Notebookcheck Logo

Huawei MediaPad M5 lite Tablet Review

Surround sound. Huawei has equipped the MediaPad M5 lite with four speakers, certified by harman/kardon. Buyers will receive a fancy-looking mid-range tablet with LTE support. Find out what else you can expect in exchange for about £270 (~$350) in our review.
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite

After Huawei added a Pro version of the MediaPad M5 to its collection in August, we are now testing the lite model. This is available with or without LTE and can be equipped with 64 or 32 GB of internal storage plus 4 or 3 GB of RAM. 

Our test unit is the smaller version with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of eMMC storage. The SoC is a HiSilicon Kirin 659 chip, which is supported by an ARM Mali T830 MP2. This mid-range configuration is upgraded by its good-looking metal case.

There is also quite a lot of competition in this price range. We have chosen the following tablets as our comparison devices for today's review: the MediaPad M5Lenovo's Tab 4 10 Plus, the Acer Iconia Tab 10 and Amazon's Fire HD 10 (2017).

Huawei MediaPad M5 lite (MediaPad M5 Series)
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 659 8 x 2.4 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
Display
10.10 inch 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixel 224 PPI, capacitive, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 22 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD (up to 256 GB), 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: g-sensor, proximity sensor, Hall sensor, compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM (850/900/1.800/1.900 MHz), 3G WCDMA (B1/B2/B5/B6/B8/B19), LTE FDD/TDD (B1/B3/B5/B7/B8/B18/B19/B20/B26/B40/B41), LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.7 x 243.4 x 162.2 ( = 0.3 x 9.58 x 6.39 in)
Battery
7500 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 8.0 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 8 MPix auto focus
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix fixed focus
Additional features
Speakers: 4 speakers, harman/kardon, Keyboard: onscreen, Keyboard Light: yes, USB charger, USB Type-C cable, SIM tool, EMUI 8.0, 24 Months Warranty, SAR value (body): 1.01 W/kg, fanless
Weight
475 g ( = 16.76 oz / 1.05 pounds), Power Supply: 78 g ( = 2.75 oz / 0.17 pounds)
Price
330 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 stable case

Huawei has given the MediaPad M5 lite a metal case with a small decorative seam on the back. The top and bottom edges of the tablet have a lot of holes for the four speakers, as well as additional openings for the microphone along the top. This means that there is a row of holes all along the top of the device. The main camera is positioned on the back and stands out by about 2 mm. The fingerprint reader is placed below the display and is noticeable, despite its seamless finish, by the small indentation it makes in the otherwise flat surface.

The buttons are positioned on the left side of the tablet and are also made of metal but are a little loose. The same can be said for the SIM/SD-card slot, which can be found on the right side of the MediaPad M5 lite. Compared to other tablets of this price range, the MediaPad M5 lite is very light and rather small.

Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite

Size Comparison

267 mm / 10.5 inch 169.2 mm / 6.66 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 531 g1.171 lbs262 mm / 10.3 inch 159 mm / 6.26 inch 9.8 mm / 0.3858 inch 497 g1.096 lbs258.7 mm / 10.2 inch 171.8 mm / 6.76 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 498 g1.098 lbs247 mm / 9.72 inch 173 mm / 6.81 inch 7.1 mm / 0.2795 inch 475 g1.047 lbs243.4 mm / 9.58 inch 162.2 mm / 6.39 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 475 g1.047 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity - mid-range tablet with good performance

The MediaPad M5 lite is equipped with the mid-range SoC Kirin 659 from HiSilicon that enables smooth system performance. It is supported by the ARM Mali T830 MP2. Our Huawei tablet is suitable for many everyday tasks as well as some more-demanding applications with its 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of eMMC storage.

The MediaPad M5 lite can transfer data via its USB Type-C port, which, however, only offers 2.0 speeds. The USB port also functions as a charging connection. Headsets or external speakers can be connected to the tablet via the 3.5 mm audio jack. There is also a microSD-card slot that allows storage to be expanded by up to 256 GB.

