CHUWI HiPad Pro: Tablet with 10.8″ display launches on August 3rd

Apparently, manufacturers want to revive the strongly neglected Android tablet market. After interesting ideas like the Huawei MatePad or the Lenovo XiaoXin Pad, CHUWI also wants to get involved. But how “pro” is the CHUWI Hi Pad Pro?

• CHUWI HiPad Pro
  • at AliExpress (price not revealed yet)

Technical specifications of the CHUWI HiPad Pro

Slim bezels and a punch-hole design

The manufacturer has already established a new design language in its tablets with the CHUWI HiPad Plus. The HiPad Pro also looks much more modern and is reminiscent of other Pro tablets from Apple or Huawei. The screen size of 10.8 inches is based on the size of the iPad Air, which is even slightly larger. According to the first pictures, the screen’s edges are pleasantly thin, so it almost looks like you only hold the screen in your hands. The thinner bezel is possible because a punch-hole design is used. The 5 MP front camera is in the upper left corner. We only know this from the first Huawei MatePad Pro.

The screen uses an IPS panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1080 pixel, which corresponds to a pixel density of 280 ppi. That is above average, especially for a mid-range tablet. Unfortunately, you have to do without a high refresh rate in return – too bad! Otherwise, CHUWI’s HiPad Pro is relatively thin. At 6.9 mm, it is thinner than some smartphones. However, the 8-megapixel camera on the back sticks out slightly, so it comes to 7.2 mm at this point.

CHUWI states the weight of the HiPad Pro at 480g, which would make it a bit heavier than the aforementioned iPad Air. Nevertheless, it is of course portable and fits in almost every backpack with dimensions of 245 x 157.7 x 7.2 mm. With the Bluetooth keyboard, which you can buy separately, it is also intended for stationary use. Then the four integrated speakers for spatial sound also come into their own.

With 8 GB memory & 128 GB storage

However, we can be skeptical about its suitability for office tasks. CHUWI surprises us with a Qualcomm SoC, but the Snapdragon 662 Octa-Core is at most a mid-range chip that is suitable for casual gaming and media consumption. The same processor with up to 2 GHz is also found in Lenovo’s XiaoXin Pad Tablet. However, CHUWI offers 8 GB LPDDR4X working memory and 128 GB UFS 2.1 mass storage. You can even expand it by 128 GB via microSD card if necessary! But is that enough to be a pro tablet?

CHUWI installs a 7.000 mAh battery in the Pro tablet, which should ensure a solid runtime. Unlike the competition, the tablet even supports 24W fast charging via Quick Charge 3, but a corresponding charge is not included (only 10W). This is done via the USB-C port on the bottom. There is also the aforementioned microSD slot, OTG, a headphone jack and a SIM slot.

The CHUWI HiPad Pro supports LTE, even LTE Band 20, so it can receive mobile data on the go with a suitable card. Dual-band ac Wi-Fi is available at home, as well as Bluetooth 5, GPS and A-GPS. The operating system is of course Android 11, which can be used in German. We can only say to what extent it is equipped with bloatware and whether Widevine Level 1 is supported after a test.

Opinion

Unfortunately, the CHUWI HiPad Pro is not a Pro tablet and it is a bit annoying how carelessly the name “Pro” is used. Nevertheless, it is an interesting mid-range tablet that can convince with a sharp display, modern design, a lot of storage and fast charging. Nothing is known about the price yet, but it could be a good alternative to the Lenovo XiaoXin Pad or the ALLDOCUBE iPlay 40 if it is under 200 Euros (~$200).

What experiences have you had with CHUWI so far?