When Honor launched the MagicPad 4, it felt like the company had carefully studied every criticism from my previous review of the MagicPad 3 and systematically addressed each one. The result is a tablet that not only claims the title of the world’s thinnest slate but also delivers meaningful upgrades across the board.
At just 4.8mm thick, the MagicPad 4 edges out the already impressively slim iPad Pro (5.1mm) to become the thinnest tablet you can buy today. Despite its razor-thin profile, it doesn’t feel fragile. The full metal unibody chassis replaces last year’s plastic build, offering a premium feel and no noticeable flex when you try to bend it. Weighing only 450g, this 12.3-inch tablet is surprisingly easy to hold in one hand for extended periods – I personally used it for over an hour during an interview without any hand fatigue.
The display is where the MagicPad 4 truly shines. It features a 12.3-inch 3K OLED panel with a buttery-smooth 165Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,400 nits. Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, and HDR content looks stunning, even under direct sunlight. Honor has also implemented a 5,280Hz PWM dimming rate, which significantly reduces eye strain for sensitive users. At this price point, an OLED screen of this quality is rare, putting the MagicPad 4 far ahead of competitors like the OnePlus Pad 3. The tablet is IMAX Enhanced-certified, and paired with an eight-speaker stereo setup (which sounds crisp and detailed, though bass is slightly limited due to the thin chassis), it has become my go-to device for media consumption, whether at home or on a plane.
Under the hood, the MagicPad 4 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage (a 16GB/512GB model is also available for an extra £100). While not the absolute latest flagship chip, it handles everyday productivity, multitasking, and demanding games with ease. Titles like Neverness to Everness and Zenless Zone Zero run smoothly at high graphics presets, and the dual-direction vapor chamber cooling system prevents overheating even during extended gaming sessions. Wi-Fi 7 support ensures speedy downloads.
Software is another area where Honor has made huge strides. The MagicPad 4 runs MagicOS 10 based on Android 15, and Honor promises six years of major Android updates for EU consumers – the best long-term support for any Android tablet under £600. The new desktop mode finally includes a persistent taskbar and resizable, snappable app windows, making the tablet a genuine laptop replacement for tasks like email, spreadsheets, and document editing (especially with the optional keyboard case). The interface borrows familiar elements from Apple’s iOS but retains Android’s customization options, including fun features like 3D avatars.
The only slight compromise compared to its predecessor is the battery. The MagicPad 4 packs a 10,100mAh silicon-carbon cell, which is smaller than the MagicPad 3’s, but battery life remains excellent. On a 14-hour flight with heavy use, I still had over 70% charge left. For lighter daily use, it can easily last over a week. When you do need to recharge, 66W wired charging brings it from zero to full in under 1.5 hours with a compatible charger.
Cameras are functional rather than impressive – a 9MP front camera for video calls and a 12MP rear shooter for document scanning. But you shouldn’t be using a tablet this large for photography anyway.
The Honor MagicPad 4 starts at £599.99 in the UK (via Honor’s website) for the 12GB/256GB model, with frequent discounts and freebies such as keyboard cases or styluses. Unfortunately, it is not officially sold in the US, and Australian availability appears limited.
In summary, the Honor MagicPad 4 is an outstanding Android tablet that excels in design, display, performance, and software support. If you want the thinnest tablet on the market, a gorgeous OLED screen, and a true laptop alternative for productivity, this is an easy recommendation – as long as you don’t need Apple-exclusive apps like Procreate.