Top: speaker, microphone
Top: speaker, microphone
Left: audio jack, Micro-USB, SIM/SD card reader
Left: audio jack, Micro-USB, SIM/SD card reader
Bottom: speaker
Bottom: speaker
Right: volume rocker, power button
Right: volume rocker, power button

Software - MediaPad M5 lite with Oreo

The MediaPad M5 lite currently runs on Android 8.0 Oreo with the security patches dating June 1, 2018. Users of the tablet can expect to find Huawei's own user interface, EMUI 8.0. This has a different settings structure and customized apps for telephoning, messaging, the gallery etc. compared to stock Android.

Operation is just as intuitive as on stock Android and users new to this UI should find their way around without difficulties. If the tablet is to be shared among several users, it is possible to set up separate accounts.

Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Software Huawei MediaPad M5 lite

Communication and GPS - Huawei tablet with LTE

Our test version of the MediaPad M5 lite is equipped with a modem that supports GSM, 3G and LTE networks. The category 6 LTE connection allows for download rates of up to 300 Mb/s and upload rates of up to 50 Mb/s. Huawei's telephone app is also installed on the tablet and with a suitable SIM card the device can also be used for making phone calls. This also works without a headset.

At close range, users can connect their tablet via Bluetooth 4.2 or the integrated Wi-Fi adapter, which supports the standards a, b, g, n and ac (both 2.4 and 5 GHz networks). In our tests, the MediaPad M5 lite only reaches subpar transfer rates, which are below the results of our comparison devices.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
Adreno 506, 625, 64 GB eMMC Flash
263 MBit/s +383%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
PowerVR GX6250, MT8176, 64 GB eMMC Flash
240 MBit/s +340%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960s, 32 GB eMMC Flash
237 MBit/s +335%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
PowerVR GX6250, MT8173, 64 GB eMMC Flash
227 MBit/s +317%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 32 GB eMMC Flash
54.5 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
Adreno 506, 625, 64 GB eMMC Flash
350 MBit/s +577%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
PowerVR GX6250, MT8176, 64 GB eMMC Flash
262 MBit/s +407%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
PowerVR GX6250, MT8173, 64 GB eMMC Flash
241 MBit/s +366%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960s, 32 GB eMMC Flash
214 MBit/s +314%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 32 GB eMMC Flash
51.7 MBit/s
GPS test outdoors
GPS test outdoors
GPS test indoors
GPS test indoors

The app "GPS test" is used to control how well the MediaPad M5 lite can position itself, using GPS, A-GPS, Beidou or GLONASS. Outdoors, the device can locate itself within five meters, but it is not able to locate itself indoors.

We tested the MediaPad M5 lite in comparison with our reference device Garmin Edge 520. The result was that the Huawei tablet can record long, straight routes very well. It has more difficulties in curves or when the direction changes constantly. In this case, only the basic direction is recorded, and we are often located beside the paths. The M5 lite is therefore only suitable for very simple navigation needs.

GPS Garmin Edge 520
GPS Garmin Edge 520
GPS Garmin Edge 520
GPS Garmin Edge 520
GPS Garmin Edge 520
GPS Garmin Edge 520
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
GPS Huawei MediaPad M5 lite

Cameras - simple cameras for the MediaPad M5 lite

Photo taken with front camera
Photo taken with front camera

Users of the Huawei MediaPad M5 lite have access to an 8-MP main camera as well as an 8-MP front camera. The latter takes good-quality portraits, as long as the subject is positioned in the center of the picture (due to the fixed focus). Details are displayed nicely with only objects in the background slightly lacking sharpness. Colors also appear strong but are a little too dark. The settings of the camera app only allow you to turn on a bokeh effect and add different color filters.

