Xiaomi has had some fun in the last few days, teasing their own device announcements for a November 24th event. The 5.5-inch Redmi Note 3 is the main event, sneaking in the Mi Pad 2 rather unconventionally ahead of time, releasing all but device availability through a photo gallery on Facebook.
Further info has since been released. Let’s take a closer look at the new Xiaomi Mi Pad 2.
Overview
The new Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 is not a huge departure from the Mi Pad before it. You still get a 7.9-inch device with more than respectable specifications for the price. MIUI 7 is still behind the glass, based on Android 5.x Lollipop. An additional version with Windows 10 was also announced, with more details to follow and a later release date than the Android version.
The metal construction of the Mi Pad 2 is significantly thinner than the first take on this tablet. Measuring in at 6.95mm thick, it also looses a good amount of weight, down to 322g. For reference, the Mi Pad was 8.5mm thick and weighed 360g.
In place of the previous processing package, NVIDIA’s Tegra K1 is out and the Intel X5-Z8500 is used in its place. This is a 14nm contructed 64-bit processor with four cores clocked in at 1.44GHz, bursting up to 2.24GHz. Backing this up is Intel HD Graphics and 2GB of RAM.
Two storage options are available, the entry level 16GB model is complemented by a 64GB option. Sadly, there is no evidence at this point for expanded storage on this WiFi only tablet. But we’ll be sure to come back and clarify this if we are found to be incorrect.
While tablet photography is still not really a thing, the 8MP rear facing camera with LED flash and f/2.0 aperture and the 5MP sensor on the front should offer up a decent experience. Speaking of decent, the display comes in with 326ppi, that means 2048 x 1536 resolution on this 7.9-inch panel.
Xiaomi opted to include the new USB Type-C as the power and data transfer port for the Mi Pad 2.
Finally, to keep the lights on, Xiaomi has equipped a 6190mAh Lithium-ion polymer battery into the Mi Pad 2. With support for 5V, 2A fast charging, they claim a whopping 648.8 hours of standby time, 100 hours of music playback with the display off and 12.5 hours of screen on time. These are claims I am very interested in testing for myself at some point.
Specifications
| Processor | Intel Atom X5-Z8500, 1.44GHz quad-core, 64-bit |
| RAM | 2GB DDR3 |
| Display | 7.9-inch IPS 2048 x 1536 326ppi |
| Internal Storage | 16GB or 64GB |
| I/O | USB Type-C Bluetooth 4.1 WiFi ac |
| Camera | 8MP rear with LED flash 5MP front |
| Battery | 6190mAh |
| Size | 200mm x 133mm x 6.95mm 322g |
| Color | Champagne Gold and Dark Gray |
Pricing and final thoughts
For us North Americans, there has only ever really been one problem with Xiaomi products – availability. While the Mi Pad 2 is no exception to this experience, it will be available in China before the end of the month. The Windows 10 powered option will come later in December. A North American release would be a pleasant surprise, but we’re not holding our breath.
Look for great pricing options for the Mi Pad 2, with the 16GB model set to sell for RMB 999 (US$156) and the 64GB model for RMB 1249 (US$197.)
Related
- Best cheap Android tablets (November 2015)
- Best Android tablets (November 2015)
I dare say, a well spec’ed Android tablet with 64GB of internal storage for under $200 is a solid deal these days. It is no surprise the original Mi Pad made it on to our list of best cheap Android tablets, and this new Mi Pad 2 will soon take its place.
What do you think, is the Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 the type of tablet you’d like to get your hands on?