Lite Custom Rom — Huawei Mediapad M5

To quantify the upgrade, here are real-world tests performed on the SHT-W09 (3GB RAM model):

Note the Netflix issue: Once you unlock the bootloader, you permanently lose Widevine L1 certification. You cannot stream DRM content in HD. If you watch Netflix/Amazon Prime daily, do not flash a custom ROM. Huawei Mediapad M5 Lite Custom Rom

Android Version: 10 Stability: 9/10

If you want the least amount of bugs, OmniROM is your answer. It is based on Android 10 (Q), which the Kirin 659 drivers support natively. To quantify the upgrade, here are real-world tests

Before diving into ROMs, it is crucial to understand the hardware limitation. The MediaPad M5 Lite runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 659 processor.

Unlike Qualcomm Snapdragon chips, which have easily unlockable bootloaders and massive developer support, HiSilicon processors are notoriously difficult to crack. Android Version: 10 Stability: 9/10 If you want

Once unlocked, you need a custom recovery like TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) to flash files.

One of the biggest motivations for flashing a Custom ROM on this specific device is the absence of Google Mobile Services (GMS) on newer Huawei firmware. While the MediaPad M5 Lite was released before the US trade ban fully took effect (and thus usually came with GMS pre-installed), updating the official firmware sometimes leads to complications or a lack of app compatibility.

Custom ROMs—especially those based on Android Open Source Project (AOSP)—almost always include GMS out of the box or allow for an easy "GApps" installation, restoring the full Android experience.