Huawei on Thursday released the Matepad 11 tablet, offering the work from home warrior a productivity tool that is neither a laptop nor a smartphone.
The Matepad 11 will appeal to those who incorporate a second screen into their set up or need a device that has pen support for sketching and signing documents. In my case, I use a second screen for video calls so as not to distract me from writing on my laptop.
I also use a second screen to squeeze in some chores like cooking while keeping an eye on my emails and chat boxes. That screen should easily convert into a streaming machine for YouTube and Netflix at mealtime.
I have colleagues who do some of their writing on their phones to break the monotony of the WFH desk. Easy edits on the couch using a tablet or laptop does it for me. At night, I use my tablet to scroll through TikTok and Instagram.
Four days using my loaner Matepad 11 from Huawei, the device fit into that routine. For reference, I use an iPad Pro as a second screen, though in a much larger 12.9 inch form factor. When I'm not using a tablet, or when I feel like doing some Tetris with in my home office, I use I connect a 24-inch monitor to my laptop.
Two things struck me during my initial hands-on with the Matepad 11. First, Harmony OS is slick. It fells almost as smooth as iOS on the iPad. If you've set up an Apple device, you'll be right at home.
Second, the 11-inch LCD screen is beautiful. It has a 120 hz refresh rate for smooth animations and colors, especially reds and greens look deep on the 2560 x 1600 panel with 275 ppi.
The keyboard cover that comes with the Matepad 11 is surprisingly clicky and feels nothing like the cheap bluetooth keyboards online. It also offers support for Huawei's M-Pencil and works with a bluetooth mouse.
Stay with reportr for our full review coming soon. Pre-orders run from Aug. 7 to 12.
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