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Huawei MediaPad M2 10 Tablet Review

Multimedia Metal. With the MediaPad M2 10, Huawei has managed to launch a multimedia tablet on the market that has an edge on other devices in this price range, such as high-resolution cameras. We will prove that that is not the tablet's only virtue in this test.

For the original German review, see here.

Huawei introduces a new generation of its 10-inch multimedia tablets to the market after quite some time: We tested the former MediaPad 10 FHD and MediaPad 10 Link in 2012 and 2013. The new model is dubbed MediaPad M2 10, and is to impress both its opponents and the buyers alike with a fast octa-core SoC, Full HD panel and, like its predecessor, a bold price.

However, there are various models of Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 to choose from and their prices currently range from around 320 to 460 Euros (~$360 to $518) on the Internet. The standard model comes with 2 GB of working memory and 16 GB of storage capacity, and the premium model features 64 GB of storage and 3 GB of working memory. Then there are versions of both models with and without LTE. We are testing the standard model with LTE here.

We use middle priced multimedia tablets with a size of approximately 10 inches for comparison. LG's G Pad II, Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab A 9.7 are among these.

Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch (MediaPad Series)
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 930 8 x 2 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
10.10 inch 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixel 224 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, native pen support, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 8 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm audio port, Card Reader: micro-SDHC max. 128 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: compass, accelerometer, brightness sensor, fingerprint scanner, Hall sensor
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0, GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz UMTS: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz TD-SCDMA: band 34/39 LTE-FDD: band 1/3/7/8/20 LTE-TDD: band 38/39/40/41; SAR-rate: 0.69 W/kg (head), LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.3 x 239 x 172 ( = 0.29 x 9.41 x 6.77 in)
Battery
25.3 Wh, 6660 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix auto focus, flash
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix fix focus
Additional features
Speakers: 4 speakers, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, charger, USB cable, Tablet Manager, Bamboo Paper, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
500 g ( = 17.64 oz / 1.1 pounds), Power Supply: 64 g ( = 2.26 oz / 0.14 pounds)
Price
500 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 shares common design features as the iPad Pro. Only models with a white front and silver back are presently found on the German market, but photos of a version with a gold-colored back exist on the Internet.

The choice of material is metal. It is characterized by a matte and non-slip finish, and differs from its MediaPad Link and MediaPad FHD predecessors with a slightly more angular shape. In line with current mobile technology standards, a fingerprint scanner is incorporated on the front that is also the "home" button.

Huawei's M2 10 is not a lightweight weighing 500 grams (~1.1 pounds), but it feels good and substantial in the hand. With a height of just 7.3 millimeters (~0.3 inches), it is thin and the other dimensions are also compact so that only a narrow frame is created around the display.

In fact, the choice of materials and design are good and the MediaPad M2 10 is also rigid. Although pressure on the front becomes slightly visible in the liquid crystals, that is only to a very small degree. Pressure on the back is not passed on to the screen. However, the tablet produces a loud cracking noise in its middle when twisted, which causes concern for the device and reduces the quality impression.

260 mm / 10.2 inch 176 mm / 6.93 inch 9.7 mm / 0.3819 inch 540 g1.19 lbs254.3 mm / 10 inch 161.1 mm / 6.34 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 487 g1.074 lbs242.5 mm / 9.55 inch 166.8 mm / 6.57 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 456 g1.005 lbs239 mm / 9.41 inch 172 mm / 6.77 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 500 g1.102 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity

As said, different configurations of Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 exist. Our review sample comes with 2 GB of RAM and a slightly tight 16 GB of storage that can be expanded by up to 128 GB via a micro-SD card. Apps can also be moved to the micro-SD card (Apps2SD).

To be fair, it has to be pointed out that LG'S G Pad II and Samsung's Galaxy Tab A 9.7 no longer offer a fixed storage. Only Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 has 32 GB. Besides, there is also the premium model of the MediaPad M2 10 with 64 GB of storage.

