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Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite 8 Tablet Review

Mini Me(diaPad). The 8-inch variant of the MediaPad M3 Lite brings a lot of polish and panache to the Android ecosystem. Despite its mid-range specifications, the M3 Lite proves to be a capable media machine. Is this the affordable compact tablet to get?

Huawei is known for creating well-built mobile devices at an affordable price. This is certainly the case with its latest tablet, the MediaPad M3 Lite 8. We recently reviewed the 10.1" variant of the MediaPad M3 Lite and found it to be a capable media-centric device that left us wanting in terms of raw power. The 8" model under review today is very similar to its bigger brother; our device has the same 1920x1200 resolution, the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 SoC, and the same EMUI 5.1 (which is built on Android 7.0 Nougat).

The MediaPad M3 Lite 8 is an interesting blend of the budget and premium markets. While its innards are admittedly low-tier silicon, the body of the device is elegantly crafted from machined aluminum, giving the case a high-class look and feel. While it may look the part of a flagship, everyday use lags behind even mid-range tablets currently on the market. However, for a casual user, the MediaPad M3 Lite 8 may be an affordable alternative to other modern tablets.

Huawei offers the M3 Lite 8 in both WWAN and WiFi-only variants. Our unit lacks an LTE radio, so we will omit the usual sections on GPS and WWAN communication. In addition, the virtual keyboard and handling experience are similar to the MediPad M3 Lite 10; as such, those sections will also be omitted. Please refer to that review for more information.

In order to get a broad view of the capabilities of the M3 Lite 8, we will also look a wide array of other smaller Android tablets, such as the ZenPad 3 8.0 from Asus, the Amazon Fire HD 8, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab A7. We will also compare perhaps the most popular small tablet in the United States, the venerable iPad Mini (4th generation) from Apple. Let's dive in.

Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8 (MediaPad M3 Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 8 x 1.4 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
Display
8.00 inch 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixel 283 PPI, 10-point Multitouch, IPS, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: Combination , 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: acceleration, gyroscope, compass, USB-OTG
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.5 x 213.3 x 123.3 ( = 0.3 x 8.4 x 4.85 in)
Battery
18.6 Wh, 4800 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 7.0 Nougat
Camera
Primary Camera: 8 MPix
Secondary Camera: 2 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Dual stereo speakers, Keyboard: Virtual, Charger, USB-A to micro USB cable, SIM tool, EMUI 5.1, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
310 g ( = 10.93 oz / 0.68 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
200 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

As mentioned, the case is a beauty to behold. Metal and glass are the only materials here, with nary a piece of plastic in sight. The chamfered aluminum rails surrounding the chassis give a sense of refinement to the device, and the matte finish across the back of the device is highly resistant to smudges and fingerprints. Overall, the device doesn't look the part of a budget device and rivals the appearance of the upper echelon of tablets. 

Haptics are also good, but leave room for improvement. At 310 grams, the device has a satisfying heft to it without feeling too heavy in the hands. The chassis also feels cool and very nice when held, and the materials aren't as slippery as other metal- or glass-backed tablets. Stability is a sticking point, though. The body flexes a bit too much for comfort, especially when twisted. The chassis feels firm, but there is visible warping along the edges when direct pressure is applied. This contortion is surprising given the small footprint and metal body. While users shouldn't notice any unwanted deformation during normal use, leaving the tablet in a bag filled with heavy objects may lead to a slight bend over time.

The footprint of the MediaPad M3 Lite 8 is part and parcel for an 8-inch tablet. It sits at the lighter end of the spectrum, weighing a mere 6 grams more than the iPad Mini 4 and about 10 grams less than the ZenPad 3 8.0. The dimensions are also similar to other tablets with a 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio. The iPad Mini 4 and ZenPad 3 are wider but not as long, owing mainly to the 4:3 aspect ratio of their screens. All said, the M3 Lite 8 fits nicely in the hands and isn't exhausting to hold.

