With its gorgeous screen tailor-made for drawing, the Huawei MatePad Pro Max might just be the tablet market outlaw's finest creation yet

Another tablet release from Huawei, another proviso about the fact that Huawei is geo-blocked from the one thing us Westerners treasure most in life; namely access to the Google Play Store. Huawei has worked hard to make up for it, with dupes, APK pack extractors and an open door in the system for you to use, er, your own research to gain access to these hallowed digital lands. And they've made their cornerstone creative app, GoPaint, even better than before.

But is that enough to justify the access pain, the cost and the slight shortcomings in pure performance to make the latest and perhaps greatest MatePad a genuine iPad alternative or a leading tablet with a stylus in general? I've had the MatePad Pro Max for nearly a month, and I'm ready to tell you.

Huawei MatePad Pro Max: Key specifications

Design and screen

The MatePad has always been well built, and this model is no different. The metal alloy chassis covers a bigger 13.2 inches of screen than last year's MatePad 11.5S, but by thinmaxxing the construction, it comes in at a whole gram less than its smaller predecessor, at only 509 grams. It comes in two colours, pale blue and space-grey; I got the blue, and have spent many an hour adoring the shiny, iridescent back cover since unwrapping the thing.

And like has become Huawei's habit, everything essential is provided here; a protective magnetic case and stand in one, with a keyboard that connects automagically, and the latest M-Pencil stocked in the package. No extra cost to get going with what you want to do with the tablet. Some other makers might want to take note...

This time we get an OLED display, 3000 x 2000 pixels with a top brightness of 1600 nits, a considerable upgrade on the TFT LCD of last year's MatePad 11.5-inch model. And an extra bit of good news: Huawei has retained the PaperMatte coating that makes it so pleasing to look at for long periods, and indeed draw on due to its near-reflection-free effect.

At 13.2 inches, it's also bigger than before, and with the tablet being so thin and light, it's both easy to carry and manoeuvre as well as offering oodles of screen real estate to fit your art onto. As I can't draw to save my life, I say 'your' art, dear reader, but even then, I have immensely enjoyed scribbling and playing with the shapes and colours and the many many tools on offer in GoPaint.

The screen compares favourably to the new iPad Pro, thanks to the aforementioned coating, althought the brightness doesn't go quite as high, and like I've become accustomed with on OLED screens, it's a tad more smudge-prone than other types. With a nice microfibre cloth at hand, though, that's an problem solved easily enough (if quite frequently).

Features and performance

Due to Huawei's limited access to mainstream Western software platforms—such as Google and many other widely used apps—they have developed their own ecosystem of applications, including an app store, web browser, office tools, and creative apps.

Among these, GoPaint stands out as an excellent painting, drawing, and artwork application. It offers hundreds of brushes, surface templates, and features designed to assist users who may struggle with hand stability, like myself. For instance, if you hold a rough circle for a second, it will round into a smoother shape for you. Additionally, lines and paths can snap into place, and the app provides in-app tutorials for every feature on board. Personally, I'm not very skilled at visual arts, but I've enjoyed spending time on GoPaint, and I must admit that I’ve improved, even if just a little, thanks to its engaging features.

Another useful tool is Huawei Notes, which offers more features than your typical note-taking app. It includes sketching tools, the ability to convert handwriting into legible text, and simple sharing options.

The native app store contains thousands of apps and games of all types, including many clear copies of more famous games and apps, but you can also get the originals by going a little 'pirate' (but still perfectly legal, in most cases at least ahem). You can get the Google Play Store, but it’s not officially supported, so you have to install it manually using a roundabout method.

Installing the GBox app in Huawei's app portal allows you to install and run the Google Play Store from inside it. It will help you install and run mainstream Android apps, such as YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, Chrome and others. All of them ran normally for me, although Google Play Protect will show them as "not certified". Also, some security-heavy apps, such as banking apps, will not run inside GBox, just so that's noted.

For another way, you can find APK packs for your desired apps from sources you know are trustworthy, unpack those and then install, and you should be able to mostly replicate your usual Android experience here. This is not a complete emulation, though, and I know this lack of ready, native Google access will be a deal-breaker to many.

The HarmonyOS loaded onto the MatePad is built on Android, and while it replicates the Android user experience in some detail, performance could still be improved, although it's a step up from last year's models, thanks to the Kirin T93 Pro chipset on board.

Geekbench tests place the Huawei below Apple and Samsung models, so the MatePad Pro Max won't entice those wanting pure grunt. Instead, perhaps wisely, Huawei has focused on the superior visual experience here, as they are still struggling to get its in-house Kirin chipset up to par with rivals.

Price and availability

The Huawei MatePad Pro Max, like the last several Huawei tablets, is not officially available in the US, but in the UK the MatePad Pro Max will be available to purchase from Huawei UK with prices starting at £999.99. Last year's MatePad Pro is still available at £699.99 in the UK, but seeing as the MatePad Pro Max offers a considerable step up in performance and feature set, the new model is priced competitively to that. Especially when you consider the fact you get the protective case, keyboard and stylus included in the purchase.

Buy it if...

• You really like drawing
• You want everything included in the purchase
• You are attracted to the build quality and portability

Don't buy it if...

• You need top tablet performance
• You want a true laptop replacement
• You feel uncomfortable accessing Google apps via the 'back door'