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Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 Tablet Review

Small sound expert. Multimedia capabilities and good cameras are still important considerations when buying an expensive tablet. On paper, the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 brings all that is necessary. Find out here, whether it can convince us in the test.
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4

The Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 is the smaller offshoot of the MediaPad M5 10 that we have already tested. The two tablets are currently spearheading Huawei's lineup in this segment. We were quite pleased with the MediaPad M5 10: For a tablet, it had good cameras and generally offered a lot of performance for a relatively low price. You have to pay 379 Euros (~$450) for its smaller sibling. Whether this is still a good deal, we will find out in the test.

As comparison devices, we are using the MediaPad M3 8.4 predecessor, the Lenovo Tab 4 8, the Amazon Fire HD 8, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2. Since the tablet market is not refreshed very often with new devices, the range between the devices is slightly larger at this time. However, we are curious how our test unit fares against these competitors.

Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 (MediaPad M5 Series)
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 960 8 x 2.4 GHz, Cortex-A73/-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
Display
8.40 inch 16:10, 2560 x 1600 pixel 359 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 24 GB free
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, Audio Connections: audio output via USB-C, Card Reader: microSD up to 256 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: acceleration sensor, gyroscope, hall sensor, aptX
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, 4G (1,3,4,5,7,8,12,17,18,19,20,26,34,38,39,40,41), 3G (850/​900/​1900/​2100), 2G (850/​900/​1800/​1900), LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.3 x 212.6 x 124.8 ( = 0.29 x 8.37 x 4.91 in)
Battery
19.4 Wh, 5100 mAh Lithium-Polymer, Quick Charge 9 V / 2 A
Operating System
Android 8.0 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix f/2.2, autofocus
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix f/2.2
Additional features
Speakers: 2 speakers, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, charger, USB cable, USB-C audio adapter, SIM tool, HiCare, Game Suite, PhoneClone, 24 Months Warranty, LTE-A Cat6 download: 300 MBit/s, ​upload: 50 MBit/s; SAR value: 0,271 W/kg (head), 1,01 W/kg (body), fanless
Weight
316 g ( = 11.15 oz / 0.7 pounds), Power Supply: 72 g ( = 2.54 oz / 0.16 pounds)
Price
379 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case – Huawei tablet with a robust metal case

The case consists of a matte metal back in gray color and a black front. Huawei calls the color Space Gray and it is currently the only color offered. Comparing it to the Huawei MediaPad M5 10, the display bezels do not have the same size on all sides, but in portrait mode are wider at the top and bottom and quite small on the sides. The display has a 16:10 format, and at 8.4 inches is the same size as in the Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 predecessor. The case is slightly taller, but less wide, and the thickness has not changed. Apart from the bulky ruggedized Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 tablet, the dimensions are quite similar in all the devices in our test, Huawei's devices are quite slim in the silhouette.

With its rounded corners, it feels very comfortable to hold the tablet. At 316 grams (0.7 lb), its weight is average. The stability of the case is better than in the 10-inch model, and pressure on the front or back does not have any effect on the display.

Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4

Size Comparison

238 mm / 9.37 inch 133 mm / 5.24 inch 13 mm / 0.512 inch 512 g1.129 lbs214 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 lbs212.6 mm / 8.37 inch 124.8 mm / 4.91 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 316 g0.697 lbs211 mm / 8.31 inch 124 mm / 4.88 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 310 g0.683 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity – no audio port, but LTE

Currently, the MediaPad M5 8.4 is only available with 32 GB of storage combined with 4 GB of RAM. There is an LTE and a pure Wi-Fi model of the tablet and the price difference is about 50 Euros (~$59). We are testing the LTE model.

You can expand the storage via microSD card up to 128 GB. While you can move apps to the microSD card, it cannot be formatted as an internal storage. Our test unit does not have a connection for a keyboard case like the 10-inch model. There is also no 3.5 mm audio port, and the sound is output via USB-C. NFC and USB OTG are supported, but there is no display output via USB.

