Xiaomi Pad 7 review: Productivity-focused Android alternative to Apple iPad

Priced at Rs 27,999 onwards, the Xiaomi Pad 7 offers a premium build, vibrant display, and ample performance to handle demanding tasks

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi recently launched the Pad 7 in India. This Android-powered tablet has something for everyone but primarily focuses on productivity when paired with accessories such as a keyboard and stylus – sold separately. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chip, the Xiaomi Pad 7 features a high-resolution display with support for Dolby Vision HDR and a Dolby Atmos surround sound-enabled audio system. On paper, the tablet appears to be a compelling workstation that can also serve as an entertainment companion. But how does it perform in real-world use? Let's find out:

 

Design

 

The Xiaomi Pad 7 exudes a premium feel with its aluminium unibody design. Its flat frame, complemented by rounded corners, ensures a comfortable grip. However, the elevated square-shaped camera module appears somewhat out of place, considering it houses only a single camera with an LED on top. This design choice also causes slight wobbling when the tablet is placed flat on a surface.

 

At the front, the display sits flush with the frame, enhancing the overall aesthetics. The matte-textured back helps conceal fingerprint smudges, though the edges of the camera module tend to accumulate dust over time.

 

Display and Audio

 

The Xiaomi Pad 7 boasts an 11.2-inch IPS-LCD display with uniform bezels on all sides. Featuring a 3200 x 2136 resolution, the panel delivers a brilliant viewing experience with vibrant colours and sharp details. The review unit comes with a glossy display, but Xiaomi also offers a nano-textured option on the highest-end variant, which helps reduce glare. Even on the standard variant, the display remains comfortably viewable from almost all angles. Additionally, it supports a 144Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth transitions, scrolls, and other user interface motions.

 

For content consumption, the display includes HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR support, which also shows up on streaming platforms like Netflix. YouTube also offers an HDR option for compatible videos. Additionally, Xiaomi has integrated AI-driven display enhancements, such as "AI HDR Enhancement," designed to boost colour vibrancy in SDR content, though the difference with the feature enabled is subtle. In terms of brightness, the company claims the display reaches up to 800 nits in high brightness mode. While I couldn’t verify the exact figure, the display is sufficiently bright for outdoor viewing.

 

On the audio front, the tablet delivers stereo sound through a quad-speaker system, with two speaker vents on each side. Dolby Atmos support further enhances the surround sound experience, making movie-watching immersive. The audio output is satisfactorily loud, though the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack is noticeable.

 

Performance and Features

 

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor and paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, the Xiaomi Pad 7 delivers flagship-grade performance from the start. Whether watching movies or multitasking, the device handles everything smoothly. Even with intensive tasks such as playing demanding games, there are no noticeable stutters or sudden drops in performance.

 

However, one drawback is the limited storage options. Xiaomi does not offer a 512GB variant for the Pad 7, nor has it included a microSD card slot, which slightly hinders its potential as a true portable workstation. Another limitation is the lack of cellular connectivity across all variants.

 

Surprisingly, the tablet excels in the camera department. The rear 13MP camera can record 4K videos at 30fps and 1080p videos at 60fps, both of which produce usable footage in the absence of a smartphone. Similarly, photos taken with the rear camera showcase good colour accuracy and detail under natural lighting conditions. The camera interface also features a dedicated Document mode with multiple scanning style options, quite handy. The front-facing 8MP camera proves useful with its wide field of view, making it ideal for video calls.

 

For biometric authentication, the tablet only supports facial unlock, as it lacks a fingerprint sensor.

 

Software

 

The Xiaomi Pad 7 runs on Android 15-based Xiaomi HyperOS 2 out of the box, marking a significant upgrade over the previous generation UI. The software is noticeably smoother and far less intrusive, with fewer system notifications and advertisements. Additionally, subtle UI refinements, such as redesigned icons and animation styles, give it a refreshed look. Other improvements, including a more streamlined settings menu and a redesigned widget drawer, enhance navigation, making the tablet more intuitive to use.

 

Optimised for a large-screen experience, the Pad 7 introduces several useful features. The most notable is Workstation Mode, which transforms the UI into a desktop-like interface, allowing users to open up to four applications simultaneously in resizable floating windows. Additionally, Xiaomi has incorporated new AI-powered tools, such as AI Subtitles, which automatically generate subtitles for audio played on the tablet.

 

Battery

 

The Xiaomi Pad 7 is powered by an 8850mAh battery, providing ample endurance for extended use. During testing, I watched a couple of movies back-to-back, and the tablet still had a significant amount of battery remaining. It supports 45W wired charging, which takes approximately an hour and a half to reach full capacity.

 

Accessories

 

The dedicated accessories for the Xiaomi Pad 7 that I tested included the new Focus Pen and Focus Keyboard, priced at Rs 5,999 and Rs 8,999, respectively. Additionally, the company offers a double-sided cover for the tablet.

 

Starting with the Focus Pen, the tablet features a designated section on the top (in landscape orientation) for magnetically snapping the stylus, which also charges it wirelessly. Writing on the display with the Focus Pen feels smooth, with no noticeable lag. It comes with three buttons that enable various functions, such as taking cropped screenshots, launching the Mi Canvas app via a shortcut, and turning the pen into a pointer. It can also be used to remotely click pictures.

 

The Focus Keyboard significantly enhances the Xiaomi Pad 7 experience with its Apple iPad keyboard-inspired floating hinge design. It attaches magnetically to the tablet and connects instantly via the three-pin connector on the back. The keys are spacious enough for comfortable typing without cramping fingers, and the touchpad is wide enough to be practical. The only drawback is that it adds some bulk to the tablet.

 

Verdict

 

Priced at Rs 27,999 onwards, the Xiaomi Pad 7 ticks all the boxes for being a portable workstation. With a premium build, an appealing display, powerful performance, and a suitable set of software features, the tablet is a good option for students and working professionals looking for a portable device that can serve multiple purposes. However, the absence of a microSD card slot and cellular connectivity may limit its appeal for some users.