HUAWEI MatePad 12 X (2026) Review
We’re checking out the nubia Air, a sleek new smartphone that aims to balance performance, design, and value while keeping things light and stylish.
It’s one of the slimmest devices in its class, and nubia seems to be pitching it as a smartphone under PHP 13,000 with some premium touches like an AMOLED display, IP68 water resistance, and of course, the razor-thin profile.
But is it really as good as it looks? Let’s find out.
Right away, the nubia Air feels impressively lightweight at just 172 grams and only 6.7mm thick with its thinnest point at just 5.9mm. It’s a comfortable device to hold even after long use, and the flat sides give it a sharp, modern aesthetic.
The phone’s sleek profile doesn’t just look nice but it also makes it easy to slip into your pocket or bag without bulk.
For extra protection, it has an IP68 and IP69K rating, which means it can survive not only splashes and dust but also high-pressure water jets and short submersion. That’s something you rarely see at this price point, and it definitely adds a sense of confidence when using it outdoors or during rainy weather.
Our unit is in the Titanium Desert colorway, and it has this subtle metallic finish that catches light beautifully without feeling too flashy. There are also Streamer Black and Titanium Black versions if you prefer something more minimal.
As for buttons and ports, you’ll find the power button and volume rocker on the right side, while the mono speaker, USB-C port, and dual SIM card tray are all located at the bottom. The left side is completely clean.
The build quality feels solid overall. It doesn’t flex or creak, and the Gorilla Glass 7i (display) protection gives extra peace of mind against scratches. For a phone this slim, nubia really managed to make it feel sturdy without losing its refined look.
On the front, you get a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a Quad HD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 4,500 nits of peak brightness. It’s a vibrant panel with deep blacks, vivid colors, and smooth animations. Scrolling through apps and switching between games feels fluid, and outdoor visibility is excellent even under direct sunlight.
Watching videos on YouTube or Netflix looks great, with punchy contrast and good detail. Text also appears crisp, making reading or browsing comfortable.
However, one of the few downsides here is the mono speaker setup. Sound only comes from the bottom of the phone, and while it gets decently loud, it tends to sound a bit muffled especially when holding the phone in landscape mode.
The lack of stereo separation is noticeable when watching movies or playing games with a lot of effects, so using earphones or Bluetooth earbuds is still the better choice for a more balanced experience.
For biometrics, the nubia Air comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor, which is both accurate and responsive. Face unlock is also available, and both methods work quickly enough for everyday use.
At the back, the nubia Air packs a 50-megapixel main camera, 2-megapixel depth sensor and an auxiliary lens, while the front has a 20-megapixel selfie shooter.
In daylight, the main sensor captures photos with good sharpness and lively colors. They hold up for the most part, though noise becomes noticeable once you start zooming in or shooting in low light.
The camera’s anti-shake feature helps minimize blur when shooting handheld, which makes a real difference in slightly dim scenes or when you’re taking quick shots.
The color balance leans toward warmer tones, giving images a pleasant look for social media without too much editing. Dynamic range is decent, though you might occasionally need to adjust exposure to avoid overblown highlights.
The front camera performs well for casual selfies and video calls, keeping details fairly clean. It can smoothen skin a bit by default, but you can turn that off in settings if you prefer a more natural look.
For videos, the nubia Air can record up to 1080p at 30fps, which is fine for this category. The anti-shake function works here too, keeping clips stable enough for walking shots or handheld panning.
Rear camera:
Front camera:
Overall, while it’s not a camera phone by any means, the results are surprisingly decent for its price, especially if you’re willing to tweak your shots a bit.
Powering the nubia Air is the UNISOC T8300, a 6-nanometer chipset that combines two Cortex-A78 cores for performance and six Cortex-A55 cores for efficiency. It’s paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.
Day-to-day tasks like browsing, messaging, watching videos, and even some light multitasking all run smoothly. The system feels responsive overall, with little to no lag when switching between apps.
In benchmarks, the phone scored 418,400 on AnTuTu, 14,796 on PCMark Work, and 1,236 points in 3DMark Wild Life, with an average of 7.4 frames per second. These numbers put it firmly in the midrange category, offering decent power for its size and price.
Gaming performance is where the phone’s limitations start to show. Pokémon Unite and Umamusume: Pretty Derby both run fine on medium settings, with only occasional frame dips during busy scenes.
Wuthering Waves, however, really pushes the hardware. It’s playable, but only at the lowest settings, and it’s best suited for quick dailies instead of extended sessions. The phone also tends to warm up after longer playtime, especially near the upper back area, which can make it slightly uncomfortable to hold.
Thermal control is decent overall, though you can tell the T8300 prioritizes efficiency over sustained power. The Mali-G57 MP2 GPU handles casual and moderate 3D games well enough but isn’t built for high-end titles.