The power and data port supports USB standard 2.0 Type B. Thus, the connector has to be inserted right way up. It does not matter which side of the plug is inserted in the newer Type C. USB OTG is also possible, and thus external USB storage devices can be connected to the tablet.

Software

The operating system of Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 is based on Android 5.1. Huawei covers it with Emotion UI 3.1. Everyone who has ever used an Android tablet will accommodate quickly, and even newcomers will not be puzzled much. The modifications to the system are mostly graphic in nature, but Huawei has added some useful features: The operating system's looks can be changed quite extensively via "Design". The tablet manager allows accelerating the phone, clean the memory or just manage what notifications apps are to be displayed.

The most unusual piece of software on Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 is likely "Bamboo Paper". Handwritten notes using a finger or a stylus can be made with it. The capacitive touchscreen can be disabled so that only stylus inputs and not unintentional streaks by a hand are accepted. The settings for point size and selection of pens will not satisfy professionals, but the software is absolutely sufficient for occasionally sketching on the tablet.

Communication & GPS 

The presently cheapest model of the MediaPad M2 10 is available for approximately 320 Euros (~$360) on the Internet. However, it only sports Wi-Fi for communicating with the Internet. An LTE module costs roughly 50 Euros (~$56) more at the moment. It allows using four GPRS frequencies, four UMTS frequencies and five LTE bands. That should be enough for coping in most countries worldwide. The different LTE transmission options FDD (different bands for upload and download) as well as TDD (a time-shifted band for upload and download) are supported. The reception quality is also decent. We almost always had a very good signal both indoors and out in an urban area in the German Vodafone network.

The Wi-Fi module supports networks with up to standard 802.11 ac, making very fast network connections at 1733 MBit per second and more possible. We tested the reception quality with a FritzBox 6490 and were quite pleased: A signal strength of 75% was achieved at a distance of ten meters (~33 ft) from the router and through three walls. Pages opened very quickly. Three meters (10 feet) further and another wall resulted in half the signal strength; pages opened a bit slower but still fast.

GPS reception indoors
GPS reception indoors
GPS reception outdoors
GPS reception outdoors

A GPS module is naturally also installed, and Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 can thus be used for navigating or for local services. Although the module did not find us indoors, we were tracked quickly outdoors and the localization was also accurate enough with a deviation of four meters (~13 feet).

Front-facing camera picture
Front-facing camera picture

Cameras & Multimedia

Huawei does not believe the saying "no one uses a tablet for photographing", and installs considerably higher-resolution modules in its tablet than the equally priced rivals. Photos with 13 megapixels are shot with the rear-facing lens, which is supported by auto focus and flash. A flash is not found in many other tablets, either.

Just how well does the unusually high-resolution camera for a tablet fare? It takes decent pictures, especially from the landscape and even low-light photos are surprisingly good. However, closer objects look unfocused and blurry in detail when zoomed. High-end smartphone cameras clearly have a lead here.

We also photographed a reference card with the primary camera in standardized light conditions. The result looks relatively sharp and the color reproduction good. Zoomed details also make a sufficiently focused impression although the outlines are blotted. A color comparison even displays somewhat stronger yellow tones than in the reference colors; many color hues are somewhat too bright.

Photos made with the front-facing camera with fixed focus and 5 megapixel resolution display pale colors and look slightly overexposed. Inaccurate outlines and color noise also becomes evident when zoomed. The front-facing camera can nevertheless be used for shooting a quick selfie.

The primary camera records videos in Full HD at 30 frames per second; the front-facing camera can create videos in 720p also at 30 frames per second. The primary camera's recordings look smooth and the auto focus adapts quickly enough when not moving too fast. The front-facing camera's videos are again more useful for social media with slightly noisy and pale colors.

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 photo
Test photo
Test photo (detail)
Test photo (detail)
Color comparison (above: camera; below: reference)
Color comparison (above: camera; below: reference)

Accessories

Only a charger, USB cable, various documents and a tool for opening the SIM and SD card slots in the device are included for the MediaPad M2 10. Accessories for the MediaPad M2 10 are currently not sold in Huawei's German VMall, but original sleeves with kickstand by the manufacturer can be found on the Internet for approximately 30 Euros (~$34), as well as the original stylus for about 25 Euros (~$28).

