Verdict
The Honor MagicPad 4 is a critically spectacular Android pill that mixes a top rate ultra-thin design, beautiful 165Hz OLED show, and robust Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 efficiency into a flexible package deal for gaming, productiveness, and leisure. Whilst the cameras and audio system may well be higher, its superb battery lifestyles, easy PC-like options, and general worth make it one of the most highest mid-range possible choices to the iPad lately to be had.
- Superb 165Hz OLED show
- Light-weight form-factor
- Nice gaming efficiency
- PC Mode is essentially implausible
- Lengthy battery lifestyles
- Audio system are ok, however not anything particular
- Digital camera is serviceable
In 2026, there may be nonetheless a controversy that capsules do not want to be a bridge between laptops. Why get an iPad when you’ll get a MacBook Neo? Neatly, to that I say, it is easy: you must have the ability to have each. Allow us to have our cake and devour it too. Relating to the Honor MagicPad 4, it is a full-on chocolate gateau with various cream on height. I have been spending the closing month with Honor’s newest pill, from observing films, taking part in video games, to writing out portions of this very assessment.
It is an absolute looker, with the thinnest type component lately to be had in the marketplace. Wrapped in a swish all-metal unibody chassis, which Honor says is sourced from aerospace-grade fiber, it is a minimalist’s dream. However is it price selecting up over any of the highest iPads? I may not stay you guessing, since the resolution is a large, chunky sure.
Value and availability
The Honor MagicPad 4 retails for £599 and £699 for the 12GB + 256GB and 16GB + 512GB fashions, respectively. On the other hand, it is price noting that the previous is best to be had within the white colorway. Moreover, Honor sells its personal accent package for those capsules, which helps you to make a choice a medley of substances prior to testing. For this configuration, it is going to set you again £649. For my assessment, I have been the use of the gray 12GB + 256GB style, with none equipment.
Like Honor’s smartphones, the MagicPad 4 is not offered formally in america. It’s not transparent whether or not Honor will roll it out with a much wider free up but, both. For now, the UK is the place you can to find it.
Specifications
Listed here are the specs for the Honor MagicPad 4:
Options and device
Although you might be now not already aware of MagicOS, you can really feel slightly comfy the use of it. The Honor MagicPad 4 comes with MagicOS 10 out of the field, an overly light-weight working machine that leans closely on Apple’s transition to glasswork aesthetics. It is exceptionally simple at the eyes, snappy, and simple to be told. Whether or not that is your first time with an Android software or now not, you can briefly to find your self navigating it very easily. It is only a disgrace that Honor insists on loading it with a couple of bloatware apps, even though those are a breeze to uninstall.
As a result of it is borrowing a couple of guidelines from Apple, you’ll be expecting customization choices like lock display screen clock tweaks, fonts, and widgets. It is not anything too other from most of the highest Android telephones. Naturally, as it is the newest MagicOS to be had, it is readily provided with some nifty options to make the MagicPad 4 sing. I have used a couple of capsules that attempt to be offering a PC-style revel in, and they all fall brief. That is not a subject matter right here. The MagicPad 4’s ‘PC Mode’ is unquestionably probably the most intuitive example of this in the marketplace.
You’ll be able to have as much as 4 packages open without delay, splitting them into tabs that you’ll view concurrently. In my use instances, it is a large boon for writing in Google Doctors whilst transcribing a video interview or retaining on height of my duties. Whether or not you want it for homework or simply dual-screening YouTube and WhatsApp in combination, it handles skilled and informal way of life packages with no hitch. Coming into ‘PC Mode’ is a button press from the house display screen, making it fast to change between running and stress-free. The MagicPad 4 could also be IMAX Enhanced, however we will communicate extra about that later.
Efficiency
Beneath the hood, the MagicPad 4 makes use of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. This is similar processor within the Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely, Poco F8 Professional, and OnePlus 15. Whilst it does not fit one thing just like the REDMAGIC Astra in uncooked energy, or one of the crucial different height choices from our listing of the most productive gaming capsules, it indubitably delivers the place you want it to. Each day apps, be they social media or leisure, do not even make it sweat. To truly push it more difficult, I have been leaping into The Department Resurgence and Name of Responsibility Cellular.
Ubisoft’s looter shooter is probably the most hard of the 2, however I am truly proud of the way it runs. It might pass as much as max settings and care for a pleasant 30fps, or with some tweaks, coast alongside at a easy 60fps as an alternative. CODM, unsurprisingly, continues to be one of the crucial optimized loose cell video games. Whilst in-game activates warn me of overheating, the MagicPad 4 proudly outputs it at max settings with a continuing 60fps framerate. Paired with a very good cell controller, that is lately my default manner of leaping into cell FPS video games.
