Big Tablet Comparo: Huawei MatePad Pro 12.6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

The demand for tablets is growing because of the ongoing pandemic, with people opting to get one for their WFH needs. While 10 and 11-inch tablets are the norm, a number of brands are releasing bigger tablets. With screen sizes that are close to your typical ultrabook, tablets nowadays offer roughly the same amount of muscle to handle every person’s usual workflow.

Two of these brands that offer large tablets are Huawei and Samsung with the MatePad Pro 12.6 and Galaxy Tab S7+. Both tablets come bundled with a keyboard and stylus, letting you use them as a 2-in-1 productivity device right off the bat. The question remains, however: which large tablet offers better value for money?

Huawei MatePad Pro 12.6 Specs

Kirin 9000E Processor
8GB LPDDR4X RAM
256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage
12.6-inch OLED display, 2560×1600 resolution, 100% DCI-P3, HDR10
13-megapixel f/1.8 main camera with PDAF, 8-megapixel f/2.0 ultra-wide-angle camera, ToF sensor
8-megapixel f/2.0 selfie camera
WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
M-Pencil 2nd generation, 8-Speaker System
10050mAh battery
40w wired charging, 27w wireless charging, 10w reverse wireless charging
HarmonyOS 2

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ Specs

Snapdragon 865+ processor
8GB LPDDR4X RAM
256GB UFS 2.1 storage
12.4-inch AMOLED display, 2800 x 1752 Resolution
13-megapixel f/1.9 main camera, 5-megapixel f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle camera
8-megapixel f/1.9 front camera
4G, LTE
WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS
In-display fingerprint scanner, S-Pen, AKG-tuned quad speakers, Dolby Atmos
10090mAh battery
45w fast charging
Android 11, One UI 3.1

Design

Both tablets have a premium build with their generous use of aluminum. The MatePad Pro 12.6 has a curvier frame, while the Galaxy Tab S7+ opts for a more boxy look with a unibody design. Both tablets have a single USB-C port, a MicroSD card slot, and no headphone jack. Both tablets have a SIM card slot for LTE connectivity, though the Galaxy Tab S7+ has a MicroSD card slot for storage expansion. As for other features, the MatePad Pro 12.6 has a class-leading 8-speaker system–the first-ever in a tablet–that beats any tablet with a quad-speaker system and a 3.5mm to USB-C dongle so that you can use your wired earphones right off the bat.

Display

Both tablets use OLED panels, with the MatePad Pro 12.6 being a smidge bigger in terms of screen estate. In terms of features, however, the Galaxy Tab S7+ is better with its 120hz refresh rate, a slightly higher resolution, and an in-display fingerprint scanner–a rare feature to find on a tablet.

As a daily driver, both the MatePad Pro 12.6 and Galaxy Tab S7+ deliver deep blacks and vivid colors that are typical of an OLED panel. That makes them great not just for general productivity work, but also for videos, movies, and games. Both tablets also have native support for styluses: S-Pen for the Galaxy Tab S7+, and M-Pencil 2nd generation for the MatePad Pro 12.6.

Keyboard

The MatePad Pro 12.6 and Galaxy Tab S7+’s keyboard covers are designed differently. The former has a one-piece design with two screen angle modes and a full keyboard layout, while the latter goes for a two-piece design with a kickstand, a trackpad, and a dedicated slot for the S-Pen.

In terms of design and functionality, the Galaxy Tab S7+ has a more practical one as it saves you from possibly losing the S-Pen, while the inclusion of a trackpad lets you free yourself from needing a Bluetooth mouse when doing productivity work. While the MatePad Pro 12.6 does not have a trackpad, the M-Pencil 2nd generation magnetically attaches (and charges) to the tablet, making it just as convenient in terms of making sure that you do not lose it.

Speaking of Bluetooth, the MatePad Pro 12.6’s keyboard connects via Bluetooth, while the Galaxy Tab S7+’s keyboard connects via the tablet’s POGO pins. This means that the connection of the latter is better than the former since it does not need to deal with potential latency issues when there are multiple Bluetooth devices connected.

Cameras

The MatePad Pro 12.6 and Galaxy Tab S7+ have practically the same main rear camera and selfie snapper at 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel respectively, though the MatePad Pro 12.6 gets an additional ToF sensor for depth sensing and a higher-resolution ultra-wide-angle camera. Both tablets are capable of shooting videos at up to 4K resolution. That makes the MatePad Pro 12.6 the first tablet to have a triple rear camera setup.

Internals

Both tablets come with 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage and are powered by flagship-grade processors: Snapdragon 865+ on the Galaxy Tab S7+, and Kirin 9000E on the MatePad Pro 12.6.

While we could not run most of our usual benchmark tests on the MatePad Pro 12.6, the result we obtained in 3DMark Wild Life reveals that Huawei’s large tablet offering has more muscle than the Galaxy Tab S7+.

The MatePad Pro 12.6’s advantage over the Galaxy Tab S7+ in 3DMark Wild Life can be credited to the Kirin 9000E processor being manufactured using a 5nm process (vs 7nm) and has a more powerful GPU to boot.

User Interface

Both tablets have their own desktop-like interface with DeX on the Galaxy Tab S7+ and HarmonyOS on the MatePad Pro 12.6. In terms of interface, the MatePad Pro 12.6 has an advantage, as you can enjoy a desktop-like experience right away, saving you the need to toggle settings before you can use desktop mode.

Aside from that, HarmonyOS does not need special accessories. As long as you have a Huawei device, integration is seamless, and you can use the MatePad Pro 12.6 as a second screen to your Huawei laptop to mirror the laptop’s display or act as an extended display, or pair it with your Huawei phone for streamlined multi-screen collaboration.

Battery Life

While both have roughly the same battery capacity, our video loop tests show that the MatePad Pro 12.6 lasted longer at 10.5 hours compared to the 10-hour battery life we got on the Galaxy Tab S7+ at 60hz mode. using the Galaxy Tab S7+’s 120hz refresh rate mode, we got a little under 7 hours in our video loop test, which is a fair compromise for a higher refresh rate.

The Galaxy Tab S7+ supports faster wired charging speeds at 45w, but the MatePad Pro 12.6 adds 27w wireless charging and 10w reverse wireless charging–along with a 40w charger included in the box (the Galaxy Tab S7+ only comes with a 15w charger).

Price

The Galaxy Tab S7+ retails for Php 63,990, while the MatePad Pro 12.6 is priced at Php 55,999. While both tablets come bundled with a keyboard cover and stylus, the MatePad Pro offers better value for money. Beyond the included accessories, the MatePad Pro 12.6 has a more powerful processor, a class-leading 8-speaker system, and support for wireless charging.

The MatePad Pro 12.6 is available at the Huawei online store, Lazada, and Shopee.