Still, for regular users who mix work, entertainment, and light gaming, the performance here feels steady and reliable.
| Benchmark Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Antutu v10.5.2 | 418,400 |
| Antutu Storage Test v10.5.2 | 18,227 |
| S.Read | 3,142 – 316.0 MB/s |
| S.Write | 3,193 – 278.3 MB/s |
| R.Access | 9,972 – R.Speed: 96.0 MB/s / W.Speed: 128.0 MB/s |
| AI Read | 1,920 – 48.0 MB/s |
| 3DMark Wild Life | 1,236 (Average FPS: 7.40) |
| Geekbench 6 CPU (Single / Multi) | 879 / 2,039 |
| GPU OpenCL | 1,535 |
| GPU Vulkan | 1,591 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 Performance | 14,796 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Life | 10 hours and 22 minutes |
The nubia Air runs on Android 15 with nubia’s custom UI layered on top. The interface is colorful and fluid however, it’s not without its quirks.
There’s a lot of bloatware pre-installed, including third-party apps and system tools that most people won’t use. It can be annoying at first, but it’s somewhat expected for a phone of this price point. Thankfully, most of them can be uninstalled or disabled, but it does take a bit of cleanup before everything feels tidy.
In terms of features, there’s not much going on for nubia AI. The only AI-related function available is AI Translate, and that’s pretty much it. You don’t get AI photo editing, smart summarization, or enhanced productivity features here.
While AI Translate works decently, it’s quite limited compared to the broader AI toolsets we’re seeing from other brands.
Once you’ve cleaned up the bloatware, the system runs smoothly. Animations are fluid, app switching is snappy, and general usability feels solid. It’s a good experience overall, just not the most refined.
For update policy, nubia isn’t exactly transparent about it, but we can expect this phone to get at least three years of updates (particularly, security patches).
Connectivity-wise, the nubia Air comes equipped with all the essentials: it supports 5G connectivity and dual nano-SIMs, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4, which give solid range and stability for streaming, gaming, and using accessories.
There’s also NFC for contactless payments, along with GPS, GALILEO, and GLONASS for accurate positioning.
Inside is a 5,000mAh battery paired with 33W fast charging. On paper, it’s a capable setup, and in real-world use it performs decently, though not the most impressive.
In our PCMark Battery life test, the phone managed to get 10 hours and 22 minutes, which translates to about a full day of moderate use before needing a recharge. It can last longer with lighter workloads, but intensive apps or longer gaming sessions do drain it faster, especially when you keep the display at 120Hz.
Charging back up is what you’d expect from a 33W brick. A full charge takes roughly an hour and fifteen minutes, which is good enough to get you going again. The battery drain is steady and predictable, so you won’t see sudden drops overnight or when idle.
Overall, battery life on the nubia Air is serviceable but not exceptional. It’s fine for casual users, but if you’re the type who games often or keeps brightness high, you’ll want to keep your charger close.
At the end of the day, the nubia Air offers an interesting mix of design, features, and value. It’s one of the slimmest and lightest phones in its class and the IP68 rating adds durability that’s rare for this segment.
Performance is decent for everyday use, and while heavy games do push the limits of its UNISOC chip, it’s still capable enough for casual gaming. The camera system is surprisingly good for its price, with usable detail and an anti-shake feature that helps keep things sharp.
On the downside, the mono speaker sounds muffled and battery life could definitely be better. There’s also a lot of bloatware, and the AI features are limited to just AI Translate.
Still, if you’re after a slim, lightweight phone that looks premium, handles the basics smoothly, and offers decent cameras without going over budget, the nubia Air is a pretty good option to consider.
The nubia Air has a price tag of PHP 12,999 for the 8GB + 256GB configuration.
What we like:
* AMOLED display
* Decent lenses for its price
* IP68 and IP69K rating
What we didn’t like:
* Mono speaker
* Subpar battery life
* Average chipset
nubia Air specs:
6.78” AMOLED, 120Hz, 4,500 nits (peak), 1224 × 2720 (1.5K), 440 ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass 7i
UNISOC T8300 (6nm)
Octa-core CPU
Mali-G57 MP2 GPU
Rear cameras:
• 50MP (wide)
• 2MP (depth)
• Auxiliary sensor
HDR, panorama, LED flash
1080p@30fps
Front camera:
• 20MP (wide), 1080p@30fps
5G, dual SIM (Nano)
Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz + 5GHz), BT 5.4, GPS
USB Type-C
Dual speakers
In-display fingerprint sensor
5,000mAh Li-ion battery
33W wired charging
164.2 × 76.6 × 6.7mm (thinnest point 5.9mm)
172g (weight)
Streamer Black, Titanium Desert (colors)
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