The main camera is suitable for quick snapshots. Photos of landscapes with large differences in brightness often turn out rather uneven. Bright areas are overexposed while dark areas appear almost black. Colors are not displayed well and objects in dark image areas are hardly recognizable. Close-ups also suffer from an uneven brightness distribution. In this case, the entire subject is slightly too dark while details are only visible on bright backgrounds. Again, it is difficult to discern objects in the dark areas. Photos taken in low light display the subject correctly, but they are often rather blurry with hardly any details.

The main camera app offers a large variety of effects and modes. Tablet users can also switch to professional mode in order to improve image quality. Here, users can manually choose the white balance, ISO values, ambient light, manual focus and shutter speeds.

Videos offer similar results as the photographs. Slight shaking is automatically adjusted for. Again, there is a professional mode, but it offers less customization options for videos.

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
ColorChecker passport
ColorChecker passport

We have tested the MediaPad M5 lite's color reproduction with the ColorChecker passport. This showed that colors also turn out too dark under controlled lighting.

Our test chart also comes out too dark with the MediaPad M5 lite, and sharpness drops significantly towards the edges.

Huawei MediaPad M5 lite test chart
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite test chart (detail)

Accessories and Warranty - Huawei tablet with support for stylus

The MediaPad M5 lite includes a USB charger plus USB Type-C cable and a tool for opening the SIM/SD-card slot. In addition, Huawei has designed an optional flip cover and a Huawei M Pen lite stylus.

Buyers of the Huawei MediaPad M5 lite will receive a 24-month warranty. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Operation - MediaPad M5 with customizable keyboard

The MediaPad M5 lite comes with the Swift Key app as its standard keyboard application. This enables users to change the size and appearance of the keyboard. In portrait mode, the Huawei tablet is a little too wide, making it difficult to reach the center of the keyboard if you have short thumbs. In landscape mode, the tablet is not wide enough to type comfortably using both hands.

The tablet is very responsive and confirms every input with a slight vibration. The surface of the screen is comparatively smooth, so that fingers can glide over it easily without too much resistance. The gyroscope reacts quickly to rotations of the tablet and adjusts the orientation of content immediately.

Input devices Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Input devices Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Input devices Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Input devices Huawei MediaPad M5 lite

Display - low-contrast display in the Huawei tablet

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The display of the MediaPad M5 lite is a 10.1-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The average brightness is 492.2 cd/m², which is higher than those of other comparable tablets in this price range. However, the brightness distribution is below average at only 80%. The display flickers at 100 Hz at brightness levels below 20%.

529
cd/m²
473
cd/m²
445
cd/m²
525
cd/m²
514
cd/m²
455
cd/m²
546
cd/m²
504
cd/m²
439
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 546 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 492.2 cd/m² Minimum: 4.26 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 80 %
Center on Battery: 514 cd/m²
Contrast: 535:1 (Black: 0.96 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.42 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
92.1% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.216
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
IPS, 2560x1600, 10.80
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10
Screen
47%
-3%
38%
26%
Brightness middle
514
382
-26%
340
-34%
443
-14%
426
-17%
Brightness
492
378
-23%
320
-35%
428
-13%
399
-19%
Brightness Distribution
80
92
15%
84
5%
94
18%
91
14%
Black Level *
0.96
0.24
75%
0.19
80%
0.36
62%
0.38
60%
Contrast
535
1592
198%
1789
234%
1231
130%
1121
110%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.42
2.8
48%
15
-177%
3.3
39%
4.5
17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.84
6
39%
22.8
-132%
7.2
27%
7.9
20%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.5
3.5
46%
4
38%
2.9
55%
5.2
20%
Gamma
2.216 99%
2.33 94%
2.09 105%
2.27 97%
2.23 99%
CCT
6780 96%
6903 94%
6940 94%
6961 93%
6875 95%

* ... 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 100 Hz ≤ 20 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 100 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 20 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 100 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

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

According to our measurements, the MediaPad M5 lite has a comparatively low contrast ratio of 535:1 and a significantly increased black value of 0.96 cd/m². This makes it difficult to distinguish clearly between colors, while black content seems to have a gray film over it. The settings menu can choose the color temperature from a color chart. We did not note any blue cast in our test. Instead, colors are displayed with a slight green tinge.

CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color space
CalMAN - color space
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - grayscales
CalMAN - grayscales

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 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 9 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 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 37 % 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
36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 19 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. » 44 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The MediaPad M5 is easy to use outdoors in the shade. The display does not reflect surrounding objects too much and screen content can be read easily. However, reflections become very strong under direct sunlight or a blue sky. Even indoors, bright lights can cause bothersome reflections on the screen.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use

The IPS panel of the MediaPad M5 lite has very stable viewing angles. Screen content can be read without distortions or falsified colors from almost all angles. As long as there are no reflections, the Huawei tablet can be used in unusual positions.

Viewing-angle stability
Viewing-angle stability

Performance - affordable tablet offers good performance

The MediaPad M5 lite is equipped with a HiSilicon Kirin 659 and an ARM Mali T830 MP2 that enable smooth system performance. Both components are used in good mid-range devices. In this device, these processors are supported by 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of eMMC storage. This combination can support many everyday workloads and display most games at medium resolution. 

The MediaPad M5 lite reached average results in our system performance benchmarks. Tests that focused on graphics performance did not offer such good results, placing the tablet in the bottom range of our comparison devices. The tablet even received the lowest results among our comparison devices in some of the most graphically intense benchmarks.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
147305 Points +120%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
78980 Points +18%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
66863 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (62810 - 68232, n=8)
65730 Points -2%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
63777 Points -5%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
62725 Points -6%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
113687 Points +31%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (81992 - 89639, n=6)
87019 Points 0%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
86908 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
77717 Points -11%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (5704 - 6252, n=7)
5956 Points
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
5843 Points
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
5648 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
5040 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
4895 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
Points
Work 2.0 performance score
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
5114 Points +8%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
4827 Points +2%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (4615 - 4911, n=8)
4805 Points +2%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
4719 Points
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
4626 Points -2%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
3678 Points -22%
BaseMark OS II
Overall
Average of class Tablet (444 - 8886, n=51, last 2 years)
3569 Points +157%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1769 Points +27%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (1334 - 1480, n=8)
1418 Points +2%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
1389 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1312 Points -6%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
1281 Points -8%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
1016 Points -27%
System
Average of class Tablet (1103 - 14097, n=51, last 2 years)
6449 Points +109%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
3214 Points +4%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
3080 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (2899 - 3223, n=8)
3056 Points -1%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2838 Points -8%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
2329 Points -24%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
1957 Points -36%
Memory
Average of class Tablet (916 - 8890, n=51, last 2 years)
4229 Points +117%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2654 Points +36%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
1948 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (1757 - 2011, n=8)
1910 Points -2%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1513 Points -22%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
972 Points -50%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
968 Points -50%
Graphics
Average of class Tablet (580 - 31738, n=51, last 2 years)
6458 Points +672%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1602 Points +92%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
1015 Points +21%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (836 - 859, n=8)
848 Points +1%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
836 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
833 Points 0%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
701 Points -16%
Web
Average of class Tablet (10 - 1907, n=51, last 2 years)
1196 Points +61%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1010 Points +36%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
850 Points +15%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (724 - 919, n=8)
819 Points +10%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
811 Points +9%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
803 Points +8%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
742 Points
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Tablet (745 - 5713, n=15, last 2 years)
2711 Points +188%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1634 Points +74%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
1541 Points +64%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1204 Points +28%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
940 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (869 - 946, n=8)
919 Points -2%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
868 Points -8%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Tablet (1418 - 15310, n=15, last 2 years)
7880 Points +107%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
5809 Points +53%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
4323 Points +14%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
3805 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (3316 - 3805, n=8)
3608 Points -5%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
3305 Points -13%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
2489 Points -35%
Compute RenderScript Score
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
11575 Points +268%
Average of class Tablet (2128 - 9945, n=10, last 2 years)
6573 Points +109%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
3235 Points +3%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
3148 Points
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
3081 Points -2%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (2772 - 3148, n=8)
3045 Points -3%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1562 Points -50%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
26875 Points +128%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
13742 Points +17%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
13227 Points +12%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
11791 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (10294 - 12278, n=8)
11543 Points -2%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
11209 Points -5%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
