Introducing the HONOR MagicPad 4: A Thin and Powerful Tablet with Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and Stunning 165Hz OLED Display

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HONOR has confirmed the full specifications for its latest flagship Android tablet, the MagicPad 4. The device is set to go on sale globally from 2 March 2026, arriving in Grey and White colourways. UK pricing has not yet been confirmed, though HONOR is currently running an early bird voucher promotion worth up to £200 through its UK store.

The MagicPad 4 is the first tablet to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Mobile Platform, and HONOR is positioning it as a direct competitor to the iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 series. With a thickness of just 4.8mm and a weight of approximately 450g, HONOR claims it is the thinnest tablet currently available.

Design and build

At 273.4mm wide, 178.8mm tall, and just 4.8mm thick, the MagicPad 4 is noticeably slimmer than its predecessor, the MagicPad 3, which measured 5.8mm. It is also thinner than the iPad Pro at 5.1mm and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 at around 5.5mm. The weight has dropped significantly too, coming in at approximately 450g compared to the MagicPad 3’s 595g, which is a reduction of 145g.

That is an impressive engineering achievement, particularly when you consider that HONOR has still managed to fit a large battery and eight speakers into this chassis. The two colour options, Grey and White, keep things simple and professional.

Display specifications

The MagicPad 4 features a 12.3-inch OLED display, which represents a notable change from the MagicPad 3 that used a 13.3-inch LCD panel. While the screen is physically smaller, the switch to OLED should bring substantial improvements in contrast, black levels, and colour accuracy. The MagicPad 2 previously used an OLED panel that was well received, so this looks like a return to form for the series after the MagicPad 3’s LCD was met with some disappointment.

The screen-to-body ratio sits at 93%, achieved with 4mm ultra-narrow bezels around the display. Resolution is set at 3000 x 1920 pixels, giving a pixel density of 290 PPI, which should deliver sharp text and detailed imagery at normal viewing distances.

HONOR has pushed the refresh rate up to 165Hz, which is higher than most competing tablets on the market. The display supports five refresh rate settings at 165Hz, 144Hz, 120Hz, 90Hz, and 60Hz, which should allow the software to balance smoothness against battery life depending on the content being displayed.

Peak brightness is quoted at 2,400 nits, which if accurate would make this one of the brightest tablet displays available. This figure is measured under HDR content or strong ambient light conditions, so typical usage will be lower, but it should ensure excellent outdoor visibility.

The display supports 1.07 billion colours through 10-bit colour depth. It is worth noting that this is achieved through 8-bit hardware with a 2-bit software algorithm extension, which is a common approach across the industry but worth being aware of. The panel carries TUV Rheinland certifications for both flicker-free operation and low blue light emission.

HONOR has also included 5,280Hz PWM dimming, which is a very high frequency that should minimise any flickering artifacts at low brightness levels. This is a meaningful specification for users who are sensitive to PWM flickering, and it is well above the threshold where most people would notice any issues. Additional eye comfort features include what HONOR calls Chip-Level AI Defocus Display and DOT Eye Comfort, though the practical effectiveness of these features will need to be assessed during hands-on testing.

Processor and memory

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Mobile Platform makes the MagicPad 4 the first tablet to ship with this chipset. The CPU configuration comprises two prime cores clocked at 3.8GHz alongside six performance cores at 3.32GHz. This is a different variant to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 found in flagship smartphones, but it should still deliver performance that surpasses any current Android tablet on the market.

Two memory configurations are available: 12GB of RAM with 256GB of storage, and 16GB of RAM with 512GB of storage. There is no mention of microSD card expansion in the specification sheet, so these storage options appear to be the only choices available. For users who store a lot of media locally, the 512GB model would be the safer option.

Camera specifications

The rear camera is a 13MP sensor with autofocus and an F2.0 aperture. The front-facing camera is a 9MP fixed-focus unit with an F2.2 aperture. Neither of these specifications are particularly noteworthy, but tablet cameras are rarely a priority for most users. The rear camera should handle document scanning and basic photography adequately, while the front camera will serve for video calls.

Battery and charging

HONOR has fitted a 10,100mAh battery (typical capacity, with a rated capacity of 10,000mAh) into the MagicPad 4’s 4.8mm thin frame. That is a substantial cell for a device this thin, and it is broadly in line with the MagicPad 3’s battery capacity despite the significant reduction in thickness.

Charging is handled via USB Type-C with support for 66W wired charging. HONOR has used 66W charging across several of its recent tablets, and it should allow the large battery to be topped up in a reasonable amount of time. There is no mention of wireless charging, which is expected at this price point for a tablet.

Audio

The MagicPad 4 includes an eight-speaker setup with HONOR Spatial Audio support. It also carries HONOR Sound branding with DTS X:Ultra, Spatial Audio, and IMAX Enhanced certifications. The MagicPad series has consistently delivered impressive audio performance, with the inclusion of eight speakers in such a thin tablet being a standout feature. However, HONOR points out that the full audio experience may vary depending on the apps you use, as the spatial audio features are still being adapted.

In terms of connectivity, the MagicPad 4 offers Wi-Fi 7 support, which includes compatibility with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and 2×2 MIMO. This should result in faster and more stable wireless connections for users with compatible routers. Bluetooth 6.0 and a USB Type-C port with USB 3.2 Gen 1 support for data transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps are also included. It appears that the MagicPad 4 will be Wi-Fi only at launch, with no mention of a cellular model in the specifications.

The software on the MagicPad 4 is powered by MagicOS 10 based on Android 16. HONOR has integrated a range of AI-powered productivity features under the AI Efficient Office umbrella, including AI Writing Tools, AI Meeting Agent, AI Memo, AI Summary, AI Speech to Text, AI Meeting Minutes, Smart Reminder, and AI Voiceprint Noise Cancellation. Particularly noteworthy are the meeting-focused AI tools, such as the AI Meeting Agent and AI Meeting Minutes, which automate transcription and summarization of meetings.

Additional smart features include HONOR Connect, Magic Portal, and HONOR OneTap, enabling seamless cross-device functionality within the HONOR ecosystem and potentially with devices from other manufacturers. The PC-Class Productivity suite enhances the tablet’s usability for productivity tasks, offering features like PC-Class File Management, PC-Class Task Switching, PC-Class Multi-Window, and more to provide a desktop-like experience.

The HONOR MagicPad 4 is set to be released on March 2, 2026, at 09:00 UTC through HONOR’s website in Grey and White color options. While UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, early bird vouchers worth up to £200 are being offered to those who register interest through the HONOR UK store. For reference, the previous MagicPad 3 launched at £599.99 in the UK.

Stay tuned for a comprehensive review of the MagicPad 4, with the embargo lifting on March 1 at 13:00 UK time. The review will cover all aspects of the tablet’s performance and features, providing valuable insights for potential buyers.