Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 Pro Impressions
A few months ago, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Pad 2, and the recently followed up with the release of the Redmi Pad 2 Pro. Where the original Pad 2 felt like a decent enough entry-level 11-inch companion, this Pro model goes bigger — literally — and doubles down on the audiovisual experience. We’ll take a quick look at this Android tablet in this article, while paying attention to the differences with the regular Redmi Pad 2 model.
With the “Pro” suffix comes a “Pro” tax as the Redmi Pad 2 Pro costs more than its regular counterpart. It starts at £269 for the 6GB+128GB model and comes with the following items:
The hardware quality is similar to the regular model, and the Pro model sports the same features as the regular one, including up to 2TB expandable storage and a headphone jack. The main difference is that the Pro model is slightly larger. The headline is the 12.1” screen with 2.5K resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. It is a welcome step up from the original Pad 2, whose display was lacklustre.
On the Redmi Pad 2 Pro, visuals are crisper and more vibrant. Controls are swift and responsive, which makes for a more enjoyable experience when using this tablet as a daily driver. Thanks to the quad-speaker system with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio, the sound quality is clear and immersive.
While the large screen provides more real estate for gaming or streaming videos, I prefer slightly smaller tablets, within the 11-inch range, for on-the-go productivity.
Battery life is the other standout. Packing a 12,000mAh cell while still being thin and portable adds to the productivity use cases. As this tablet features 27W reverse wired charging, you can make use of the large battery to charge other accessories like your earbuds.
Xiaomi also released accessories for the new tablet. Unlike the regular model, the Redmi Pad 2 Pro has a dedicated keyboard cover. This really helps boost its productivity use case. However, like the regular Cover, it doesn’t close all the way magnetically.
As the pro variant, the Redmi Pad 2 Pro features a better chip. While the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 isn’t the latest and best out there, it is still very capable. It keeps UI navigation smooth and handles Android games well on the big panel.
This chip also handles emulation better than the base model does. Gamecube games Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes and Twilight Princess run at 35-45fps and 30fps, respectively, with the resolution upgraded to 3x.
You can also play PS2 games well at 2x resolution with Shadow of the Colossus running at 45-60fps and Ratchet & Clank at 60fps. Wii’s The Last Story at 1x resolution runs at 30fps for the most part with some occasional dips, but it is more playable than the original Redmi Pad 2.
As the Pro variant, the Redmi Pad 2 Pro does offer better performance and experience than the regular model. It does cost more, but it has a better display, better processor and a dedicated keyboard cover that feels like a must for tablets. I think it offers a better package than the regular variant, and it’s worth considering if it’s within your budget.