35210 Points +208%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
13239 Points +16%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
12771 Points +12%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
11719 Points +3%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
11419 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (9936 - 11713, n=8)
11066 Points -3%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
15850 Points +19%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
15117 Points +14%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
14698 Points +10%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (11780 - 14930, n=8)
13618 Points +2%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
13310 Points
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
9729 Points -27%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0
Average of class Tablet (507 - 8472, n=19, last 2 years)
2878 Points +2202%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1840 Points +1372%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
929 Points +643%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
852 Points +582%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
682 Points +446%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (125 - 627, n=8)
347 Points +178%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
125 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics
Average of class Tablet (454 - 10759, n=19, last 2 years)
3021 Points +2952%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1719 Points +1636%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
884 Points +793%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
731 Points +638%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
598 Points +504%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (99 - 532, n=8)
288 Points +191%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
99 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics
Average of class Tablet (863 - 4858, n=19, last 2 years)
2901 Points +65%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2445 Points +39%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
2031 Points +16%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
1758 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (1586 - 1788, n=8)
1707 Points -3%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1347 Points -23%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
1128 Points -36%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
Average of class Tablet (361 - 14235, n=49, last 2 years)
2029 Points +742%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1642 Points +581%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
602 Points +150%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
489 Points +103%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
464 Points +93%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (176 - 409, n=8)
308 Points +28%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
241 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
Average of class Tablet (290 - 24605, n=49, last 2 years)
2147 Points +1012%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1504 Points +679%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
557 Points +189%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
413 Points +114%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
381 Points +97%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (140 - 338, n=8)
251 Points +30%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
193 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
Average of class Tablet (858 - 5751, n=49, last 2 years)
2781 Points +59%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2419 Points +39%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
1991 Points +14%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
1744 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (1527 - 1827, n=8)
1696 Points -3%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1363 Points -22%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
843 Points -52%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen
Average of class Tablet (14 - 120, n=57, last 2 years)
58.3 fps +207%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
40 fps +111%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
21 fps +11%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
20 fps +5%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
19 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (16 - 20, n=8)
18.4 fps -3%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
17 fps -11%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
Average of class Tablet (15 - 873, n=57, last 2 years)
144.2 fps +621%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
96 fps +380%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
23 fps +15%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
22 fps +10%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
20 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (16 - 20, n=8)
18.8 fps -6%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
18 fps -10%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Average of class Tablet (8.1 - 120, n=57, last 2 years)
45 fps +423%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
26 fps +202%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
9.5 fps +10%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
9.2 fps +7%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
8.6 fps
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
8.3 fps -3%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (6.7 - 8.9, n=8)
8.28 fps -4%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Average of class Tablet (7.3 - 494, n=57, last 2 years)
87.3 fps +892%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
44 fps +400%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
9.9 fps +13%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
9.8 fps +11%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
8.8 fps
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
8.5 fps -3%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (7.3 - 8.8, n=8)
8.31 fps -6%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Average of class Tablet (4.8 - 118.3, n=57, last 2 years)
33.5 fps +532%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
15 fps +183%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
6 fps +13%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
5.7 fps +8%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
5.3 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (4.5 - 5.6, n=8)
5.04 fps -5%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
4.7 fps -11%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Average of class Tablet (5 - 340, n=57, last 2 years)
59.9 fps +1009%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
18 fps +233%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
6.4 fps +19%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
6 fps +11%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
5.4 fps
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
4.9 fps -9%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (3.2 - 5.4, n=8)
4.81 fps -11%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen
Average of class Tablet (3.1 - 94.5, n=57, last 2 years)
21.2 fps +607%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
10 fps +233%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
3.3 fps +10%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
3.1 fps +3%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
3 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (2.7 - 3.3, n=8)
2.96 fps -1%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
2 fps -33%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen
Average of class Tablet (2.2 - 214, n=57, last 2 years)
35.8 fps +1019%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
18 fps +463%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
3.5 fps +9%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
3.2 fps
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (2.9 - 3.2, n=8)
3.06 fps -4%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
3 fps -6%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
2 fps -37%