Left: SIM tray
Left: SIM tray
Right: volume, standby key
Right: volume, standby key
Bottom: speaker, USB-C port
Bottom: speaker, USB-C port
Top: speaker
Top: speaker

Software – The MediaPad M5 8.4 comes with a lot of software

We were offered an update during our test, which updated the security patches of the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 to an already two-month-old version. The operating system is based on Android 8 with Huawei's EMUI on top. There are relatively a large number of additional preinstalled apps, only few of which the users may really want, such as many Free2Play games, various apps from online providers, and the Microsoft Office apps which the manufacturers install in order to receive a rebate on the patent fees to Microsoft.

In addition, Huawei have also preinstalled many of their own tools: a file manager, an app to select various designs, or a notepad, to mention just a few. This leads to only 24 GB of the 32 GB storage being available in the state of delivery.

Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 software
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 software
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 software
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 software
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 software
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 software
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 software
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 software

Communication and GPS – Good WLAN, great LTE

In terms of the WLAN, the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 is equipped with all that is necessary. With 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, all the necessary standards are covered, and the 5-Ghz band can also be used. Since it is less used, you can get better transfer rates here. We are also using it for our WLAN test with the Linksys EA8500 reference router, where we are seeing transfer rates that are at about the same level as its predecessor, the MediaPad M3 8.4. While this is really decent, Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active 2 offers significantly faster WLAN access. Rendering webpages occurs quite fast in our test, but you have to wait for images from time to time.

Our test unit also has an LTE modem which supports quite a lot of frequencies and also makes the tablet suited for using it in foreign countries. In our short test, the reception was good and we even got the full signal indoors. There is also an option to make calls, but you have to use the speakers or a connected headset, since there is no built-in earpiece. When doing that, the voice quality is solid. It is not that common that you can make calls with a tablet at all.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
Mali-T830 MP2, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
260 MBit/s +27%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Mali-T880 MP4, Kirin 950, 32 GB eMMC Flash
209 MBit/s +2%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 32 GB eMMC Flash
205 MBit/s
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
Mali-T720, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
86 MBit/s -58%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
41.5 MBit/s -80%
iperf3 receive AX12
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
Mali-T830 MP2, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
315 MBit/s +55%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Mali-T880 MP4, Kirin 950, 32 GB eMMC Flash
209 MBit/s +3%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 32 GB eMMC Flash
203 MBit/s
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
Mali-T720, MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, 16 GB eMMC Flash
99.3 MBit/s -51%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
46.5 MBit/s -77%
GPS test indoors
GPS test indoors
GPS test near the window
GPS test near the window
GPS test outdoors
GPS test outdoors

Indoors, the GPS module is unable to locate us correctly and it does not work even near the window. Outdoors, it also takes some time until sufficient satellites are found in order to locate us with an accuracy of 5 meters (~16 ft).

In order to provide more exact statements on the accuracy of the GPS module, we take a bike trip. We are packing our test unit into our backpacks and in addition also take the Garmin Edge 520, a professional navigation device for bikers that allows determining the exact location and serves as our reference. While our test unit is able to draw our path through the garden area more accurately than the Garmin navigator, though by no means perfectly, the professional device is able to show its capabilities in the bridge area. The Edge 520 is placing us approximately on the bridge, while the Huawei MediaPad is showing us flying across the water. The professional device also draws our turn much more accurately in this area. However, anyone who does not demand absolute accuracy from their locating device will achieve satisfying results with the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4.

GPS Garmin Edge 520 – overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – gardens
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – gardens
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – bridge
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – bridge
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 – overview
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 – overview
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 – gardens
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 – gardens
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 – bridge
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 – bridge

Cameras – The tablet takes good pictures

Picture taken with front camera
Picture taken with front camera

The camera modules are the same as those in the MediaPad M5 10. There is one 13-Megapixel camera without a flash but with autofocus in the back and an 8-Megapixel camera in the front. For a tablet, this is quite decent camera equipment. Under normal light conditions, the images of the main camera are very sharp and rich in detail. However, the colors from high-quality smartphone cameras will still show more fine graduations. You can also see differences in the image sharpness in the details, favoring the higher-quality cameras. In low-light situations, the images easily become noisy and the detail also becomes visibly blurry.

Of course, you can also record videos with the main camera, and there is a 4K mode. The color reproduction is okay, while areas can quickly become noisy, particularly in bad lighting.

The front camera takes decent pictures with good dynamics in the darker areas and a suitable color reproduction.