Warranty

The warranty period is 24 months.

Input Devices & Handling

Huawei does not rely on Google's stock keyboard, but preloads the alternative Swype keyboard. However, the Android version or any other installed keyboard can be selected in the settings menu. Swype can be used intuitively, and supports the name-giving swipe mode that makes it unnecessary to tap single letters. The keyboard can be divided and placed at the screen's edges for using both hands, and two shift keys facilitate typing although they also limit the room for the letter keys. It is ultimately a matter of taste and habits whether the Swype or Google keyboard is preferred.

The capacitive touchscreen is nice to use, has a pleasant surface and it is sensitive up into the corners. The nowadays almost compulsory fingerprint scanner is situated below the screen, and it also serves as the home button as well as a touch-sensitive surface for other commands. Logging in with it is reliable and fast, and gestures (long tap for home screen, swipe right for frequently used apps) also functions very reliably.

Besides a few additional features, such as Huawei's own voice control, it is also possible to display some apps in split screen. However, not all apps support this feature. At least, very useful combinations can be created with preloaded apps (email program/calendar or browser/maps).

Keyboard landscape mode
Keyboard landscape mode
Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard portrait mode

Display

Subpixel screenshot
Subpixel screenshot

The screen in the MediaPad M2 10 presents itself in the common 16:10 aspect ratio and a diagonal of 10.1 inches. The panel's Full HD resolution is standard in this price range; only Samsung's Galaxy Tab A 9.7 disappoints with a very low 1024x768 pixels here.

With an average of 383.2 cd/m², the MediaPad M2 10's screen is relatively bright. The illumination of 91% is also very even and large colored areas look homogeneous. We also measured the APL50 (average picture level) with equally distributed bright and dark areas since this evaluation usually produces an even more realistic rate: The brightness of 385 cd/m² in the image center is just as high, but the black level is a bit higher than in the normal assessment.

382
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
365
cd/m²
397
cd/m²
385
cd/m²
396
cd/m²
392
cd/m²
382
cd/m²
389
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 397 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 383.2 cd/m² Minimum: 23.01 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 385 cd/m²
Contrast: 939:1 (Black: 0.41 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.31 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.58 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.4
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
Adreno 306, 410 APQ8016, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Screen
-1%
-11%
1%
Brightness middle
385
355
-8%
343
-11%
394
2%
Brightness
383
367
-4%
328
-14%
392
2%
Brightness Distribution
91
89
-2%
88
-3%
80
-12%
Black Level *
0.41
0.53
-29%
0.38
7%
0.51
-24%
Contrast
939
670
-29%
903
-4%
773
-18%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.31
3.2
40%
6.86
-29%
3.59
32%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.57
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.58
4.36
22%
6.95
-25%
4.25
24%
Gamma
2.4 92%
2.2 100%
2.32 95%
2.56 86%
CCT
7044 92%
7240 90%
7249 90%
7148 91%

* ... smaller is better

The good brightness and decent black level of 0.41 cd/m² result in a useful contrast ratio of 939:1. Although that is not a top rate, it is very solid especially when compared with other devices in this price range.

Since it is possible to alter the color temperature infinitely, we expand our analysis with the spectrophotometer and CalMAN software with an additional test where we set the controls completely on "Warm". The deviation to the sRGB reference color space is quite extreme in default settings. Setting the color temperature to "Warm" helps a bit since the grayscale levels display a visible bluish tint. However, the aberrations are still quite high.

CalMAN ColorChecker (standard)
CalMAN ColorChecker (standard)
CalMAN ColorChecker (Warm)
CalMAN ColorChecker (Warm)
CalMAN Colorspace
CalMAN Colorspace
CalMAN Grayscale (standard)
CalMAN Grayscale (standard)
CalMan Graustufen (Warm)
CalMan Graustufen (Warm)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps

 

 

 

Display Response Times

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
27 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 ms rise
↘ 20 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 63 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
46 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24 ms rise
↘ 22 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 75 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

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 detected 5208 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 5208 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 5208 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 can be used outdoors. However, the glossy screen is once again a problem. The brightness is just high enough to still recognize contents well, but reflections often strain the eyes.