214 mm / 8.43 inch 128 mm / 5.04 inch 9.7 mm / 0.3819 inch 369 g0.814 lbs215.5 mm / 8.48 inch 124.2 mm / 4.89 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 310 g0.683 lbs213.3 mm / 8.4 inch 123.3 mm / 4.85 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 310 g0.683 lbs205.4 mm / 8.09 inch 136.4 mm / 5.37 inch 7.57 mm / 0.298 inch 320 g0.705 lbs203.2 mm / 8 inch 134.8 mm / 5.31 inch 6.1 mm / 0.2402 inch 304 g0.67 lbs186.9 mm / 7.36 inch 108.8 mm / 4.28 inch 8.7 mm / 0.3425 inch 283 g0.624 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity

The MediPad M3 Lite 8 doesn't do much to innovate in terms of tablet connectivity. While the 3 GB of RAM should be more than adequate for most users, the 16 GB of onboard storage may be too limiting for some. Thankfully, storage can be upgraded via the microSD card slot. Units that are compatible with cellular networks can also insert a SIM card in the same tray. The LTE model is also equipped with a total of 32 GB of onboard storage, which power users will appreciate.

The exterior ports are standard mobile device fare. Users will find a micro USB 2.0 port, speaker, and microphone along the bottom, the power button, volume rocker, and microSD card tray on the right edge, and another speaker and 3.5 mm combo audio jack on the top.

Bottom: speaker, micro USB, microphone
Bottom: speaker, micro USB, microphone
Right side: microSD card tray, power button, volume buttons
Right side: microSD card tray, power button, volume buttons
Top: combo audio jack, speaker
Top: combo audio jack, speaker
Left side: nothing
Left side: nothing

Communication

WiFi connectivity is a major weakness of the M3 Lite 8. Transmit and receive speeds are abysmal, hovering around 45 MBit/s. Compared to other tablets on the market, the M3 Lite 8 is just plain slow when it comes to wireless connection speeds. In daily use, websites to take a second or two longer to load than other tablets and mobile devices. On the plus side, WiFi connections are stable and strong.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
569 MBit/s +1159%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
264 MBit/s +484%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
209 MBit/s +362%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
802.11a/b/g/n
86 MBit/s +90%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
45.2 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
615 MBit/s +1340%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
326 MBit/s +663%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
209 MBit/s +389%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
802.11a/b/g/n
99.3 MBit/s +133%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
42.7 MBit/s

Software & Accessories

The MediaPad M3 Lite 8 runs EMUI 5.1, which is Huawei's skinned version of Android 7.0 Nougat. The experience is by and large very smooth with mostly aesthetic tweaks. Icons and menus have a distinctive flair to them that differentiates the user interface from Stock Android in a subtle and appealing manner. The overall look and feel blend the granular control of Android with the smoother interface and aesthetic of iOS, especially in settings menus. The operating system is unmistakably Android, but feels a bit more coherent and refined, especially compared to the skins of other Android OEMs.

While the interface improves the experience, the copious amounts of bloatware are a major detraction. In addition to Google's suite of apps that come installed on most Android devices, there are 26 additional apps pre-loaded on the tablet. Some (like the calculator, calendar, and weather apps) are merely stock apps expected to be on a mobile device with a Huawei skin, but others are third-party apps from companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook. Most of these can be uninstalled, but the process is a tedious addition.

There are also a few Huawei-made apps, like HiCare and Kids Corner, that cannot be uninstalled. While some users may see these custom apps as beneficial, many will find them redundant and will never open them.

Huawei includes a wall adapter, micro USB cable, and microSD/SIM tray ejector tool in the box.

Cameras

The camera loadout in the MediaPad M3 Lite 8 is the exact same as that of its bigger brother: 8 MP sensors are used for both the rear- and front-facing cameras. As far as tablets go, both cameras are fairly impressive. The "selfie" camera is particularly noteworthy. Colors are accurate and details are fairly sharp. Shadows introduce some noise, but images are clear and punchy.

