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Verdict
If you’re an iPhone user it’s easier for us to recommend an iPad Mini 4 than the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4, despite the iPad offering worse value for money. The reason is simple: iOS will be familiar, and your current suite of apps will work on your shiny new tab.
However, for Android users, or potential buyers who consider themselves OS-agnostic, the MediaPad M5 8.4 is incredibly compelling. It undercuts the iPad Mini in price, and offers more in the process.
Everything about this tablet is a joy to use other than the camera, which is a peripheral consideration for most tablet users, and the starting price is reasonable.
Decent Android tabs are also few and far between at the moment, making the M5 8.4 even easier to recommend.
Despite not quite being a five-star device, the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 is still the best sub-10-inch Android tablet around right now.
Who's this for?
This is a tablet made for content consumption. Books, movies, games, memes, tweets, streams… with or without headphones, landscape or portrait, in-hand or on a surface, the MediaPad M5 8.4 will meet your needs.
On the flipside, this tablet isn't for anyone who wants a world-class camera experience.
Should you buy it?
It's easy to recommend the MediaPad M5 8.4. It's a well-priced, premium Android alternative to the iPad Mini 4 that looks slick and offers great performance and battery life.
There really is only one rival to the MediaPad 8.4 right now and that's the iPad Mini
iPad Mini 4
The iPad Mini 4 costs more than the MediaPad M5 8.4, despite the fact that it’s getting a bit long in the tooth. The screen is 7.9 inches, making it half an inch smaller than the M5 8.4, and its 2:3 aspect ratio doesn’t work as well for video content.
That said, the interface and app refinement across iOS are better than the Android plus EMUI combo, and it will likely be the preferred choice for iPhone users.
Read our full iPad Mini 4 review
First reviewed: April 2018
