Xiaomi Pad 7
The Xiaomi Pad 7 pushes the boundaries of what you should expect from a mid-range tablet. It competes with the base iPad on price, goes head-to-head with the iPad Air in terms of capabilities, and even offers a feature found only on the iPad Pro. Add to that its sleek accessories, the Xiaomi Pad 7 is here to set new standards.
During my two weeks of using the tablet, I relied on it for media consumption, quick Lightroom edits, and filling out pending drafts in Google Docs. This is the most complete tablet experience you can get on a slate under INR 40,000 (with keyboard accessory).
Xiaomi Pad 7 as a multimedia device
Xiaomi Pad 7 in hand
The new Xiaomi tablet is sleeker and feels sturdier than the previous generation Xiaomi Pad 6. It features a glass and aluminum build with a cleaner rear panel that houses a 13MP camera, the Xiaomi logo with pogo pins placed below it for attaching a keyboard accessory.
While there is a single rear camera, the design of the module is borrowed directly from the Xiaomi 14, giving the impression of a premium triple camera setup. While the three rear cameras aren’t necessary on a tablet and may seem deceiving at first glance, I like the aesthetics.
On the front, the Xiaomi Pad 7 features an 11.2-inch LCD display with a 3.2K (3200×2136) resolution at 345 pixels per inch. It supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision for compatible content and offers up to 800 nits of brightness, so you’ll have no problem using it outdoors.
Holding the Xiaomi Pad 7
The screen is sharper than its predecessor and everything looks better in terms of color and clarity compared to the iPad. It has a 3:2 aspect ratio, which may not be ideal for Netflix, but works well for productivity and gaming.
I didn’t notice any significant lag while watching movies on Netflix or Prime Video, even though it’s an LCD panel. While it’s not OLED quality, this is among the best LCDs you’ll find in a device. It’s complemented by a quad-speaker setup that picks up plenty of sound for an immersive movie-watching experience.
The Xiaomi Pad 7 also comes in a nano-textured display variant, priced at INR 31,999 ($370).. This feature is usually found on devices that cost over INR 1,00,000 ($1,100)—like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the new M4 iPad Pro. Reduces reflections and improves content visibility in bright environments.
Xiaomi Pad 7 screen
I’ve only seen the nano texture variant in person, but wasn’t able to test it for this review, so I can’t comment on its long-term performance. Still, it’s a quality-of-life feature I’d like on any screen I own.
Under the hood, Xiaomi Pad 7 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 SoC, delivering efficiency and power. I tested it with games and Lightroom, and both ran smoothly under sustained loads.
For photo editing, I recommend going for the 256GB variant (priced at INR 30,999 with 12GB RAM) for its faster UFS 4.0 storage, which ensures faster handling of high-resolution photos compared to the 128GB model (UFS 3.1 with 8GB RAM at INR 99927). Both variants support the P3 color gamut, so the on-screen editing experience is identical, but UFS 4.0 offers added convenience.
You can also buy the new INR 5,999 ($69) Focus Pen for more precise editing. Although not as frictionless as the Apple Pencil, it features additional buttons for using the stylus as a pointer during presentations or activating the Mi Canvas to write and sketch.
The Xiaomi Pad 7 has an 8,850mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging, capable of reaching 100% in 80 minutes. The tablet lasts for hours. If you’re doing a movie marathon, you can easily expect to watch three movies back-to-back.
Xiaomi Pad 7 as a 2-in-1 work device
Xaiomi PAd 7 with focus keyboard case
No tablet, no matter how expensive, can completely replace a laptop. I’m past trying to use tablets as laptop replacements. However, they can be used as secondary devices for on-the-go productivity, and the Xiaomi Pad 7 is an example of how the right software features and accessories can transform it into a very good 2-in-1 form factor.
Xiaomi Pad 7’s new Focus keyboard is inspired by the Magic Apple keyboard in functionality, but not in price. The company has finally added a trackpad to its keyboard accessory, which makes the working experience better.
Xiaomi Pad 7 keyboard focus
The focus keyboard is comfortable to type on, but adds noticeable weight. Weighing approximately 590 grams, when combined with the 500 gram tablet, the total weight comes to 1.1 kg, which is relatively heavy for its size. The keyboard case tilts from 0 to 124 degrees, but I wish it could tilt further.
If you want to use the Xiaomi Pad 7 with the keyboard case, you should place it on a hard flat surface. The device crashes when placed on a soft surface such as a bed, pillow or sofa.
If you have placed it on a flat surface and are ready to work, you will have a pleasant experience. The keyboard features backlit keys for good low-light typing experience. I enjoyed using it, thanks to the comfortable key travel and gesture-supported trackpad. You also get shortcuts for HyperOS 2, but it’s a slight learning curve to get used to them.
Workstation mode on Xiaomi Pad 7
Xiaomi has introduced a new Workstation mode in Hyper OS 2, which keeps multiple tabs open on the screen like a laptop. For split-screen use, the regular HyperOS experience remains best. Workstation mode ensures that applications don’t close when switching, making it great for juggling tasks.
However, it could benefit from a better taskbar – one that would show recent apps. Currently, you only see the default tab, a menu icon to open more apps, and a home button.
If you tap, hold, and slide the window to the side, it minimizes to an icon and stays there unless it’s activated again. But if you push an app 50% off-screen with the help of a keyboard, the three-dot menu goes with it, and now you’re left with half the app window with no way to use it.
Multitasking works fine, but it doesn’t use the whole screen. Resizing windows leaves wide margins, unlike full screen split view. The workstation mode screen resizing experience needs to be improved if Xiaomi wants more people to use it as a 2-in-1 device.
That said, the focus console offers excellent value at INR 8,999.
Xiaomi Pad 7 with focus pen and focus pad
If you own a Xiaomi flagship phone, you can sync it with the Xiaomi Pad 7. It will allow you to use your phone on the tablet. For example, you can receive calls, connect to your phone’s hotspot with one click, use phone apps on your tablet, and more. I didn’t have a Xiaomi 14 Ultra on hand to test this feature, but it is claimed to offer a smoother experience than before.
The 8MP front camera, positioned in landscape orientation, is ideal for video calls. Although its quality is not exceptional, it is sufficient for business meetings.
Xiaomi Pad 7 review: The verdict
Xiaomi Pad 7
The Xiaomi Pad 7 is the company’s best value for money device in recent memory. While I previously wrote something similar about the Xiaomi external speaker, the Xiaomi Pad 7 raises the bar. It’s a better tablet than the similarly priced iPad.
At around INR 30,000, the Xiaomi Pad 7 is the best tablet you can buy right now. It offers a bright and vibrant display coupled with good audio, a smooth user interface, excellent performance and efficient battery life. It’s hard to fault at this price.
Xiaomi has also kept the focus pen and focus keyboard accessories within an accessible price range, making the entire ecosystem even more attractive.
The pros:
- Sharp and bright screen
- Excellent performance
- Premium tablet experience
- Finally, a keyboard with a keyboard
- Excellent value for money
Disadvantages:
- Workstation mode is a work in progress
- The focus keyboard is solid