Legend

 
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite HiSilicon Kirin 659, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 HiSilicon Kirin 960s, ARM Mali-G71 MP8, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50 Mediatek MT8176, PowerVR GX6250, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 Mediatek MT8173, PowerVR GX6250, 64 GB eMMC Flash

The browser performance of the MediaPad M5 lite is varied. While the WebXPRT 2015 test, which is directed at online applications, brought good results, other tests that are focused on pure performance place the tablet towards the bottom of our comparison table. Its performance is sufficient for everyday use, however, and media loads quickly.

Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Tablet (2672 - 74614, n=70, last 2 years)
23400 Points +332%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50 (Browser: Chrome Version 63)
8897 Points +64%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 (Amazon Silk 61.2)
8570 Points +58%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 (Chrome 65)
6802 Points +26%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite (Chrome 67)
5412 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (4191 - 5471, n=8)
4947 Points -9%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus (Chrome 60)
4502 Points -17%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 (Amazon Silk 61.2)
137 Points +14%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
120 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 (Chrome 65)
116 Points -3%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (86 - 120, n=8)
103.6 Points -14%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus (Chrome 60)
93 Points -22%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Tablet (57.3 - 436, n=6, last 2 years)
143.8 Points +386%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50 (Browser: Chrome Version 63)
47.34 Points +60%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 (Amazon Silk 61.2)
46.39 Points +57%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 (Chrome 65)
36.13 Points +22%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite (Chrome 67)
29.6 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (23.4 - 31.3, n=8)
28.1 Points -5%
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus (Chrome 60)
25.76 Points -13%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Average HiSilicon Kirin 659 (8684 - 10788, n=8)
9440 ms * -2%
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite (Chrome 67)
9249 ms *
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus (Chrome 60)
9237 ms * -0%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 (Chrome 65)
5947 ms * +36%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 (Amazon Silk 61.2)
3976 ms * +57%
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50 (Browser: Chrome Version 63)
3756 ms * +59%
Average of class Tablet (451 - 34733, n=59, last 2 years)
3204 ms * +65%

* ... smaller is better

Huawei has equipped our MediaPad M5 lite with a 32-GB eMMC flash memory, of which about 22 GB is available to the user for apps and files. The integrated microSD card reader can be used for SD cards with a capacity of up to 256 GB. However, this can only be used for personal files. It is not possible to format the microSD card as internal storage. 

In our storage benchmark, the Huawei tablet reached very good read and write rates that can be compared to those of its competition. The internal SD card reader also offers very good results when tested with our reference storage card, the Toshiba Exceria Pro M501.

Huawei MediaPad M5 liteHuawei MediaPad M5 10.8Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50Lenovo Tab 4 10 PlusAmazon Fire HD 10 2017Average 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Tablet
AndroBench 3-5
-2%
-38%
-16%
-30%
-25%
236%
Sequential Read 256KB
308.1
247.8
-20%
173.7
-44%
270.1
-12%
262.2
-15%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
-21%
848 ?(163 - 3414, n=65, last 2 years)
175%
Sequential Write 256KB
82.6
126.8
54%
92.4
12%
135.5
64%
147.7
79%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
22%
537 ?(78.2 - 2528, n=65, last 2 years)
550%
Random Read 4KB
73.5
54.7
-26%
13.7
-81%
37.3
-49%
27.72
-62%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
-41%
166.7 ?(18.4 - 451, n=65, last 2 years)
127%
Random Write 4KB
77.3
60.8
-21%
8.77
-89%
11.8
-85%
9.37
-88%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
-71%
149.4 ?(8.23 - 503, n=65, last 2 years)
93%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
83.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
85.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
2%
80.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-4%
83.9
0%
55.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-34%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-14%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
72.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
73.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
1%
56.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-22%
61.1
-16%
30.14 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-59%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-27%