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

We again evaluate the color reproduction and image sharpness of the main camera under controlled light conditions in our test lab. The color areas quickly appear blotchy and the images are not quite sharp in the detail. While the color accuracy is acceptable overall, most of the time colors are reproduced slightly too dark.

Picture of test chart
Picture of test chart
Detail of test chart
Detail of test chart
Picture of ColorChecker: The original color is displayed in the bottom half of each field.
Picture of ColorChecker: The original color is displayed in the bottom half of each field.

Accessories and Warranty – Hardly any accessories for later purchase

In addition to a Quick-Charge 3.0 charger and a USB-C cable, the MediaPad M5 8.4 also includes a SIM tool and an audio adapter for the USB-C port. Apart from a quite affordable flip cover, there are no accessories for later purchase.

Huawei offers a 24-month warranty on its devices. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Operation– MediaPad touchscreen in parts inaccurate

Huawei has chosen SwiftKey as the keyboard app. It offers many configuration options and its operation on the tablet is fast and reliable.

While the touchscreen is very sensitive, its operation is not always 100-percent accurate in the corners. The position sensor recognizes the position of the tablet reliably. In portrait mode, below the display is the small fingerprint reader, which can unlock the tablet from standby mode quickly and precisely.

The menu keys are preset on the screen, but you can also use the fingerprint sensor for navigation, which works very quickly and reliably after a short time of getting used to it. In addition, you can display a so-called NaviDot on the screen, which can be moved around and also replaces the menu keys.

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

Display – High resolution, but not very bright

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

The 8.4-inch display has a 2560x1600 pixel resolution, which is just as high as that of its predecessor, the MediaPad M3 8.4. This high resolution results in a high pixel density and sharp image display. However, the brightness is slightly lower than its predecessor. We are measuring 392 cd/m² on average, which is not very high compared to the other tablets, but still sufficiently bright overall. On the other hand, at 92% the brightness distribution is quite even, so that larger color areas are evenly lit.

382
cd/m²
398
cd/m²
408
cd/m²
389
cd/m²
405
cd/m²
385
cd/m²
389
cd/m²
397
cd/m²
374
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 408 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 391.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 403 cd/m²
Contrast: 604:1 (Black: 0.67 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.78 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.278
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
IPS, 2560x1600, 8.40
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
IPS, 1280x800, 8.00
Lenovo Tab 4 8
IPS, 1280x800, 8.00
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
TFT LCD, 1280x800, 8.00
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
IPS, 2560x1600, 8.40
Screen
-1%
9%
34%
16%
Brightness middle
405
419
3%
455
12%
509
26%
460
14%
Brightness
392
412
5%
446
14%
477
22%
445
14%
Brightness Distribution
92
91
-1%
91
-1%
91
-1%
90
-2%
Black Level *
0.67
0.39
42%
0.51
24%
0.48
28%
0.45
33%
Contrast
604
1074
78%
892
48%
1060
75%
1022
69%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.78
8.5
-47%
5.5
5%
3.45
40%
6.2
-7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.82
13.8
-41%
14.8
-51%
5.17
47%
10.5
-7%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.2
10.3
-43%
5.5
24%
4.5
37%
6.5
10%
Gamma
2.278 97%
2.6 85%
2.23 99%
2.11 104%
2.33 94%
CCT
8405 77%
6216 105%
7852 83%
7171 91%
8056 81%

* ... smaller is better

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 2451 Hz ≤ 25 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 2451 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 25 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 2451 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.

The Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 has a black value of 0.67 cd/m² which is quite high, causing black areas to appear more gray than really black in high brightness settings. This and the relatively low brightness cause the contrast ratio to drop to 604:1, which is still a decent value, but rather low considering the comparison devices.

When we test further details of the screen with the aid of a spectral photometer and the CalMAN software, we notice that it has a quite significant blue tint which cannot only be seen with white or light-gray tones, but even distorts yellow color tones. Colors are reproduced with an average accuracy in general. While the 99.8% coverage of the sRGB color spectrum is only an approximation, it is still impressive.

You can choose between the Normal and Vivid display modes in the settings and also select manual settings or presets for the white balance. When we measure the Vivid preset with the Warm white balance, we notice an improvement in the color accuracy and the blue tint. However, it is still clearly noticeable.

We also measure PWM screen flickering. Apparently the manufacturer uses this to lower the display brightness below 25%. But since it occurs at a very high frequency, there should be no problems for most users.

