The market for electronic devices includes companies that have appeared relatively recently. Despite this, some of them have already managed to gain popularity around the world, which is expressed in multimillion-dollar sales. Meet one of these is the Chinese concern Huawei. More recently, being a little-known company, this brand placed advertising banners on the streets, in the subway and on the media. Today, on a par with Samsung and HTC, it is a recognized electronics manufacturer.
Our article is dedicated to the product developed by this company. This is a tablet computer Huawei Mediapad 7. About what it is, read on.
general characteristics
This is not to say that the device externally stands out in any way from a huge number of other tablets, including those presented by Chinese manufacturers. This is a classic form (rectangle) in black plastic with sharp edges, a 7-inch screen and a thick frame around it. You can’t imagine a more non-unique design!
Nevertheless, Huawei Mediapad 7 has become quite popular due to its characteristics. If you look in more detail at its equipment, it becomes clear that the model is a universal solution for any tasks, despite the fact that its cost is significantly lower than that of competitive products. We will describe in more detail in the following parts. In the article, we will analyze individual criteria by which you can evaluate the tablet Huawei Mediapad 7.
Market position
So, let's start with how the device in question is presented on the market. It's no secret that the tablet came out just recently in 2015. You can buy it both in official stores, and at Chinese auctions, and, of course, from hand. The older models that go before the ones described are the Huawei Mediapad 7 Youth and Lite. Some options in these models are simpler because they came out earlier. We will talk about them separately in other sections of the article.
As for the Huawei Mediapad 7, it is offered at a price at the junction between the middle and budget classes - about 12 thousand rubles. Due to this, we can conclude regarding the position: the tablet is slightly superior to cheap devices, but still not quite up to the middle - devices like Asus Nexus or LG G Pad in terms of their parameters.
Functional application
Given that the 3G module is integrated in the Huawei Mediapad 7, and the device works on a fairly strong hardware (details later), we can say that the tablet is versatile in terms of capabilities . This means that even the most bulky games will work on it (like Real Racing 3 with high parameters), and it’s also convenient to read news, download pages on the Internet and check mail with a tablet. That is, the device is multitasking and well suited both for education and for toys.
And the mentioned mobile communication module will allow working remotely in a network with any operator.
Options Huawei Mediapad 7.0
And what does the buyer of the tablet that we characterize get? Well, firstly, this is the device itself. The device is offered with a plastic and aluminum (partially) case, which will be discussed in more detail in the next chapter of the article. Secondly, it is a charger and a USB cable for connecting to a PC. As the reviews of the model show, no frills are observed here - everything is rather modest and thoughtful.
Add-ons such as a headset, or even a case with a film on the screen, you need to buy yourself. According to reviews, it can be done most advantageously at Chinese online auctions, where there is a huge selection of accessories (especially for a tablet from the Middle Kingdom) at low prices. Yes, you have to wait 2-3 weeks, but believe me, it's worth it.
Housing
Even from the pictures that are available on the Internet, the buyer will understand that the design of the model is laced with HTC Flyer: it produces a similar arrangement of two colors: light and dark, converging in trapezoidal shapes on the back of the device. True, the Huawei Mediapad 7 (whose price, of course, is lower than that of HTC), these lines look less neat. But in general, you should not complain about the design: for its class, the tablet is very good. Reviews indicate that holding it in your hands is quite nice - the finish gives the impression of the high cost of the gadget.
The case materials are dark-colored plastic (with rubberized texture) and aluminum (the back cover of the tablet is made of it). The lower part of the back cover is removed, which gives access to the slots of the memory card and SIM card. According to customers in their reviews, holding the device (due to the slightly rubberized cover) is quite convenient. The only thing that is slightly uncomfortable is the location of the speaker. If you hold the tablet horizontally, your left hand will close the hole for sound. As far as we know, the Huawei Mediapad 7 Lite did not have this problem yet.
"Iron"
One of the main factors that affects the tablet’s performance is its hardware (or hardware stuffing), presented as a processor. This, in essence, is the heart of the device, which determines the reaction speed, performance, tablet capabilities. Say, if we are talking about Huawei Mediapad 7 (reviews confirm), then colorful and difficult to play games are launched on the device precisely due to the optimized hardware.
If you believe the technical parameters, then there is a Qualcomm processor with two cores installed, showing a total clock frequency of 1.2 GHz. Due to this, the Android operating system operates quite quickly here. In the recommendations on various sites, nothing about user complaints that the device is hanging or slows down was not found.
Display
The second most important factor in the operation of any gadget is the screen. This is the main source of information about the state of the device with which we interact 99% of the time, therefore its quality is extremely important.
On the 7th generation Huawei Mediapad 8Gb, a 7-inch display is installed. This format is ideal for handheld devices that are convenient for reading on the go or in class; for checking work mail and social networking. Such a device is convenient to carry in a bag, hand or even pocket due to its ideal size. Here is an example of a typical “tablet” - not a full-fledged tablet, but not a phone.
The display operates on the basis of IPS-matrix and has a resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels. Due to this, the image looks quite clear, in particular, the “graininess” characteristic of devices with a poor-quality display is not observed here.
Screen protection, according to customer reviews, is missing, due to which all the prints of the owner are perfectly visible on the glass. This can be a problem if you don’t have a hand to wipe the surface with. Or you can stick a protective film, then it will immediately perform a dual function.
Battery
In addition to a good processor and a high-quality screen, the tablet should also have a large supply of time for working on a single charge. You see, if you take it on the road, you will not always have the opportunity to get a charger and replenish the energy reserve of your battery. Therefore, it is so important that the charge lasts as long as possible.
