8, last 2 years) | |
| Half Precision TensorFlow NNAPI 1.1 | |
| Average of class Tablet (227 - 5204, n=8, last 2 years) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (399 - 981, n=2) | |
| Quantized TensorFlow NNAPI 1.1 | |
| Average of class Tablet (508 - 4998, n=8, last 2 years) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (903 - 1693, n=2) | |
The MagicPad 2's graphics performance is strong thanks to the Adreno 735 GPU. Once again, this puts the tablet at the top of our graphics benchmarks, although not quite as easily as in the CPU benchmarks. Besides the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+, it also lags behind the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro.
Still, the GPU performance is very good and can even handle graphically demanding games, as simulated by the Aztec Ruins tests from GFXBench. Here, the tablet always reaches frame rates well over 30 FPS (apart from the 4K benchmark). The GFXBench On Screen tests slow the Honor down to 60 FPS.
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7: T-Rex Onscreen | 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
GFXBench 3.0: on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
GFXBench 3.1: on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
GFXBench: on screen Car Chase Onscreen | 1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Unlimited Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| 3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Score | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| 3DMark / Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
The MagicPad 2 is just as competent when surfing the web. Websites load and display quickly, but in the browser benchmarks, the tablet has to settle for a spot in the middle of the pack.
| Jetstream 2 - 2.0 Total Score | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 (Safari Mobile 16.1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ (Chrome 117) | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro (Chrome 125.0.6422.52) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (59.7 - 235, n=7) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 (Chrome 128.0.6613.146) | |
| Average of class Tablet (19.9 - 393, n=74, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper (Chrome 126) | |
| WebXPRT 4 - Overall | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 (Safari Mobile 16.1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ (Chrome 117) | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro (Chrome 125.0.6422.52) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 (Chrome 128.0.6613.146) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (61 - 185, n=7) | |
| Average of class Tablet (21 - 315, n=77, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper (Chrome 126) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 (Safari Mobile 16.1) | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro (Chrome 125.0.6422.52) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 (Chrome 128.0.6613.146) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ (Chrome 117) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (65.9 - 247, n=6) | |
| Average of class Tablet (2.59 - 572, n=66, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper (Chrome 126) | |
| Speedometer 3.0 - Score | |
| Average of class Tablet (1.25 - 34.4, n=46, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro (Chrome 125.0.6422.52) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 (Chrome 128.0.6613.146) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (3.54 - 13.6, n=7) | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper (Chrome 126) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 (Safari Mobile 16.1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ (Chrome 117) | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro (Chrome 125.0.6422.52) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (28536 - 66369, n=7) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 (Chrome 128.0.6613.146) | |
| Average of class Tablet (763 - 111219, n=100, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper (Chrome 126) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Average of class Tablet (319 - 34733, n=86, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper (Chrome 126) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (603 - 1456, n=7) | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 (Chrome 128.0.6613.146) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ (Chrome 117) | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro (Chrome 125.0.6422.52) | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 (Safari Mobile 16.1) | |
* ... smaller is better
Honor does not provide any information on the tablet's storage device. Based on the transfer rates achieved in Androbench, it is probably UFS 3.1 storage, which enables short load times and quick starting of apps.
| Honor MagicPad 2 | Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | Average 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Average of class Tablet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -46% | 22% | 46% | -21% | -41% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 2025.54 | 894.3 -56% | 3413.8 69% | 3465.72 71% | 1728 ? -15% | 1326 ? -35% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 2003.53 | 722.1 -64% | 2528.2 26% | 3154.3 57% | 1155 ? -42% | 936 ? -53% |
| Random Read 4KB | 298.27 | 237.4 -20% | 450.3 51% | 381.97 28% | 285 ? -4% | 210 ? -30% |
| Random Write 4KB | 401.95 | 225.7 -44% | 161.3 -60% | 510.95 27% | 316 ? -21% | 216 ? -46% |
Games - Smooth gaming guaranteed
Games are always displayed smoothly on the MagicPad 2, even when they are as graphically demanding as Genshin Impact, played at maximum details.
Our testing tool, Gamebench, measured a constant 60 FPS during the entire session of Genshin Impact. The tablet could in theory deliver an even higher FPS rate, but it isn't allowed to. The same goes for the second test game, PUBG Mobile, which runs smoothly at the highest setting available on the MagicPad 2 (Ultra HD) but is limited to 40 frames per second.
Emissions - Powerful Surround Sound
Temperature
The MagicPad 2 hardly heats up while in operation. After running our Burnout Benchmark stress test for an hour, we measured a maximum of only 39.4 °C on the surface of the tablet. This means that the 12.3-inch device is comfortable to touch even under continuous load.
The 3DMark stress test scenarios are used to evaluate how strongly the tablet throttles its SoC performance under load. The MagicPad 2's performance drop remains straightforward even when performance mode is activated and the average performance drop across all stress test scenarios only amounts to around 10 percent. If the tablet uses the handbrake, you shouldn't notice it in everyday use.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39.4 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 33.2 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.4 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Wild Life Unlimited Stress Test Stability | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 | |
| Solar Bay Stress Test Stability | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ | |
| Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Solar Bay Unlimited Stress Test Stability | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Steel Nomad Light Stress Test Stability | |
| Lenovo Tab P12 Paper | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
| Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Stress Test Stability | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 | |
Speaker
Beneath the four speaker grilles are a total of eight speakers. This allows the slim MagicPad 2 to produce a well-balanced and also surprisingly voluminous sound, including a decent amount of bass for the likes of a tablet. Users can switch between stereo sound and spatial audio in the audio settings, the latter making the sound seem even stronger and sometimes almost too loud. The speakers don't distort the audio, even at maximum volume.
