Xiaomi Pad 6 review: Good for gaming, learning, and everything in between

While not without flaws, the Xiaomi Pad 6 outperforms other mid-range Android tablets in the market. It excels as a portable companion device for entertainment, learning, gaming, and more

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The Xiaomi Pad 6 is a flagship tablet that offers several upgrades over its predecessor, the Pad 5. These upgrades encompass design, software, and performance, resulting in an improved user experience. Priced at Rs 28,999 for the top-end model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, the Pad 6 offers good value compared to tablets from competing brands like the OnePlus Pad. Let's delve into the details:

Design

The Xiaomi Pad 6 retains a similar aesthetic to its predecessor, featuring an 11-inch screen in a nearly identical form factor. However, it is slightly thinner and lighter, thanks to the removal of the plastic cover on the back. With a metallic unibody design, the tablet feels premium and does not attract fingerprints or smudges. The camera island design has been upgraded, resembling the one on the Xiaomi 13 Pro. The protruding camera system from the body makes the tablet wobble on flat surfaces and renders it incompatible with the predecessor's folio case and keyboard cover.

Speaking of accessories, the Pad 6 supports folio case, keyboard cover, and stylus. For the keyboard cover, Xiaomi has moved the pogo pin connectors on the rear side. It should have allowed for a floating keyboard design similar to Apple Magic Keyboard for iPads. However, Xiaomi sticks with the conventional keyboard design with single angle placement for the tablet. Moreover, there is no trackpad here.

As for the stylus, it is available only in white colour. It does not go with either the graphite black or the mist blue colour variants of the tablet, and looks odd in the set-up.

Display and Audio

The Xiaomi Pad 6 sports an 11-inch IPS LCD display of 2880 x 1800 resolution, stretched in 16:10 aspect ratio. The display supports a seven-step adaptive refresh rate that ranges from 30Hz to up to 144Hz. It is a 10-bit display with support for high dynamic range formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10.

Details aside, the display is bright with good sunlight legibility. It has good colours and contrast for an LCD panel. The display auto-adjusts the refresh rate based on on-screen content requirements. It is optimised to deliver a smooth user experience while using the apps and navigating through the user interface. Viewing angles are wide too, but there is some colour shift when viewed from extreme angles. The Pad 6 supports system-wide HDR, which can be enabled from the video toolbox. However, the display shows a red tinge with HDR enabled. Nevertheless, it is a good addition that can be improved with future software updates.

Complementing the visual experience is the Dolby Atmos powered quad-speaker audio system. The Pad 6 has a pair of speakers on the left and the right side – in horizontal orientation. The speakers are loud, clear, and balanced. These deliver a wide soundstage with satisfactory bass, clear vocals, and fine trebles.

Camera

The Xiaomi Pad 6 sports a Xiaomi 13 Pro-inspired camera island, but there is just a single camera sensor here and that too a mediocre one. However, Xiaomi has added useful value-added features such as a document scanner to make the camera useful in daily usage. As for the front camera, it is placed on the top bezel area in horizontal orientation. It works well for video calls and meetings, but do not expect anything beyond generic here.

Performance

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chip, the Xiaomi Pad 6 delivers snappy performance without lags or slowdowns, even with extended use. The tablet manages thermals well, ensuring consistent peak performance. Gaming experience is also enjoyable, aided by the inclusion of a game mode and an option to enable performance mode for optimal chip performance.

Software

The Xiaomi Pad 6 runs on MIUI 14 for Pad, based on Android 13. The interface is clean, feature-rich, and streamlined for tablet use. Xiaomi has added useful features such as an app dock, split-screen, floating windows, and drag-and-drop functionality, enabling multitasking and enhancing productivity. However, some inconsistencies arise due to the limitations of Google's Android, primarily designed for smartphones. Some apps may not be optimized for the tablet experience, resulting in text and image scaling issues. Additionally, Xiaomi has its own flaws, such as the control center for quick settings consistently opening on the right side of the display in horizontal orientation.

Battery and Charging

As a companion device, the Pad 6 offers strong on-battery time, lasting up to a week with sporadic use for routine tasks. Power-hungry tasks like multimedia streaming and gaming drain the battery faster but still provide enough power to last a day. The tablet supports 33W fast wired charging, taking approximately two hours to reach a full charge.

Verdict

While not without flaws, the Xiaomi Pad 6 outperforms other mid-range Android tablets in the market. It excels as a portable companion device for entertainment, learning, and gaming, and offers solid performance, a sleek design, smooth display, and long battery life. For enhanced productivity and creativity-focused tasks, pairing the tablet with Xiaomi's smart pen and keyboard accessories is recommended.