CalMAN color accuracy – Normal
CalMAN color accuracy – Normal
CalMAN color space – Normal
CalMAN color space – Normal
CalMAN Grayscales – Normal
CalMAN Grayscales – Normal
CalMAN saturation – Normal
CalMAN saturation – Normal
CalMAN color accuracy – Vivid, Warm
CalMAN color accuracy – Vivid, Warm
CalMAN color space – Vivid, Warm
CalMAN color space – Vivid, Warm
CalMAN Grayscales – Vivid, Warm
CalMAN Grayscales – Vivid, Warm
CalMAN saturation – Vivid, Warm
CalMAN saturation – Vivid, Warm

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
20.5 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 22 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. » 39 % 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
13 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15 ms rise
↘ 11 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 21 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Outdoors, the display can manage fairly well on brighter days, if you use the quick-reacting brightness sensor or maximum brightness. Due to the strong reflections on the screen, the MediaPad M5 8.4 clearly feels much better in the shade than in the bright sun.

The viewing angle stability is very good, and there is only a very slight shift in brightness and color when looking from steep viewing angles.

Outdoor use – brightness sensor
Outdoor use – brightness sensor
Outdoor use – maximum brightness
Outdoor use – maximum brightness
Outdoor use – medium brightness
Outdoor use – medium brightness
Outdoor use – minimum brightness
Outdoor use – minimum brightness
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance – The Huawei tablet offers a lot of performance

Like its big brother, the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 is also equipped with a HiSilicon Kirin 960s manufactured in-house. This SoC offers a clock speed of 2100 MHz and is thus slightly slower than the Kirin 960. Yet there is still a clear performance jump compared to the MediaPad M3 8.4, and the MediaPad M5 8.4 is a very fast tablet. It can even reach the current iPad in some of the benchmarks.

