Huawei Launches Trio of MediaPad M5 Tablets in US

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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

Henry was a contributing writer at Laptop Mag. He penned hundreds of articles, including helpful how-tos for Windows, Mac, and Gmail. Henry has also written about some of the best Chromebooks, and he has reviewed many Apple devices, including various MacBook Air laptops. He is now a managing editor at our sister site Tom's Guide, covering streaming media, laptops, and all things Apple.