The viewing angle stability is very good from all directions thanks to the IPS panel. Even several viewers should be able to see an impeccable image when looking on the screen.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

Huawei does not use an SoC from one of the major manufacturers, Qualcomm or Intel, but logically a computing unit from its own producer HiSilicon. The Kirin 930 has eight cores alongside a Mali-T628 graphics unit that can serve with four cores and a clock of up to 600 MHz. Thus, the SoC is a mid-range model, which is absolutely acceptable for this price range.

Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 is certainly impressive in our benchmarks. It is not always enough for first place - Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 often delivers somewhat better performance here. However, the difference should hardly be noticed in total, and our review sample is much faster than Samsung's Galaxy Tab A 9.7 in any case.

The graphics performance is also enough for a place in the upper midfield in the benchmarks, and the storage device undoubtedly belongs to one of the faster units in our comparison field. We also tested the micro-SD reader's speed with the extremely fast Exceria Pro M401 micro-SD card by Toshiba. The card can achieve up to 95 MBit per second in read and up to 80 MBit per second in write. However, we only recorded 50.52 MBit per second in read and 23.14 MBit per second in write from the MediaPad M2 10.

Geekbench 3
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
881 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
3537 Points
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
403 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
343 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
1052 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
12530 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
15658 Points +25%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
14292 Points +14%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
4407 Points -65%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
13198 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
15554 Points +18%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
13858 Points +5%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
3838 Points -71%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
10643 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
16031 Points +51%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
16050 Points +51%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
9168 Points -14%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
8247 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
9978 Points +21%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
8048 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
2626 Points -68%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
7936 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
10768 Points +36%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
7201 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
2190 Points -72%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
9557 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
7939 Points -17%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
14156 Points +48%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
8667 Points -9%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
4458 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
3525 Points -21%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
5281 Points +18%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
1146 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
1069 Points -7%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
971 Points -15%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
577 Points -50%
System (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
1943 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
1955 Points +1%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
1520 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
1050 Points -46%
Memory (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
1283 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
462 Points -64%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
924 Points -28%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
537 Points -58%
Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
903 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
1997 Points +121%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
822 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
312 Points -65%
Web (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
767 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
725 Points -5%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
769 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
633 Points -17%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
52322 Points
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
17 fps
LG G Pad II 10.1
22 fps +29%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
18 fps +6%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
11 fps -35%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
16 fps
LG G Pad II 10.1
21 fps +31%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
18 fps +13%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
5.3 fps -67%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
8.7 fps
LG G Pad II 10.1
8.7 fps 0%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
8.4 fps -3%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
4.5 fps -48%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
8.8 fps
LG G Pad II 10.1
8.8 fps 0%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
8.7 fps -1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
1.8 fps -80%
AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
146 MB/s
LG G Pad II 10.1
155.8 MB/s +7%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
142 MB/s -3%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
144.7 MB/s -1%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
76 MB/s
LG G Pad II 10.1
59.1 MB/s -22%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
56 MB/s -26%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
58.9 MB/s -22%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
25 MB/s
LG G Pad II 10.1
21.61 MB/s -14%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
24 MB/s -4%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
21.56 MB/s -14%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
17 MB/s
LG G Pad II 10.1
9.52 MB/s -44%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
6.3 MB/s -63%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
12.48 MB/s -27%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
50.3 MB/s
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
23.14 MB/s
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
4682 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
4692 Points 0%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
6438 Points +38%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
2925 Points -38%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
9903 ms *
LG G Pad II 10.1
8253 ms * +17%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
5410 ms * +45%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
13257 ms * -34%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
74 Points
LG G Pad II 10.1
73 Points -1%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
109 Points +47%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
47 Points -36%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
28.27 Points

