Verdict
see past its maker ’s lusterless software commitment and the Honor MagicPad 2 proves to be a sensational and capable slate , with premium audiovisual abilities for a fraction of the cost of its biggest rivals .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
For the longest prison term , the Android pad space felt up flat and mogul . Save for the odd worthwhile offering from Samsung , few competition were up to ill-treat into the ring against the likes of the Galaxy Tab kitchen range and , in the panoptic tablet space , the ever - present iPad .
gratefully , there ’s been in shift over the last year or so and now we have fresh rival from the ilk of theOnePlus Pad 2and now , the modish Honor MagicPad 2 .
unveil for international audience in early September this year , the MagicPad 2 set its good deal on the biggestbest tabletsaround , with the purport of merging or beat out them on a spec - for - spec fundament , while also promote Honor ’s former exploit in AI integration across its product range .
Design
As tablets go , the MagicPad 2 is a matter of beauty . In place of the predominantly metal form of the latest Galaxy Tab , iPad or OnePlus Pad , Honor has dressed the back of its newest slating with what it exact is an “ aerospace - mark ” character cloth that ’s 45 % lighter and 25 % stronger than its late looping .
In the mitt , it serves up a little extra grip compared to the full - alloy crownwork of central rivals and does n’t get as hot or cold to the tactual sensation either .
esthetically , the Moonlight White model see in this review is great to look at . The back has a pattern to it that catches the light beautifully , as if hewn from iridescent nacre ( like you ’d find on the inside of certain shells ) , and actually resembles the Rococo PearlHuawei P60 Proin that regard .
It ’s complemented by a sandblasted metal frame and dressed metal accent work around the television camera for a pleasing contrast . While the straight - sided visual aspect may remind you of an iPad , Honor has done plenty to help its latest slate stomach aside , stylistically .
This construction also means that , compared to similarly - sized challenger – like the12.4 - in Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+(571 gramme ) , and the13 - inch iPad Pro(579 grams ) – it ’s unclouded and thus promiscuous to use for extended catamenia .
Accessories
Both at launching and on its internet site , Honor is also heavily pushing the Honor MagicPad 2 Smart Bluetooth Keyboard ( £ 75.99 in the UK ) and Honor Magic - Pencil 3 ( £ 85.99 in the UK ) ; optional accessories that unlock the full voltage of the MagicPad 2 .
The added convenience of a forcible keyboard is undeniable , with 1.6 mm of travel within the accessory ’s keys , while an potpourri of shortcuts have you quickly access favourite apps , as well as UI elements like the telling pane , and even voice commands , all without having to extend to the silver screen .
When you consider Apple ’s and Samsung ’s keyboard for their equivalent tablets come in in at £ 349 and £ 229.99 severally , the estimate of coughing up a little spare for the benefits it offers seems like a no - brainer .
That said , the MagicPad 2 ’s keyboard cover ’s lower ask price is justify by some obvious via media . The single 60 - academic degree angle is ideal for productiveness , but does n’t extend any flexibleness should you want to tilt the projection screen for a better view when enjoying medium or gaming , the keys are n’t backlit and there ’s no trackpad .
Despite what appear to be an internal battery , the keyboard ca n’t maintain its Bluetooth connectedness when the tablet is n’t connected , have in mind you ca n’t place the MagicPad 2 and the keyboard cover in freestanding places on your desk and keep typing like with the OnePlus Pad 2 ’s keyboard cover version .
While these are n’t deal - crack defect , just be sure that you ’re picking this accessory up for the correct reasons , namely productivity and shelter .
Then there ’s the Magic Pencil 3 . telling 2ms latency , 4096 levels of pressure sensitiveness , tilt functionality ( in prize apps , with prime tool ) , replaceable nibs and good support for stylus input across the MagicPad 2 ’s user experience make this a handy spear carrier if you prefer to write by hand and doodle , in place of tap , typing and swiping .
The style also bind to the prospicient bound of the MagicPad 2 magnetically and charges wirelessly ( honour promise a full tutelage in 45 minutes and up to 10 hours of function at a time ) , but note that it seems to attach at a number of dissimilar stop along the tab ’s sharpness and only one really charge with Magic Pencil 3 .
A peachy stylus whoremonger I ’ve not really seen elsewhere is that the signature - sensitive area near the nib of the Magic - Pencil 3 bear out tapping and swiping gestures , and paired with the MagicPad 2 ’s Spotlight lineament , lets you turn the style into a pseudo - optical maser pointer with the ability to swipe between page or slide and highlight things at a distance . That ’s something I could absolutely see students making use of during their next category introduction .
Screen
As for the concealment , the use of a 12.3 - in board with its 1920 x 3000 resolve actually yield you a sharper pic than likewise - sized alternative , coif within impressively fragile bezels . Honor ’s choose for OLED technical school here , see to it superb direct contrast with unfeigned blacks , vibrant colors and strong visibleness in a range of environments , thanks to solid viewing angle and up to a 1600 - nit peak light ; made all the more impressive , considering the MagicPad 2 ’s postulate price .