The main camera is also better than average. In good lighting conditions, image quality approaches that of an entry level DSLR (in this case, a Nikon D3200). Details are crisp but colors tend to wash out. Over sharpening is present around edges, which creates some undesirable aliasing. This is especially noticeable at high-contrast, rounded edges (e.g., Scene 3, near the left base of the green slide). The camera also struggles with low lighting, introducing lots of digital noise and blurring focus. That said, considering tablet photography hasn't taken off, the cameras on the M3 Lite 8 are satisfactory and will suffice in a pinch.

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 3Scene 4

Display

The MediaPad M3 Lite 8 shares the same 1920x1200 display resolution as the 10-inch variant, although the smaller size makes for a sharper image. The 16:10 aspect ratio makes for an easier handling experience than other 16:9 tablets, and documents read more easily on the wider display. Screen brightness averages about 402 nits, which is reasonably bright and usable in most indoor lighting conditions. The backlight is even across the screen with no noticeable bright spots. Contrast is a bit low at 731:1 but isn't terribly distracting.

402.5
cd/m²
414.9
cd/m²
416.5
cd/m²
401.7
cd/m²
409.1
cd/m²
399.3
cd/m²
381.7
cd/m²
397.6
cd/m²
393.8
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
IPS tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 416.5 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 401.9 cd/m² Minimum: 4.02 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 409.1 cd/m²
Contrast: 731:1 (Black: 0.56 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.2
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
IPS, IPS, 8.00, 1920x1200
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
10-point Multitouch, IPS, 8.00, 1280x800
Apple iPad Mini 4
Retina Display, IPS, 7.90, 2048x1536
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
IPS, 8.40, 2560x1600
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Super AMOLED, 9.70, 2048x1526
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
IPS, 7.00, 1280x800
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
IPS, 7.90, 2048x1536
Display
Display P3 Coverage
83.9
sRGB Coverage
99.1
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
94
Response Times
-16%
-89%
86%
-112%
-29%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
27.2 ?(14, 13.2)
35.2 ?(16.4, 18.8)
-29%
59 ?(16, 43)
-117%
4 ?(2, 2)
85%
69 ?(45, 24)
-154%
31 ?(14, 17)
-14%
Response Time Black / White *
22.4 ?(12.4, 10)
22.8 ?(11.6, 11.2)
-2%
36 ?(13, 23)
-61%
3.2 ?(2, 1.2)
86%
38 ?(22, 16)
-70%
32 ?(15, 17)
-43%
PWM Frequency
221.2 ?(100)
Screen
-21%
13%
-0%
34%
-11%
11%
Brightness middle
409.1
419
2%
411
0%
460
12%
452
10%
358
-12%
386
-6%
Brightness
402
412
2%
421
5%
445
11%
468
16%
344
-14%
364
-9%
Brightness Distribution
92
91
-1%
91
-1%
90
-2%
82
-11%
92
0%
88
-4%
Black Level *
0.56
0.39
30%
0.58
-4%
0.45
20%
0.37
34%
0.57
-2%
Contrast
731
1074
47%
709
-3%
1022
40%
968
32%
677
-7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.1
8.5
-107%
2.15
48%
6.2
-51%
1.8
56%
5.3
-29%
3.3
20%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.6
13.8
-44%
10.5
-9%
4
58%
20.2
-110%
7.1
26%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.3
10.3
-94%
2.72
49%
6.5
-23%
1.2
77%
4.7
11%
1.7
68%
Gamma
2.2 100%
2.6 85%
2.29 96%
2.33 94%
2.11 104%
2.44 90%
2.42 91%
CCT
7603 85%
6216 105%
7012 93%
8056 81%
6500 100%
7222 90%
6397 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
82.32
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.06
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-19% / -20%
13% / 13%
-45% / -18%
60% / 47%
-62% / -31%
-9% / 3%

* ... smaller is better

Colors are fairly accurate. A DeltaE of 4.1 is a bit too high for professional video and photo editing, but since the tablet is aimed squarely at media consumption, most users will find colors vibrant and punchy. Colors and greys aren't as accurate as some premium tablets, like the iPad Mini 4, but are more than good enough for consumer use, especially at the price point. PWM is not present, and the screen is highly responsive to shifts in color. Overall, the screen is bright, even, and colorful and should make for an enjoyable viewing experience. 

