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The iPad Pro is about to get some tough competition

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Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2.
Huawei

Apple’s iPad lineup currently dominates the tablet market. However, other excellent tablets are available as well. One upcoming tablet that looks impressive is the Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2, which is set to launch worldwide this week.

The MatePad Pro 12.2 is designed to compete with the 13-inch iPad Pro (M4) and iPad Air (M2) and offers some excellent specs, starting with its 12.2-inch dual-layer OLED display, which has a 144Hz refresh rate and 2,000 nits of peak brightness. With a 3:2 ratio, the MatePad Pro 12.2 has a resolution of 2800 by 1840 pixels (275 PPI).

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Huawei is heavily promoting the tablet, which first launched in China, on social networks ahead of its global release. As part of its current marketing, Huawei heavily advertises the tablet’s Tandem OLED PaperMatte Display, which looks quite impressive.

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Let the Tandem OLED PaperMatte Display to redefine what’s possible. Let’s countdown to 19 September. #HUAWEILaunch #CreationOfBeauty #HUAWEIMatePad pic.twitter.com/gOgXFiHJua

— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) September 16, 2024

The tablet also offers a 13-megapixel wide camera and 8MP ultrawide on the rear. They can record videos up to 4K at 30 frames per second (fps). Features include an LED flash, HDR, and panorama. The selfie camera is 16MP and supports 1080p at 30-fps videos.

Inside the tablet is a Kirin 9000S (7nm) and up to 16GB of RAM, depending on your storage. You can purchase one with 256GB or 512GB (12GB of RAM) or 1TB of storage (16GB of RAM).

Attention all painting enthusiasts, 19 September promises something extraordinary. #HUAWEIGoPaint inspire your creativity! #HUAWEILaunch #CreationOfBeauty #HUAWEIMatePad pic.twitter.com/KjpIvRPHlh

— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) September 13, 2024

Other features include a side-mounted fingerprint reader, a 1010 mAh battery, support for up to 100W wired charging, and HarmonyOS 4.2. The battery is expected to last up to a day without needing to be charged.

Numerous accessories are available, such as support for the Huawei M-Pencil and Smart Magnetic Keyboard, both of which are sold separately.

Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2.
Huawei

In China, the MatePad Pro 12.2 starts at CNY 4,299, or about $600. This is roughly $700 (!) less than the least-expensive 13-inch iPad Pro (M4), and $200 less than the least expensive 13-inch iPad Air. We aren’t sure how much different the global price will be, but it has the potential to be a real bargain.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe
Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
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