External audio devices can be connected via USB-C or Bluetooth 5.3. The MagicPad 2 only supports a limited number of Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, aptX and aptX HD.
Honor MagicPad 2 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (90.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 9% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 88% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 5% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 9.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (8.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 97% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 2% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 97% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Energy Management - Recharges in less than 2 hours
Energy Consumption
The MagicPad 2 is very economical under load and consumes a maximum of 11.6 watts, making it a lot more efficient than its competitors. The tablet also does well while idling but has to admit defeat to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+, which is even more energy-efficient in this scenario.
The MagicPad 2's 10,050-mAh battery can be recharged at up to 100 watts. The 66-watt power adapter we were provided with by Honor recharges the device in 1:49 hours. 80 percent charge is reached after 1:24 hours.
| Off / Standby |   0.07 / 0.23 Watt |
| Idle |  3.6 / 6.52 / 6.54 Watt |
| Load |
10.63 / 11.57 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Honor MagicPad 2 10050 mAh | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 10702 mAh | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ 10090 mAh | Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 10000 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -37% | 9% | -5% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 3.6 | 2.54 29% | 3.4 6% | 1.22 66% |
| Idle Average * | 6.52 | 11.24 -72% | 3.6 45% | 7.18 -10% |
| Idle Maximum * | 6.54 | 11.48 -76% | 3.9 40% | 8.22 -26% |
| Load Average * | 10.63 | 12.97 -22% | 11.7 -10% | 13.63 -28% |
| Load Maximum * | 11.57 | 16.6 -43% | 15.8 -37% | 14.56 -26% |
* ... smaller is better
Energy Consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Energy Consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Battery Life
The MagicPad 2's battery life is similar to that of its competition. 10 hours while surfing and just over 14.5 hours of video put the Honor on par with the Apple iPad Pro 12.9.
| Honor MagicPad 2 10050 mAh | Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2022 10702 mAh | Lenovo Tab P12 Paper 10200 mAh | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ 10090 mAh | Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 10000 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 1% | 14% | 0% | 30% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1469 | 1839 25% | 996 -32% | 2565 75% | |
| H.264 | 880 | 816 -7% | 693 -21% | 773 -12% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 606 | 671 11% | 692 14% | 584 -4% | 959 58% |
| Load | 232 | 173 -25% | 365 57% | 224 -3% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Honor MagicPad 2
The Honor MagicPad 2 is lightweigt, slim and good-looking. But its interiors are just as enticing and include a 3K display, strong SoC performance and excellent speakers. Especially the impressive armada of speakers make the MagicPad 2 an excellent choice for movie and music lovers.
Its 12.3-inch OLED display, IMAX-Enhanced certification and 8 speakers make the Honor MagicPad 2 the perfect choice for watching movies and series. If purchased with the keyboard and stylus, there's no reason not to fit in a few hours of productive work as well.
The high-resolution 144-Hz OLED display and the fast Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 make the MagicPad 2 a good alternative to the Apple iPad Pro 12.9, which is almost twice as expensive, - especially as it can be combined with a keyboard and stylus pen. The Honor's battery life, too, is just as good as Apple's. Both tablets had close to identical runtimes and provide enough power for a full day of intensive use.
There are, however, a few things we don't love about the MagicPad 2. The case is not protected against dust and water and the device supports neither GPS nor celluclar connections. The only storage option is 256 GB and the update period is relatively short. Users are limited to USB 2.0 and have no possibility for image output. Honor also failed to include NFC. If, however, you are mainly interested in using multimedia and internet applications within your own four walls, you will likely not be impacted by these shortcomings.
There is one other alternative to the Honor MagicPad 2, which is similar in terms of price and connectivity and can also be equipped with a keyboard and stylus: the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro. Or, if you are willing to spend a lot more money, the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 or the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ will give you a slightly larger tablet, better cameras as well as image output and cellular.
Price and Availability
The Honor MagicPad 2 is available in the UK for £500 from the Honor website. The device currently isn't available in the United States.
Please note: We updated our rating system, which means that the results of Version 8 cannot be compared to Version 7. Find out more about this change here.
Honor MagicPad 2
- 09/30/2024 v8
Manuel Masiero
Total Sustainability Score: Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was given to the author by the manufacturer free of charge for the purposes of review. There was no third-party influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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Every year, Notebookcheck independently reviews hundreds of laptops and smartphones using standardized procedures to ensure that all results are comparable. We have continuously developed our test methods for around 20 years and set industry standards in the process. In our test labs, high-quality measuring equipment is utilized by experienced technicians and editors. These tests involve a multi-stage validation process. Our complex rating system is based on hundreds of well-founded measurements and benchmarks, which maintains objectivity. Further information on our test methods can be found here.
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