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
Saturation Sweeps
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
22.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 12.4 ms rise
↘ 10 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 44 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
27.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 13.2 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 31 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better 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 not detected

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.

The brightness sensor on the M3 Lite 8 is quick and very reliable. Changes in lighting prompt a near-immediate response in either dimming or brightening the display. The screen falls fairly dim in low-light environments and is set to the maximum brightness outdoors. Unfortunately, the highly reflective finish on the display makes outdoor use next to impossible. While the screen is visible under shade, reflections on the front glass render the screen practically useless in direct sunlight.

Viewing angles are excellent (owing to the IPS panel). Colors remain accurate without any shift and text remains legible when viewed from an angle.

In shade.
In shade.
In direct sunlight.
In direct sunlight.
Even backlight with slight bleed along the right edge (top in this orientation).
Even backlight with slight bleed along the right edge (top in this orientation).

Performance

The MediaPad M3 Lite 8 sports Qualcomm's Snapdragon 435 SoC. The 435 is a lower-tiered CPU typically seen in budget phones and tablets. While it boasts 8 ARM Cortex A53 cores, they are clocked at a paltry 1.4 GHz. Performance is subsequently lackluster but should be enough for everyday use. While not the slowest piece of silicon in our roundup, it's still a far cry from the more robust SoCs in higher-end tablets and falls just below the middle of the pack in benchmarking. Users in need of more processing punch should look to the more powerful offerings from Qualcomm or the MediaPad M3 8.4, which is powered by Huawei's own Kirin 950.

Graphics are handled by the onboard Adreno 505, also from Qualcomm. GPU performance mimics that of the CPU. Casual games are definitely playable, but more demanding 3D titles are a bit out of reach here. Settings will need to be reduced when possible; even then, expectations should be well-tempered. 

