Android tablets are lastly getting good?

Honor Pad 9

$349 $399 Save $50

The Honor Pad 9 is a wonderful possibility for anybody trying to buy a brand new Android pill for content material consumption. It options a big 12.1-inch LCD show, an 8-speaker system, and a stunning design. 

Execs

• Beautiful design
• Fluid navigation

Cons

• Availability within the US
• Want extra colour choices have been accessible outdoors of China

Coming again to an Android pill after a number of years is sort of attention-grabbing, because the final Android pill I owned was launched in 2019. The choices weren’t essentially nice again then, so I finally switched to Apple’s budget-friendly various in 2020, when the Eighth iPad was essentially the most inexpensive model you can buy, which on the time was the best choice for anybody trying to get glorious options, a pleasant show, and good audio high quality for a good price ticket.

Quick-forward to 2024, and I get to get pleasure from a brand new Android expertise in a stunning new package deal. The Honor Pad 9 presents good options, a shocking design, and all the mandatory elements to make it the right possibility for anybody trying to get a pleasant media expertise with out breaking the financial institution. Nevertheless, the query stays: Is the Honor Pad 9 adequate to exchange my iPad? Let’s discover out.

Value and availability

Honor made some attention-grabbing selections with the Honor Tab 9. It was first launched in China on December 22, 2023, simply in time for the vacations. Its beginning worth was $1,499 Yuan, which interprets to roughly $212. Nevertheless, you couldn’t get yours outdoors of China till February 2024, when it got here with a €399 price ticket, making it dearer than a few of Apple’s present choices.

Fortunately for many European clients, the Honor Pad 9 is now accessible for as little as €349, with the most recent presents that can get you as much as €50 off the bottom mannequin that comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB space for storing. You additionally get a flip cowl together with your buy, making it a barely extra engaging possibility, because the Honor Pad 9 Flip cowl usually sells for €50, so that you mainly get a brand new pill for €299, which remains to be type of good in the event you’re trying to get a brand new Android pill.

The Honor Pad 9 is probably not essentially the most highly effective pill round, however it is going to maintain its personal whereas loading something you need. It delivers quick app launches and is even good for infrequent gaming. This pill comes filled with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, Qualcomm Adreno 710 graphics, 8GB RAM, a big 12.1-inch LCD show, 256GB space for storing, a long-lasting battery life that can maintain you streaming your favourite content material even in the event you’re flying over the Atlantic.

Honor Pad 9 Design: Killer Seems to be

This is likely one of the greatest facets of this pill, because it’s a feast for the eyes. It appears to be like and feels premium, and in the event you don’t take your time trying on the particulars, you may even take it for one among Apple’s dearer options. I additionally love its Starry Grey end, which appears to be like gorgeous and does a wonderful job of deterring fingerprints. It’s also accessible in “Gentle White” and “Azure,” however you should have issue getting your palms on these choices outdoors of China. I really like this design a lot that I virtually really feel dangerous that I needed to buy a case to maintain it secure. Nonetheless, it’s fairly handy and helpful in the event you’re planning on watching movies in your pill, and it’ll additionally maintain it secure from any potential hurt.

I’m nonetheless blended concerning the placement of the cameras, because it makes you are feeling like this pill was meant for use horizontally. Should you’re courageous sufficient to make use of your Honor Pad 9 with out a case, the again digital camera may also be annoying, as it is going to make your pill wobble round any flat floor. Nevertheless, I consider that almost all customers will instantly put a case on this machine, serving to it lay flat anyplace you wish to put it down. It is also handy to get a case because it provides you with a greater grip on the machine, since it could possibly get a bit slippery in case your palms are moist or sweaty. We discover the amount and energy buttons positioned on the highest left aspect of the pill in the event you’re utilizing it in panorama mode, which is kinda robust to succeed in in case your palms are on the perimeters of the pill whereas watching your favourite content material.

