Xiaomi launched something we thought we might never see from any other Android manufacturer in their launch event two days ago. They launched a tablet, and not just any tablet. They launched an 11-inch tablet that is set to take on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S7 series and even HUAWEI’s MatePad series. If you consider its size, it competes directly with the Apple iPad Pro too.
Xiaomi is not a new player in the Android space. They have overtaken Apple to be the second largest brand globally in terms of shipped smartphones. All this while not having a major presence in the United States market. At one point, they were third globally without even hitting most of the European market. This is also a testament that Xiaomi really knows what they are doing in the smartphone space.
The tablet space is a little different though. The Android tablet market space is a sparse one. The only viable player in the Android tablet space is Samsung with their Galaxy Tab S7 series. HUAWEI is out of the picture, since their devices do not and cannot support Google Play Store and Google’s mobile framework. Even we would admit that Apple’s iPad has offered the best tablet experience so far.
The Xiaomi Pad 5 then is a peculiar product. While we liked the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 very much, we still think that the Android tablet experience has a lot to be left desired if compared to the Apple iPad devices. While the Apple iPad goes all the way to the pro version with M1 chipset and endless potential in its applications, the same cannot be said for Android tablets, even the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7. So, what then can the Xiaomi Pad 5 offer that Samsung cannot, and what does it have that might sway you away from just buying the shiny new iPad?
The Power of Xiaomi Pad 5
Firstly, we have to look at its internals to understand what this tablet can offer. It is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 (Snapdragon 870 for Pro variant) that keeps the Android 11 with MIUI 12.5 tablet trundling along. It is no Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, which is a slight disappointment. While it makes little to no practical difference, its direct competitor is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 System on a Chip (SoC). It also packs less RAM at 6GB compared to its Android competitor.
Within the aluminium and glass constructed body though is a large 8,720mAh battery with 33W charging speeds. Most tablets have batteries that can go on for days on a single charge though, so that would not be all that special anyway. Like its competitor also it packs four speakers with Dolby Atmos tuning.
Stunning Display
Where it holds a slight lead though is on the panel that lies under the glass protection out-front. It is an 11-inch IPS display instead of the regular TFT LCD display from the Samsung. It offers the same WQHD+ (1,60 x 2,560 pixels) resolution as well, meaning the display should look just a tad better in terms of colour reproduction and contrast, especially with HDR contents. Dolby Vision is also built-into this display for the best entertainment experience possible on a tablet device. Of course, it refreshes at 120Hz, that is quite mandatory in devices today.
Productivity Suite
Like most Android tablets (we say most because we still regard the HUAWEI MatePad Pro to be a variant of an Android tablet), the Xiaomi Pad 5 comes with a stylus. They call it the Xiaomi Smart Pen (seriously, can anyone come up with better names for styli?) and it is a good pen, on paper anyway. It offers 4,096 pressure points which also means that it is as sensitive as it gets when it comes to stylus technology. With 240Hz of sampling rate, the Smart Pen is also as responsive as it can get today. It is an active pen with smart programmable buttons on its side. That also means that you need to keep it charged by attaching the Smart Pen to the side of the device. It charges from flat to full in 18 minutes and should be able to keep you writing, drawing, and scribbling for as long as 8 hours non-stop.
No Other Accessories So Far
Everything that has been stated above and in the launch points to a very capable tablet device. It is a highly compelling device that could even be just a little better than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7. On paper, these two offer practically the same things at different price points. The Xiaomi Pad 5 starts at MYR 1,499 or approximately while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 starts at MYR 3,299.
There is a problem here though. The Xiaomi Pad 5 does not come with the accessory support that the Samsung tablet has. There is a keyboard case and another magnetic case that is made for the tablet. Along with the Smart Pen, there is no other accessory for it. Then again, this is the same problem that Samsung has with their tablet line-up compared to the Apple iPad.
The basic Apple iPad starts at MYR 1,499 though, the same price as the base model of the Xiaomi tablet. The same priced Apple iPad does not come with an Apple Pencil, or a keyboard case too, which makes the Apple iPad a more expensive device compared to the Xiaomi Pad 5.
The Android Tablet That Makes A lot of Sense
Here is the thing, the Apple iPad Pro with M1 wins the tablet market hands down. There are two things that holds it back though despite its processing prowess. The iPad Pro is held back by its price and the limitations of iPadOS itself. The iPadOS experience is something that is constantly evolving though, which also means that the next iteration of iPadOS might start taking advantage of the M1 chips.
The Xiaomi Pad 5 is never really designed to compete with the Apple iPad Pro line-up though. It is meant to compete with the humbler regular iPad, and in that we think it excels. At MYR 1,499, the Xiaomi Pad 5 comes in with a reasonable price tag that plenty can swallow. It is a perfect Android device that is targeted squarely at users who are thinking of buying an iPad and not willing to spend much more for a tablet. More information on the Xiaomi Pad 5 is available on their website.