This is actually my first time reviewing a HUAWEI tablet, but I’ve been curious about them for quite a while. Two years ago, my partner reviewed the HUAWEI MatePad 11″ PaperMatte Edition and immediately fell in love with it. She liked it so much that last year she decided to buy the latest model at the time, the HUAWEI MatePad 11.5S. Seeing how much she enjoyed using it made me wonder what the experience was really like. Now I finally have the chance to find out for myself with the HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” 2025. I’m excited to share how it performs in this review.
Table of Contents
HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” 2025 Specifications
| OS: | Harmony OS 4.3 |
|---|---|
| Processor: | Kirin 8020 |
| Display: | 11.5″ IPS 120Hz Papermatte Edition |
| Wireless Connections: | Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band |
| Memory: | 8GB+256GB |
| Connectors: | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| Cameras: | Rear Camera: (Main) 13 MP, f/1.8 Front Camera: 8 MP, f/2.0 |
| SIM Card Slots: | None |
| Battery: | 10,100 mAh 40W Wired 5W Reverse Wired |
| Price: | 8GB+256GB: Php 21,999 |
The Design
The HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” features a sleek all-metal unibody design. Our unit comes in violet, and there’s also a space grey variant available. On the back panel, you’ll find the pogo pin connector for attaching the included keyboard case.
At the top, there’s the volume rocker, and just below it is the magnetic charging area for the stylus. On one side, you’ll see the power button along with two speaker grills, while the opposite side houses another pair of speaker grills and the USB Type-C port.
The Display and Speakers
The HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” features an 11.5-inch IPS display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and PaperMatte technology, making it excellent for note-taking and drawing. Unlike standard glossy glass panels, the screen comes with a built-in matte coating straight out of the box.
Its 3:2 aspect ratio and 2456 × 1600 resolution provide sharp, vibrant visuals which makes it perfect for watching your favorite shows.
For audio, the tablet is equipped with four speakers, two on each side. The sound is loud, clear, and well-balanced, delivering an immersive listening experience. Even at maximum volume, it avoids distortion and doesn’t sound tinny.
The Performance
The HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” comes with a Kirin 8020 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal storage. Below are the benchmark scores we got from the device.
It runs on HarmonyOS 4.3, and while there are a few pre-installed bloatware apps, they are easy to uninstall if you do not need them.
Huawei claims this is a PC-like tablet, and from my experience that is not just a marketing line. For example, when you open the browser, most websites load in their desktop version instead of the mobile view. On Facebook, the app shows you the mobile interface, but on the browser, it goes straight to the desktop version which gives a more laptop-like experience.
On top of that, it comes with PC-level WPS Office 2.0 so you can create Word documents, Excel sheets, or PowerPoint slides just like on a laptop. It also supports handwritten annotations and e-signatures on PDFs which is useful for both students and professionals.
Multitasking is smooth with Floating Multi-Window and Split-Screen mode, allowing you to run multiple apps side by side without noticeable lag.
If you purchase the HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” they will also include the latest M-Pencil 3rd Gen for free. It’s responsive and doesn’t slip, making it great for writing, sketching, or marking up documents. You can pair with the HUAWEI Notes app that is packed with features. You can import PDFs, use multiple templates, insert images, and even open two notes side by side. The AI Handwriting Enhancement makes handwriting cleaner and easier to read.
Aside from that, HUAWEI also introduced GoPaint for the first time on a MatePad in this range. The app comes with a variety of brushes such as watercolor, pencil, and marker, along with pro-level tools like layers and lasso selection. Whether you’re into digital art or just enjoy casual doodling, it’s a surprisingly solid app to have built in.
On the gaming side, the HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” can handle both casual titles and demanding games like Genshin Impact. We were able to play Genshin Impact on High graphics with only minimal stuttering, and by lowering the settings to Medium, the gameplay became smooth and consistent for an even better experience.
The Camera
The HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” is equipped with a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera, both capable of recording videos at up to 1080p resolution.
HUAWEI MatePad 11.5" 2025 – Main Camera The rear camera is not designed to replace your smartphone for photography, but it works well for practical tasks such as scanning documents, taking quick reference shots, or capturing notes on a whiteboard. It produces passable colors and details in good lighting, which makes it handy for school or work use.
HUAWEI MatePad 11.5" 2025 – Selfie Camera The front camera, on the other hand, is more useful for video calls and online meetings. The 8MP resolution is sharp enough for Zoom or Google Meet sessions, and it does a good job in keeping your face clear and natural-looking, even under indoor lighting. Combined with the large display, it makes the tablet a reliable device for online classes and remote work meetings.
The Battery
Battery is another strong point of the HUAWEI MatePad 11.5”. It comes with a 10,100mAh capacity that can easily handle hours of video playback, browsing, and productivity tasks. In our experience, it still had some battery left after nearly 8 hours of continuous use, which is impressive.
When it is time to charge, the included 40W fast charger can fully charge the tablet from 0% to 100% in about an hour and 30 minutes.
HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” 2025 Verdict
The HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” is a strong all-in-one tablet designed for students and young professionals. It offers a smooth PaperMatte display, solid multitasking features, dependable battery life, and even comes with a free keyboard and stylus, all at a price that makes it hard to beat. While it may not fully replace a laptop, it comes very close and delivers excellent value for work, study, and entertainment.
The HUAWEI MatePad 11.5” is priced at Php 21,999, but with the early bird voucher you can get it for Php 20,999. I was able to grab it during the pre-order period where Huawei offered an additional Php 1,500 discount, bringing the final price down to just Php 20,499, which makes the deal even sweeter.