If it ’s gaming , or HFR ( high skeleton charge per unit ) message you ’re concerned in , the gore ’s peak 144Hz refresh rate is n’t to be sniffle at either . Even in ‘ active ’ mode , the slate seems to favor 120Hz visuals ( where supported ) , so things should come out buttery smooth practically all the fourth dimension .
pureness has also packed in a heap of technical school to ensure the MagicPad 2 ’s viewing experience is as gentle on the eye as possible : AI Defocus is there to aid you head off eye straining when reading or watch for extended periods , and it ’s support in apps like YouTube , Netflix and Kindle .
4320Hz high - frequency PWM dimming eliminates fluctuations in screen luminousness , minimising flickering to what Honor calls an ‘ imperceptible ’ level , plus the screen will also shift to a warm hue at dark .
While the intermediate exchange premium ticket packs in four speakers working in two-channel couplet , the MagicPad 2 packs in eight . The resultant auditory sensation is richer and warm , when compare it side by side with the pricierSamsung Galaxy Tab S9 UltraI had to give . It extend up a broad sound point , provide better stereoscopic photograph separation ( up to 100 degrees , concord to Honor ) too .
The deficiency of a physical 3.5 millimetre headphone jack is a little thwarting considering there ’s definitely room for one , but rather , Honor has at least improved the spacial sound recording funding available when using compatiblewireless earbuds , with a reported 25 % wider sound field than on its premature slating .
Collectively , the audiovisual chop of the MagicPad 2 also make the gash for IMAX Enhanced certification , meaning you may savor compatible content on the likes of Disney+ with the standard ’s unique 1.9:1 aspect proportion ( in prime scenes ) and DTS - approved audio . It ’s a smart inclusion , if only to reward the MagicPad 2 ’s already - obvious viewing and audio ability .
Camera
As is customary on the legal age of tablets , photographic camera do n’t appear to be high on the list of antecedence , where glasses and feature are concerned . The MagicPad 2 comes with a duo of sensors : a 13MP briny and a 9MP front - facer .
The primary sensor is okay for written document skim ( there ’s a dedicated mode within the tv camera UI ) , while the selfie camera can cover you for video calls .
Interestingly , the diminished , low - resolution selfie snapper takes what I consider the nicer dead reckoning , especially where selfies are relate . The results miss detail and are easy compare to the MagicPad 2 ’s main television camera but skin tones are more likeable and that ’s even with portrayal mode beauty sweetening disabled .
It would have , perhaps , been more meaningful for Honor to use the same two-sided charismatic , detachable photographic camera estimation seen on theHonor MagicBook Art 14 , which launched alongside the MagicPad 2 . This would have allow Honor to hire a high lineament sensor to cover both front and rear shooting experience , without the want for a sensor to always be on showing .
Performance
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 that powers the MagicPad 2 has already leaven itself to be up to silicon in the likes of thePoco F6,Motorola Razr 50 Ultraand the company ’s ownHonor 200 Pro . It ’s by no means head - of - the - coterie , and perhaps one of the weaker aspects of the slate ’s makeup , but it ’s more than up to the task of providing a consistent and enjoyable user experience , considering the kinds of tasks you ’ll probably put the MagicPad 2 up to .
Benchmarking places the MagicPad 2 on equation with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 - tote up OnePlus Pad 2 in central processing unit performance , but fractionally behind it in GPU tests .
We ’re yet to amount onto the software package experience but to jump ahead for a present moment , Android on tablet still feels a short half - baked , and as such , there ’s little to really assess the right way high - end chipsets like Qualcomm ’s Snapdragon 8 serial .
As much as companies like Samsung might claim otherwise – with their alone optimize Android app partnerships – the iPad remains the power user ’s go - to tablet ; partly because of the iPadOS - tailored app experience , and partly due to the class - direct Si they possess ( that ’s the M4 chip inside the current iPad Pro at the sentence of writing ) .
This is all to say , unless you plan on purchase an Android tablet for high - death play or acute video recording editing , there ’s piddling reason to doubt the ironware performance offered by the Honor MagicPad 2 .
For context , while in Honor ’s homeland of China you may find its latest tab with up to 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage , internationally , you ’ll only have to deal with one variant , packing 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of storage .
Honor also include its RAM Turbo characteristic , which allocates some storage as additional computer storage for multitasking and reduce app lading time , but I call into question its utility , with apparently no issue running three apps simultaneously on the MagicPad during examination .
Honor also does n’t let you alter the allocation of storage contributing to RAM Turbo , nor does it give you the selection to disable it ; this is a modest annoyance , but only in so much as equivalent technology on rival devices does allow for some customisation of the experience .
Software
Perhaps the most notable tent-fly in the MagicPad 2 ’s ointment is its software committedness . While new Honor phones , like the recentHonor Magic V3are slated to pick up a respectable four yr of OS updates and five long time of surety darn , the company ’s latest and greatest slate only looks adjust to invite a measly one of the former and three of the latter , in its lifetime .
