There isn’t any scarcity of contenders if you would like a very good Android pill, however most merchandise are typically fairly massive. Redmagic’s Astra was the outlier, with the pill touting a 9.06-inch OLED panel that made it a superb machine. If something, I have been looking out for a small Android pill; we simply moved to a brand new home, and I wished to arrange a wise dwelling dashboard in my lounge.
As a lot as I get pleasure from utilizing the iPad mini, I wished an Android pill to run Dwelling Assistant, and coincidentally, Xiaomi debuted the Pad Mini at simply the best time. The pill was unveiled alongside the 15T and 15T Professional, and I have been utilizing it for the higher a part of two weeks now. Coming in at $429, the Pad Mini undercuts the iPad Mini, however that is not something new — Xiaomi has been doing this for over a decade now. The pill is restricted to pick out Southeast Asian nations, however it ought to make its solution to different areas over the approaching months.
Just like the Xiaomi Pad 7 and Pad 7 Professional, the Pad Mini has a metallic chassis with a minimalist design, and the smaller dimension makes it simpler to make use of anyplace. Construct high quality is nice, and whereas the gray variant I am utilizing would not stand out visually, I am glad Xiaomi did not go overboard with the design.
The Pad Mini has flat sides, however there are delicate bevels that make it straightforward to carry and use, and at 326g, it’s gentle sufficient that there are not any issues on this space. It’s heavier than the iPad mini, however you are additionally getting a much bigger panel. The bezels are chunkier than most telephones, however they’re uniform.
Speaking in regards to the panel, the 8.8-inch IPS LCD goes as much as 165Hz, and that seems like overkill. What’s nice is that the interface is fluid, and I did not see any slowdowns by any means within the two weeks I used the Pad Mini. The 3K decision of 3008 x 1880 is loads ample, and the pill is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400+ platform — the identical because the Xiaomi 15T Professional. Clearly, there is no scarcity of energy, and the few video games I performed on the Pad Mini ran with none points.
I am utilizing the 12GB/512GB variant of the Pad Mini, however it’s also accessible in an 8GB/256GB configuration. It is good to see Xiaomi utilizing UFS 4.1 storage modules on the pill, and it will get a sizeable 7,500mAh battery that comfortably delivers over 10 hours of display screen time with none issues.
The 8.8-inch panel has vibrant colours and is calibrated properly, and as is the case with most Xiaomi merchandise, you get a very good quantity of customizability. What I like essentially the most is that Xiaomi’s studying mode is undamaged, permitting you to show the display screen monochrome; this provides the Pad Mini a definite benefit over the iPad mini when studying ebooks on the machine.
One other differentiator is the side-mounted USB-C port. The Pad Mini has the standard USB-C connector on the backside, however you get a secondary port on the left aspect, and this makes it doubly handy to cost the pill while you’re utilizing it. Xiaomi additionally bundles a 67W charger within the field — in contrast to the 15T Professional.
It is pleasant to make use of the Pad Mini; the small pill is simple to carry one-handed, and the panel has good colour vibrancy and glorious brightness. It is simply pretty much as good to stream HDR content material as it’s to browse, and the stereo sound makes a distinction whereas watching movies.
Xiaomi has two equipment designed for use with the Pad Mini; the Xiaomi Focus Pen is equivalent to what you get with the Pad 7 and seven Professional, and it’s a respectable stylus that allows you to jot notes and doodle. It had buttons that help you simply annotate or begin taking notes in Mi Canvas.
It is all because of the Xiaomi Pad Mini Cowl that I will use the Pad Mini as my sensible dwelling controller. The case has a band on the again with built-in rivets, and it permits you to maintain the pill slightly higher. However the place it excels is as a kickstand; permitting you to place the Pad Mini on a desk or desk and use it.
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The duvet makes an enormous distinction in the case of the usability of the pill, and it’s the sole motive I am utilizing the Pad Mini as an alternative of the Redmagic Astra as my sensible dwelling controller. Elsewhere, the software program is equivalent to what you get on Xiaomi’s telephones, and identical to the 15T and 15T Professional, you miss out on Android 16 — it is nonetheless working Android 15.
Whereas that’s annoying, it is clear that Xiaomi has no intentions to roll out the most recent software program on its units. That stated, the UI itself is fluid, and for what I have to do on a pill, the Pad Mini has all of the options I would like.
In case you just like the look of the iPad mini however need Android as an alternative, the Pad Mini is the reply. Xiaomi’s newest pill nails the {hardware}, and the small pill is a delight to make use of. The affordability mixed with respectable equipment provides it an edge over different Android tablets on this class, and I am unable to suggest it extremely sufficient.
