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REVIEW: Huawei Matepad 11.5 S 2026 is a very good midrange productivity tablet

Article (news)

Arthur Fuentes

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774230822003huawei matepad 11.5 s.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Huawei Matepad 11.5 S 2026. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA – Students and digital nomads need lightweight gadgets with battery life, and the Huawei MatePad 11.5 S 2026 conveniently slots into this need. The tablet keyboard combo, with a stylus and mouse included, barely weighs 1 kg, and the battery can last you more than a full day’s work and play. Compared with some budget laptops, which sometimes come with mediocre build quality and poor battery life, this Huawei tablet is likely a better option if portability is very important.  But it does come with some caveats. I reviewed the Huawei Matepad last year, and was pretty impressed with the “3-in-1” combo, which featured a keyboard case and a stylus in the package. This year, Huawei upped the usability of this midrange tablet by including a wireless mouse in the deal. This is why Huawei now calls this a “4-in-1” offering. It’s not exactly a big leap, but it is a welcome quality of life improvement. Huawei also made a few other improvements to this midrange productivity tablet. It still retains that great 11.5-inch matte screen, which cuts glare, but the resolution has been bumped up to 3k from 2.5k in last year’s model. Its refresh rate was also bumped up to 144Hz from 120Hz, which means animations and games will look even smoother. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774230876747huawei 115 s cover.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Huawei Matepad 11.5 S 2026. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>It also features the newer Kirin 9000 series chipset, which is supposedly faster than the Kirin T82B found in last year’s model. Our review unit also came with 12GB of RAM, compared to just 8GB from last year’s version. Other than these, this year’s MatePad 11.5 S looks and feels the same as the 2025 model, which is not a bad thing, as last year’s tablet combo was already a very good deal for its price. The tablet itself is very well designed and feels well-built. It has thin bezels, a solid metal frame and back, with a premium-looking finish. The screen is bright enough to be used outdoors (500 nits), although maybe not under direct sunlight. The included pen doesn’t feel cheap at all. There is hardly any lag when writing and drawing on the tablet. It also magnetically attaches to the top right side of the tablet, and automatically charges from that spot. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774230915748huawei matepad 11.5 s notes.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>The Huawei Matepad 11.5 S 2026 is great for taking down notes and handwriting. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>The keyboard however, feels a bit mushy. If you’re used to clicky laptop keyboards, this might take some getting used to. I would have preferred if Huawei had included firmer, clickier keys with the included keyboard case. Its mouse also seemed like an afterthought instead of being part of a seamless package. The mouse has no problem connecting with the MatePad, but its gray color simply didn’t match the light green colorway of the tablet or the beige keyboard cover. So Huawei may need to get a mouse with a color that matches the tablet or keyboard case. Also, maybe get a mouse that&#x27;s rechargeable. A common concern about Huawei gadgets is the lack of Google Mobile Services baked into these devices. Huawei’s HarmonyOS looks and feels like Android, but it isn’t, so this is understandable.But the MatePad has an interesting app called GBox, which basically lets you download practically all Google apps. I was able to get Gmail, Docs, Calendar, Sheets, YouTube, YouTube Music and other apps. It’s an extra step to have to download and install them from GBox, but it was hardly an inconvenience. GBox also lets you download Microsoft 365 apps. Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming services are also available once you’ve installed Google Play through GBox. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774230975087huawei matepad 11.5 s draw.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>The Huawei Matepad 11.5 S 2026 has a very good drawing app that comes free with the tablet. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News</div>Other popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, TikTok and Viber are available on the Huawei App Gallery. Even local banking and fintech apps like GCash, Maya, BPI, BDO and Landbank are available on Huawei’s native app download service. Popular mobile games like PUBG and MLBB are available on the App Gallery, while Genshin Impact and Diablo Immortal can be installed via GBox. Video editing tools like CapCut and Filmora are also available through App Gallery, while Luma Fusion and Canva are available through GBox. Basically, if it’s not on the App Gallery, you get pointed to GBox. So far, I have not seen any app that I use on Android that isn’t accessible through GBox.Huawei has also been promoting its native WPS Office suite of productivity apps, but since I primarily use Google and Microsoft office apps, I never really got to try them. I did get to try their GoPaint painting and drawing app, which was very similar in interface and functionality to the Procreate app on iPadOS. Sketching on GoPaint using the included M-Pencil was really good. Equally as good is Huawei’s Notes app, which lets you jot down notes and write using the M-Pencil. As someone who frequently uses the Notes app on my iPad, I really appreciated this functionality on the MatePad.With a price tag of P29,999, the MatePad 11.5 S is a solid choice for people on a budget who want a high quality tablet that can double as a PC. The inclusion of the keyboard case and stylus in this package already makes this a very good deal in terms of value alone. But if you use a specialized app for work or in your studies, you should still check first if it is supported by HarmonyOS or is downloadable via GBox.One thing I have to mention though, is that Huawei&#x27;s App Gallery seems to push &quot;gaming&quot; and cash loan apps. Even when you&#x27;re searching for photo or video editing apps, these &#x27;gaming&#x27; and &#x27;cash&#x27; apps keep getting suggested, and I just wish whoever&#x27;s in charge of the App Gallery would correct this.

The tablet keyboard combo, with a stylus and mouse included, barely weighs 1 kg, and the battery can last you more than a full day’s work and play.

The tablet keyboard combo, with a stylus and mouse included, barely weighs 1 kg, and the battery can last you more than a full day’s work and play.

REVIEW: Huawei Matepad 11.5 S 2026 is a great value midrange tablet that's built for productivity

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REVIEW: Huawei Matepad 11.5 S 2026 is a great value midrange tablet that's built for productivity

Arthur Fuentes,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 23, 2026 10:15 AM PHT

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Huawei MatePad 11.5 S

midrange tablet

tablet keyboard

HarmonyOS

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