Xiaomi Pad 5 - Review
The Xiaomi Pad 5 is a new tablet from the Chinese company that aims to compete with the likes of the iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. It has an 11-inch LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 860 processor, 6GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. It also comes with a stylus and a keyboard cover that can be purchased separately.
The design of the Xiaomi Pad 5 is sleek and minimalist, with thin bezels and a metal back. It weighs 511 grams and is 6.9mm thick, making it easy to hold and carry around. The display is bright and sharp, with good colour accuracy and contrast. The 120Hz refresh rate makes everything look smooth and responsive, especially when scrolling or playing games. The speakers are also loud and clear, with Dolby Atmos support.
The performance of the Xiaomi Pad 5 is impressive, as it can handle multitasking and gaming without any lag or stutter. The Snapdragon 860 processor is a slightly tweaked version of the Snapdragon 855+, which was one of the best chipsets in 2019. The 6GB of RAM is enough for most tasks, and the storage options are generous. The battery life is also decent, as it can last for about 10 hours of mixed-use on a single charge. The tablet supports 33W fast charging, which can fill up the battery in about an hour.
The Xiaomi Pad 5 also has some features that make it suitable for productivity and creativity. It supports the Xiaomi Smart Pen, which is a stylus that can be attached magnetically to the side of the tablet. The pen has 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and can be used for writing, drawing, or annotating documents. The tablet also supports the Xiomi Keyboard Cover, which is a detachable keyboard that connects via Bluetooth and has a trackpad. The keyboard is comfortable to type on and has some shortcut keys for convenience.
The main drawback of the Xiaomi Pad 5 is its software. It runs on Android 11 with MIUI 12.5 on top, which is not optimized for tablets. The interface is cluttered and inconsistent, with some apps not scaling well to the larger screen. The tablet also lacks some features that are common on other Android tablets, such as split-screen mode or app drawer. The tablet does not have Google services pre-installed, which means that users have to sideload them or use alternative apps.
The Xiaomi Pad 5 is a great tablet for its price, as it offers a lot of value for money. It has a beautiful display, a powerful processor, a decent battery life, and some useful accessories. However, it is not perfect, as it suffers from some software issues that limit its potential. If you are looking for a budget-friendly tablet that can handle both entertainment and work, the Xiaomi Pad 5 might be a good option for you.