Games - a tablet suitable for gaming

The MediaPad M5 lite uses the graphics unit ARM Mali T830 MP2 to display 3D applications. Its performance is sufficient to smoothly display current games in medium settings. The games we tested were displayed smoothly in every setting and controlling the game via the touchpad continued to work well even after playing for a while.

Games in which the gyroscope is used respond to these inputs easily and without delay.

Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
Dead Trigger 2
 SettingsValue
 high30 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!
Arena of Valor
 SettingsValue
 min31 fps
 high HD31 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!

Emissions - MediaPad M5 lite with four speakers

Temperature

GFX Bench - ES 2.0
GFX Bench - ES 2.0
GFX Bench - Manhattan
GFX Bench - Manhattan

The surface temperatures of the MediaPad M5 lite remain around 25 °C while idling. They increase only slightly under load with the warmest spot reaching 35 °C. The tablet never feels hot and can always be held comfortably. The more demanding GFXBench performance tests also show that temperatures only have a very low influence on system performance. Users therefore need not expect any limitations due to high temperature development.

Max. Load
 30.3 °C
87 F
35.4 °C
96 F
30.8 °C
87 F
 
 29.1 °C
84 F
30.5 °C
87 F
31.2 °C
88 F
 
 29.1 °C
84 F
29.5 °C
85 F
30.1 °C
86 F
 
Maximum: 35.4 °C = 96 F
Average: 30.7 °C = 87 F
31.2 °C
88 F
33.7 °C
93 F
30.8 °C
87 F
30.5 °C
87 F
31.2 °C
88 F
30.6 °C
87 F
30.3 °C
87 F
30.1 °C
86 F
30.2 °C
86 F
Maximum: 33.7 °C = 93 F
Average: 31 °C = 88 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.2 °C = 103 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 30.7 °C / 87 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 35.4 °C / 96 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 33.7 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.1 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

Speaker characteristics
Speaker characteristics

Huawei has equipped the MediaPad M5 lite with four speakers, certified by harman/kardon. Compared to other tablets of this price range, our test unit offers a more balanced sound profile and can also reproduce lower frequencies. Highs are still overrepresented, however, which becomes noticeable when the volume is turned up.

The speakers are definitely acceptable for occasional audio playback. If you want to listen to music for a longer period of time, we would still recommend connecting headphones or external speakers. The 3.5 mm audio jack works very well and does not have a negative impact on audio quality.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.3362525.634.83125.7364027.428.1503735.56323.328.68021.431.510021.734.712519.942.716017.448.72001756.725016.45931514.558.740014.26350014.160.563012.655.680012.557.610001258.3125011.863.3160011.669.6200011.469.3250011.369.9315011.470.9400011.171.6500011.270.4630011.369.5800011.269.41000011.359.81250011.359.41600011.349.5SPL65.56767.167.365.824.180.5N18.919.520.221.617.80.646.7median 12median 59.8median 43.6median 44.5median 41.8median 12.3median 63.6Delta4.59.523.422.82411.816.928.630.224.926.624.624.426.422.530.824.623.619.820.221.119.928.817.642.919.159.719.159.617.456.616.961.616.863.515.166.316.567.815.666.41561.915.565.115.367.615.771.515.569.715.572.815.467.915.8641663.815.860.816.154.716.151.617.349.727.979.9146.4median 16median 63.50.76.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHuawei MediaPad M5 liteHuawei MediaPad M5 10.8
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 63.6% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 63.6% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 63.6% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (116% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 99% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 3% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.9% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (16.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.9% 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%

Energy Management - tablet with long battery runtime

Energy Consumption

The energy consumption of the MediaPad M5 lite is lower than those of comparable devices according to our measurements. While idling, the Huawei tablet is the most energy-efficient of our entire list of comparison devices. Only the Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus has better results under load.

