The Xiaomi Pad 5 is the latest Android tablet to challenge the iPad Air 4 for the title of the most popular tablet. From a hardware standpoint, it’s a fantastic tablet that checks all the boxes for basic productivity and enjoyment. And if you don’t want an iPad but still want a tablet for Netflix, web browsing, and Game Pass, the Pad 5 is now the best option. The only major drawback is that persistent optimization concerns with Android on tablets prevent it from fully realizing its hardware potential. So, is Xiaomi Pad 5 going to be a challenger for the iPad? The purpose of this blog is to share my personal reviews about the Xiaomi Pad 5.
Introduction
Android tablets are bad,” as the saying goes.
Or so the conventional wisdom goes. Sure, Samsung releases a few Galaxy Tabs each year for the purpose of it, and Amazon floods the market with low-cost Fire Tabs, but Apple’s iPads are the only tablets worth buying.
Xiaomi definitely plans to change that, for better or worse. The Xiaomi Pad 5 is a serious attempt to develop a high-quality mid-range Android tablet at a price that rivals the entry-level iPad.
As you’d expect from Xiaomi, it outperforms its Apple counterpart in practically every way, with the kind of clean design that Apple saves for its premium models. Questions about how Android – and specifically MIUI – can compete with iPadOS remain unanswered, but with the tablet and foldable-focused Android 12L on the horizon, those worries should fade away.
Pros of Xiaomi Pad 5
- Beautiful 120Hz, 2.5K display
- Strong specs
- Slim design
Cons of Xiaomi Pad 5
- Weak front-facing camera
- Android & MIUI are under-optimized for tablets
- No LTE option
Therefore, this is what the Xiaomi Pad 5 is all about. Now, let’s move on to explore its reviews as per its features.
The Xiaomi Pad 5 Reviews
Xiaomi’s Pad 5 is a fantastic Android tablet. Here are my reviews as per the features.
Design and Build
- Lightweight and slim
- Premium appearance and feel
- There’s no fingerprint scanner.
The design of the Pad 5 is similar to that of the higher-end iPads. This is clearly suggestive of the iPad Pro look, with squared-off corners, a small bezel, and quality materials – and far ahead of the outmoded design of the closest equivalent iPad.
The only controls are a power button and a volume rocker on two sides of the same corner of the frame. A USB-C port and a POGO connector for Xiaomi’s keyboard are also included.
From a hardware standpoint, there is one glaring omission: there is no fingerprint sensor. The right-hand side of the frame has a little cylindrical marking that appears for a fingerprint reader, but it isn’t there, and the display doesn’t support one either. Face unlock is a possibility, but it’s less secure and often inconvenient, so it’s a shame there isn’t a fingerprint option.
Display and Audio
- Slim bezel, 11in, 2.5K 120Hz display
- Impressive quad speakersThe screen’s main selling point is its 120Hz refresh rate, which is another premium feature you wouldn’t expect at this price. This allows for smoother animations and more fluidity across the device — it’s a feature that’s now nearly standard on Android phones, so chances are you’ve used it. If you’re a serious player, it will also enable framerates exceeding 60 frames per second. On a tablet, speakers are far more important than on a phone because you’re more likely to use them for watching TV or making video chats, and I have no concerns about the sound quality. Of course, there is a restriction on the bass punch, but there’s plenty of audio power here given the size of the Pad 5.
Specs and Performance
- 6 GB of RAM
- There are no 4G or 5G options.Xiaomi made wise decisions when it came to the Pad 5’s specifications, which successfully maximize performance without forcing it to a higher price point.The Snapdragon 860, an overclocked version of an older Qualcomm flagship chipset, is crucial to this. Essentially, you get enough power to do most everyday chores and keep this capable of playing even demanding games at reasonable settings, but you don’t pay extra for the latest 5G connection, machine-learning updates, or features optimized for flagship phones’ demanding cameras.In performance tests, the Pad 5 held up with Samsung’s premium flagship Galaxy Tab S7+ from last year, outperforming all other Galaxy Tabs and the new Nokia T20 tablet. Although it falls below all iPads in terms of sheer performance, this is one of the most powerful Android tablets available, especially considering the price.Wi-Fi 6 isn’t supported, which means you won’t get the best speeds – but you’d need a very current router to handle that technology anyway. There’s Bluetooth 5.0 elsewhere, but no NFC, which is understandable.
Battery and Charging
- Exceptional performance
- Long-lasting battery
- Charges at 33W, but comes with a 22.5W charger.
- No wireless charging is available
Because of the wide range of use scenarios, determining tablet battery life is difficult. Some people will require an all-day device for taking notes and working, while others will only require something to put on the coffee table to check emails and watch the occasional Netflix show.
Our artificial battery benchmark reveals even more. In the PCMark battery test, the Pad 5 lasts about ten and a half hours, which is better than any Samsung Galaxy Tab we’ve tested in the last two years and obviously enough to get a day’s work done on the tablet.
You can achieve quicker speeds if you have a faster charger or are willing to purchase one. Using the 55W Xiaomi charger that comes with the Mi 11, which should have given power at approximately the 33W the tablet can sustain, I obtained a somewhat more amazing 35 percent battery charge in half an hour.
Finally, there is no wireless charging support, which should come as no surprise. Few tablets, especially those that are more reasonably priced, have it, and it’s clearly a feature that is less in demand for these larger devices.
Camera
- 8MP front-facing camera is disappointing.
- Good rear camera
On tablets, cameras are largely irrelevant. Or, to put it another way, back cameras aren’t important.This is one area where Apple’s entry-level iPad has unquestionably outperformed Xiaomi. This year, Apple made the wise decision to put the better camera on the front of the iPad, whilst Xiaomi followed smartphone conventions and put the rear camera first.The 13-megapixel, f/2.0 rear camera is superior, but you’ll probably only use it occasionally. If you do need to take images with the tablet, it can snap some surprisingly good ones with brilliant color and reasonable detail, even in low light – though it’s not built for true night photography. If necessary, it can also shoot a 4K video at 30 frames per second.Price and Availability
Xiaomi Pad 5 is now available in the United Kingdom, Europe, and a large portion of Asia, including India.The 6GB+128GB variant costs £369/€349/26,999, while the 6GB+256GB model costs €399/28,999. Prices vary significantly by the market; see our guide to where to buy the Pad 5 for the best bargains we’ve found.
Apple’s 10.2in iPad is a clear and direct competitor here, costing £319/$329/₹30,900 – however, you only get half the storage of the Pad 5, with 64GB.
For around the same price, you might also choose the older Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. This has the advantage of coming with a stylus and having an LTE option, but the Xiaomi Pad 5 outperforms it on almost every spec.
Final Verdict
On the hardware side, you’ll discover a lightweight design backed by powerful specs, a stunning display, and excellent speakers. More up-to-date connectivity options, like an LTE variant, would be good, but there’s not much else to complain about.The software is standard for an Android tablet, which means it’s OK but not quite up to par with an iPad. Despite Xiaomi’s best efforts, Android is still not fully optimized for tablets, so you’ll have some issues navigating the Pad 5.
Even though it doesn’t fully utilize the large screen, the tablet operates smoothly, and with Android 12L’s upgrades on the way, this doesn’t seem like a compelling reason to hold off.
Simply said, if you’re looking for a tablet for under $100 and don’t mind using Android, this is the one to get. Additionally, if you have more such ideas on technology that you want to share with the global audience, you can write for us technology news. All you need to do is submit your science and technology guest blogs. We will publish your blogs on our website and will share your ideas with the global audience.
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