Legend

 
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch HiSilicon Kirin 930, ARM Mali-T628 MP4, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
LG G Pad II 10.1 Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974, Qualcomm Adreno 330, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 Intel Atom Z3735F, Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555 Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 APQ8016, Qualcomm Adreno 306, 16 GB eMMC Flash

* ... smaller is better

Games

We tested some high-requirement 3D games to determine the gaming performance. Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 achieved an average of 27 frames per second in "Asphalt 8: Airborne", which is just enough for lag-free gameplay. The maximum is 31 frames. The CPU is not the limiting factor here; only loaded to 13%, it still has enough resources and the RAM configuration is also still within a safe range with 450 MBytes. The frame rate is higher in "Dead Trigger 2": We recorded 30 frames per second with very marginal fluctuations.

It is just enough for smooth gameplay at the moment. However, the graphic settings might have to be reduced for graphically demanding games in future.

Controls via touchscreen and position sensors functioned impeccably.

"Asphalt 8: Airborne"...
"Asphalt 8: Airborne"...
... and "Dead Trigger 2" run smoothly, but barely.
... and "Dead Trigger 2" run smoothly, but just still.
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inchSamsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555LG G Pad II 10.1Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
Asphalt 8: Airborne
high
27
Dead Trigger 2
high
30
Total Average (Program / Settings)

Emissions

GFXBench battery test
GFXBench battery test

Temperature

An advantage of 10-inch tablets is that they offer enough room to cool the components decently even under stress. Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 is in fact quite successful here: A maximum of 34.3 degrees Celsius (93.74 Fahrenheit) is reached. Although that is palpable in the camera's area on the back, it is not problematic or unpleasant. The temperatures remain somewhat lower in idle mode; we measured up to 32.2 degrees (89.96 Fahrenheit) on the front. Especially when compared with other tablets from this price range, Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 always stays cool also on the outside.

However, the reason might be the SoC's limited performance after prolonged load. We tested this with the GFXBench battery test that runs the same benchmark thirty times and logs the frame rates. The frame rates began to drop with the twelfth run, and the system only managed to calculate 825 frames in the defined time in the twenty-fifth run. It was initially 975 frames and thus 150 frames more - a clear performance loss.

Max. Load
 33.4 °C
92 F
33.4 °C
92 F
33.2 °C
92 F
 
 31.2 °C
88 F
31.6 °C
89 F
33.9 °C
93 F
 
 30.4 °C
87 F
30.5 °C
87 F
33.3 °C
92 F
 
Maximum: 33.9 °C = 93 F
Average: 32.3 °C = 90 F
33.6 °C
92 F
34.3 °C
94 F
34.3 °C
94 F
32.4 °C
90 F
32.9 °C
91 F
31.9 °C
89 F
31.4 °C
89 F
31.4 °C
89 F
31 °C
88 F
Maximum: 34.3 °C = 94 F
Average: 32.6 °C = 91 F
Power Supply (max.)  34.5 °C = 94 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.3 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 33.9 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 34.3 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.9 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

"Pink Noise" speaker test
"Pink Noise" speaker test

Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 sports a total of four speakers, and Huawei promises high-quality sound and even "an unprecedented sound experience". That might even be true for a tablet: Since the upper speakers always render the trebles and the lower ones the bass ranges - depending on how the tablet is held - a balanced sound is created and the tabletop sometimes even vibrates during bass-heavy playback.

Watching videos is especially enjoyable thanks to the widely spaced speakers and the decent stereo effect. Naturally, it cannot compete with a sound system in a good gaming laptop not to mention a home cinema system, but the sound will satisfy even more demanding users when on-the-go.

We measured 82 dB(A) in our "Pink Noise" speaker test, which is the maximum that the speakers can deliver. The lower speakers are somewhat louder, but the maximum volume should be enough to fill average-sized rooms with sound.

