INTRODUCTION

Redmi Pad, Xiaomi’s most affordable Android tablet in India, has been launched. Redmi aims to balance its large screen and powerful performance perfectly. Xiaomi claims the Redmi Pad is the best choice for budget Android tablet users.

REDMI PAD DESIGN

The Pad is a budget Android tablet that looks great. It has a great in-hand feeling thanks to its all-metal construction. This Android tablet feels lighter than its 465g weight due to its flat frame design and weight distribution. It measures in at just 7.1mm. The sides are flat, but the corner curve gently to avoid digging into your hands when holding the tablet in landscape or portrait mode.

The Redmi Pad’s Mint Green colour matte finish is also a favorite. The tablet is also resistant to fingerprints and smudges. You can choose from the Graphite Gray and Moonlight Silver colours for something classic or more versatile.

The back of the Xiaomi Pad does not have magnetic contact pins like the Xiaomi Pad 5. However, you can connect a Bluetooth keyboard if you want.

BODY

Redmi Pad allows storage expansion of up to 1TB through a slot on the right side when held vertically. The volume buttons are located at the top right corner of the frame. The power button can be found in the corner of its top edge. There are also four-speaker systems, two at the top and one at the bottom. This Pad doesn’t have a 3.5mm headset jack.

REDMI PAD DISPLAY

The front features a 10.61-inch IPS LCD with a 2K resolution (2000×1200 pixels). The Pad is slightly more expensive than the rest of the market due to its 90Hz refresh rate and support for up to a billion colours. HDR10 support is not available, something that I don’t expect a budget tablet with.

Although the bezels around this display aren’t too thick, they are adequate for a budget tablet. The display has a 15-inch panel with 400 nits peak brightness. The best viewing experience is directly in front of your eyes. However, if you look at it from an angle, there will be some colour shifts. This Pad is certified Widevine L1, which allows you to watch full-HD content on Netflix or other OTT platforms.

CAMERA

Redmi Pad features an 8-megapixel rear and front camera. The rear camera can only scan documents, as the dynamic range and colours are below average. 

The Pad also has an 8-megapixel rear camera. The front camera does an excellent job of taking selfies. Because the bezel is on the right, the front camera can be seen directly through the lens during video calls. Focus Frame is a new feature that will be added to the app in an update. It is similar to Centre Stage for iPads and can adjust the frame to suit your movements. It will also allow you to widen the view to 105 degrees.

SOUND

Redmi Pad’s quad-speaker system is tuned to Dolby Atmos. It is loud and clear for its price.

SOFTWARE

Redmi Pad comes with a MediaTek Helio G99 SoC. This SoC is also used in budget smartphones like the Redmi 11 Prime or the Moto G72. It also has a massive 8000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging. The box also includes a 22.5W fast charger adapter. Although the tablet supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.3, it has no cell version.

The software side is that the Redmi Pad runs the Android 12-based MIUI 13 skin right out of the box. The software experience with the Redmi Pad runs very smoothly. The user interface (UI) was smooth, with no stuttering issues.

MIUI 13 for Android comes with almost no bloatware. This is very uncommon in Xiaomi products. Common is the variety of features that MIUI offers on top of Android. These include split-screen, floating windows, etc. While some apps don’t support split-screen natively, Xiaomi stated that it is working closely with developers to improve the Pad experience.

While apps like Instagram and Facebook can take full advantage of the large screen, certain apps like Twitter are stretched-out versions. MIUI 13 for iPad also includes a dock that hides when you open an application. The dock is dynamic and displays the most recently used apps on the right side if you need to switch to another.

Xiaomi promises at least two major Android updates and security patches for Redmi Pad for three years.

PERFORMANCE

The Redmi Pad can do basic web browsing and scrolling through apps quite well. Users can play popular games on Redmi Pad with a MediaTek Helio G99 SoC without worrying about poor gaming experiences. Although there were a few minor stutters, overall, the gaming experience on Redmi Pad was excellent.

Redmi Pad doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner. You must use either the pattern/pin unlock system or AI face unlock. Even though it is placed on the right side of the tablet (in portrait mode), the front camera quickly recognizes face recognition and unlocks it.

BATTERY

The battery’s 8000mAh capacity can last a day without being charged. The Pad lasted 14 hours and 53 minutes in the Expert loop test. Although it might seem shorter for a tablet with an 8000mAh battery, remember that the screen is large and high resolution. This means that more battery is required. The Redmi Pad will need to be charged every third or fourth day if you watch a video and scroll through your social networks for several hours daily.

REDMI PAD PRICE

Redmi Pad is now available in 3 RAM and storage configurations from Xiaomi. The base model comes with 3GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The price is Rs. 14,999. The 4GB RAM version with 128GB internal storage is Rs. 17,999. The Pad’s variant has 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The price is Rs. 19,999. These prices may vary depending on seasonal sales.

OUR OPINION

I recommend this Pad with all its software and hardware features to anyone looking for an Android tablet below Rs. 20,000. The Redmi Pad has a powerful performance unit, a large battery, and a large display. It is ideal for gaming.