The included power supply offers 18 watts and is easily large enough for the tablet's needs.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.8 / 3.3 / 3.9 Watt
Load midlight 5.2 / 7.2 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 lite
7500 mAh
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
7500 mAh
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
6100 mAh
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
7000 mAh
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
6300 mAh
Power Consumption
-40%
-56%
8%
-12%
Idle Minimum *
2.8
2.01
28%
3.21
-15%
1.23
56%
1.55
45%
Idle Average *
3.3
5.4
-64%
5.97
-81%
3.92
-19%
4.17
-26%
Idle Maximum *
3.9
5.44
-39%
6.19
-59%
4.03
-3%
4.25
-9%
Load Average *
5.2
8.55
-64%
9.72
-87%
5
4%
7.13
-37%
Load Maximum *
7.2
11.53
-60%
9.97
-38%
7.09
2%
9.63
-34%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The MediaPad M5 lite runs on battery for over 14 hours in our practical Wi-Fi test. At 5 hours, its runtime is very good under maximum load as well and our test unit offers significantly better runtimes than its competitors.

The included 18-watt power supply recharges the Huawei battery in a little over two hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
36h 02min
WiFi Websurfing
14h 12min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
15h 34min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 59min
Huawei MediaPad M5 lite
7500 mAh
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
7500 mAh
Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A50
6100 mAh
Lenovo Tab 4 10 Plus
7000 mAh
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
6300 mAh
Battery Runtime
-30%
-54%
-20%
-34%
Reader / Idle
2162
1344
-38%
735
-66%
1625
-25%
960
-56%
H.264
934
702
-25%
795
-15%
585
-37%
WiFi v1.3
852
648
-24%
387
-55%
647
-24%
542
-36%
Load
299
196
-34%
175
-41%
256
-14%
274
-8%

Pros

+ stable case
+ good system performance
+ compatible with stylus
+ USB Type-C
+ supports LTE

Cons

- low-contrast display
- average camera
- apps cannot be stored on SD card

Verdict - MediaPad M5 lite offers good performance

In review: Huawei MediaPad M5 lite. Test unit provided by Huawei Germany
In review: Huawei MediaPad M5 lite. Test unit provided by Huawei Germany

The MediaPad M5 lite did well in our review. Its system performance is sufficient for many everyday workloads and still has reserves for more demanding applications. Modern games can also be played on this device, although users might have to content themselves with average graphics settings.

The MediaPad M5 lite can keep up with its big brother in many areas, with the main weaknesses being the display and cameras.

At about £270 (~$350), Huawei has equipped the MediaPad M5 lite very well. It has a large battery, a fingerprint reader and LTE as well as a good SD card reader. However, users will have to accept low camera quality with a comparatively low resolution and limited storage options, as apps cannot be stored to the microSD card. The app storage is therefore limited to 32 GB and the low-contrast display might not be up everybody's street.

Huawei MediaPad M5 lite - 11/05/2019 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
83 / 98 → 85%
Keyboard
71 / 80 → 89%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
42 / 70 → 60%
Weight
84 / 40-88 → 91%
Battery
90%
Display
81%
Games Performance
6 / 78 → 7%
Application Performance
46 / 92 → 50%
Temperature
95%
Noise
100%
Audio
80 / 91 → 88%
Camera
45 / 85 → 53%
Average
70%
81%
Tablet - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 1 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
Mike Wobker, 2018-09-27 (Update: 2019-02-27)