Huawei MediaPad X2 Review

Introduction

Big phones are big business, there’s just no denying the kind of momentum swing we’ve seen in the phablet segment over the last few years. The trends seemingly show that consumers want bigger and bigger phones, evident by the popularity of phablets like the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, and Google Nexus 6 to name a few.

However, many people are also more comfortable than ever before using a tablet as a daily driver, but the one aspect that's often lacking in such devices is phone functionality. That’s where the Huawei MediaPad X2 comes to mind as being the ultimate solution, as it brings the full smartphone experience in a tablet size. Phablets are highly regarded as the bridge devices, appeasing both segments as best as they can. Nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not the even larger MediaPad X2 can prove to be effective enough to be a daily driver.

The package contains:

• Huawei MediaPad X2
• microUSB cable
• Wall charger

Design

Combining a compact body with premium materials, the MediaPad X2 is a delightful looking thing.

Officially announced over Mobile World Congress 2015, the Huawei MediaPad X2 boasts a design that’s identical to its predecessor – one that’s premium in nature, thanks to it employing a sleek metal body. For a 7-inch device, we’ve got to admit that they’ve trimmed off a lot to make it pretty compact, but interaction is best achieved with two-handed operation. That’s because there’s just so much real-estate for our thumb to cover with the screen! Sporting uniformly flush surfaces, there are no distracting qualities about the aesthetics here. On top of that, the added weight undoubtedly provides a more substantial quality to the MediaPad X2.

Out of everything, it’s the sheer size of the Huawei MediaPad X2 that’s so astonishing, especially to strangers who happen to glance at it briefly when using it for phone calls. Most of the time, people are instantly galvanized to find out that there’s phone functionality in a tablet size. If you want a conversation starter, the MediaPad X2 will surely be it!

Placing the volume controls and power button on the right edge makes sense, as they’re in spots that make them readily accessible. At the same time, too, it’s nice to see that Huawei allows for expandable storage with the unit’s microSD card slot. Other common staples around its sides include the 3.5mm headphone jack, microUSB 2.0 port, microphone, dual SIM slots, and noise cancelling mic. The earpiece above the display ensures that it’s more phone than tablet.

Display

It's like a 7-inch smartphone!

Accompanied with 7-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD screen, a typical size for a tablet, but obnoxiously gigantic for a smartphone, it comes out to a pixel density of 323 ppi – giving it sufficient detail. Beyond that, though, its true qualities begin to manifest and then crumble. While the screen has a nice look from a 90-degree angle, there’s noticeable distortion when it’s tilted, causing the display to exhibit a washed out look.

By just looking at the display, it’s instantly noticeable that there’s a subdued appearance, made more profound with its somewhat cold 7277K color temperature. It’s undeniable that it’s not the most accurate by looking at the sRGB spectrum chart below, as it misses most of the target values for each gradient. However, the 524 nit luminance is potent enough to make it visible in direct sunlight.

Yes, the 7-inch screen is mighty generous, but as much as it’s a head turner, it makes it impossible to operate using one hand. Stretching our thumb barely encompasses most of the real estate, so it’s more logical to use two hands for this.