Sometimes the way manufacturers number their products flies in the face of logic. While no one expects the iPhone 14 to have a 14in screen, tablet names have tended to flag up their display size. Honor has ignored this convention – Pad 8 indicates it’s the successor to the Pad 7, not that it comes with an 8in screen (it’s actually 12 inches). Read our Honor Pad 8 Review.
“A large screen and long battery life, but its performance leaves a lot to be desired”
Large-screen tablets usually cost significantly more than £ For example, the 12.9in iPad Pro starts at £ However, if you can drop the screen size down an inch or two, both Amazon and Samsung offer 10in tablets that are around £ cheaper, and the Lenovo Tab P11 is an 11in model that’s almost as big and £ cheaper (though don’t confuse it with our former Buy It! favourite the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro, which still costs £ at https://amzn.to/3WZZT9c).
As you’d expect from a tablet at this price, its specification is relatively limited. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor, coupled with 4GB of RAM. We’ve seen this combination work fine with smartphones, but it feels sluggish on this tablet. It stands up to scrutiny in general Android work, though it still lacks the slick navigation of other devices we’ve tested, even when running the most undemanding of apps.
When we tried to play a few basic games, the tablet was prone to stuttering, freezing and crashing. We certainly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone wanting high-spec performance.
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It’s also a little stingy when it comes to storage (128GB). However, it does have a microSD card slot, so you can at least expand this by up to 512GB with a memory card.
The software is also problematic. Android isn’t a natural fit for large-screen tablets, and while some manufacturers have tweaked the operating system so it’s better suited to the size, Honor hasn’t made any adjustments.
Instead it’s equipped with MagicUI 6.1, a version of Android that Honor normally uses on its smartphones, where it works well. Here, however, you need to perform huge swipes to jump between menus, and there’s only one swipe-down option that displays notifications and settings, whereas rival operating systems offer more options to make better use of the additional space. What’s more, widgets and app icons take up too much space on the home page, while navigating the tablet is just a pain.
The large screen uses LCD technology with a 60Hz refresh rate. This is smooth enough but it looks distinctly average when compared with rival devices. Its resolution is 2000×1200 pixels, but it looks drab. It’s fine for reading documents and doing a bit of tablet-based work, but is less appealing if you want to watch films.
Besides the huge screen, it looks like a standard tablet. It has a USB-C port (though no 3.5mm headphone jack) and four speakers around the edge. On the back, there’s a camera hump that doesn’t protrude too far, so the device can practically lay flat.
The build quality is robust, thanks to the glass material it’s constructed from. However, due to its size, we can’t recommend holding it in your hands – better to buy a stand or keyboard accessory, and use it propped up on a surface, especially if you’re working or watching videos. It will work with any Bluetooth keyboard, though Honor doesn’t sell a keyboard case.
There is one factor in the Pad 8’s favour – its battery life is surprisingly good. There’s a 7,250mAh power pack, which could be considered on the small side for a tablet with a 12in display, but it performed admirably in our tests. It comfortably outlasts an iPad, running for between 13 and 14 hours.
SPECIFICATIONS
Eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor • 4GB RAM • 11.97in 1200×2000-pixel resolution touchscreen • 128GB storage • 5-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front camera • Wi-Fi 5 • Bluetooth 5.1 • USB-C port • MagicUI 6.1 • 174x279x6.9mm (HxWxD) • 520g • One-year warranty
VERDICT
An affordable Android tablet with a large screen and decent battery life, but there are too many compromises on performance and usability
6/10
ALTERNATIVE
Lenovo Tab P12 Pro £ Lenovo’s 12in tablet runs Android better, but it’s much more expensive