An ARM Mali-G71 MP8 is used as a graphics unit, which offers a clock speed of up to 900 MHz and allows the MediaPad M5 8.4 to clearly surpass its predecessor as well as many other tablets.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
147597 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (124087 - 157445, n=7)
143408 Points -3%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
86735 Points -41%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
45573 Points -69%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
36893 Points -75%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
34714 Points -76%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
181614 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (170015 - 181614, n=4)
174560 Points -4%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (6830 - 7403, n=7)
7199 Points +2%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
7053 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
5204 Points -26%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
4945 Points -30%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
4457 Points -37%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
4125 Points -42%
Work 2.0 performance score
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (6006 - 6299, n=7)
6136 Points +2%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
6006 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
3789 Points -37%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
3312 Points -45%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
2907 Points -52%
BaseMark OS II
Overall
Average of class Tablet (444 - 8886, n=50, last 2 years)
3556 Points +19%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2982 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (2204 - 2985, n=7)
2701 Points -9%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
1800 Points -40%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
1005 Points -66%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
796 Points -73%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
640 Points -79%
System
Average of class Tablet (1103 - 14097, n=50, last 2 years)
6376 Points +62%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
3940 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (3572 - 4154, n=7)
3826 Points -3%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
3581 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
2337 Points -41%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
1477 Points -63%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
1152 Points -71%
Memory
Average of class Tablet (916 - 8890, n=50, last 2 years)
4217 Points +6%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
3985 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (2778 - 4277, n=7)
3512 Points -12%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
2212 Points -44%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
1176 Points -70%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
784 Points -80%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
736 Points -82%
Graphics
Average of class Tablet (580 - 31738, n=50, last 2 years)
6471 Points +56%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
4143 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (2284 - 4143, n=7)
3731 Points -10%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
1302 Points -69%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
530 Points -87%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
447 Points -89%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
334 Points -92%
Web
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1215 Points
Average of class Tablet (10 - 1907, n=50, last 2 years)
1196 Points -2%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (913 - 1215, n=7)
1076 Points -11%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
1022 Points -16%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
773 Points -36%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
699 Points -42%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
593 Points -51%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Tablet (745 - 5713, n=14, last 2 years)
2670 Points +41%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1896 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (1852 - 1899, n=7)
1875 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
726 Points -62%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
688 Points -64%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
628 Points -67%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Tablet (1418 - 15310, n=14, last 2 years)
7691 Points +18%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
6509 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (6173 - 6527, n=7)
6384 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
3710 Points -43%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
1908 Points -71%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
1683 Points -74%
Compute RenderScript Score
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
11539 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (9492 - 11539, n=2)
10516 Points -9%
Average of class Tablet (2128 - 9945, n=10, last 2 years)
6573 Points -43%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
2369 Points -79%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
1324 Points -89%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (25766 - 28883, n=6)
27083 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
20230 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
8481 Points
Lenovo Tab 4 8
6144 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
5986 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (32243 - 38979, n=6)
35199 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
22141 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
7720 Points
Lenovo Tab 4 8
5496 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
5435 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
15538 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (14456 - 15341, n=6)
15019 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
12947 Points
Lenovo Tab 4 8
10458 Points
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
9274 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0
Average of class Tablet (507 - 8472, n=19, last 2 years)
2878 Points +15%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2513 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (1865 - 2649, n=7)
2374 Points -6%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
1139 Points -55%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
477 Points -81%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
234 Points -91%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
53 Points -98%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics
Average of class Tablet (454 - 10759, n=19, last 2 years)
3021 Points +21%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2501 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (1856 - 2990, n=7)
2496 Points 0%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
997 Points -60%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
399 Points -84%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
193 Points -92%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
42 Points -98%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics
Average of class Tablet (863 - 4858, n=19, last 2 years)
2901 Points +14%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2555 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
2261 Points -12%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (1662 - 2555, n=7)
2086 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
1522 Points -40%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
881 Points -66%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
874 Points -66%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (1747 - 2666, n=7)
2064 Points +8%
Average of class Tablet (361 - 14235, n=49, last 2 years)
2029 Points +6%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1919 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
970 Points -49%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
296 Points -85%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
150 Points -92%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
Average of class Tablet (290 - 24605, n=49, last 2 years)
2147 Points +21%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (1646 - 2798, n=7)
2063 Points +16%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1778 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
832 Points -53%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
239 Points -87%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
121 Points -93%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
Average of class Tablet (858 - 5751, n=49, last 2 years)
2781 Points +5%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2653 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
2322 Points -12%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (1679 - 2653, n=7)
2181 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
1721 Points -35%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
878 Points -67%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen
Average of class Tablet (14 - 120, n=56, last 2 years)
58.3 fps +14%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (40 - 60, n=7)
53.9 fps +6%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
51 fps
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
23 fps -55%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
19 fps -63%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
17 fps -67%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
14 fps -73%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
Average of class Tablet (15 - 873, n=56, last 2 years)
144.9 fps +86%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
78 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (43 - 93, n=7)
68.4 fps -12%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
29 fps -63%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
12 fps -85%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
9.9 fps -87%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
7.8 fps -90%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Average of class Tablet (8.1 - 120, n=56, last 2 years)
45.2 fps +88%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (20 - 37, n=7)
28.1 fps +17%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
24 fps
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
9.2 fps -62%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
9 fps -62%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
7.1 fps -70%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
5.9 fps -75%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Average of class Tablet (7.3 - 494, n=56, last 2 years)
87.8 fps +125%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
39 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (19 - 41, n=7)
31.7 fps -19%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
13 fps -67%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
5.1 fps -87%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
3.6 fps -91%
Lenovo Tab 4 8
2.8 fps -93%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Average of class Tablet (4.8 - 118.3, n=56, last 2 years)
33.7 fps +141%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (12 - 28, n=7)
18.6 fps +33%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
14 fps
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
6.7 fps -52%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
5 fps -64%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
4.2 fps -70%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Average of class Tablet (5 - 340, n=56, last 2 years)
60.1 fps +123%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
27 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (21 - 28, n=7)
24 fps -11%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
7.7 fps -71%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
3.2 fps -88%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
2.3 fps -91%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen
Average of class Tablet (3.1 - 94.5, n=56, last 2 years)
21.4 fps +130%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (9.3 - 16, n=7)
12.2 fps +31%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
9.3 fps
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
3.7 fps -60%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
3.1 fps -67%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen
Average of class Tablet (2.2 - 214, n=56, last 2 years)
36.1 fps +126%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
16 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (15 - 16, n=6)
15.3 fps -4%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
4.8 fps -70%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
2 fps -87%

