Hands-On with the Huawei MatePad Air (2026): A Lighter, Brighter Paper-Like Experience

First Look: The Huawei MatePad Air (2026)

Huawei recently took the stage in Malaysia to unveil a fresh wave of hardware, including the Pura 90s series and some impressive new audio gear. Among the highlights was the latest iteration of the MatePad Air. We managed to get some hands-on time with this sleek 12-inch tablet, and there is quite a bit to unpack regarding this year’s upgrades.

Display Excellence: OLED Meets PaperMatte

The biggest change you’ll notice right out of the gate is the screen. While the previous generation relied on a standard IPS LCD, the 2026 MatePad Air makes the jump to a vibrant OLED panel with a snappy 144Hz refresh rate. But it isn’t just about colors and contrast—Huawei has equipped this model with their signature PaperMatte coating. It’s designed to minimize glare and mimic the texture of paper, making this tablet a genuine contender for anyone who spends their day reading, sketching, or drafting.

Performance and Multimedia

Under the hood, the device is powered by the Kirin T93C chipset. It’s a solid performer that handles everyday tasks with ease and brings some interesting AI-driven productivity features to the table. You’ll have a choice of either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, both paired with 256GB of storage. To ensure your media sounds as good as it looks, Huawei packed in a 6-speaker array that delivers a surprisingly immersive audio experience for such a thin device.

Designed for Portability

Despite its large 12-inch footprint, the MatePad Air stays true to its name. It’s impressively thin at just 5.3mm and remarkably light, weighing in at 509 grams—a noticeable 50-gram drop from the previous model. It feels great to hold, whether you’re using it in the office or on the move. You can pick one up in three elegant finishes: Sakura Pink, Airy Blue, or a crisp White.

Smart Productivity

Huawei continues to lean into its ecosystem with strong accessory support. The tablet plays perfectly with their detachable keyboard and the M-Pencil Pro. The latter is particularly clever, offering “Air Mouse” functionality that lets you navigate menus and interact with content without even touching the screen. As for the cameras, they’ve streamlined things—the 8MP ultrawide is gone, leaving a clean 50MP main sensor on the back and a 12MP front-facing camera for those video calls.

With a 10,100 mAh battery supporting 66W fast charging, the MatePad Air (2026) aims to be a reliable workhorse that doesn’t sacrifice style for utility.