Android tablets aren’t the hottest property in the fast-paced mobile space. But they aren’t completely gone. In fact, some manufacturers are still putting out slates for those who want a bigger screen to watch their favorite shows and movies, read their choice e-books and magazines, listen to music on, or even work on the fly with. Huawei is one of the manufacturers who hasn’t given up on the segment just yet. The newest addition is the mid-range MediaPad M5 Lite.
This mid-range tablet retails for P18,990 and comes with an M-Pen stylus. Here’s a quick rundown of its specs:
Display: 10.1” IPS LCD, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution
Operating system: Android 8.0 Oreo, skinned with EMUI 8.0
Processor: Kirin 659 16nm octa-core (4×2.36 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53)
GPU: Mali-T830 MP2
Memory: 4GB RAM
Storage: 64GB internal, expandable up to 256GB via microSD
Cameras: Rear – 8MP; Front – 8MP
Connectivity & I/O ports: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot; Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, LE; GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS; USB 2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
Security: Front-mounted fingerprint sensor
Other features: Four-speaker system with Histen + Harman Kardon audio; M-Pen Lite support; Kids corner + advanced eye-comfort mode
Battery: Non-removable 7,500mAh, fast charging 9V/2A 18W
Dimensions & weight: 243.4 x 162.2 x 7.7mm, 475g
Price: P18,990
It’s not the most awe-inspiring in terms of looks. It comes in Space Gray with thick bezels and a rather plain aluminum body. But it feels sturdy in hand from the get-go, there’s a bit of flex to the sides but otherwise, it’s all good. If Huawei was able to shave off the camera bump at the rear, that might have made a bit of a difference in terms of polish.
But it does pack in a lot of important specs any tablet user might have on the top of their wish list: a sizeable battery, USB Type-C support, and a four-speaker system. What might be missing is a better resolution display. But that’s the tradeoff here to keep cost down. And the upside is you’re promised better battery life because the screen requires less power.
When held in landscape, you get the power and volume rocker on the right side of the device, a microSD slot on the top left (no SIM support for this model), and 3.5mm headphone jack and USB Type-C port at the bottom left of the tablet. The speakers are placed at the top and bottom of the tablet with four additional holes we’re told are for the mic.
What jumps out immediately is how loud and crisp the audio is from the speakers. It’s definitely meant for blasting music out loud or even watching your favorite Netflix shows sans earphones. Playing games in landscape, while a handful is also a treat because of the loud audio.
It’s not the heaviest tablet either so extended periods of use isn’t an issue. But if you want to blast music while reading in portrait mode, then you’ll be covering the speakers a bit on one side. But you have three others to work with.
We’re spending more time with this tablet to get a feel for it but so far, we’re liking the best parts of it.
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