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
144426 Points +213%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
86735 Points +88%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
71734 Points +56%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
46126 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
34714 Points -25%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
22854 Points -50%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
2331 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
1754 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
867 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
3196 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
656 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
115 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
2702 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
781 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
143 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
2100 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
1724 Points
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1398 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
880 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
4772 Points
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1423 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
1021 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
192 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
3426 Points
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1418 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
1153 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
232 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
2322 Points +75%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
1798 Points +36%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1450 Points +10%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
1324 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
878 Points -34%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
2943 Points +1019%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
832 Points +216%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
781 Points +197%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
263 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
121 Points -54%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
2578 Points +706%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
970 Points +203%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
870 Points +172%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
320 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
150 Points -53%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
2261 Points +70%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
1811 Points +36%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1385 Points +4%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
1332 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
881 Points -34%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
4626 Points +760%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1310 Points +143%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
997 Points +85%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
538 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
193 Points -64%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
3438 Points +455%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1326 Points +114%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
1139 Points +84%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
620 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
234 Points -62%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
21886 Points +136%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
15538 Points +68%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
11568 Points +25%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
9844 Points +6%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
9274 Points 0%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
9264 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
7790 Points -16%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
34002 Points +235%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
25254 Points +148%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
22306 Points +119%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
22141 Points +118%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
10163 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
5435 Points -47%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
3146 Points -69%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
30277 Points +204%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
20230 Points +103%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
18737 Points +88%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
18491 Points +86%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
9948 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
5986 Points -40%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
3626 Points -64%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
6998 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
1914 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
2282 Points
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Physics
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
6992 Points
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Graphics
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
3352 Points
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
3790 Points
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
59 fps +269%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
37 fps +131%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
27 fps +69%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
23 fps +44%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
17 fps +6%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
16 fps
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
6.5 fps -59%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
92 fps +441%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
47.8 fps +181%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
34 fps +100%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
29 fps +71%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
17 fps
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
9.9 fps -42%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
4.2 fps -75%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
34 fps +347%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
15.3 fps +101%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
11 fps +45%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
9 fps +18%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
7.6 fps
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
7.1 fps -7%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
48 fps +596%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
21.5 fps +212%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
15 fps +117%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
13 fps +88%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
6.9 fps
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
3.6 fps -48%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
19 fps +313%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
6.1 fps +33%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
5 fps +9%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
4.6 fps
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
4.2 fps -9%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
32 fps +553%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
9.5 fps +94%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
7.7 fps +57%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
4.9 fps
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
2.3 fps -53%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
13 fps +420%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
4 fps +60%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
3.1 fps +24%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
2.5 fps
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
19 fps +604%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
5.4 fps +100%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
4.8 fps +78%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
2.7 fps
PCMark for Android
Work 2.0 battery life
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
393 min
Computer Vision score
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
3105 Points +48%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
2105 Points
Storage score
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
9462 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
2884 Points -70%
Work 2.0 performance score
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
5432 Points +45%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
3744 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
2907 Points -22%
Work performance score
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
6018 Points +24%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
5608 Points +16%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
5204 Points +7%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
4843 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
4125 Points -15%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
3095 Points -36%
BaseMark OS II
Web
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
1059 Points +51%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
1022 Points +46%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
1007 Points +43%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
873 Points +24%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
702 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
593 Points -16%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
521 Points -26%
Graphics
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
4941 Points +536%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
2668 Points +243%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1651 Points +112%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
1302 Points +68%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
777 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
334 Points -57%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
150 Points -81%
Memory
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
2212 Points +81%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
1931 Points +58%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1590 Points +30%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
1224 Points
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
902 Points -26%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
736 Points -40%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
431 Points -65%
System
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
3581 Points +81%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
3505 Points +77%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
3132 Points +58%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
2076 Points +5%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
1980 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
1152 Points -42%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
923 Points -53%
Overall
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
2409 Points +125%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
HiSilicon Kirin 950
1800 Points +68%
Apple iPad Mini 4
Apple A8
1681 Points +57%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 MSM8956
1475 Points +38%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
1072 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
640 Points -40%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Spreadtrum SC7731
345 Points -68%
Geekbench 4.4
Compute RenderScript Score
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
7063 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
4187 Points +48%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
2821 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
1683 Points -40%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996
1745 Points +160%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
670 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz
628 Points -6%

Web browsing, for the most part, is smooth and enjoyable. Most websites load quickly, but heavier or content-rich sites will take a few seconds more. This is likely due to the poor connectivity speeds offered by the wireless module. Overall, the web experience is on par with other budget-oriented devices. Most users will find no fault here.

Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Mali-400 MP2, SC7731, 8 GB eMMC Flash
15534 ms * -23%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Adreno 505, 435, 16 GB eMMC Flash
12635 ms *
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
Mali-T720, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
11818 ms * +6%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Adreno 510, 650 MSM8956, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3803 ms * +70%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Mali-T880 MP4, Kirin 950, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2823 ms * +78%
Apple iPad Mini 4
PowerVR GX6450, A8, 64 GB SSD
2557 ms * +80%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Adreno 530, 820 MSM8996, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2244 ms * +82%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Mali-T880 MP4, Kirin 950, 32 GB eMMC Flash
11404 Points +274%
Apple iPad Mini 4
PowerVR GX6450, A8, 64 GB SSD
9962 Points +227%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Adreno 530, 820 MSM8996, 32 GB eMMC Flash
9531 Points +213%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Adreno 510, 650 MSM8956, 32 GB eMMC Flash
8349 Points +174%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Adreno 505, 435, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3049 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
Mali-T720, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2826 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Mali-400 MP2, SC7731, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2300 Points -25%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Mali-T880 MP4, Kirin 950, 32 GB eMMC Flash
53.7 Points +204%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Adreno 510, 650 MSM8956, 32 GB eMMC Flash
45.9 Points +160%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Adreno 530, 820 MSM8996, 32 GB eMMC Flash
42.73 Points +142%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
Mali-T720, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
19.52 Points +10%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Adreno 505, 435, 16 GB eMMC Flash
17.68 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Mali-400 MP2, SC7731, 8 GB eMMC Flash
14.5 Points -18%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Apple iPad Mini 4
PowerVR GX6450, A8, 64 GB SSD
144 Points +109%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Mali-T880 MP4, Kirin 950, 32 GB eMMC Flash
136 Points +97%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
Adreno 530, 820 MSM8996, 32 GB eMMC Flash
132 Points +91%
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
Adreno 510, 650 MSM8956, 32 GB eMMC Flash
103 Points +49%
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
Adreno 505, 435, 16 GB eMMC Flash
69 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
Mali-T720, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
57 Points -17%
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Mali-400 MP2, SC7731, 8 GB eMMC Flash
40 Points -42%

* ... smaller is better

Storage speeds are interesting. Reads from the internal flash memory are fairly quick and shouldn't leave users waiting long for apps or videos to load. Writes, on the other hand, are sluggish, especially when compared to other devices. The overall impression is mixed and places the M3 Lite 8 a bit lower than average.

Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
16 GB eMMC Flash
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
16 GB eMMC Flash
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
32 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
32 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
8 GB eMMC Flash
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
32 GB eMMC Flash
AndroBench 3-5
25%
104%
106%
-23%
53%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
14.6
34.15
134%
23.52
61%
58.6
301%
18.4
26%
20.61
41%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
87.7
51.1
-42%
61.7
-30%
76.4
-13%
21.41
-76%
39.62
-55%
Sequential Write 256KB
38.01
47.23
24%
117.2
208%
87.6
130%
28.95
-24%
116.6
207%
Sequential Read 256KB
135.1
159.1
18%
249.7
85%
288.6
114%
65.9
-51%
252.3
87%
Random Write 4KB
7.64
11.51
51%
31.35
310%
13.13
72%
9.55
25%
6.91
-10%
Random Read 4KB
35
21.55
-38%
32.04
-8%
45.82
31%
21.95
-37%
52
49%

Emissions

Temperature

The low-powered Snapdragon 435 has a benefit. Heat output is minimal thanks to its low clock speed, and this results in a fairly cool handling experience, even under load. There is a hot spot on the middle-left portion of the backside, but since users hands will likely fall on the top and bottom of the device (when held in landscape), this shouldn't present much of an issue. When gaming or performing very demanding tasks, the device will get slightly warm, which may result in damp palms. This will only occur when the tablet is under stress; everyday browsing and video streaming do not cause the tablet to warm up.

The device is able to maximize performance under extended stress as well. Using the GFXBench Battery Test to run the demanding Manhattan benchmark 30 times consecutively, we see no definitive pattern of throttling. Though the silicon may be slow, it is steady.

Clock speed is constant at 1.4 GHz.
Clock speed is constant at 1.4 GHz.
Performance is very consistent (note the small range of the y-axis).
Performance is very consistent (note the small range of the y-axis).
Frame rates are similar across multiple runs.
Frame rates are similar across multiple runs.
Max. Load
 33 °C
91 F
36.2 °C
97 F
37 °C
99 F
 
