There are no shortages on the market for Android tablets but how about one that offers a premium experience and won’t cost a fortune? That’s the type of contender Redmi Pad positions itself as in the market: an affordable tablet to supplement your tech needs without breaking the bank. Let’s take a closer look at it in this review!

Contents and specs

When unboxing the Redmi Pad, you will find the following:

• Redmi Pad
• 18W fast charging adapter 
• USB Type-C Cable 
• SD Card Eject Tool
• Quick Start Guide 
• Warranty Card

 

As for the specs of this device, you can find them below:

 

Note that there are three models of the Redmi Pad with different RAM/storage options (3GB+64GB, 4GB+128GB, 6GB+128GB). On the official Xiaomi website in Europe, only the 4GB+128GB model is available to purchase for £249.00/ €299.00. However, the model under review is the 6GB+128GB.

Hardware overview

It’s not just the storage options, but  the Redmi Pad also comes in three colour variants: Mint Green, Moonlight silver and Graphite Gray. The reviewed model  is the Mint Green variant and I must say it is quite visually appealing. It’s not particularly flashy but the metallic-green look endows the device with a premium and unique aesthetic.

In fact, the Redmi Pad feels like a premium device from the outset. The sleek all-metal unibody chassis, 7mm thickness and being lightweight attest to the quality craftsmanship and attention paid in crafting the product. 

 

Performance as a daily driver and for gaming

This premium feel also extends to the device’s use. When powered on, the crisp 10.61", 2K display with a refresh rate of 90Hz enhances the experience whether it’s for browsing web articles or watching videos. Then there’s the quad speakers with Dolby Atmos support. For such a slim device, the speakers are remarkably powerful without compromising on quality. It’s easily adopted for watching YouTube videos or series; and has become my go-to device for these ends.

As with its other products, Xiaomi pre-loaded the Redmi Pad with its Android-based MIUI OS. This means that there is some pesky bloatware pre-installed but the experience is otherwise familiar with Android users. As a tablet, it makes good use of the split-screen feature, which is very convenient for someone like me who spends considerable time researching and writing on a daily basis. However, the entry-level version of the Redmi Pad (3GB+64GB) somehow doesn’t support such a feature, which is a bummer.

For most use cases, the Redmi Pad’s MediaTek Helio G99 chip handles popular apps and multitasking smoothly. I’ve been using it to write articles while browsing the Internet in split-screen with my Spotify playlist playing in the background with no issues. 

  

More than a working device, you can also game on it and the performance is quite decent. Twilight Princess plays smoothly at 30fps on Dolphin Emulator; while you can feel the limits of the devices for more demanding emulation such as with AetherSX2 where Shadow of the Colossus is mostly playable at 15-20 fps but with some crackling audio. Of course, it handles less demanding titles better such as the Android spin-off of Octopath Traveler.

 

While I wouldn’t particularly recommend the Redmi Pad solely for gaming, my experience running these emulators was relatively positive and a nice-to-have add-on. What I’d recommend it for is as a supplement to your laptop/phone to type/browse on-the-go. Its 8000mAh battery lasts over a day of regular use and the 18W fast charger juices it up in around 1-2 hours. It also packs a serviceable 8MP camera (main and selfie) for video calls and/or quick pictures. And should you need more storage space, it packs a nice-to-have SD card tray for expansion.

 

Some pictures taken with the main camera; and the SD card expansion tray

Some corners have been cut

However, there are some corners that have been cut in this budget-friendly mid-range tablet that need to be considered when looking into the Redmi Pad. What struck me when I first opened the package was that the contents are relatively barebones. No bumper and not even a screen protector was to be found. This was a bummer as buyers will need to spend a few more to further protect their new tech.

Then there are a few hardware omissions. There is no GPS function nor is there an option to insert a SIM card to use mobile data more freely. And while the thin and light form factor is a major draw, Xiaomi omitted the headphone jack in favour of a USB-C cable.

Additionally, the screen bezels are rather noticeable. They aren’t too big but aren’t very thick either. But given the sleek aesthetic adopted by this tablet, thinner bezels would have been more welcome.

Verdict

Nevertheless, as a mid-range, budget-friendly tablet, the Redmi Pad offers quite the bang for your buck, even if some corners might have been cut. The sleek all-metal body, crisp display and powerful audio provide a premium look and feel; while the MediaTek Helio G99 chip provides decent performance for use as a daily driver. It doesn’t do anything particularly flashy or unique but what it does, it does it right.