Design and audio
So, once I say IMAX Enhanced, you might be most probably questioning what the largest film monitors must do with this. Neatly, Honor is basically looking to mirror a cinematic revel in in the course of the MagicPad 4’s eight-speaker setup and spatial audio. On that entrance, the MagicPad 4’s audio system indubitably cling their very own, no less than in relation to quantity. Even if you’ll tweak the equaliser in Spotify or Apple Track, I to find the audio system a bit of boxy. Through that, I imply the unfold of tools feels too shut in combination, with now not a lot room to respire.
The outcome is not overly muddy, however you will not to find any roaring highs or glowing trebles. It is a completely serviceable set of audio system that does the activity and does it with various energy. The place it loses some issues in sound, the MagicPad 4 makes up for it in design. I really like an all-metal design; it is one thing that is changing into rarer in mid-range merchandise. With the hot free up of the Not anything Telephone (4a) Professional, too, I am hoping this subject matter selection is making a return.
It feels robust to touch, however the thickness is the place the MagicPad 4 may just in point of fact sway you. Honor’s new pill is the thinnest on this planet at the moment, coming in at a narrow 4.8mm. For comparability, the iPad Professional 11′ and 13′ fashions take a seat at 5.1mm and 5.3mm. It would possibly not seem like numerous paper, however it is extraordinarily tangible in fact. At 450g, it is lighter than Valve’s Steam Deck (669g) or Apple’s iPad Air 11′ (462g). I will be at liberty to sling this in my rucksack all over journeys, even though I would suggest striking a display screen protector on first.
Show
Talking of the display screen, that is arguably the largest spotlight of the MagicPad 4. Honor is packing a fantastic OLED panel right here, with 12.3′ of 165Hz goodness. Outputting a answer of 3000×1920, it is a supremely sharp show that I will’t get sufficient of. Colour replication is superb, with nice contrasts and no foolish additions like movement smoothing. Streaming 4K films will also be lovely difficult on some capsules, having skilled this with the Honor Pad 8Xa.
Now not best do films, YouTube movies, and video games glance crisp, however the MagicPad 4’s {hardware} presentations slightly any indicators of suffering underneath drive. Do not be disturbed about seeing the sunshine both, as this panel is superbly vivid. At a top of 2400 nits, the show’s brightness functions are greater than considerable.
Digital camera
If there is a giant weak spot for the MagicPad 4, it is the digicam. I nonetheless to find it ordinary that we want rear-facing cameras on capsules, particularly when maximum people are sporting superb possible choices in our wallet. At 13MP, it is hardly ever horrible, but it surely lacks the punch or wealthy main points that your smartphone can seize.
The 9MP front-facing digicam is first rate sufficient for video calls, even though it is rather disappointing that there isn’t a 60fps strengthen throughout its answer choices. However, each cameras be offering 4K 30fps video, at the price of upper document sizes, after all. On the other hand, if you are keen on a selfie and need to take it on a pill, you then must be wonderful right here. Here is a front-camera image of a drained me, on account of grinding The Finals into the early hours of the morning.
Battery
At the battery facet, Honor presentations extra strengths. It is not an enormous leap from the MagicPad 2’s 10,050 mAh capability, however the spice up to ten,100 mAh continues to be a number of the battery choices round. With common on a regular basis use (social media and observing movies), I have been ready to get my repair of doomscrolling and Foo Opponents interviews throughout 3 days prior to bearing in mind charging it. Left utterly unattended, I discovered it might closing round 5 days prior to desiring a top-up.
In the case of fee speeds, it generally takes round 80 to 90 mins to get a complete 100% battery. In my trying out, you’ll get it to round 50% in more or less half-hour.
Will have to you purchase the Honor MagicPad4?
I am critically inspired by way of the Honor MagicPad 4. It delivers an excellent mix of top rate design, robust gaming efficiency, and a essentially helpful PC-like pill revel in that competitors Apple’s highest choices. Its ultra-thin all-metal construct, colourful 12.3-inch 165Hz OLED show, and long-lasting battery lifestyles make it very best for leisure, productiveness, and gaming alike.
Powered by way of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, the pill handles hard video games and on a regular basis duties very easily, supported by way of robust battery lifestyles. Even if the cameras are underwhelming and the audio lacks some intensity, the MagicPad 4 nonetheless sticks out as one of the crucial spectacular Android capsules to be had, with various versatility as a mid-range selection to the iPad.
Choices
Honor MagicPad 2
The Honor MagicPad 2 is a simple pill to suggest, due to its inexpensive worth, providing equivalent options to its successor. It brings some other beautiful OLED show to the desk, too. Whilst the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip handles streaming and gaming smartly sufficient, the pill struggles with heavier multitasking and extra hard apps, so you might choose this one for mild leisure and paintings duties. Learn our Honor MagicPad 2 assessment for extra.
iPad Air M2
If you are nonetheless an Apple purist at center, then you will not be disenchanted with the iPad Air M2. It is virtually in a position to the rest an entry-level MacBook can do, with the acquainted sight of iOS making it a very simple transition out of your iPhone. There may be even a 13′ choice if you need some further actual property. For extra in this pill, see our iPad Air (M2) assessment.
