2023 Huawei MatePad SE 10.4″ Review

If you’re someone in need of a tablet perfect for media consumption and day-to-day tasks for only around Php10,000, then look no further than the 2023 Huawei Matepad SE. Read on to find out more!

2023 Huawei Matepad SE

Design

In front, the Huawei Matepad SE features a beautiful 10.4-inch IPS display. The front-facing camera is above it, and to the right of it, we get a welcomed notification LED that illuminates for your notifications and charging status.

Huawei Matepad SE (Top)

On the top side, you can find the volume rocker, power button, and microphone for calls over a wifi connection, or calls over a carrier if you opt for a SIM configuration.

Huawei Matepad SE (Left and Right side)

At the left side we get a much-beloved 3.5mm audio jack and the left side of the stereo speakers. For this configuration, on the right we get a Dual-SIM card tray with one slot that doubles as expandable storage, the right side of the stereo speakers, and the USB Type-C charging port.

Huawei Matepad SE (Back)

Finally, at the back, we can find the main camera sensor. As well as minimal Huawei branding on the aluminum back panel, with a polycarbonate panel above it for better signal connectivity.

Display

The Huawei Matepad SE features a 10.4-inch FHD+ IPS panel with a resolution of 2000 × 1200, at 225 pixels per inch. That’s a 2K display and it gets pretty bright for an LCD panel, making it perfect for consuming media from your favorite streaming platforms like Youtube, Netflix and alike.

When it comes to the deepest blacks and vibrant colors, there is no contest comparing this display to an OLED or AMOLED one. But it’s also fair to state that finding a 10.4-inch 2k resolution IPS panel in a tablet at this price point can also be challenging.

Huawei  Matepad SE media consumption

For the speakers on this tablet, users can expect a stereo setup here, with each driver on the left and right sides of the device. They get loud enough for the tablet’s size with distortion at higher volumes. In our listening experience, we noticed a lot of highs with subtle to no presence in the mid to low-end frequencies, resulting in a bit of a hollow sound profile.

Not to worry, though, if you wanted to a better listening experience on this tablet, it still features a 3.5mm audio jack for all the wired headphone lovers out there, and of course users also have the option of pairing a Bluetooth headset or speaker as well.

Hardware and Configurations

The 2023 Huawei Matepad SE is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset (SM6225), and an Adreno 610 GPU.

The two-year-old chipset is fine for day-to-day tasks like going on social media, video streaming, music streaming, and light gaming. It’s worth mentioning that we have noticed a slight delay at times when using picture-in-picture or running two or more apps at the same time.

The unit we are reviewing is configured with 4GB RAM + 128GB of internal storage and LTE support. Additionally, there are two other configurations available locally with 3GB RAM + 32GB of internal storage with LTE, and 4GB RAM + 64GB of internal storage (wifi only).

In our opinion, having three configurations for Huawei’s base model tablet is good news for those considering to purchase it, since they will be able to get a more catered configuration to their use-cases.

Software and Performance

For software, we get the infamous Harmony OS. Now in its 3rd major release. It’s definitely usable and never causes any real issues. For google apps, users of this tablet are encouraged to use either the GBox 11 or GSpace apps found in the Huawei AppGallery.

Although in our opinion, if you weren’t using this tablet much for productivity, you would only be getting either of the Google emulators mainly for Youtube or Youtube Music. And possibly Google Drive and Google Photos?

Harmony OS 3.0

Overall it’s a fine operating system still in its early stages, with a lot more time for fine-tuning.

For those interested in synthetic benchmarks, check-out our results below.

Battery

For battery, the Matepad SE gets an impressive 5,100mAh cell capable of standard 5V wired charging. You get the brick along with the USC Type-C to A connector in the box.

Charging this tablet from 0-100 takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes with the included charger.

In the PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test, we got 9 hours and 18 minutes.

2023 Huawei Matepad SE PCMark Work 3.0 battery life result

This begs the question, is this a 2-day battery-life tablet?

Well, honestly, it depends on how you’re using it. If you’re staying in all day binging your favorite shows and movies non-stop, amounting to a whole day of screen-on time, we’re pretty sure you’ll need to charge this up at the end of the day.

But if you’re a regular person that uses a tablet to leave something running in the background while working on a desk, eating, and going to sleep, I wouldn’t state that 2-day battery life is impossible.

Biometrics and Security

Huawei Matepad SE (Biometrics)

When it comes to biometrics, the 2023 Matepad SE features optical facial recognition. It isn’t the most reliable especially in varying lighting conditions, but it does the job. Apart from this, users can expect standard pin or pattern locks as alternatives.

Cameras

The Matepad SE sports a 5MP main shooter with an aperture of F/2.2 at the rear. In front, it has a 2MP selfie shooter with an aperture of F/2.2.

Both cameras are not anything to boast about but I highly doubt you’ll be shooting editorial photos for publication on this tablet. At this price point though it’s definitely a welcomed addition, usable for video calls in any area with sufficient lighting.

Check out some sample shots:

For video, the Matepad SE is capable of shooting videos at full HD.
I’ll let the results speak for themselves, check out our sample videos below:

Conclusion

In conclusion, who is this tablet for?

Well, at a price point of around ten thousand Philippine pesos, I’d say it’s for everyone. It’s specifically for anyone who wants or needs a tablet at a very affordable barrier to entry.

Who isn’t this for?

This isn’t for the power users, the people who use tablets as laptop replacements, or do a lot of productivity work on a tablet.

But for those who want a simple tablet to leave in the kitchen to look-up recipes and instructional videos while cooking, maybe something to lend to the kids when they want to play some games in the car, or just simply an IPS display dedicated for consuming media.

The Huawei Matepad SE is good enough for you, and should be your minimum standard.

Check out our video review here.

For those of you interested in purchasing a 2023 Huawei Matepad SE, from Feb 15-28 you can find these three variants at their introductory prices!

Huawei MatePad SE 10.4 specs:
10.4-inch 2K IPS LCD (FHD+ 2000 × 1200, 225ppi)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680
Adreno 610
3GB, 4GB RAM
32GB, 64GB, 128GB internal storage
4G, LTE
WiFi 802.11ac
Bluetooth 5.0
GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/GALILEO
5MP rear camera (f/2.2 aperture, AF) @ 1080p
2 MP (f/2.2 aperture, Fixed Focal) @ 720p
5100mAh Li-on battery
Type-C, USB 2.0
HarmonyOS 3
246.94 mm x 156.7 mm x 7.85 mm (dimensions)
440 grams (weight)