Hello everyone. Today, let’s talk about the brand new flagship small tablet that Huawei just released, the Huawei MatePad Mini. To be honest, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a product in the small tablet segment that truly wows people. Although Apple’s iPad Mini series has always been quite strong, after so many years, its appearance, features, and experience seem to have entered an incremental update mode.
Let’s unbox it. First off, the polishing cloth has become mini. Then there’s this, oh, a clear protective case, very nice. In here, there’s a SIM ejector tool. And this is the 66W charger, USB-C port.
But this time, Huawei has entered the scene directly, throwing down a royal flush—the Super Mini. So how did the Huawei MatePad Mini achieve this level of thinness and lightness that fits in one hand? The first feeling after getting the actual device is that it’s light. Incredibly light. The entire device is only 255 grams. What does that mean? It’s lighter than a can of Coke. It’s even lighter than an Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max with a case on it. It’s also only 5.1 millimeters thick. Holding it in your hand feels like holding a thin and light notebook. Compared to the 297-gram iPad Mini 7, Huawei’s is a full 14.2% lighter. Don’t underestimate those 40-plus grams.
When you’re holding it for a long time during your commute, the difference in feel is quite obvious. To achieve such a thin and light design, Huawei really invested heavily in materials and structure this time. First, the middle frame uses a lightweight magnesium alloy, which is 20% lighter than traditional aluminum alloy. Second, the battery uses silicon-anode technology for the first time, achieving a capacity of 6,400 mAh while remaining thin and light.
Even the screen and audio modules have been made extremely lightweight. And don’t let its lightness fool you; its strength is not compromised at all. The body also hides a high-strength steel load-bearing beam. The stylus area even uses a titanium alloy bracket, which is resistant to pressure and bending. You can toss it in your bag without worrying about it bending at all.
This screen might be the visual ceiling for small tablets right now. The Huawei MatePad Mini is equipped with an 8.8-inch flexible OLED soft-light screen. It’s a long name, but the experience is truly top-tier. First, the screen-to-body ratio is as high as 92%, with bezels of only 2.99 millimeters, making the visual impact extremely strong.
Compare that to the iPad Mini 7’s huge black bezels that you could land an aircraft carrier on… well, you can judge for yourself. It has a 2.5K resolution plus 343 PPI, making the display sharp and detailed. A peak brightness of 1,800 nits, so it’s clear outdoors. A 120Hz high refresh rate for smooth, responsive scrolling. A 300Hz touch sampling rate for fast touch response. What surprises me the most is that it’s a soft-light screen that uses nano-etching technology, which can eliminate 99% of ambient light interference on the screen’s surface. Plus, with its paper-like writing texture, writing makes a satisfying sound and feels great.
Also, I have to talk about the experience with this stylus. It’s so smart, it’s unlike any other pen. This Huawei M-Pencil Pro, I’m willing to call it an “inspiration artifact.” It supports 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity. Not only is it smooth for writing and drawing, but more importantly, it’s super smart.
A single click on the button at the end of the pen directly wakes up Celia AI. Looking up information, opening apps—it’s all done with a single voice command. Double-click the button, and you can convert speech to text. It’s a fantastic tool for taking notes quietly in the library. Gently squeeze the body of the pen, and a shortcut menu pops up, letting you switch brushes, colors, and tools. Super convenient.
It even supports NearLink positioning for finding it. If you lose the pen, you can use the tablet to locate it precisely, down to the floor and distance. For someone like me who is often forgetful, this is really practical.
In terms of smart experience, this tablet is powered by HarmonyOS AI. If you need anything, just ask Celia AI. The HarmonyOS 5.1 system makes Celia AI even more savvy. We can circle anything we see—products, addresses, knowledge points—and look it up with one tap. Cross-device collaboration allows you to copy on your phone and paste on the tablet. App tasks can also flow seamlessly between devices, boosting efficiency by more than just a little bit. The super cool AI air gestures are also supported. With a grab-and-release gesture, you can instantly transfer pictures and videos.
In particular, the Huawei Notes and GoPaint apps have been heavily optimized for the small screen. Using features like the unbounded canvas, AI handwriting beautification, real-time voice-to-text transcription, and one-tap color card generation on the Huawei MatePad Mini feels especially smooth.
Along with portability, a mini also needs longer battery life. The MatePad Mini fits a 6400mAh battery into its thinner body, while the iPad Mini has a 5024mAh battery. In the following three hours, I used several of the most common apps, and I found that the Huawei’s power consumption for almost every app was lower than Apple’s. In the end, the MatePad Mini had 63% battery remaining, while the iPad Mini had 40% battery remaining. And, the Huawei has a larger battery to begin with.
At the same time, playing Honor of Kings on the MatePad Mini for 30 minutes, its average frame rate was 120 fps. It’s almost a straight line, no pressure at all. But the iPad Mini’s average frame rate was 59.6 fps, which is… quite embarrassing, because it only has a 60Hz screen anyway. So, you can’t play the 120Hz mode of Honor of Kings on the iPad Mini.
Of course, what I like most is that it’s a tablet that can make phone calls with a SIM card. Huawei has truly managed to have the best of both worlds. The Huawei MatePad Mini supports phone calls via SIM card. Yes, just like a phone. Also has a built-in earpiece. You can even hold it up to your ear to make a call, offering maximum privacy.
No more awkwardly using speakerphone or connecting Bluetooth headphones to take a call. Its communication capabilities are also very comprehensive. In testing, the signal is very stable. You no longer need to search for hotspots when you’re out. Wi-Fi 7 is faster with lower latency.
In summary, the Huawei MatePad Mini finally gives the small tablet market a new option. Its arrival actually sends us a very clear signal: small doesn’t mean compromise. It can pack a flagship-level screen, communication, and smart experience into a thin and light body. It even creates a competitive advantage with unique features like SIM card calling, the soft-light screen, and its thin and light feel.
If you’ve been waiting for a flagship small tablet that can truly be with you at all times, the Huawei MatePad Mini is definitely worth a try. It’s not trying to redefine anything, but rather, it’s showing the market, in a very real way, that a small size can still deliver a great experience. Alright, that’s it for this video. We’ll see you in the next one. Remember to like, subscribe, and share. Bye-bye.
