what we think of entry-level tablets

It’s like reliving a treasure hunt years ago, when Apple unveiled its iPad. The manufacturer has had fun in recent months releasing new Android tablets that are available in many price segments, but with all the same special attention paid to the entry level. But why did it come back like that, even though Android 13 isn’t there to really optimize usage yet? We have to prepare the ground well, which seems ready enough to do this Honor Pad 8, the last to enter the arena.

HonorPad 8Technical sheet

This test was conducted with a model lent by Honor.

HonorPad 8designing

Tablets tend to always want to be forgotten in a corner of our living room, or not far from our bedside table, so they’re usually not high-tech products that most people pay attention to. This is again the case here, where the Honor Pad 8 is just the rectangular block with the rounded aluminum frame you picture in your head when we talk about tablets.

But without saying that this design was not successful. Knowing that we are talking here about a 12-inch diagonal, quite large for a tablet, the Honor Pad 8 can still be forgotten with a weight of 520 grams and a thickness of only 7 millimeters. We’d also note the very thin border around the screen, at least as thin as it gets by leaving a bit of resting room for fingers. The Honor Pad 8 is intended to be a tablet used primarily in portrait mode, as indicated by the orientation of its photo sensor, but places all of its buttons on the same edge, in the purest smartphone tradition.

Two orientations, portrait and landscape, therefore both are still very comfortable. Around the edges, we’ll especially note the large grille to accommodate the stereo speakers which we hope are naturally powerful. So while the Honor Pad 8 isn’t the most innovative product of design, it integrates visually everything we really want to find in this product category.

HonorPad 8Screen

The Honor Pad 8 incorporates an 11.97-inch LCD panel that supports a maximum definition of 2000 x 1200 pixels and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The manufacturer does not offer sRGB or DCI P3 type settings in its interface, but it is sufficient to fix the color temperature. However, you do have an interesting mode called “eBook” which will change the screen to black and white, to avoid eye strain.

Based on our investigations and with DisplayCal software, we see that the tablet covers 98.3% of the sRGB space for 69.6% of the DCI P3 space. It offers an excellent contrast ratio of 1640:1 for a very cool average color temperature of 7323K and a maximum brightness of 410 cd/m² which makes it perfect for indoors, but won’t read as well in a sunny garden.

The average Delta E00 is measured here at 3.33, which is far from making it a colorimetric champion, but good enough for its intended use. And here’s a real lesson we took from our tests: it’s not the best result in the world, but for a panel this diagonal at the type of product placed at this price, it’s very good .

HonorPad 8Software

Here we find the usual Android 12 with the manufacturer’s exclusive MagicOS 6.1 interface. The biggest disappointment mainly comes from the integrated security patch, which is very late from its date of June 2022, which does not give credence to the software monitoring of this product. At least we are convinced to see that the Widevine L1 is well integrated, in order to guarantee the reading of HD content on this Honor Pad 8.

It seems that all Android tablets this generation are taking exactly the same direction, namely integrating a taskbar into macOS where you can find the usual shortcuts, but also the latest apps launched. But it’s a shame, unlike other manufacturers, Honor doesn’t specifically optimize it for multitasking use, like Oppo did on the Pad Air. For example, it’s impossible to find this bar outside the home page, to swipe apps next to each other and start multitasking.

What really manages this use is the little pill at the top of the interface, which when clicked offers you to move the app right or left. You also have the option of launching two other apps in flyout mode, and that’s about it. The rest of the experience is more or less like the regular Android Honor experience, which we won’t get into. So it’s efficient, yes, but not very well optimized.

HonorPad 8audios

The Honor Pad 8 seems to put a special emphasis on the audio experience it offers, as it incorporates no less than eight speakers and features DTS:X Ultra certification. And nothing: this speaker makes itself heard.

So of course, we’re still at the entry-level product. Sound doesn’t have the best definition in the world. However, it cannot be denied that when compared to its other competitors, Redmi or Oppo, it has the best sound. The highs are clean, the mids are slightly behind, but very present, and bass is kept to a minimum despite the device’s physical limitations in this context. Most importantly, it is able to develop an astounding volume without distortion. You can easily enjoy movies without feeling deprived on this tablet, which is a very good point for that.

On the other hand, manufacturers neglect even the slightest jack integration. You will only have the choice of a USB-C or a Bluetooth headset, knowing that it supports the Bluetooth 5.1 standard. It’s a little disappointing considering that many very frequent entry-level buyers are also waiting for jack support.

HonorPad 8Photo

How about a photo of an entry-level Android tablet? They’re more or less comparable to the experience offered by a laptop webcam, simply put.

Front and back, the Honor Pad 8’s 5-megapixel sensor is above all else to ensure a decent video calling experience.

If you use it as a camera, you’ll quickly notice the pathetic quality, no digital processing, and bland colors, front and back. But hey, for videos? It runs.

HonorPad 8Show

The Honor Pad 8 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 which is paired with 6GB of RAM. It also includes a default storage space of 128 GB.

There’s no disappointment to show for this tablet’s performance, if you know what to expect. We’re at entry level, and many tablets are experiencing premature slowdown in this segment: fortunately not the case here. Using the Honor Pad 8 every day is exemplary fluidity.

On the other hand, you should also know that the GPU integrated in the Snapdragon 680 mostly has its day in 3D. Currently, a Genshin Impact barely running at 30 FPS even in Low mode on this configuration, which is mainly aimed at 2D-like experiences instant miracle. If you are ready for it, then you will be very happy. On the other hand, if you want to play a lot on this tablet, you may need to think a little more about your budget.

HonorPad 8Autonomy

Honor Pad 8 is equipped with a 7250 mAh battery that is compatible with fast charging at 22.5 W, the charger and cable that comes with the device. Therefore, a full recharge takes more than two hours to complete.

It’s always a little hard to judge the autonomy of a tablet of this sort, but in use, I found exactly what I expected from it: a device that can be left alone for a few days, and relived for hours of entertainment before forgetting about it again. The wide 12-inch diagonal means it drains its battery a little quicker than the Xiaomi Pad 5, for example, but since it’s intended for sedentary use, it’s not really a big crime. .

Autonomous champion? Not. Perfect to use? Yes. This is what we will remember from the Honor Pad 8 in this category.

HonorPad 8Price and release date

The Honor Pad 8 is already available in France for a recommended price of 299.90 euros.

Where to buy The

Honor Pad 8 at the best price?