Legend

 
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 HiSilicon Kirin 960, ARM Mali-G71 MP8, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017 MediaTek MT8163 V/B 1.3 GHz, ARM Mali-T720, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo Tab 4 8 Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917), Qualcomm Adreno 308, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch HiSilicon Kirin 950, ARM Mali-T880 MP4, 32 GB eMMC Flash

When surfing the internet, the MediaPad M3 8.4 was already a very fast device, and the MediaPad M5 8.4 has some trouble to keep pace in the benchmarks with its predecessor. However, both tablets are fighting for the top position of the comparison field, so that their differences are hardly relevant. Surfing the internet is very fast with both tablets, and even more demanding HMTL-5 websites such as Google's Interland are displayed smoothly.

Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Tablet (2672 - 74614, n=69, last 2 years)
23270 Points +105%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch (Chrome 54)
11404 Points +1%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 (Chrome 66)
11338 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (10016 - 11897, n=7)
10823 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
4768 Points -58%
Lenovo Tab 4 8 (Chrome 61)
2903 Points -74%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017 (Amazon Silk 58.2.3029.83.10)
2826 Points -75%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 (Chrome 66)
184 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (107 - 184, n=7)
148.3 Points -19%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch (Chrome 54)
136 Points -26%
Lenovo Tab 4 8 (Chrome 61)
69 Points -62%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
67 Points -64%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017 (Amazon Silk 58.2.3029.83.10)
57 Points -69%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Tablet (57.3 - 436, n=6, last 2 years)
143.8 Points +153%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (56.8 - 68.6, n=7)
59.3 Points +4%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 (Chrome 66)
56.8 Points
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch (Chrome 54)
53.7 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
26.1 Points -54%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017 (Amazon Silk 58.2.3029.83.10)
19.52 Points -66%
Lenovo Tab 4 8 (Chrome 61)
18.36 Points -68%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Lenovo Tab 4 8 (Chrome 61)
12033 ms * -222%
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017 (Amazon Silk 58.2.3029.83.10)
11818 ms * -216%
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
6786 ms * -82%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 (Chrome 66)
3734 ms *
Average of class Tablet (451 - 34733, n=58, last 2 years)
3237 ms * +13%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 960 (2734 - 3734, n=7)
3226 ms * +14%
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch (Chrome 54)
2823 ms * +24%

* ... smaller is better

Even though the MediaPad M5 8.4 only has eMMC storage built-in, it fares quite well in our benchmarks and is able to surpass all the comparison devices significantly. While its predecessor already offered good access rates, our test unit is again considerably faster here. This results in short load times and the fast starting of apps.

Accessing the Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSD storage card is also very fast.

Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4Amazon Fire HD 8 2017Lenovo Tab 4 8Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inchAverage 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Tablet
AndroBench 3-5
-58%
-30%
-39%
-36%
-29%
199%
Sequential Read 256KB
268.6
159.1
-41%
265.1
-1%
218.1
-19%
249.7
-7%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
-10%
831 ?(163 - 3414, n=64, last 2 years)
209%
Sequential Write 256KB
132.2
47.23
-64%
72.3
-45%
54
-59%
117.2
-11%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
-24%
526 ?(78.2 - 2528, n=64, last 2 years)
298%
Random Read 4KB
62.8
21.55
-66%
44
-30%
25.96
-59%
32.04
-49%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
-31%
165.3 ?(18.4 - 451, n=64, last 2 years)
163%
Random Write 4KB
65.1
11.51
-82%
7.1
-89%
10.98
-83%
31.35
-52%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
-66%
147.6 ?(8.23 - 503, n=64, last 2 years)
127%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
84.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
51.1
-40%
84.8
0%
78.6
-7%
61.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-27%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-15%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
70.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
34.15
-52%
61.1
-14%
64.3
-9%
23.52 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-67%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-25%

Games – Demanding games? No problem!

Even during complex 3D games, the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 remains mostly unperturbed, as our tests with the GameBench app show. You can play for example "Arena of Valor" absolutely smoothly, and at 58 FPS, the average framerate is close to the optimal 60 FPS. Below 30 FPS, things would begin to stutter, but this hardly happens with the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 in our test (The drops during "Shadow Fight 3" happen during the beginning of a new round of fighting). Only for "Battle Bay," we do not have an explanation for the brief drop to about 20 frames in the full-resolution mode.

