Xiaomi didn’t launch or announce an arrival date for Xiaomi Mi Pad in India, but based on the hardware, aggressive Xiaomi Pricing and our initial hands on experience, the device joins the most anticipated gadgets list for India. We got to spend some time with Xiaomi Mi Pad at the Xiaomi event and the device did leave positive first impression on us.
Xiaomi Mi PAD 7.9 Quick Specs
- Display Size: 7.9 Inch IPS LCD, 1536 x 2048 pixels, 324 PPI, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Processor: 2.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 Quad core cortex A15 processor with ULP Kepler GPU with 192 cores
- RAM: 2 GB
- Software Version: Android OS based MIUI ROM
- Camera: 8 MP, Can record 1080p Full HD videos
- Secondary Camera: 5 MP
- Internal Storage: 16 GB
- External Storage: 128 GB using MicroSD card
- Battery: 6700 mAh (Removable)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, aGPS, Micro USB 2.0, USB OTG
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyro, Compass, Ambient Light
Xiaomi Mi Pad Hands on, Quick Review, Features, Price, Camera, Software and Overview [Video]
Design, Build and Display
You can see Xiaomi signature on the design with familiar glossy polycarbonate back (which is expected to lose its shine in long run), but this one certainly feels more polished than Redmi Note. Xiaomi MiPad unapologetically reminds us of iPad Retina Mini, but that can be attributed more to UI and Display rather than its polycarbonate casing. Its slim enough at 8.5 mm and flaunts a well balanced 360 grams of weight.
Overall, the 7.9 Inch form factor feels good and the build quality is quite premium, but it won’t give you a nice grip, thanks to the glossy back and this makes it non ideal for those with sweaty palms. A tablet cover should fix this.
The7.9 Inch display has 1536 x 2048 pixels amounting to 324 pixels per inches. The display didn’t disappoint us in any way. The glory matches the specifications. This will be a good display with apt colors and sharpness to enjoy crisp and clear multimedia content.
Processor and RAM
The tablet employs latest Nvidia performance beast, Nvidia Tegra K1 Quad core cortex A15 processor clocked at 2.2 GHz and powerful ULP Kepler GPU with 192 cores. The tablet will definitely be a treat for gaming enthusiasts.
The 28nm process technology based power efficient chipset is assisted by 2 GB RAM, which will be apt for efficient gaming and other tasks.
Camera and Internal Storage
At the back you will find a very good 8 MP shooter capable of full HDwithout LED flash and the front 5 MP camera also works pretty decent with a full screen view. In a tablet, front camera is much more important in our opinion and Xiaomi Mi3 doesn’t disappoint us in this regard.
Internal storage is 16 GB out of which around 13 GB will be user available. You can also plug in up to 128 GB of secondary MicroSD card storage. This should be sufficient enough for most people. USB OTG support is also present, so you can directly plug-in your flash drive.
User Interface and Battery
The interface is MIUI ROM but it’s different from conventional MIUI on Xiaomi phones. Xiaomi has customized the interface for tablet with minimum bloatware. The interface was very flat and amazingly smooth. Fluidity was one of the best that we have seen on Android tablets. The UI is very simple to use as well.
Xiaomi claims that you can extract around 11 hours of multimedia time from its 6,700 mAh battery which if true is certainly apt for good tablet experience. We are not sure how long the battery will take to charge completely. We will comment more on the battery backup after our full review but things look good on this front.
Conclusion
We really liked MiPad and are eager to spend more time with it. The only downside maybe lack of 3G and SIM card support, which many users demand in India, but you can always use your smartphone’s 3G by creating a hotspot, while on the move. Since it comes with Nvidia Tegra K1 chipset, we don’t expect a sub 10K price on this one, but the pricing will definitely be aggressive.