 32.2 °C
90 F
33.6 °C
92 F
34.8 °C
95 F
 
 31.8 °C
89 F
32.6 °C
91 F
35 °C
95 F
 
Maximum: 37 °C = 99 F
Average: 34 °C = 93 F
37 °C
99 F
42.2 °C
108 F
36.2 °C
97 F
35.2 °C
95 F
35.2 °C
95 F
34.2 °C
94 F
34.6 °C
94 F
35 °C
95 F
34.2 °C
94 F
Maximum: 42.2 °C = 108 F
Average: 36 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  34 °C = 93 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Mini
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34 °C / 93 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 37 °C / 99 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 42.2 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.8 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

Speaker sound profile
Speaker sound profile

With a name like MediaPad, media consumption is understandably the primary focus of the device. Thankfully, the dual stereo speakers are mostly up to the task. Unfortunately, their small size leaves some holes in the overall sound landscape. Bass is notably lacking and weak; sound lacks punch and doesn't have much body. Mids and highs, on the other hand, are crystal clear and fairly loud. Sounds also remain distortion-free, even at maximum volume. Voices are very clear and music is pleasant, if thin. Overall, the speakers are above average and much better than what most other sub-$200 tablets offer.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.2372538.3393136.838.8403737.45033.936.16333.934.98032.635.910032.23612530.336.216028.937.520028.639.325028.341.53152845.340026.74750026506302551.280024.753.6100024.159.5125023.563.7160023.263.920002361.8250022.764.6315022.367.3400022.566.2500022.365.5630022.161.4800022.165.5100002264.6125002257.71600021.949.1SPL35.675.8N2.634median 23.5median 57.7Delta210.631.73832.431.73430.331.33427.824.131.727.828.627.22628.63838.639.43827.430.336.227.427.525.828.627.524.723.625.424.72622.521.32626.822.523.326.834.52422.534.54628.122.44656.136.121.356.160.241.518.460.26548.117.56568.452.117.568.469.853.317.269.873.556.516.873.574.658.317.374.676.959.417.476.975.558.916.675.572.154.417.372.172.754.917.672.774.255.917.674.27455.917.77480.662.617.480.682.464.617.782.472.254.317.972.262.544.218.162.55435.718.15487.870.229.887.871.624.61.371.6median 71.6median 53.3median 17.7median 71.61110.51.711hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHuawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.4% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.4% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 86% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 11% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 86% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 11% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 35.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 68% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 67% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 26% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The Snapdragon 435 is known to be a power-sipping SoC focused on low energy consumption. Surprisingly, our device does not reflect this design. Despite its low power rating, the 435 in our tablet pulls significantly more energy than other tablets equipped with much more powerful processors. It also pulls more than the larger MediaPad M3 Lite 10, which has the same SoC beating at its heart. These readings may indicate a fluke with our particular review unit; the Snapdragon 435 is usually on the lower end of power consumption.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 2.3 / 2.92 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.02 / 6 / 6.64 Watt
Load midlight 7.34 / 9.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        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.
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
435, Adreno 505, 16 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1920x1200, 8.00
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, Mali-T720, 16 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1280x800, 8.00
Apple iPad Mini 4
A8, PowerVR GX6450, 64 GB SSD, IPS, 2048x1536, 7.90
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Kirin 950, Mali-T880 MP4, 32 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 2560x1600, 8.40
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
SC7731, Mali-400 MP2, 8 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1280x800, 7.00
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
650 MSM8956, Adreno 510, 32 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 2048x1536, 7.90
Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite
435, Adreno 505, 32 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10
Power Consumption
53%
39%
31%
46%
37%
34%
Idle Minimum *
4.02
0.99
75%
0.8
80%
1.51
62%
1.91
52%
1.01
75%
1.45
64%
Idle Average *
6
2.74
54%
3.6
40%
3.64
39%
3.59
40%
2.71
55%
4.44
26%
Idle Maximum *
6.64
2.83
57%
3.9
41%
3.68
45%
4.06
39%
2.75
59%
4.61
31%
Load Average *
7.34
4.51
39%
6.1
17%
6.95
5%
4.29
42%
7.28
1%
6.21
15%
Load Maximum *
9.6
5.69
41%
8
17%
9.11
5%
4.31
55%
10.02
-4%
6.33
34%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