Speaking about the Huawei Mediapad 7, it should be noted its battery capacity of 4100 mAh. For comparison: the same Nexus 7 battery has a capacity of only 3500 mAh, although the latter also has a screen of 7 inches. In general, this is an average indicator for compact devices, therefore, it cannot be said that the model in this regard is behind or ahead of its competitors. On a new battery, the device will last about 8-9 hours of active work (watching video or surfing the Internet via 3G). It is noteworthy that the battery is not removable, so you can change it only in the service center. However, this is a common practice on tablets.
Memory
Another important evaluation criterion for a tablet is the amount of memory. This is not a mobile phone, which is used to download a small number of photos and download applications. On a tablet, we usually store movies and colorful games, each occupying several gigabytes. Therefore, it is so important that the device can accommodate a sufficient amount of data that the user needs.
In the basic variation, the Huawei Mediapad T1 (version 7) assumes the presence of 8 GB of free memory (2 of which, obviously, will be occupied by system files). Of course, this is too small, so the developers have provided a slot for microSD-cards. Thus, everyone has the opportunity to expand the tablet's memory to 32 GB.
Other functions
As already mentioned, there is a SIM card slot on the MediaPad. However, with its help, the device can not only work on the mobile Internet, but also receive calls. This is achieved through a special GSM-module. We can say that from this Huawei it turns out a full-fledged smartphone with a large display. The presence of speakers contributes to this.
There is also Bluetooth for transferring files, as well as a GPS module for connecting to navigation systems. There are two cameras on the tablet: the main and the front. However, you should not rely on a high-quality image obtained from any of them - they can only serve to receive calls on Skype. In the reviews you can also find complaints about her work, which refers to the fact that the “Camera” application sometimes closes on its own right during the picture. However, this is unlikely to cause a lot of inconvenience, since not many people actually use the camera on tablet computers (and even the budget class).
Model MediaPad 7 Youth
As previously promised, in addition to the Mediapad 7 model, we will also touch on the theme of its predecessors - Youth and Lite. Let's start with the first one.
The tablet was released later, only in August 2013. The device is actually a cursory examination of the technical characteristics is not much different from the seven. In one of the criteria (screen resolution), the tablet even got worse, as it received 1024 by 600 pixels (with a density of 170 ppi). This indicates that users will be able to notice individual pixels during operation, there will be a “grain” effect. But the device has become more productive. This can be said by the increased clock frequency: now it has reached 1.6 GHz.
Also, of course, we changed the design of the device (back panel). The tablet has a metallic cover and bright inserts on top and bottom.
Model MediaPad 7 Lite
The Lite version tablet has very similar parameters to Youth. To be more precise, it came out earlier, in September 2012. Here you can also see a slightly worse screen (compared to MediaPad 7). In addition, manufacturers installed a processor with a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz, which clearly gives small delays when working with bulky applications. Such a device, of course, is not suitable for colorful games. Rather, it is better to browse mail, chat online, read books. In the reviews on the device, you could find data on errors in the camera. The firmware developed specifically for Huawei Mediapad 7 Lite was helped, which can be downloaded separately. Again, why the developers did not fix this problem earlier is unclear (after all, 3 years have passed since the launch of the product).
Nevertheless, the device has become quite popular - not least due to accessibility. Therefore, we can talk about some of its shortcomings, but adjusted for the fact that it was this model that apparently made a kind of impetus for the development of the entire line. And due to it, of course, Huawei began to study the preferences of customers around the world. After all, it is clear that the company that sells its smartphones so widely intends to strengthen its position in the tablet segment as well.
Model MediaPad X2
Note, in the article we described the 7th version of MediaPad (a budget, but quite powerful tablet), as well as a couple of previous generations with less outstanding characteristics. The question is, is Huawei really not releasing stronger tablet devices? After all, looking at smartphones from this manufacturer, it cannot be said that in the model range there are only budget solutions, there are also flagships (or at least representatives of the middle class) that are quite worthy of attention. Same thing with tablets.
Meet Huawei MediaPad X2 - the contender for the title of flagship. At least, this idea is hinted at by an 8-core processor with a frequency of 1.5 GHz and 2 GHz (4 cores each) and a stylish case (the design of which clearly contains some elements from the iPhone 6, in particular, the back cover). The release of the model took place in May 2015. This device is clearly the leader in the company's tablet line. It presents 3 GB of RAM, Android 5.0 (already updated to 5.1), a powerful 13-megapixel camera. The tablet is available in two color variations (the names of which sound like “moon silver” and “amber gold”). It is difficult to call its price affordable: at the time of release, the device cost the first customers 370-400 euros, depending on the country of sales.
conclusions
Since the object of the article was MediaPad 7, first a little about it. So, the tablet is the best combination of low cost, stylish design and productive hardware. Customer reviews are mainly positive, noting the device from the best side. In general, the tablet clearly shows a good result in terms of assembly, use of materials and so on. That is, we have before us the device on which Huawei made a very serious bet in the segment of budget tablets.
As for the less productive Youth and Lite, they are likely to be replaced by their descendants - Youth 2 and Lite 2. Thus, we can see the manufacturer from China gradually entering the market where Lenovo, Asus, partially Samsung and a number of less well-known Chinese brands reign . And the share of the company that produces it, in the future, obviously, will only grow. And Huawei MediaPad 7 Youth itself today is the simplest gadget for reading news, checking the weather and so on. Basic operations on it are carried out quite comfortably.
At the same time, one can observe how work is going on on more serious products that claim to be the flagship. This refers to the X2 line, in which, apparently, an update is being prepared. Who knows, maybe Huawei will take its place next to Apple in terms of the number of tablet devices sold in the future. Although this will be clearly difficult to do in view of the growth in sales of Xiaomi, Meizu and several others. Well, let's see.