Overall, gaming on the MediaPad M5 8.4 is fun, and the tablet should also be ready for the future. The operation via position sensor and touchscreen also works very reliably.

Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
Shadow Fight 3
Shadow Fight 3
Battle Bay
Battle Bay
Shadow Fight 3
 SettingsValue
 high58 fps
 minimal58 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!
Arena of Valor
 SettingsValue
 min58 fps
 high HD58 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!
Battle Bay
 SettingsValue
 half resolution58 fps
 full resolution58 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!

Emissions – Suitable temperatures, good speakers

Temperatures

GFXBench battery test
GFXBench battery test

The case temperatures are slightly increased under load, but at a maximum of 38.2 °C (101 °F), they are not problematic. However, the heating occurs over quite a large area, so under load the whole tablet warms up slightly.

Apparently, the limited heating does not mean that the SoC is able to freely use its full performance. Instead, it throttles noticeably and in the course of the Manhattan 3.1 battery test of GFXBench, the performance drops by 13% after 30 runs of the same sequence. This is annoying, and we have seen a similar behavior already in the MediaPad M5 10.

Max. Load
 35.6 °C
96 F
35 °C
95 F
35.7 °C
96 F
 
 38.2 °C
101 F
35.1 °C
95 F
36.4 °C
98 F
 
 37.3 °C
99 F
34.9 °C
95 F
36 °C
97 F
 
Maximum: 38.2 °C = 101 F
Average: 36 °C = 97 F
34.7 °C
94 F
35.3 °C
96 F
35.5 °C
96 F
34.7 °C
94 F
35.3 °C
96 F
36.1 °C
97 F
35.4 °C
96 F
35.3 °C
96 F
36.4 °C
98 F
Maximum: 36.4 °C = 98 F
Average: 35.4 °C = 96 F
Power Supply (max.)  34.5 °C = 94 F | Room Temperature 22.8 °C = 73 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36 °C / 97 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 38.2 °C / 101 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 36.4 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.8 °C / 87 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

Speaker test pink noise
Speaker test pink noise

Huawei has significantly increased the sound quality of the Harman/Kardon stereo speakers in the MediaPad M5 8.4 compared to the predecessor. Even though the maximum volume drops slightly to 85 dB(A), this is easily sufficient for what you can expect from a tablet. In addition, you were hardly able to use the maximum volume in the MediaPad M3 8.4 anyway, since the speakers would then distort the sound. Fortunately, this is not a problem in the successor anymore, and even at maximum volume, the sound is reproduced quite clearly.

While our chart shows that the reproduction of the low mids is again better than in the predecessor, you should not expect wonders. The highs and mids are well balanced at medium volumes, and the highs sound slightly uncomfortable at a high volume. Overall, the sound is quite warm and really good for a tablet, and in addition you can notice a clear stereo effect with even some small surround effects being possible.

You look in vain for a 3.5mm port. Instead, Huawei has included an adapter for the USB-C port in the box. The sound output via USB-C and the adapter is good, and the music also arrives cleanly at the speakers or headphones via Bluetooth.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.630.92531.539.73136.135.84030.240.65033.842.76328.432.38026.628.310024.427.212521.934.416020.44620019.456.425020.463.431517.565.540018.16850017.369.46301669.680016.170.3100015.571125015.273.6160015.175.820001574.925001576.1315014.976.1400015.172.3500015.170.7630015.367.2800015.266.21000015.264.61250015.263.31600015.259.2SPL27.785N161.7median 15.3median 68Delta1.95.831.638.825.437.225.328.932.930.833.641.731.632.828.429.22722.620.828.62242.921.349.920.851.121.260.119.46719.570.417.771.417.972.617.875.517.375.317.475.516.775.317.277.818.281.717.979.317.670.917.765.917.867.717.962.718.151.918.247.730881.369.4median 17.9median 69.41.411.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHuawei MediaPad M5 8.4Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 67% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 20% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 75% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.3% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 63% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 31% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 63% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 30% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management – MediaPad with high consumption

