With the MatePad Pro 13.2, HUAWEI launched a convincing tablet last year, which only just missed out on the Gold Award in our test. Now there is a new edition, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition, which adopts the paper-like OLED display of the smaller 12.2-inch model and has a few special features. Our test.
Technical data
| Name | MatePad Pro 13.2 |
| Dimensions | 289.1 mm x 196.1 mm x 5.5 mm |
| weight | 580 g |
| SoC | Kirin T92 |
| Memory | Memory: 12 GB RAM Flash memory: 512 GB |
| Display | 13.2-inch; tandem OLED display; 2,880 x 1,920 pixels; 144 Hz (adaptive); up to 1,000 cd/m² brightness |
| Camera | Rear camera: main camera (40 MP) + ultra wide-angle (8 MP); front camera: 16 MP |
| Battery | 10,100 mAh, 100 W charging power |
| Audio | 6 speakers + 6 microphones |
| Operating system | HamonyOS 4.3 |
| Special features | NearLink; SuperDevice; ; Wi-Fi 6; Bluetooth 5.2; PaperMatte Display |
| Price | € 999.00 * |
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition Review: Golden beauty
- Absolutely stylish design
- excellent workmanship
- very thin
The pure dimensions of the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition have not changed in direct comparison to its predecessor. The new 13.2-inch tablet is also 289.1 mm wide, 196.1 mm high and only 5.5 mm deep. With a weight of 580 grams and the pleasantly slim design, the device is very comfortable to hold.
Visually, things look quite different. The new edition adopts the golden design from the MatePad Pro 12.2 (our test), which makes for an absolutely classy look. It’s just a shame that this grippy and textured golden surface is difficult to capture in digital photos – the tablet looks even more beautiful in real life, you’ll have to take my word for it.
The symmetrical screen edges are impressively low. 94 percent of the tablet’s surface is taken up by the display, making the edges just 0.5 mm narrow – with the exception of the notch that houses the front camera, which can also be used to unlock the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition via facial recognition. Alternatively, you can use a fingerprint sensor.
The build quality of the tablet is excellent. The frame is made from an aerospace-grade magnesium alloy and is correspondingly robust. According to the manufacturer, the filigree fiberglass back is particularly scratch-resistant and durable. We can really confirm this in the test. HUAWEI once again delivers the most beautiful (even if this is of course subjective) and highest-quality tablet on the market.
The scope of delivery is also outstanding. The brand new and revised keyboard is included free of charge, along with the M-Pencil 3 stylus and a 100-watt power supply unit. The HUAWEI Store is currently also offering a Bluetooth mouse as a free gift. This allows you to quickly transform the tablet into a notebook replacement.
HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard
- very good keyboard cover
- great typing experience
- Trackpad somewhat sluggish and inaccurate
The keyboard included in the scope of delivery, which bears the sonorous name HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard, marks an innovation. It comes in a white color and has been improved once again compared to its predecessor.
The keyboard cover comes in two parts so that you can use just the back to protect the tablet and place it on a surface using the fold-out kickstand.
The second component is the keyboard itself. This features pleasantly large keys that not only offer excellent tactile feedback, but should also delight frequent typists thanks to a high key travel of 1.5 millimeters.
The keyboard is available in German QWERTZ layout, but our test sample unfortunately only used QWERTY. The keyboard’s pleasantly non-slip surface also deserves high praise.
However, I was not completely convinced by the trackpad, which is comparatively huge at 120 mm x 72 mm. It triggers a little too easily for my taste, which in practice can make the difference between scrolling and clicking the mouse. A higher pressure point would have been more pleasant here. The scrolling speed itself should also be a little faster.
Apart from that, the trackpad fulfills its purpose and also scores with practical gestures. If you swipe upwards with three fingers, you immediately return to the home screen. Swiping to the side with three fingers allows you to quickly switch between apps. This all works perfectly in practice.
The combination of tablet and two-piece keyboard case weighs a total of 1,060 grams and is therefore about as heavy as a 13-inch ultrabook. And yes: The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition can certainly replace a notebook. In terms of functionality, you don’t have to accept any losses here. At least, if you are comfortable with the operating system.
Multimedia star: OLED display and speakers
- Very good tandem OLED display
- PaperMatte coating prevents reflections
- Very good speakers
HUAWEI has undoubtedly hit the jackpot with the PaperMatte display. The MatePad 11.5 “S (our test) and the MatePad Pro 12.2 already impressed with their paper-like surface and excellent protection against reflections. Especially in combination with the M-Pencil, this ensures an unrivaled writing and drawing experience on the screen
Here too, the new HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition with the third-generation OLED display has been further improved. Reflections are almost completely eliminated. Even when a light source shines directly on the display, it remains easy to read. This is of course particularly practical if you use the tablet a lot outdoors or in studio environments.
But the display itself is also a stunner. It has a resolution of 2,880 x 1,920 pixels (262 ppi) in 3:2 format and achieves a refresh rate of 144 hertz. The maximum brightness is a very good 1,000 nits, although the MatePad Pro 12.2 is twice as bright at its peak.