Even though I do n’t think tablet user clamour for features and software package enhancements the fashion smartphone substance abuser tend to , Honor ’s determination here seat well behind the curve and hurt the MagicPad 2 ’s otherwise compelling note value suggestion .
With the OnePlus Pad 2 expecting 3 years and 4 years , respectively , and Samsung ’s latest slates set to receive 7 generations of O and security update altogether , the MagicPad 2 simply does n’t vie in this respect .
As ever , Honor ’s Android - ground software experience is a mixed bag . The society has put more time and transparence into bid frequent update and utile feature that keep user ’ needs at the fore , but you should still bear some rough edges and a degree of gratuitous bloat .
Power management forbid well-timed notice has been a longstanding bugbear of MagicOS but on the snotty-nosed side , features like Honor MagicRing make machine inter - connectivity a doddle . Want to not only transfer files but actually mirror your Honor smartphone on the MagicPad 2 ? No problem , with MagicRing – one of the most seamless ecosystem features in the society ’s repertory .
Magic Portal is a little more hit - and - miss but permit you well share any relevant contentedness you could drag and dangle on - screen , while Favourite Space and Parallel Space work as a digital scrapbook and secure junior-grade user experience respectively .
There are smaller elements of MagicOS that I love – like enlarged home cover brochure and painless split - screen multitasking , and some that I dislike – a long - crush for the Google Assistant , but an even tenacious crush to reach the tab ’s power menu . Why , Honor ?
Magic Capsule is a great fashion to keep pill on timer or quickly access music playback , but the timing of its appearing within MagicOS is unabashedly contrived , proportional to the debut of the iPhone ’s Dynamic Island .
Nowadays we ca n’t talk about software program without mentioning AI . The term has , in fact , been part of Honor ’s launching and merchandising material for some time now , and while some existing features have undergone a rebrand for the sake of relevance , there are some meaningful additions which leverage AI worth highlighting on the MagicPad 2 .
laurels ’s Notes app offer some of the most tangible benefits , with minuscule additions , such as handwriting beautification , which had no job recognize by terrible scrawl and turning into discernible textual matter ; with options to edit the degree of change , as well as select from a few different fonts .
The ability to immortalise sound recording with literal - time transcription and displacement has serious public utility company too , even if initialise the speech - to - textual matter of multiple lyric did n’t ensue in the sporty copy by default . You also have the option to format handwritten formulas more clearly , however , unlike Apple ’s Notes app , Honor ’s AI leaves solving tell equations up to you for the time being .
Battery Life
Despite chastising Honor ’s overzealous power management earlier , the ash grey liner is that it results in great battery life .
break the 10000mAh barrier in a 12 - inch tablet is n’t uncommon but the MagicPad drive a little more out of the power pack on bridge player , beating out the ( admittedly larger - sort ) Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra in our 30 - moment igniter gaming barrage fire test , where the Galaxy Tab sink by 8 % to the MagicPad 2 ’s 5 % drop curtain . Equally , an time of day of Netflix at 50 % luminance taxed the battery about the same , lose 5 % of its charge in that time .
As for charging , the model I test make out with a 66W exponent adapter in - box , letting me test the MagicPad 2 ’s salutary available recharging amphetamine , however , UK buyers are n’t likely to receive this all - authoritative accessory . Luckily , at the clock time of authorship , Honor is hold in its 100W wire fast courser as a liberal giving with the purchase of a MagicPad 2 in the region .
The 66W battery charger cause the MagicPad 2 to 35 % in 30 minutes , 50 % in just under 40 and fully burden after being plugged in for just shy of 1.75 minute . Not scald by any mean , but seemingly right for the charging speeds and stamp battery content at shimmer here .
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Should you buy it?
The MagicPad 2 ’s audiovisual prowess is surpassing , and finding an OLED video display this good and this large at this price point is rare indeed .
If you ’re face to put in a tablet recollective - terminal figure , there are better options , especially on the surety front , where the MagicPad 2 will become vulnerable after three years .
Final Thoughts
There ’s a lot to like about the Honor MagicPad 2 . A sleek design Host a gorgeous OLED show , supports add-on that add meaningful economic value to the user experience and packs good deal of might for workaday project , with a flair for media consumption .
MagicOS 8 is brimming with feature , boasts some truly useful AI - back experiences and is great for file share-out , particularly across the Honor ecosystem . Some rough edges on the UX and disappointing foresighted - term software package support are all that really hold the MagicPad 2 back from true pad of paper immensity . It ’s still easy enough to commend , think the Mary Leontyne Price .
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FAQs
Depending on the marketplace , the MagicPad 2 may get with a power adapter in - box ( not in the UK ) , but the Honor MagicPad 2 Smart Bluetooth Keyboard and Honor Magic - Pencil 3 are each deal severally .
No .
Honor has committed to one OS update ( presumptively MagicOS 9.0 atop Android 15 ) , plus three years of security update ( presumptively ending in 2027 ) .
Test Data
Full Specs
