Design and workmanship
The MatePad 11.5 S features a full metal unibody casing that makes a high-quality impression both visually and to the touch. With a thickness of 6,1 millimeters and a weight of around 515 grams, the tablet remains pleasantly slim and well-balanced. Even during extended use in the hand or when carried in a backpack, it doesn't cause fatigue.
The workmanship is consistently excellent. Gaps are even, surfaces have a high-quality coating and are relatively resistant to fingerprints in everyday use. The design is deliberately understated and functional, which suits the device's productive purpose well.
PaperMatte Display in everyday life
The Ultra-Clear PaperMatte Display is the central technical and conceptual core of the MatePad 11.5 S. HUAWEI utilizes a specially etched surface that diffuses light and reduces reflections. Beneath this lies an 11,5-inch LCD with 2800 × 1840 pixels, a 144 Hz refresh rate, and 500 nits of brightness. It is complemented by anti-glare, anti-reflection, and anti-fingerprint properties.
In everyday use, the difference compared to a "normal" display is very noticeable. Even in bright ambient light, such as in a café, at university, or by a window, the screen remains easily readable. Reflections are significantly reduced, and white areas appear calmer than on traditional glass displays. Texts can be read for longer periods without causing eye strain.
HUAWEI itself speaks of a 50 percent reduction in so-called sparkle effects. This manifests itself in less graininess on bright areas and a more homogeneous display than with previous PaperMatte generations. The display deliberately retains a slightly matte finish without appearing dull or blurry.
Writing and taking notes with HUAWEI Notes
For productive work, HUAWEI Notes proves to be a well-designed note-taking app with a clear focus on studies and career. It offers various pen and brush types, extensive templates and materials, as well as AI-powered features such as handwriting optimization and formula recognition.
The HUAWEI M-Pencil Pro provides a highly controlled and precise writing experience. Its matte surface offers noticeable resistance, remarkably similar to writing on paper. Lines can be drawn with greater control, and the hand doesn't unintentionally slip across the screen.
A practical detail is the ability to launch HUAWEI Notes directly by pressing the end of the pen. This feature may seem insignificant, but it noticeably saves time in daily use.
Creative work with GoPaint
For those who enjoy drawing, GoPaint comes pre-installed, providing a useful drawing program. The app offers layers, various brushes, and enough tools to create sketches, illustrations, or storyboards. Here, too, the PaperMatte display demonstrates its strengths. Lines can be drawn with greater precision, and even during extended drawing sessions, the display remains comfortable for the eyes.
Of course, GoPaint doesn't replace professional software on a computer, but it's more than sufficient for mobile drawing and capturing ideas.
Productivity with Smart Magnetic Keyboard
With the optional HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard, the MatePad 11.5 S transforms into a compact laptop. The keyboard attaches magnetically, sits securely, and simultaneously serves as a protective cover and stand.
The keys have a 1,5 mm travel and are large enough for comfortable typing of even longer texts. For a tablet keyboard, the typing experience is significantly above average. Multitasking functions and apps like Wondershare Filmora enhance the feeling of PC-like use without sacrificing the mobile nature of the device.
Performance, cooling and battery life
Inside, the Kirin T92C processor works in combination with 12 GB of RAM and either 128 GB or 256 GB of storage. While the Kirin T92C isn't a high-end chip, it's more than sufficient for taking notes, multitasking, drawing, and watching videos. The tablet remains pleasantly cool, even when multiple apps are running simultaneously.
The integrated 8.800 mAh battery provides a solid runtime of approximately 6.5 hours of screen-on time. A full workday with note-taking, research, media consumption, and occasional creative work is therefore realistic. The 40W SuperCharge charging function fully charges the tablet in about 90 minutes.
Google apps on the MatePad
Like all current HUAWEI tablets, the MatePad 11.5 S is shipped without pre-installed Google services. In practice, however, this proves to be less of a limitation than it initially appears on paper.
The Aurora Store, in combination with microG, allows you to easily install most popular Google apps like YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Drive. Setup takes only a few minutes and requires no root access or complicated system modifications. Even less tech-savvy users can manage it by following the brief instructions.
Limitations primarily exist where Google has particularly strong security measures for its services. Google Pay (not relevant here anyway) doesn't work, and individual games or apps that rely heavily on Google's security services may experience problems or fail to launch altogether.
Detailed step-by-step setup instructions can be found here from our colleagues at AllroundPC: HUAWEI - Google Guide