Power Consumption

The Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 is not really a champion of energy efficiency. It acts strangely in our measurements, and even in fully charged and turned off state, it still uses 1.5 watts. However, in standby mode, the consumption is much lower, and if you leave the tablet on standby over night, often nothing changes in the battery level. However, during operation, the consumption is higher than in all the other comparison devices and its predecessor, but also slightly lower than in the larger MediaPad M5 10. We measure 9.13 watts as the absolute maximum usage.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 1.5 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.1 / 3.74 / 4.33 Watt
Load midlight 6.32 / 9.13 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 M5 8.4
5100 mAh
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
 mAh
Lenovo Tab 4 8
4850 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
4450 mAh
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
5100 mAh
Power Consumption
36%
23%
35%
7%
Idle Minimum *
2.1
0.99
53%
1.1
48%
0.89
58%
1.51
28%
Idle Average *
3.74
2.74
27%
3.51
6%
3.13
16%
3.64
3%
Idle Maximum *
4.33
2.83
35%
4.14
4%
3.36
22%
3.68
15%
Load Average *
6.32
4.51
29%
4.86
23%
3.93
38%
6.95
-10%
Load Maximum *
9.13
5.69
38%
6.13
33%
5.45
40%
9.11
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Compared to the predecessor, the battery of the tablet is not any larger and still offers 5100 mAh. This is sufficient for a decent runtime of almost 10:27 hours in the WLAN test. You should be able to easily last through a work day and then be able to continue using it some more without any problems. The battery life is good when watching movies from the storage if you turn off the WLAN module, and almost 12 hours is possible here.

While QuickCharge 3.0 is supported, it still takes significantly more than 2 hours to fully recharge the battery.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
19h 14min
WiFi Websurfing
10h 27min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
11h 41min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 58min
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
5100 mAh
Amazon Fire HD 8 2017
 mAh
Lenovo Tab 4 8
4850 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2
4450 mAh
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4 inch
5100 mAh
Battery Runtime
34%
-11%
16%
-11%
Reader / Idle
1154
2032
76%
1207
5%
1357
18%
1110
-4%
H.264
701
744
6%
603
-14%
493
-30%
583
-17%
WiFi v1.3
627
770
23%
452
-28%
895
43%
546
-13%
Load
298
393
32%
276
-7%
396
33%
268
-10%

Pros

+ high performance
+ high-resolution display
+ good LTE modem with phone function
+ capable of smooth gaming
+ good cameras
+ battery life suitable for everyday life
+ robust case with good workmanship

Cons

- touchscreen inaccurate at the edges
- no 3.5mm audio port
- strong blue tint in the display
- a lot of bloatware
- small internal storage
- power consumption is quite high
- throttling under load

Verdict – A good price-performance ratio for a tablet

Testing the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4. Test unit provided by Huawei Germany.
Testing the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4. Test unit provided by Huawei Germany.

With the MediaPad M5 8.4, Huawei is offering quite an elegant tablet on the market, which is worth its slightly higher price. This is ensured by the good cameras, the high-resolution screen, the powerful speakers, and some gimmicks such as the ability to make phone calls. It offers a good performance and the high-quality ergonomic case feels good in the hands.

However, you have to make do without a classic audio port in the MediPad M5 8.4, at times the touchscreen is slightly inaccurate towards the edges, and the display has a strong blue tint, which you can reduce with internal tools though. While an additional microSD card can help to expand the internal storage that is dimensioned slightly small, you can hardly do anything about the high power consumption. Fortunately, it still has a reasonable battery life, so that the high consumption does not matter that much. The worst is probably the significant throttling under prolonged loads.

The good price-performance ratio and many advantages such as camera images rich in detail and a great case earn a purchase recommendation for the MediaPad M5 8.4.

Overall, the MediaPad M5 8.4 receives our purchase recommendation, since it is a device with a good price-performance ratio that appears high-quality and does not have too severe weaknesses.

Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 - 09/17/2019 v7
Florian Wimmer

Chassis
87 / 98 → 89%
Keyboard
71 / 80 → 89%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
44 / 70 → 62%
Weight
86 / 40-88 → 96%
Battery
88%
Display
81%
Games Performance
21 / 78 → 27%
Application Performance
57 / 92 → 62%
Temperature
90%
Noise
100%
Audio
82 / 91 → 90%
Camera
53 / 85 → 62%
Average
73%
83%
Tablet - Weighted Average

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Florian Wimmer, 2018-05-10 (Update: 2019-03-11)