Android Tablet vs Laptop: A Replacement?

I’ve been to a lot of product launches over the years, and I’ll be honest, when a tablet gets announced, it doesn’t always get me that excited. But HONOR showed up to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week with the MagicPad 4, and after carrying this thing across two continents over the past few weeks, I have some thoughts.

And yeah, they’re mostly good ones.

I brought the MagicPad 4 with me to Samsung Galaxy Unpacked in San Francisco, and then straight onto a flight to Barcelona for MWC. That’s not a light travel schedule, and it’s exactly the kind of real-world stress test that tells you more about a device than any spec sheet ever could. Most tablets I travel with end up stuffed in my bag after day one, pulled out only when I want to watch something on the plane. The MagicPad 4 didn’t get that treatment. I was actually using it for work, for content, for pretty much everything.

HONOR packed this thing with flagship specs across the board, from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 under the hood to an OLED display that genuinely had me doing double-takes. And at just 4.8mm thin with bezels that are almost comically slim, it’s one of the most impressive-looking tablets I’ve held in a while. But looks and specs only get you so far. The question is whether the MagicPad 4 actually delivers in day-to-day use, and whether it’s worth your money if you happen to live somewhere HONOR actually sells it.

Let’s get into it.

HONOR MagicPad 4 specs

HONOR MagicPad 4 Review: Build and Design

Let’s face it, HONOR has never really had an issue with build quality, even going back to their early days. They’ve always built really solid devices that feel great in the hand, even with the MagicPad 4, which is incredibly thin with super-thin bezels.

HONOR claims that these bezels are about 4mm, which I haven’t measured them but I can tell you that they are razor slim. Almost makes it tough to hold onto the tablet while using it. But HONOR did send over their keyboard case that I’ve been using with this tablet for the most part.

Even at just 4.8mm thin, the MagicPad 4 does still feel pretty nice in the hand. Which I find that pretty interesting for me at least, since the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and iPad Pro were not quite as thin, and were uncomfortable to hold. Though both devices were larger, which likely contributed to that.

“It’s one of the few tablets that I actually use every day, for more than just media consumption.”

HONOR has included eight speakers on the MagicPad 4, which sound amazing. This uses HONOR Spatial Audio, which is the new buzzword, but I have to say, it does make a difference. I’ve used this to watch Netflix, YouTubeand even a few NBA games on Amazon Prime, and the experience here is bar-none. Not just the audio aspect, but also the visuals here.

There is still a camera bump on the back, despite the camera being a fairly small 13-megapixel camera. But the camera bump isn’t that large, so it doesn’t really wobble as much on a table like a lot of phones would.

HONOR MagicPad 4 Review: Display

The display on the HONOR MagicPad 4 is simply incredible. I really can’t believe how good this display is. It’s an OLED display, but HONOR didn’t stop there. They went above and beyond to make this a more comfortable display to look at and use for extended periods.

HONOR also made sure that this display was TÜV Rheinland Flicker-free certified and TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certified. Which does make a difference with this display, and it’s part of what has led me to pick this tablet up more than any other tablet I might have lying around.

Of course, HONOR didn’t stop there. They also made sure to include a high PWM dimming at 5,280Hz, which is one of the highest on the market. PWM or Pulse Width Modulation controls the screen and light brightness by rapidly cycling power on and off. This can often cause invisible flicker, which can lead to eye strain, headaches, dizziness, and migraines for some. This isn’t something that affects me, but it can affect a lot of people, so it’s good to see that HONOR is keeping them in mind.

HONOR MagicPad 4 Review: Performance

The HONOR MagicPad 4 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, not the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but let’s be real, that’s still a seriously capable chip. HONOR sent over the 12GB/256GB configuration, so this isn’t the top-spec model with 16GB of RAM.

Everything feels fast. Snappy, responsive, no hesitation. Whether I’m jumping between tabs in Chrome, hammering through emails, or loading up a graphically demanding game, the MagicPad 4 just handles it. There’s no lag, no stuttering, no moment where you’re sitting there waiting for the tablet to catch up with you. It’s the kind of performance that just gets out of your way and lets you do your thing.

Gaming has been particularly impressive. I threw some heavier titles at it, and the MagicPad 4 didn’t break a sweat. Smooth frame rates, no thermal throttling that I noticed, and the larger display make the whole experience feel immersive in a way that’s hard to go back from once you’ve tried it.

“The kind of performance that just gets out of your way and lets you do your thing.”

The one hiccup I ran into was some sluggish Google Play downloads; a couple of times, I had to restart a download entirely because it just stalled out. Annoying, but I’m fairly confident that’s a Google server problem, not anything HONOR can be blamed for. The tablet itself has been rock solid.

Now, I’d normally include benchmark scores here to back all of this up with hard numbers; we run them in every review. But HONOR actively blocks a wide range of benchmark apps, including the ones we rely on. So unfortunately, I can’t give you the figures. That’s a frustrating decision on HONOR’s part, and it’s worth calling out, because transparency matters in reviews. What I can tell you is that real-world performance has been excellent across the board, and that counts for a lot.

HONOR MagicPad 4 Review: Software

I haven’t been a huge fan of HONOR’s software in recent years. Really, it’s been about a decade since I really liked their software. But they are improving it, and on the MagicPad 4, it’s actually pretty good.

What really makes the MagicPad 4 so good, on the software front, is the PC Mode. Now with the MagicPad 4, when you attach the keyboard, it can automatically enter the PC Mode, which is essentially like Samsung’s DeX, where you can have free-flow windows layered across the display. Giving you a more desktop-like experience. It also has PC File Management, making it easier to get work done, and perhaps replace your PC.

In fact, this might be able to replace your laptop, and I tried to replace mine with it for this Samsung trip. I did still bring my laptop, but virtually all the work I did last week was done on the MagicPad 4. It can’t completely replace my laptop, but it can do about 90% of what I need my laptop for.

The software is much better than what I’ve used on HONOR’s phones, and I think it’s more about how this software just works better on a tablet-sized display like the MagicPad 4.

Should You Buy the HONOR MagicPad 4?

The HONOR MagicPad 4 is one of the best Android tablets I’ve used in a long time, and honestly, it might be the best one available right now that isn’t made by Samsung or Apple.

Think about what you’re getting here. A stunning OLED display that’s genuinely comfortable to stare at for hours, eight speakers that’ll make you question why you ever watched anything on a phone, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 that chews through everything you throw at it, and a PC Mode that actually makes you feel like you could leave your laptop at home. I nearly did.

But if you can get your hands on one, the HONOR MagicPad 4 is absolutely worth considering. And that’s the real thing here. HONOR, unfortunately, does not sell its devices in the US and likely never will. But for Europe and Asia, it’s a great option. It’s thin, it’s fast, it sounds incredible, and it’s one of the few Android tablets I’ve found myself reaching for every single day.

If you’re in the market for a flagship Android tablet and you don’t want to spend iPad Pro money, the MagicPad 4 deserves to be at the top of your list.