Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro GBAtemp review
Hardware
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://www.mi.com/global/product/xiaomi-pad-7-pro/
For a long time, Android tablets didn’t really entice me as they essentially functioned as oversized smartphones. Over time, the operating system got its act together, and Android tablets have now transformed into capable productivity devices that can act as a bridge between your smartphone and laptop. Depending on your use case, it can even replace the latter altogether.
To entice using an Android tablet, the hardware has to be compelling; and for me, the Xiaomi Pad 6 did the trick. It was just the right size to function as a productivity device when traveling and also had excellent accessories such as a keyboard cover and smart pen to support such use cases. Xiaomi has recently released a successor to the Pad 6, the Pad 7 Series, which includes the Xiaomi Pad 7 and the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro Android tablets. We’ĺl take a look at the latter in this review.
Contents and specs of the Xiaomi 7 Pro
The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is available in 3 storage variants (8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB), starting from EUR 499. The package comes with the following items:
- Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro tablet
- USB Type-C Cable
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
Specs of this Android tablet can be found below:
Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro hardware and accessories overview
With an all-metal, slim unibody design, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro looks and feels like a premium product. Xiaomi’s expert craftsmanship is on display as all of this tablet’s electronic components are crammed in a 6.18mm slab that weighs 500g. I am also fond of the metallic grey variant that adds a subtle, original look without being too conspicuous.
After using the 11” Xiaomi Pad 6 as a secondary and travel productivity device, I became convinced that such Android tablets are best at around its size. The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, at 11.2”, is only slightly larger than the Xiaomi Pad 6 but not by a lot. Its dimensions are ideal for mobile use cases as it is not as big and bulky as a laptop but not too small to not get work done on it.
What really drives the productivity aspect of this device is its accessories, and Xiaomi has quite a few. Each carry a premium, well-crafted feel, and strongly and securely attach to the device via magnets.
There is the pressure-sensitive Focus Pen, which allows you to sketch and take notes seamlessly on the device. It attaches magnetically to the top of the tablet and this connection also charges the pen. It’s a neat design that elegantly serves two purposes. This is a must-have accessory for this tablet if you take notes or sketch often.
If you want to protect the screen while you carry it around, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is the accessory to consider. It not only shields the screen from scratches but also doubles as a stand. With its original origami-like design, you can use it to tilt the tablet at different angles and configurations to suit your preference.
There’s the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro Keyboard, which is similar to the previous model. As the name suggests, it’s a keyboard attachment, but it also doubles as a screen cover. It’s really handy for typing, with well-spaced keys and a full QWERTY keyboard that still keeps the tablet compact when paired together. However, as with the previous model, it locks the device at a single angle, and there is no backlight.
Xiaomi also introduced the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro Focus Keyboard, which is really the must-have accessory for any owner of this tablet. The tablet connects magnetically to it in a “hovering-like” configuration, and the pogo pins automatically activate the keyboard for use. You can tilt the tablet between 0°–124° for easier use in different scenarios but having a wider range would be welcome. That said, it’s still a major step-up from the single angle of the regular Keyboard cover.
The Focus Keyboard also features an adjustable backlight and a mouse pad. The latter really makes the experience more laptop-like, and I prefer it over using the touch screen to operate the tablet. The only compromise is that it adds some weight and thickness to the tablet, but it's a worthwhile trade-off.
In general, I’d recommend getting an Android tablet for mobile/travel productivity, but you will need the accessories above to make the most of it. This means more expenses, and I wish that this tablet came with some of these accessories to make for a more compelling package.
Of note, just as with the new Xiaomi 15 Ultra, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro does not come with a power adapter. It’s a bummer, as you will need a dedicated adapter to make use of its 67W HyperCharge feature. Not including adapters is slowly becoming a standard, which I personally do not support. Considering the price of these premium products, they should be sold as a whole package instead of piecemeal parts with increasing cost.
A versatile Android tablet cosplaying a laptop
Xiaomi designed its Pad 7 Pro with productivity in mind, and the Google Play suite of apps has grown to support this purpose. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that this tablet will not be as powerful if you need to run some demanding software such as to render graphical models or to train algorithms. For these, you’re better off with a powerful desktop. As such, this tablet might not suit your needs depending on your use case, and it’s worth considering its limits and potentials along these lines.