Due to the matte surface, the screen is naturally not quite as rich in contrast as reflective OLED panels and the color reproduction is also somewhat muted. However, HUAWEI still delivers an excellent panel that impresses with its outstanding image quality.
In combination with the six built-in speakers, which produce a rich and lively sound and an impressive maximum volume, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition is an excellent device for consuming media and is also very suitable for gaming thanks to 144 Hz.
Good performance, great battery life
- Good system performance
- Not top-level performance
- Very good battery life; short charging time
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition comes with the company’s own Kirin T92 octa-core processor. It is supported by 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of system memory, the latter of which unfortunately cannot be expanded.
The revised processor masters everyday tasks, multitasking, browsing, streaming and much more effortlessly and impresses with its impressive system performance. This is also due to the Harmony OS 4.3 operating system, which works even more smoothly and responds faster than the previous generation.
In terms of sheer performance, however, the chip installed in the MatePad Pro 13.2 is clearly inferior to the reasonably modern processors installed in devices from other manufacturers. Namely the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which can be found in the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro (our test), for example. Not to mention the ARM chips from Apple.
| Benchmark | Result |
| Geekbench 5 Multi Core | 4,669 pts. |
| Geekbench 5 Single Core | 1,176 pts. |
| Geekbench 5 GPU | 4,056 pts. |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 11,673 pts. |
Fortunately, thanks to the newer chip, the tablet clearly outperforms other HUAWEI devices. The graphics performance in particular shows a clear leap forward. The performance offered is more than sufficient for most applications. Only power users and gamers will notice limitations here.
The battery of the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition is the same as that used in the predecessor and its smaller sibling. It has a capacity of 10,100 mAh, but is now – as in the MatePad Pro 12.2 – charged with 100 watts using the included power adapter.
The battery life of 10 hours and 41 minutes is at a very good level. This is more than twice as long as the predecessor lasted around a year ago. However, the MatePad Pro 12.2 and the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro run noticeably longer at over 14 hours each.
A full charge is thus completed in 65 minutes. A very good value, even though the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro only takes around half the time with the same capacity and 120 watts.
Good cameras in the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition
- Noticeably improved cameras
- Very good image quality on all three lenses
The camera setup has also been significantly revised. HUAWEI has given the tablet a main camera with a resolution of 50 megapixels and an aperture of f/1.8. It is supported by an 8 MP wide-angle camera (f/2.2). Videos can be recorded in a maximum of 4K UHD at 30 frames per second.
The front camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels and an aperture of f/2.0. All three cameras deliver really good image quality and are a noticeable upgrade over their predecessors.
The cameras are perfect for the odd snapshot or two. Of course, this only really makes sense if you don’t have your smartphone to hand. The tablet also masters video conferences perfectly thanks to the good front camera and six built-in microphones.
Practical test and software
The biggest criticism of HUAWEI is and remains the software. Even with the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition, you have to do without Google services, apps and the Play Store. Yes, the AppGallery offers a good selection. And yes, Google Services can also be used in a roundabout way, but this is associated with effort and does not work with every app.
In the meantime, this has become much more convenient: With third-party solutions like the Aurora Store (available via the AppGallery), Google Services can be downloaded and used with minimal effort. 
But the manufacturer is doing its best to equip its own operating system with apps and tools. The drawing app GoPaint is excellent, Petal Search works quite well and the other programs also fulfill their purpose.
Nice: The Notes app has been updated and is now also able to create audio notes. You can add voice to your scribbles using the microphone. Unfortunately, there is no transcription function.
It all works somehow and if you’re not dependent on YouTube, Google Workspace, MS Office and the like, you’ll certainly get on well with it. However, many apps are unfortunately missing, leaving a bland aftertaste.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition Review: Conclusion
No question: The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition is undoubtedly the best tablet the manufacturer has ever built. The design is absolutely elegant and high-quality, and the workmanship is impeccable. The PaperMatte tandem OLED display offers excellent image quality and outstanding protection against reflections. The paper-like writing experience in particular is unique.
There are also six really excellent-sounding speakers that make the tablet a real multimedia all-rounder. In terms of performance, however, the built-in Kirin chip still lags noticeably behind the Android and iPadOS competition, although a leap forward can be seen here. The battery life and charging time are also impressive.
However, the biggest problem is and remains the lack of Google services. Although this can be partially bypassed, you won’t be able to use all your favorite apps on the device. Guaranteed. How serious this point of criticism is for you is certainly a matter of opinion. Comparably equipped competitors offer a more well-rounded overall package for significantly less money. But when it comes to the display and keyboard, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition is second to none.
- Top display
- Excellent workmanship
- Elegant design
- Very good speakers
- Keyboard and stylus included
- No Google services
- Chip slower than the competition
- Trackpad of the keyboard with weaknesses
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 PaperMatte Edition
Design & Workmanship
Hardware
Multimedia
Performance
Battery
Value For Money
89/100
Stylish tablet with a great, matt OLED display, very good battery life and excellent speakers. The performance is good, the keyboard excellent. However, the lack of Google services and poor graphics performance are annoying.
