Huawei Launches Trio of MediaPad M5 Tablets in US

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By Henry T. Casey
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Today (June 12) Huawei's made its MediaPad M5 tablet series — which start at $319 — available in the United States, via Amazon and Newegg. There are three models in total, with 8.4-inch and 10.8-inch Space Gray versions ($319 and $359, respectively) and a 10.8-inch Pro ($449) model in Champagne Gold. 

The Pro model's perks, outside of its colorway, include the Huawei M-Pen, a stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. Also, the non-Pro models feature Huawei's Kirin 960 CPU, while the Pro features the 960s processor. Each features 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, as well as a micro SD memory reader that can expand storage to 256GB.

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All of the M5 tablets run Android 8.0 and Huawei's EMUI optimizations. No matter which size you get, it will feature a 2560 x 1600-pixel IPS screen with ClariVu technology for enhancing color and contrast, and a 2.5D curved glass pane, the latter being a feature most-often seen in smartphones. The 8.4-inch tablet features dual speakers, while the 10.8-inch models have quad speakers.

Huawei's saying the tablets' slimmer, lighter designs feature a curved metal chassis for increased ergonomics. Both the 8.4-inch and 10.8-inch slates measure 0.29 inches thick, while the smaller model weighs 11.15 ounces, and the larger models weigh 17.56 ounces. 

The 8.4-inch M5 packs a 5100 mAh battery, which Huawei rates for 11 hours of 1080p video playback, while the 10.8-inch models feature 7500 mAh batteries, and are rated for 12 hours of 1080p video playback. We look forward to putting these tablets through the Laptop Mag Battery Test. 

In a press release, Huawei notes the 10.8-inch M5 will feature a "transformed" Desktop View experience that's optimized for work tasks. A Pogo-Pin port enables users to connect a keyboard for enhanced productivity. 

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Henry T. Casey