One area where the MediaPad M3 Lite 8 truly excels is battery life. The 4800 mAh looks small on paper, but the low-powered Snapdragon 435 sips at battery life to produce impressive runtimes. The M3 Lite 8 pulls ahead of its competition by a wide margin in our browsing test and holds its lead under load. This is a tablet to consider for travelers demanding a long-lasting media player.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
23h 02min
WiFi Websurfing
14h 37min
Load (maximum brightness)
8h 00min
Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8
435, Adreno 505, 18.6 Wh
Apple iPad Mini 4
A8, PowerVR GX6450, 19 Wh
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, Mali-T720,  Wh
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Kirin 950, Mali-T880 MP4, 19.5 Wh
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530,  Wh
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 2016
SC7731, Mali-400 MP2, 14.8 Wh
Asus ZenPad 3 8.0 Z581KL-1A001A
650 MSM8956, Adreno 510, 18 Wh
Battery Runtime
-27%
6%
-34%
1%
-17%
-36%
Reader / Idle
1382
1488
8%
2032
47%
1110
-20%
1903
38%
1353
-2%
1147
-17%
WiFi v1.3
877
539
-39%
770
-12%
546
-38%
760
-13%
619
-29%
470
-46%
Load
480
242
-50%
393
-18%
268
-44%
375
-22%
379
-21%
263
-45%

Pros

+ beautiful and well-built case
+ decent camera with good detail
+ rich IPS display with great viewing angles
+ runs very cool under load
+ excellent battery life
+ loud, clear speakers...

Cons

- ...that unfortunately lack body and bass
- very poor WiFi speeds
- exhaustive amount of bloatware
- middling performance
- poor gaming performance

Verdict

In review: Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite 8. Review unit courtesy of Huawei.
In review: Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite 8. Review unit courtesy of Huawei.

The MediaPad M3 Lite 8 was designed to be a small media device for on-the-go media hounds. With its colorful and bright screen and long runtimes, it falls into this niche perfectly. The tablet is a great fit for casual users looking for a beautifully designed tablet to meet their web browsing and media consumption needs. The great cameras are a nice addition. The device is held back by its poor gaming performance, anemic storage, unnecessary bloatware, and below-average wireless speeds. Power users and gamers will be sorely disappointed with the tablet, but most will find the tablet perfectly acceptable for enjoying video playback and lighter gaming.

The deciding factor will inevitably come down to price. Outside of its build quality, the WiFi-only version doesn't offer much more than its cheaper competition. At USD $199, it may be out of reach for those wanting a tablet solely for YouTube and the like. There are better options, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 7, which starts about $50 cheaper. The Asus Zenpad 3 8.0 offers more power, a higher density screen, and typically retails for less than $50 more. However, the Huawei MediaPad line frequently goes on sale; at the time of this writing, Amazon has the device listed for $170. This makes the device much more tempting.

Consumers in search of a tablet for light web browsing and content consumption that doesn't look the part of a cheap plastic toy may want to consider the Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite 8. However, they will need to make compromises on gaming and CPU performance. All said, the MediaPad M3 Lite 8 is a beautiful, if expensive, budget tablet that dazzles with its looks rather than its power. 

Huawei Mediapad M3 Lite 8 - 09/27/2017 v6(old)
Sam Medley

Chassis
86%
Keyboard
74 / 80 → 92%
Pointing Device
96%
Connectivity
36 / 65 → 55%
Weight
86 / 40-88 → 96%
Battery
98%
Display
84%
Games Performance
20 / 68 → 30%
Application Performance
40 / 76 → 53%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
73 / 91 → 80%
Camera
69 / 85 → 81%
Average
73%
86%
Tablet - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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Sam Medley, 2017-10- 1 (Update: 2017-10- 1)