Design and Craftsmanship: A Tale of Thinness and Materials
The Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2″ makes an immediate statement with its staggering 5.5mm thickness and 580g weight, achieved through advanced magnesium alloy construction. This design philosophy prioritizes an ultra-portable, minimalist aesthetic, complemented by the distinctive camera island and a vibrant, large screen with minimal bezels. The included magnetic keyboard, with its butterfly mechanism, enhances this laptop-replacement ethos, though it is often a separate purchase.
Apple’s iPad Pro (M4) counters with its iconic, unibody aluminum design, available in silver and space black. At 5.3mm thick for the 13-inch model, it’s marginally thinner, but its weight is slightly higher. Apple’s design language is about monolithic, industrial precision. The new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard attach seamlessly, creating a cohesive, premium ecosystem where accessories feel like natural extensions of the device.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra embraces a different approach. Its 14.6-inch display is housed in a more substantial aluminum body, making it the largest and heaviest in this class. It trades ultimate portability for maximum screen real estate. A significant differentiator is its IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, a feature absent from both Huawei and Apple tablets, offering unparalleled durability for use in more environments. The included S Pen, which slots directly into the chassis, underscores a commitment to creator-ready functionality out of the box.
Display Technology: OLED Supremacy vs. Mini-LED Brilliance
Visual performance is a critical battleground. The Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2″ boasts a 13.2-inch, 144Hz OLED panel with a 3:2 aspect ratio, ideal for productivity and document editing. It supports HDR Vivid and achieves an exceptionally high peak brightness, producing vibrant colors and deep, inky blacks characteristic of OLED technology. The 3:2 ratio is a key differentiator, offering more vertical space compared to the wider cinematic formats of its rivals.
Apple’s iPad Pro with its Tandem OLED technology, branded as “Ultra Retina XDR,” represents a monumental leap. By stacking two OLED layers, it achieves phenomenal peak brightness for both HDR and full-screen content, alongside perfect blacks. This results in an unparalleled viewing experience for professional video editors and HDR content consumers. The 120Hz ProMotion display with its low reflectivity coating ensures buttery smoothness and excellent visibility.
Samsung, a display leader in its own right, equips the Tab S9 Ultra with a massive 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. It also features a 120Hz refresh rate and exceptional brightness. Samsung’s strength lies in its software customization; the Vision Booster feature intelligently adjusts contrast and color based on ambient light, and the ability to customize color profiles is a boon for professionals. Its 16:10 aspect ratio is a comfortable middle ground for both media consumption and multitasking.
Performance and Software: The Ecosystem Divide
Under the hood, the Huawei MatePad Pro is powered by the Kirin 9000s chip. While it delivers robust performance for most productivity and creative tasks, its raw power in GPU-intensive applications like 3D rendering or high-frame-rate gaming may not match the latest silicon from Apple and Qualcomm. The true differentiator is its software: HarmonyOS 4. This operating system is designed for a seamless experience within the Huawei ecosystem, featuring robust multi-window multitasking, smooth cross-device collaboration with Huawei phones and laptops, and a growing but still Google-less AppGallery. This lack of Google Mobile Services (GMS) remains its most significant software hurdle for a global audience.
The Apple iPad Pro, now featuring the M4 chip with a next-generation GPU and hardware-accelerated ray tracing, sets a new benchmark for tablet performance. It is not just the fastest tablet on the market; it rivals professional laptops. This raw power is perfectly harnessed by iPadOS 17 (and now iPadOS 18), which offers Stage Manager for more flexible windowing, deep integration with Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve, and an unparalleled library of apps optimized for the large screen. The ecosystem integration with Mac, iPhone, and Apple Watch is seamless and mature.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset. It provides flagship-level Android performance, excelling in both CPU and GPU tasks. Its software, One UI 6.x based on Android, offers the most desktop-like flexibility with its DeX mode, which transforms the interface into a windowed, PC-like experience. Coupled with robust Google Mobile Services and deep ties to the Windows ecosystem through Link to Windows, it offers the most open and versatile software environment of the three, bridging the gap between mobile and desktop workflows effectively.
Creativity and Input: The Stylus and Keyboard Showdown
For artists and note-takers, the stylus experience is paramount. Huawei’s new 3rd-generation M-Pencil is a standout, featuring a platinum-plated nib and a pressure sensitivity of over 10,000 levels. Its most lauded feature is the sub-10ms latency, which provides a near-instantaneous, natural writing feel. It charges wirelessly by attaching to the top of the tablet.
The Apple Pencil Pro introduces new dimensions of interactivity. Beyond its low latency and tilt sensitivity, it now features a squeeze gesture for bringing up tool palettes, a barrel roll for changing brush orientation, and haptic feedback for confirmation. It also supports Find My integration. This makes it an incredibly intuitive and feature-rich tool for professional illustrators.
The Samsung S Pen has long been the benchmark for Android styluses. It is incredibly precise, also featuring low latency and tilt support. Its major advantage is that it is included with the tablet at no extra cost, and it stores and charges magnetically on the tablet’s back, ensuring it is always ready. For artists on a budget, this represents immense value.
On the keyboard front, all three offer high-quality, backlit options. Huawei’s keyboard is spacious with a solid butterfly mechanism. Apple’s Magic Keyboard provides a superb typing experience with a large trackpad and a floating design. Samsung’s Book Cover Keyboard is functional but can feel less premium than its counterparts, though it gets the job done for mobile productivity.
Battery Life, Audio, and Pricing Strategy
Battery life is consistently strong across all flagship tablets, but philosophies differ. The Huawei MatePad Pro packs a large battery supported by 88W wired charging, one of the fastest in the category. The iPad Pro offers all-day battery life and supports fast charging, though its charger is often sold separately. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra also delivers excellent endurance.
Audio is another high point for all three. The MatePad Pro features a powerful HUAWEI SOUND system with multiple speakers. The iPad Pro delivers a stunning spatial audio experience with its four speaker array. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, with its AKG-tuned speakers and Dolby Atmos support, provides a rich, immersive soundscape befitting its large screen.
Pricing solidifies their market positions. The Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2″ is positioned as a premium device, but its aggressive pricing often undercuts the competition, offering a high-value proposition for users entrenched in, or open to, the HarmonyOS ecosystem. The Apple iPad Pro sits at the top of the price spectrum, justifying its cost with class-leading performance and display technology, though adding accessories significantly increases the total investment. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is also a premium device, but the inclusion of the S Pen provides immediate value, making its high starting price slightly more palatable for creators.