CES 2019: The Huawei Mediapad M5 Lite
by Ian Cutress on January 7, 2019 9:05 AM EST
Back at MWC 2018 we saw the launch of the MediaPad M5 and M5 Pro: high-end tablets attempting to revitalise the premium Android tablet market. Today Huawei is announcing a cost-down version of those devices for the US market, in the MediaPad M5 Lite.
The M5 Lite sits between the two versions of the M5 at a 10.1-inch display, although with a smaller 1920x1200 resolution. The chipset is also lower down the stack, as rather than the Kirin 960 these parts have the Kirin 659: an octa-core A53 variant. This is valid in a cost-down model for sure, as the MediaPad M5 Lite, with a bundled 2048-level pressure sensitive M-Pen, will be $299.
| Huawei MediaPad M5 Family | |||
| 8.4-inch | 10.8-inch | 10.1-inch Lite |
|
| SoC | HiSilicon Kirin 960 4 x A73 @ 2.36 GHz 4 x A53 @ 1.84 GHz |
HiSilicon Kirin 659 4 x A53 @ 2.36 GHz 4 x A53 @ 1.70 GHz |
|
| Graphics | Mali-G71MP8 1037 MHz |
Mali-T830 MP2 900 MHz |
|
| Display | 8.4-inch 2560x1600 |
10.8-inch 2560x1600 |
10.1-inch 1920x1200 |
| Storage | 32 GB / 64 GB / 128 GB + microSD |
32GB + microSD |
|
| Memory | 4GB LPDDR4-1866 | 3 GB | |
| Battery | 5100 mAh Up to 11 hours |
7500 mAh Up to 10 hours |
7500 mAh Up to 10-12 hours |
| Wireless | LTE on select mdoels 802.11ac Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.2 |
No LTE 802.11ac Wi-Fi BT 4.2 |
|
| Connectivity | Type-C Charging USB Type-C to 3.5mm Audio |
18W Type-C Charging 3.5mm TRRS |
|
| Camera | 13MP Autofocus + 8MP Fixed Focus |
8MP Autofocus + 8MP Fixed Focus |
|
| Android | Android 8.0 + EMUI 8.0 | Android 8.0 + EMUI 8.0 | |
| Price | $299 | ||
On the M5 Lite there is a quad speaker system developed in partnership with harmon/kardon, and the 3.5mm headphone jack supports Dolby Atmos. The M5 Lite will be offered as a Wi-Fi model only, but the large size allows for a 7500 mAh battery which should give 10-12 hours of video playback time and 40 days of standby. The port on board is a Type-C, and the unit comes with an 18W (9V/2A) charger. Memory and storage is fixed at 3GB and 32GB respectively, however there is a microSD card slot good for up to 256GB. Cameras are listed as 8MP for both front and rear.
User experience features on the device include an enhanced eye-comfort mode, user profiles based on finger print entry, the aforementioned M-Pen, and a ‘Kid’s Corner’ technology that allows parents to limit what applications their children can use and also fix time limits on various apps.
Dimensions for the device come in at 6.39 x 9.58 x 0.30-inches and 16.76 oz (475g). It is expected to hit the market early in Q1.
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LarsBolender - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
Why would I buy this, when I get can a 2018 Ipad with an A10 and way better software support for almost the same price?GC2:CS - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
You should buy it because it comes in Space Gray. /sdeV14nt - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
I had an me to run music and Uber Driver / Waze side by side horizontally in my car.deV14nt - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
*m3 sorry I should have checked the autocorrect.sheh - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
Android, SD card, and because there aren't alternative attractive Android tablets in the price range (Samsung's Tab S3 is $400 in good day, and $450-500 normally).UtilityMax - Monday, January 21, 2019 - link
For me there exist several reasons not to buy the iPad.1. No stereo sound in landscape mode.
2. 4:3 aspect ratio screen means that a large portion of screen is wasted for watching movie/TV content.
3. I have a large library of video files that I'd love to upload to the tablet, but Apple has done its best to make this either impossible or as painful as possible
4. No sd card..
eastcoast_pete - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
IMO, a move in the wrong direction. With many phone displays now approaching 7 inches, the only reason for me to still buy a tablet is a much larger screen to make reading, watching and some light game playing more enjoyable. The large iPad Pro has the size and aspect ratio correct, but it's very, very expensive, so no thanks. Now, an affordable Android tablet with a 2:3 aspect ratio 12 inch bright, crisp full HD IPS-LCD screen, a large battery, and a processor that has a bit more oomph on the CPU and GPU side than the MediaPad lite here would be an attractive device I might consider. Ideal to take with me when commuting or traveling. This one here is barely equal to my >3 year old 10" Android tablet, and that's likely true for many who already own something similar.ET - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
"With many phone displays now approaching 7 inches, the only reason for me to still buy a tablet is a much larger screen"Do you buy these 7 inch phones? Are you comfortable using one?
deV14nt - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
I've had the going "Max" size for several years now but when I had an 8.4" tablet I picked it up more than my phone, 11" 2 in 1, or my desktop.Death666Angel - Monday, January 7, 2019 - link
I've had a 5.2" phone with a 10" tablet. The tablet was rarely used (ICS days). I've had a 7" tablet and a 6" or a 5.7" phone. The 7" tablet was used only as a media player during commute. At home, it just lay in the corner and I either used my phone or my PC. I've come to the conclusion that the single task nature of tablets and phones just really isn't suited to my needs, so a tablet is even more superfluous than a smartphone that at least has some communication abilities my PC doesn't. If I were to get another tablet, it would be the 8" to 9" range, just because it is small enough to be easily portable while offering more screen real estate compared to my phone without competing with my 13" laptop.