A tablet device with a large screen that is easy to see and convenient for photos, videos, and browsing the Internet is a convenient item for both daily life and work. Especially in recent years, services that people want to enjoy on a large screen, such as e-books and streaming video services, have become popular, and are boosting the popularity of tablets. Various models have appeared even if it is called a tablet in a bite, but the product equipped with an 8-inch display is gaining strong support because of its portability. However, in the tablet market these days, new 8-inch products are quite a minority. Some may have thought, "The new tablet is almost 10-inch, and a little big ...".
Meanwhile, a new 8-inch tablet product has appeared from Huawei. That is the "HUAWEI MediaPad M5 lite" (8 inches). A slim body with a weight of about 310 g and a thickness of about 8.2 mm on a just 8-inch high-definition display. The LTE version is in the 20,000 yen range, and the Wi-Fi model is in the low 20,000 yen range. And it has many points of interest such as basic performance and metal body that lead tablets in the same price range. This time, I would like to take a look at this "three-way good" tablet in terms of size, performance, and price.
▲ The thickness is about 8.2mm.Because the body is big, it feels pretty slim when you bring it
Huawei's commitment to basic specifications
First, let's take a look at the features of this machine. The first thing I would like to introduce is the display, which is important for tablets. The display of this model is just 8 inches. The aspect ratio is 16:10, which has a wider vertical display area than full HD (16: 9), and the resolution is 1920 x 1200, which is wider than full HD. There are many low-priced products with a resolution one rank lower, such as 1280 x 800, but if you are going to buy a tablet from now on, you definitely want to choose a model with full HD or higher. Nowadays, full HD or higher resolutions are becoming commonplace in streaming videos, but with this unit, you can enjoy full HD videos without losing the sense of detail.
▲ The bezel (frame) on the left and right sides when vertically long is narrow. As a result, the screen is both spacious and easy to hold, and what can be called more attention than the display is the SoC (processor), which is the heart of the screen. This is an important part that determines most of the processing speed of tablets and smartphones, but this machine adopts the latest generation model "HUAWEI Kirin 710" developed by Huawei group companies. This is a SoC with a good balance between price and ability, which was also used in the HUAWEI smartphone "HUAWEI Mate 20 lite", which is currently a big hit. With this latest SoC, even full HD streaming video, whose resolution drops when the processing performance is low, can be viewed comfortably. In addition, the 10-inch version, which is a brother model, was equipped with "HUAWEI Kirin 659" which is one generation ago, but the point is that this machine has changed generations and has become a substantial upgrade in terms of performance. Furthermore, the RAM (main memory) that supports the performance of the SoC is 3GB, and the storage capacity is 32GB, which is also a high level in the same price range. Of course, it is a Huawei product that is superior to other manufacturers in basic performance, but for these reasons, this machine has higher performance than rival machines in the same price range.
▲ Equipped with a micro SD card slot as external storage. You can also carry a lot of videos. The LTE compatible model SIM is a nano type. Even if you actually use it, you can watch videos such as YouTube, or open about 30 tabs on Google Chrome, which requires unexpected processing performance, and browse the Web. It doesn't seem to be sluggish at all, and I feel relieved to touch it. Also, the latest generation game titles such as PUBG Moblie could be played without stress with the default settings, although the image quality settings could not be raised. As mentioned earlier, this unit is a relatively inexpensive model for an 8-inch tablet, but it also maintains a high level of basic performance.
There is no gap in the battery and sound side
Another important aspect of tablet performance is the battery life. This machine has no chance here either.
The battery capacity is about 5100mAh, which is large for an 8-inch tablet. This is as large as a typical mobile battery. With smartphones, even high-end models are around 4000mAh, so you can see the margin of this unit from this point as well. Furthermore, the latest version of Android 9 + EMUI 9.0 (Huawei's original user interface) is installed in the OS of the main unit to support the latest power saving functions.
▲ The USB terminal is a microB type. By combining this large-capacity battery, which is rare among many Type-C devices these days, with the latest OS with excellent power saving, this unit keeps a high level even in battery life. The nominal value is about 10.6 hours for video playback and about 62 hours for music playback, which is very long. Even if you actually use it for playing videos on YouTube or browsing the Internet, the impression is that you can afford it even without charging for a day. Practically, it seems that it can be used enough even if it is charged once every two days. In reality, there will be a break, but during a 10-hour long-distance flight, it will be calculated that you can continue to watch the video saved in the terminal.
