The HONOR MagicPad 4 is an excellent all-round Android tablet that borrows heavily from Apple to offer the best of both worlds, priced under £500.
Design and Display
The MagicPad 4 measures just 4.8mm thick and weighs approximately 450g, making it exceptionally portable for a tablet with a generous 12.3-inch display. Its metal construction gives it a premium feel, while narrow bezels maximise screen space.
The OLED panel boasts a sharp 3000 x 1920 resolution and an impressive 165Hz refresh rate. Colours are vibrant, blacks are deep, and contrast is excellent, with a claimed peak brightness of 2,400 nits for brighter environments.
Performance and Software
Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor and 12GB or 16GB of RAM, the tablet handles everyday tasks smoothly, including multitasking and demanding games. Storage options of 256GB and 512GB provide ample room for apps, documents, and entertainment.
The tablet runs Android 16 with HONOR's MagicOS 10 interface, which gives it a more Apple-like feel, even down to the liquid glass look. A few pre-loaded apps may not be to everyone's taste, but the Google Play Store should sort that out.
Features and Battery
The improved PC Mode provides a desktop-like experience with a taskbar and resizable windows. Paired with the Smart Keyboard and Magic Pencil 3, it has laptop-replacement potential for lighter workloads. Unusually, it supports cross-platform file transfers and drag-and-drop sharing with Apple devices.
The 10,100mAh battery offers a full day of mixed use, with 66W wired fast charging for quick replenishment, though a compatible adapter may need to be purchased separately. The 13-megapixel rear camera and 9-megapixel front camera are adequate for document scanning and video calls.
The MagicPad 4 is Wi-Fi-only with no IP water-resistance rating, and there is no SD card slot. It is currently available from £499 via Amazon.