Software support for the speakers is naturally also present. The "Clar-Fi" software by Harman/Kardon is to re-add lost sounds in compressed audio files and thus produce a rounder and richer sound impression. Unfortunately, that can only be verified via the test app and it cannot be said to what extent the sample files have been optimized for the test. Nevertheless, a very good audio quality can be confirmed even when listening to music. Static-free and good sound is delivered via the 3.5 mm jack or Bluetooth in any case.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

At first glance, the power consumption of Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 is on a relatively normal level for a tablet of this performance category. Both the shut down and standby requirement are throughout satisfactory. Interestingly, the consumption rates of our review sample and Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30 are virtually identical; Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 needs a bit less power only in some categories. Samsung's Galaxy Tab A 9.7 is the energy-savings winner in the comparison, but it is also noticeably weaker. Then again, LG's G Pad II consumes more power in every category. The MediaPad M2 is thus well equipped for routine use in total - and for our battery life test...

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.04 / 0.36 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.6 / 4.13 / 4.22 Watt
Load midlight 6.57 / 8.32 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

Despite considerably higher consumption rates, LG's G Pad II achieves better runtimes than the MediaPad M2 10. But why? Although Huawei furnishes its tablet with a relatively high battery capacity of 25.3 Wh, LG's tablet clearly tops that. The runtime difference is 12% in the practical Wi-Fi test. Compared with Acer's Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30, our review sample has a clear edge, and offers approximately 20% longer runtimes in total.

It must also be said that the MediaPad M2 10 should satisfy even demanding users with a Wi-Fi browsing time of 11:38 hours. When the tablet is not in permanent use, it should last for several days on one battery charge.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
16h 28min
WiFi Websurfing
11h 38min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
10h 02min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 26min
Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch
Mali-T628 MP4, Kirin 930, 16 GB eMMC Flash
LG G Pad II 10.1
Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Z3735F, 32 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7 SM-T555
Adreno 306, 410 APQ8016, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Battery Runtime
34%
-20%
18%
H.264
602
1020
69%
532
-12%
WiFi v1.3
698
782
12%
485
-31%
862
23%
Load
266
325
22%
221
-17%
297
12%

Pros

+ stylish, rigid metal casing
+ various configurations
+ good software
+ decent signal quality in WWAN/WLAN/GPS
+ very good cameras for a tablet
+ bright Full HD screen
+ good performance
+ always cool
+ decent sound quality
+ long battery life

Cons

- throttling under load
- cracks audibly when twisted
- screen's strong color shifts

Verdict

In review: Huawei MediaPad M2 10. Review sample courtesy of Huawei Germany.
In review: Huawei MediaPad M2 10. Review sample courtesy of Huawei Germany.

Even if the design is not awesomely unique: Huawei's MediaPad is something special. The rigid metal casing is just as compelling as the relatively bright screen, good speakers and battery life. Stylus inputs are possible, the fingerprint scanner can be used as an additional control for the tablet, and the software expansions seem useful and unobtrusive. It is almost a must to add the MediaPad M2 10 to the shortlist especially when high-quality cameras are wanted in the tablet. Even considerably more expensive devices rarely offer such high-resolution camera modules.

Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 barely shows any weaknesses, and it is therefore a good choice for everyone looking for a multimedia tablet with good speakers and mid-range performance.

Huawei could only improve one or two things in its tablet: The SoC throttles under load and it could perhaps provide gamers with a bit more power. The casing cracks loudly when twisted and clear color shifts (compared with the reference rate) and a bluish tint are visible on the screen.

Overall, those are only trifles and thus Huawei's MediaPad M2 10 has rightly earned a purchase recommendation.

Huawei MediaPad M2 10 inch - 04/18/2016 v5.1(old)
Florian Wimmer

Chassis
87%
Keyboard
70 / 80 → 88%
Pointing Device
96%
Connectivity
47 / 65 → 73%
Weight
83 / 40-88 → 90%
Battery
93%
Display
83%
Games Performance
26 / 68 → 38%
Application Performance
42 / 76 → 55%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
74 / 91 → 81%
Camera
73 / 85 → 85%
Average
74%
87%
Tablet - Weighted Average

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Florian Wimmer, 2016-04-10 (Update: 2018-05-15)