A 12.3-inch OLED Android tablet starting below $700 / €600 just beat the Apple iPad Air 13 on speaker balance and edged out the iPad Pro 13 in Notebookcheck’s audio testing.
That is the real sting in the Honor MagicPad 4 review: not that Honor made a loud tablet, but that a mid-range model challenged Apple’s premium audio assumptions in a daily-use category buyers actually feel. The finding comes from Notebookcheck, which tested the MagicPad 4 against Apple’s 13-inch tablets using pink-noise measurements and real-world listening impressions.
Honor MagicPad 4 Turns Tablet Audio Into a Flagship Problem for Apple
The Honor MagicPad 4 is not positioned like an iPad Pro rival on price. Notebookcheck describes it as a mid-range tablet with a starting price below $700 / €600, powered by the non-Elite Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Yet in speaker performance, it moved into premium territory.
That matters because tablet audio is not a spec-sheet footnote. A tablet often sits on a desk, kitchen counter, couch armrest, or bedside table. It plays films, games, calls, lectures, music, and background video without headphones.
MLXIO analysis: this is where Honor’s result becomes commercially uncomfortable for Apple. A buyer may accept that a cheaper tablet loses on some high-end categories. But if the cheaper tablet sounds fuller and more balanced during streaming or music playback, the premium gap feels less obvious in the moments that dominate casual tablet use.
Notebookcheck’s core finding was blunt:
“Apple’s 13-inch Air model doesn’t stand a chance against the MagicPad 4.”
That line is not about theoretical performance. It is about the sensory experience.
MagicPad 4 Beats iPad Air 13 on Balance and Edges iPad Pro 13
Notebookcheck found that the MagicPad 4 sounded significantly more balanced than the Apple iPad Air 13 across the frequency spectrum. More surprisingly, the Honor tablet performed marginally better than the iPad Pro 13 in the publication’s pink-noise test.
The difference shows up in several places:
- Bass: In the audible bass range between 125 and 160 Hz, the MagicPad 4 produced sound levels several decibels higher than the iPad Air 13.
- Mids: Notebookcheck said the MagicPad 4’s mid-range frequencies were very balanced for a tablet.
- Treble: The Honor tablet showed no measurable dips in the super-tweeter range above 10 kHz.
- Overall balance: The iPad Air 13 sounded less balanced than the MagicPad 4 across the entire measured spectrum.
In practice, that points to stronger low-end presence, cleaner tonal consistency, and less obvious imbalance across music, movies, and voice-heavy content. Notebookcheck also noted that the iPad Air 13 showed a step-like rise in the mid-range area, while the MagicPad 4 did not.
MLXIO analysis: the source does not establish exactly why Honor achieved this result. It does not provide internal speaker design, chamber layout, or driver placement data. So the safe conclusion is narrower but still meaningful: price tier alone did not predict measured speaker quality here.
The Value Claim Has Numbers Behind It
The comparison is unusually sharp because the device categories are clear. Honor is selling a 12.3-inch OLED tablet below $700 / €600. Apple’s tested rivals are the 13-inch iPad Air and 13-inch iPad Pro.
| Device | Source-supported positioning | Audio result in Notebookcheck report |
|---|---|---|
| Honor MagicPad 4 | 12.3-inch OLED, starts below $700 / €600, non-Elite Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 | More balanced than iPad Air 13; marginally better than iPad Pro 13 in pink-noise test |
| Apple iPad Air 13 | 13-inch Apple tablet | Less balanced across the frequency spectrum; lower SPL than MagicPad 4 |
| Apple iPad Pro 13 | 13-inch Apple Pro tablet | Did not deliver better speaker results than MagicPad 4 in the cited test |
The source does not provide storage configurations, speaker count, display refresh rate, battery capacity, or regional availability for this specific comparison. Those details matter for a full buying decision, but they are outside the supplied evidence.
What is supported is enough: Honor’s tablet competed not just on price, but on an audio metric where Apple’s Pro-branded device did not clearly pull ahead.
For readers tracking how premium hardware assumptions are being tested across categories, MLXIO has also covered adjacent Apple hardware pressure in All-Screen iPhone Could Make iPhone 18 Pro a $1,000 Trap and tablet-adjacent OLED competition in 8.8-Inch OLED Leak Throws OnePlus Into Mini Tablet Fight.
The Bluetooth Codec Gap Makes Honor’s Audio Lead Less Accidental
The MagicPad 4’s advantage is not limited to built-in speakers. Notebookcheck also highlighted broader Bluetooth codec support than Apple’s iPads.
Honor supports a wider set of codecs, including:
- Qualcomm aptX HD
- Sony LDAC
- LHDC
Notebookcheck says current Apple devices support modern Bluetooth standards, but iPads remain “severely limited” in usable Bluetooth codecs. That distinction matters if the tablet is paired with compatible headphones or external speakers.
The SPL comparison adds another practical layer. Notebookcheck reported that the MagicPad 4 outperforms the iPad Air 13 in overall volume. The difference may look modest in measurements, but the reviewer described it as clearly audible in use and loud enough for a kitchen party.
MLXIO analysis: Honor’s audio package looks less like a single lucky win and more like a coherent media-first emphasis. The built-in speakers test well, the volume ceiling is higher than the iPad Air 13, and wireless playback options are broader.
Apple Still Has Defenses, but Not in This Test
This result does not prove the MagicPad 4 is the better tablet overall. Notebookcheck’s article focuses on audio performance, not a total platform verdict across software, accessories, long-term updates, app quality, or productivity workflows.
That boundary matters. An iPad buyer already embedded in Apple services may not switch because of a marginal speaker win. The source also does not compare MagicPad 4 against iPad Pro 13 on creative apps, stylus workflows, or tablet productivity.
But audio is different from many pro-tablet arguments. It does not require a niche workflow. Everyone hears it.
MLXIO analysis: that is why this finding cuts deeper than a synthetic benchmark upset. A cheaper tablet beating or matching a premium tablet in a common daily experience weakens the intuitive link between higher price and better media quality.
Apple’s broader platform debates remain separate from this test, though readers following that side of the company can see our coverage of WWDC 2026 Puts Apple’s Most Annoying OS Gaps on Trial.
Tablet Reviews May Start Treating Speakers as a Dealbreaker
The MagicPad 4 result suggests reviewers should stop treating tablet speakers as secondary unless they fail badly. Notebookcheck’s measurements show meaningful separation between devices that, on paper, all occupy large-screen media territory.
For buyers, the practical takeaway is simple:
- If onboard audio matters: the MagicPad 4 deserves attention based on Notebookcheck’s speaker and SPL findings.
- If wireless audio matters: its support for aptX HD, LDAC, and LHDC gives it an advantage over iPads in codec flexibility.
- If total platform fit matters: the audio win is only one input, and the supplied source does not settle software, accessory, or longevity questions.
The next evidence to watch is whether other independent reviews reproduce Notebookcheck’s measurements and whether Honor’s audio advantage holds across retail units. If those results repeat, the MagicPad 4 will not just be a cheap OLED tablet with loud speakers. It will be proof that premium tablet experiences can be beaten from below, one audible frequency range at a time.
Key Takeaways
- Honor is challenging Apple’s premium-tablet advantage in a feature users notice every day.
- Better speaker balance can make a cheaper tablet feel more premium during streaming, calls, games, and music.
- The MagicPad 4’s sub-$700 / €600 pricing makes the audio result commercially uncomfortable for Apple.
