Huawei MediaPad M3 release date, specs: budget tablet made available in the US

A promotional image for the Huawei MediaPad M3. Huawei

Huawei is a popular and very much preferred brand in Asia and some parts of Europe when it comes to smartphones and tablets; but in the United States, it's a different story. The most obvious reason why it hasn't established a niche in the American market is because it focuses on offering products for the budget-conscious. But once in a while, the Chinese company throws in a device or two to test the waters in the United States. After releasing the 8.4-inch MediaPad M3 tablet in Europe last September, the same device makes its U.S. entrance through online retail giant Amazon.

According to Engadget, the budget-friendly Android-powered device will officially be made available on Amazon this Nov. 20, although it appears like only one variant is offered here — the 32 GB Wi-Fi model with an initial price offering of $299.

Based on the Amazon listing, the device runs on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system combined with Huawei's unique Emotion User Interface 4.1. Hardware-wise, it comes with 32 GB of internal storage, 3 GB of random access memory (RAM), and an octa-core processor. It's not clear if any other color variant will be made available because, for the moment, Amazon only offers the Moonlight Silver option.

The MediaPad M3 was unveiled by Huawei at this year's IFA event. Back then, the Chinese company boasted the premium 2,560 x 1,600-pixel display resolution, specifically targeting users who want the best media experience on a tablet without spending a lot on an expensive product like the Apple iPad or any of the Samsung Galaxy Tab devices.

While the specifications don't really give that kind of awe among those looking to buy a premium tablet device, the price is the primary pitch of this MediaPad M3, and it certainly is worth the try considering that the hardware aspect isn't really cheap at all.

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