Due to the coronavirus outbreak, there was not a physical event, but Apple still announced the new iPad Pro 2020 series. It includes two models: the 11-inch variant and the 12.9-inch variant, just like the previous generations. Apple currently leads the tablet market, but is the iPad Pro 2020 really the best option for every user? In order to establish that, we compared it with the best Chinese flagship tablet launched until now: the MatePad Pro by Huawei which also comes in a 5G variant. The iPad Pro 2020 we talk about in this comparison is the 11-inch variant since it is the most similar to Huawei MatePad Pro in terms of price and features.
Apple iPad Pro 2020 vs Huawei MatePad Pro
| Apple iPad Pro 11 2020 | Huawei MatePad Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 mm,
471 grams |
246 x 159 x 7.2 mm,
460 grams |
| DISPLAY | 11 inches, 1668 x 2388p (Quad HD+), 265 ppi, IPS LCD | 10.8 inches, 1600 x 2560p (Quad HD+), 280 ppi, 16:10 ratio, IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Apple A12Z Bionic, octa-core | Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 990, octa-core 2.8 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 256 GB – 6 GB RAM 512 GB – 6 GB RAM, 1 TB | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 512 GB – nano memory card slot |
| SOFTWARE | iPadOS | Android 10, EMUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 12 + 10 MP + LiDAR scanner f/1.8 and f/2.4 7 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Single 13 MP f/1.8 8 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 36.71 Wh, fast charging 18W | 7250 mAh, Fast Charging 40W, Fast Wireless Charging 15W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Optional LTE, LiDAR scanner, stylus support | Hybrid Dual SIM slot, optional 5G, stylus support, reverse wireless charging |
Design
Apple iPad Pro 2020 and Huawei MatePad Pro boast wonderful designs. They both come with a very high screen-to-body ratio as well as an aluminum body. Huawei MatePad Pro looks more impressive due to its higher screen-to-body ratio and it is definitely my favorite one if we talk about aesthetics only. Both the tablets support a keyboard and a stylus. But due to an integrated trackpad, the support for some macOS gestures, backlit keys, and more, the new Magic Keyboard of the iPad Pro 2020 looks superior.
Display
We still did not try the iPad Pro 2020 since it became official a few days ago, but its specs on the paper make us think that it is a slightly superior display to Huawei MatePad Pro. Not by a high margin, though. These displays come with a high 2K resolution, a wide color gamut, and a stunning image quality. However, they are not OLED display but classic IPS panels. But as what you just read suggests, this does not mean they are not amazing displays.
Specs & Software
The Apple A12Z Bionic processor and the presence of iPadOS which is a very well-optimized operating system should make the iPad Pro 2020 a much more performing tablet compared to the Huawei MatePad Pro. Further, iPadOS offers a lot of professional and PC-like features that you can not get with the Huawei MatePad Pro. On the other hand, iPad Pro 2020 does not support 5G, while the Huawei MatePad Pro also exists in a version with the support of 5G connectivity. The iPad Pro 2020 comes in WiFi and 4G versions: the 4G one supports the eSIM technology besides a standard nanoSIM. Note that if you get the Huawei MatePad Pro in its global version, you won’t get Google services out of the box, despite the tablet runs Android 10.
Camera
Apple iPad Pro 2020 is the clear winner of the camera comparison, we have not any doubt about it even though we are only assuming it after looking at the specs sheet. It boasts a triple camera setup composed of a 12 MP main sensor, a 10 MP ultrawide lens and a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner which can provide very accurate depth info thanks to a laser mechanism. If you need more info about how the LiDAR scanner works, check our official launch article about the new Apple tablets. The Apple iPad Pro 2020 even supports 3D facial recognition thanks to Face ID. On the rear side, Huawei MatePad Pro has just a single 13 MP sensor and it is a camera commonly used on affordable smartphones. The iPad even offers a better front camera which can record videos in 1080p at 60 fps.
Battery
According to Apple, the iPad Pro 2020 provides 10 hours of battery life on a single charge, if you use it on WiFi and without 4G connectivity. Huawei MatePad Pro’s battery has a 7250 mAh capacity and it supports a 40W fast charging tech: one of the fastest charging technologies ever seen on a tablet. Unlike the iPad Pro, it even supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. The iPad Pro supports reverse charging via cable, but you can not charge it wirelessly.
Price
Apple iPad Pro will have a starting price of €899/$799 in the global market (the price refers to the WiFi-only version), while Huawei MatePad Pro will be sold for €549.90 in its WiFi variant. While the MatePad Pro has a way higher value for money, the iPad Pro 2020 wins the comparison when it comes to specs and features, despite it does not come in any 5G variant.
Apple iPad Pro 2020 vs Huawei MatePad Pro: PRO and CONS
Huawei MatePad Pro
PRO
- 5G
- Faster charging
- Wireless charging and reverse charging
- More affordable
CONS
- Inferior performance
Apple iPad Pro 2020
PRO
- LiDAR scanner
- Better cameras
- Higher performance
- Face ID
CONS
- More expensive
