Take note, Apple – Huawei’s new tablets come with a keyboard in the box

The Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2-inch.

Huawei has officially unveiled two new tablets: the flagship MatePad Pro 12.2-inch PaperMatte edition and the “younger generation”-focused MatePad 12 X.

The MatePad Pro 12.2-inch comes equipped with – you guessed it – a 12.2-inch tandem OLED display, with a paper-effect outer screen that Huawei calls PaperMatte. The screen has a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, and works with Huawei’s M-Pencil stylus.

Huawei describes the MatePad 12 X as “a lightweight flagship model” designed for younger users – it features the same PaperMatte technology as its larger sibling, as well as a pearlescent rear panel.

Refreshingly, both new Huawei tablets include the Huawei Glide keyboard in the box, where rival companies like Apple and Samsung require you to purchase keyboards separately for their respective flagship tablets.

(Image credit: Huawei)

For reference, a Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro (2024) costs $299 / £299 / AU$499, and keyboard cases for Android tablets tend to hover at around two-thirds of that price.

Huawei does not sell consumer devices in the US due to ongoing political tensions, but the company is a powerhouse in China and seems keen to keep its presence felt in other Western markets.

In the case of these two new tablets, Huawei is offering a few sweeteners to customers in the UK – those who order a MatePad Pro 12.2-inch or MatePad 12 X from the UK Huawei Store between September 19 and October 22 will receive a £100 discount in the form of a Huawei coupon.

Furthermore, ordering under these conditions will net customers a free Huawei M-Pencil 3rd Generation, normally priced at £129.99.

(Image credit: Huawei)

The Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2-inch PaperMatte Edition is available in two configurations. The 256GB storage option comes in black and costs £699.99. The 512GB storage option comes in gold and costs £799.

The Huawei MatePad 12 X comes with 512GB of storage as standard and is available in green or white for £549.99.

For more Huawei news, including news of the company’s groundbreaking Mate XT tri-fold smartphone, be sure to keep up with our Huawei phones coverage.

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