Mi Notebook Ultra review: Xiaomi energises the boring consumer PC segment

The Mi Notebook Ultra challenges the conventions set by the legacy consumer PC makers by democratising features and specifications usually seen in laptops that cost almost twice as much

I was planning to buy a midrange laptop and was amazed to see that every other legacy brand in the consumer PC market had products with similar features and specifications. Blame the oligopoly, but as a consumer I was almost convinced that the product offerings by the legacy PC makers were the best available in the market. And then was released the Mi Notebook Ultra by Chinese technology company Xiaomi.

A premium laptop, the Mi Notebook Ultra challenged the conventions set by legacy consumer PC makers by democratising features and specifications usually seen in laptops that cost almost twice as much as the top-end model (review unit – Rs 76,999) on offer here. Starting with the design, the Mi Notebook Ultra boasts a unibody made of series 6 aluminium alloy. For a laptop with 15.6-inch screen, the Mi Notebook Ultra is appropriately built but does not meticulously fit in the thin-and-light category. Speaking of build, the Mi Notebook Ultra is spot on. From smooth edges to a sturdy hinge, the laptop’s build quality is nothing short of premium.

Complementing the solid build quality is the 15.6-inch 3.2K resolution screen of a 90Hz refresh rate with support for 100 per cent sRGB colour gamut. The display is stretched in a 16:10 aspect ratio and is covered with anti-glare coating. Compared with conventional 16:9 aspect ratio screens, the Mi Notebook Ultra screen is both wide and tall. Therefore, it is suitable for both productivity and entertainment purposes. As for the quality, the display is not the best out there in terms of brightness, colour rendition and viewing angles. These compromises, however, come to notice only if you work in bright outdoor conditions. When indoors, at home or office, the screen dazzles. While the Mi Notebook Ultra is a visual treat, the laptop’s audio leaves you asking for more. The laptop’s bottom-facing dual stereo speakers (2W each) lack loudness, depth and clarity. They work fine for basics but do not quite match the viewing experience offered by a competent screen.

Coming on to the keyboard, it is spread evenly and has big keys, including full-size arrow keys. It is a backlit keyboard with three-level backlight settings (off, low, and high). Writers and editors will appreciate the keyboard for its tactile feedback and modest 1.5mm key travel, both of which boost the typing experience. Others will appreciate the keyboard simply because there is nothing wrong with it. One must give it to Xiaomi for paying attention to detail here because even the small things are well taken care of. For example, the caps lock has a dedicated light to show if it is enabled or disabled. Likewise, the function keys can be locked/unlocked to use with the Fn key.

Complementing the fun of using this keyboard is a big trackpad, supported by Windows precision drivers. The trackpad is easy to use and supports Windows gesture navigation. Unlike the keyboard, however, the trackpad is not user-friendly, simply because it lacks dedicated left and right buttons. It takes some time to get around using the trackpad without dedicated left and right buttons, but it works like a charm once you get used to it.

The Mi Notebook Ultra scores well above competitors in terms of design, display, keyboard and touchpad, but it is the performance that sets it apart from other Microsoft Windows 10-based laptops. Powered by 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11370H processor with integrated Intel Xe graphics, the Mi Notebook Ultra is a performance powerhouse, good for budding content creators, working professionals, and entertainment enthusiasts. It is not just the processor; the laptop comes with 16GB (soldered) DDR4 RAM (3200Mhz) and 512GB PCIe NVMe solid state drive storage which make the Mi Notebook Ultra a solid all-rounder. It works seamlessly for everyday tasks and handles with ease some of the most demanding applications like Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, etc. However, it is a portable laptop for people on the go. Therefore, the caveats apply here when it comes to power users and gamers.

As for general functioning, the laptop boots up in no time, and you get to the business quickly with a fingerprint sensor embedded into the power button for Windows Hello login. Unfortunately, there is no face recognition support for Windows Hello due to lack of hardware. There is a webcam (HD) placed in a thin bezel area on the top side of the screen but its utility is basic and the image quality is nothing to write home about.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Ultra: Key specifications

Company	Xiaomi
Product	Mi Notebook Ultra
Processor	11th Gen Intel Core i7-11370H
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe
RAM	16GB DDR4 3200MHz
Storage	512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
OS	Windows 10 Home
Display	15.6-inch 3.2K, 16:10 aspect ratio, 90Hz refresh rate
Audio	2 x 2W stereo
Interface	1 x USB-C, 1 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB-A 2.0
Connectivity	Dual band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
Price	Rs 76,999

Verdict

The Mi Notebook Ultra comes as a breath of fresh air in the otherwise boring consumer PC segment. That said, Xiaomi's premium laptop justifies the ‘ultra’ moniker. From a 3.2K resolution screen of 90Hz refresh rate and 16:10 aspect ratio to premium build and top-notch specifications, the Mi Notebook Ultra offers consumers a set of features and specifications that no legacy brands do, at least in this segment. It might not be a legacy brand but if you have some trust in Xiaomi, I do not see a reason why this should not be your next laptop.