▲ The power and volume buttons are arranged next to each other like a Huawei model. Since you can take screenshots with one hand, it is convenient to get used to it. In terms of the power of the sound, this unit is also of a high standard. The speaker is firmly stereo, and the body is made of metal, so even if you turn up the volume, there is little unnecessary vibration (which causes sound distortion) caused by the main unit. You can enjoy natural sound even if you turn up the volume with the main unit speaker.
▲ The "Harman Kardon" logo that stands out in the model name notation on the back Also, it is a point to collaborate with "Harman Kardon", a specialized audio maker known for ultra-luxury amplifiers and speakers. As a proof of this, the company's logo is also engraved on the back of the main unit. When I actually listen to music, I feel that the benefits of collaboration are great because this unit has a relatively small body as a tablet, but I can feel the bass firmly.
▲ It is appreciated that the 3.5mm headphone jack is firmly installed on tablets that are likely to be used frequently. Furthermore, the 3.5mm jack, which is often omitted on smartphones, is also installed. When headphones are connected to the jack, Huawei's original function "HUAWEI Histen 5.0" that reproduces the natural sound field allows you to enjoy music in earnest while avoiding the disadvantage of reducing the spread of sound. ..
Full of nice points such as camera and kids mode
And the hidden features of this unit are the face recognition function that can be easily locked when using it, the camera equipped with the unique "AI shopping" function, and the "kids mode" that is safe for children to use.
▲ The back side (main) camera module.It's relatively thick, but it's solid
▲ A face recognition function that is relatively rare on tablets. Lock screen It's convenient that you don't need to enter a password What is face recognition? A function that can be used to scan and unlock facial features, which is becoming familiar even on high-end smartphones. Depending on the settings, it is a very convenient function that can be unlocked simply by looking at the screen while maintaining a certain level of security. Regarding the camera, I would like to pay attention to the AI shopping function mentioned above. This is a function that allows you to access the corresponding product page of major mail-order sites such as Amazon and Rakuten by holding it over the item you are interested in (fashion, smartphone, audio equipment, etc.). When I actually used it, the accuracy was reasonable, but I found it interesting to enjoy using it, such as displaying unexpected products.
▲ The image quality of the camera is also excellent for a tablet. With regard to the shooting function that gives a considerable sense of resolution outdoors on a sunny day, it is equipped with a beauty mode that is well-established in Huawei products and a multi-image stabilization function that is rare for tablets. If you adjust the exposure etc. well, you can take a picture that makes you think that it can be used easily even though it is a tablet.
▲ Kids mode home screen. It is interesting that the impression is completely different from the standard screen, and it is equipped with a kids mode that can be used with confidence even when using it with the family. With this function, you can effectively block sites that you do not want to show, such as a dedicated menu screen, a timer function that can prohibit startup other than the specified time, and a function to restrict access to websites and applications. Also, the home screen that changes the impression is also interesting.
Despite this fulfillment, the LTE version is in the middle of the 20,000 yen range. "Yoshimi Mikata" of size, performance and price
So far, we have introduced the points of interest of this machine, but it is also excellent in terms of cost performance. At the beginning, I introduced that the LTE version is in the 20,000 yen range, but the expected actual selling price is around 22,880 yen (excluding tax) for the basic model Wi-Fi version, which is less than 25,000 yen. The LTE version is even more affordable. The price is set to support LTE communication just by adding about 26,880 yen, which is about 4,000 yen. The hidden feature of Huawei's low-priced tablet is this "LTE version bargain", but this feature is fully demonstrated in this machine.
The "HUAWEI MediaPad M5 lite" 8-inch model has a slim body that can be held with one hand despite its large screen, basic performance that can be enjoyed firmly, and at an affordable price, it is finished as a model that can be used perfectly even for everyday use. This machine, which meets the "Yoshimi Mikata" size, performance, and price, is a model that can be called the "representative of the 2019 8-inch tablet." If you're looking for an affordable and affordable tablet, check it out.
A limited number of genuine terminal covers will be presented
For those who purchased HUAWEI MediaPad M5 lite, we will carry out a campaign to present a genuine terminal cover for free from May 17th. The stores are EDION, Kojima, Joshin Denki, Sofmap, Bic Camera, Yamada Denki, Yodobashi Camera (in alphabetical order), and Hikari TV Shopping, Farway Rakuten Ichiba. Since the quantity is limited, we recommend purchasing early.