Personally, I think the Pad 7 Pro excels at being a secondary workstation. I mostly use it to join video calls, do background reading, draft articles and take quick handwritten notes. The Focus Pen, being pressure-sensitive and responsive, makes it suitable for sketching on the tablet. While it’s not going for a “paper-like” experience, the output is still noteworthy. If you do want a more “paper like” experience, there is a matte-screen variant of this tablet which could be more satisfying.
This tablet’s lightweight aspect and more than decent battery life even makes me favour it for short bouts of work. When I need to run some code, require specific software, or need multiple screens, I turn to my main PC setup.
However, when I’m travelling, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro practically becomes my main workstation after I shift my work on the cloud. With it in tow, I’m not worried about missing out on my PC features. The split screen feature helps in multi-tasking, such as when researching articles on the web and taking notes in a document at the same time. The new Focus Keyboard really makes for a more laptop-like experience thanks to the trackpad, which performs the same operations as you would use touch controls on the screen. For moving across documents, copy/pasting and selecting tools from apps, I found the on-screen cursor to provide more dexterity over touch controls.
The keyboard also has familiar operations and shortcuts as a PC keyboard such as CTRL+C/CTRL+V to copy/paste or double-clicking on the trackpad to select, making the transition easier. However, some controls, such as accessing the quick toolbar and going back on a previous page on a website, require you to move the cursor close to the edge of the screen. This requires some getting used to as it is not exactly the same as operating a laptop, but you do get used to it over time.
In addition to work purposes, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is also well-equipped for general online tasks. The 3.2K display with up to 144Hz crystal-clear delivers crisp visuals with swift and responsive controls. The quad speaker system with Dolby Atmos support ensures quality audio for viewing videos or streaming music. There's also a nice-to-have camera, although I wish the front-facing camera was a good as the rear one as it would enhance the quality of video calls on the tablet.
While there are different storage variants of the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, it does not feature expandable storage. This can be a downside if you are downloading heavy files or storing your game library. As such, you do need to consider the proper storage capacity for your needs.
Gaming on the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro
Equipped with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, the XIaomi Pad 7 Pro is not only an excellent mobile workstation but is also very capable at gaming. Geekbench 6 scores position it among the top-tier Android devices.
On this tablet, you can expect to play any recent Android games without any issues. I found Zenless Zone Zero to be especially enjoyable on the larger screen, delivering a console-like experience. However, 2D games like Dead Cells and Evoland 2 also fare well on the device.
As expected, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro emulates older games like Dreamcast's Crazy Taxi and Dead or Alive 2 at 60 fps with no issues. For Gamecube at 3x resolution, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes runs at 30- 50fps, and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess runs at 30.
The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro also handles more demanding systems well. Emulating PS2 games at 2x resolution would yield 50-60fps and a few audio lags with Ratchet & Clank, while Shadow of the Colossus would run more stably at 60 fps. For the Wii, I found it best to play The Last Story at 1x resolution for a stable 30fps experience.
Switch emulation is more title-dependent and might improve as the emulators get more updates. For example, Cuphead runs flawlessly at 60fps while Untilted Goose Game doesn’t boot at times, otherwise, it plays at 60fps. For its part, Super Mario Odyssey shows only a grey screen in the game, even if there are no issues going through the main menu.
While this tablet is not particularly geared towards gaming, it is well capable of it. The crisp screen and quad speakers enhance the experience, while the 8850mAh battery ensures extended play sessions.
Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro: setting the bar for Android tablets
Overall, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is quite a versatile tablet. If your most commonly used software can be found on the Google Play store or is cloud-based, then this tablet can easily become your portable (or even main) workstation. It’s built with quality in mind, and Xiaomi offers a suite of accessories to boost productivity on the device. With its seamless user experience, it easily acts as a bridge between your phone and desktop for both productivity and entertainment purposes.
It’s just a shame that the latter are sold separately, which means more expenses. This is because some of them, in particular the Focus Keyboard, are definitely must-haves for owners of the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro as they really showcase what this portable device is capable of in terms of productivity. For what it has to offer and starting from EUR 499, the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is more than a compelling Android tablet; it is a compelling showcase of what a premium productivity tablet based on this OS should be.
Verdict
- Compact and powerful Android-based workstation
- Decent gaming performance
- Premium build quality
- Suite of dedicated accessories to enhance productivity
- No power adapter included
- No expandable storage
- Key productivity accessories sold separately
- No backlight in regular Keyboard Cover