The show on the Honor Pad 9 can also be good for content material consumption, because it comes with an anti-glare coating that makes viewing simpler and higher, even in brilliant locations. Nevertheless, this show gained’t be as nice for maintaining smudges away. Both manner, you get a 12.1-inch LCD show with 120Hz refresh charges, which isn’t frequent for tablets on this worth vary. Additionally, you will get pleasure from crisp and wealthy colours. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t suggest it for aspiring artists, because it doesn’t include a stylus, and getting the corporate’s Magic Pencil 3 will set you again an additional $100. But when cash isn’t a difficulty, you should have a pleasant time sketching and taking notes, because the expertise is excellent, virtually like utilizing an actual pencil and paper.

Efficiency: Quick navigation

The Honor Pad 9 runs on MagicOS 7.2 and Android 13, so the expertise is quick and fluid, however there are a few points that I don’t essentially love. Biometric authentication wasn’t as quick or dependable as I’d wished, that means I needed to enter my safety code manner too usually to unlock my pill. This isn’t a difficulty once I’m at house, since I disable biometric authentication, and utilizing the pill is only a swipe away.

I’m additionally experiencing some points with the pill being unable to fall asleep whereas utilizing sure apps, that means that I often choose up the Honor Pad 9 with an empty battery, primarily video streaming apps and the app I exploit for enjoying guitar. Apart from that, I can say that I’m greater than happy with loading speeds, animations, and the general expertise, because the Honor Pad 9 delivers the efficiency you’d count on from a brand new pill.

I by no means mentioned that battery life was dangerous, as I managed to make use of my pill throughout my flight again from Barcelona throughout a Kimetsu No Yaiba epic marathon. I even managed to squeeze in some episodes of Dragon Quest. I arrived house with greater than 30 p.c battery life, which is nice contemplating this pill’s energy and options. Certainly, I complained about my Honor Pad 9 operating low on battery when it doesn’t fall asleep whereas operating some apps, however that will get solved if I shut all the things earlier than placing my pill away.

It’s also troublesome for me to know why the Honor Pad 9 will get unfavorable feedback concerning the amount of its 8-speaker system. I truly love the audio system on this pill; they’re good for music, films, and extra. I usually use the pill with my over-ear headphones when touring or once I don’t need the remainder of the world to distract me from what I’m watching, so the audio system aren’t one thing I’d point out as a unfavorable level. Additional, you’re solely paying $400 for this pill or $299 in the event you reap the benefits of the present offers, so it could be loopy to count on a jaw-dropping sound from this product if it is not a Professional variant or a tool that is meant to offer top-notch audio expertise. You get what you pay for, and the pill’s audio system are greater than sufficient to ship an immersive expertise in the event you’re watching stuff throughout a flight or in the event you’re alone on the sofa, however then once more, why now stream your content material straight in your TV?

Must you purchase it?

Honor has made a really engaging Android pill that’s actually gratifying and ideal for many. I prefer it, and my youngsters find it irresistible, particularly after we’re going out; I additionally bought my palms on Lamicall’s Automobile Pill Mount to maintain the children and the spouse entertained whereas on the street. I consider it’s good for content material consumption, glorious for lengthy journeys and nice for anybody trying to get their palms on a brand new Android pill.

That being mentioned, the one actual unfavorable for me is the worth tag, as different choices available on the market would appear extra compelling, particularly for the US market, the place getting merchandise from Honor may not be as simple. As an illustration, you may get the ninth era iPad beginning at $249. Certainly, you sacrifice space for storing, however you get a pill that can work wonders for years, permitting you to do all the things you want on a extra budget-friendly possibility.

There are a number of issues to like about this pill, however I’m nonetheless uncertain whether or not I’d be prepared to spend €349 on one. I’m presently trying to exchange my Eighth-generation iPad with one thing extra highly effective, and I don’t actually consider that the Honor Pad 9 is the pill I’ll maintain round for work-related stuff. Nonetheless, It is going to be an ideal companion whereas I get my palms on one thing with extra energy underneath the hood.

Honor Pad 9

$349 $399 Save $50

The Honor Pad 9 is a wonderful possibility for anybody trying to buy a brand new Android pill for content material consumption. It options a big 12.1-inch LCD show, an 8-speaker system, and a stunning design.