After years of not releasing tablets, Xiaomi's 'Pad' series is back. This time with a different naming scheme. If it used to be called 'Mi Pad', now it is 'Xiaomi Pad', namely Xiaomi Pad 5.
Like other Xiaomi devices, the Pad 5 also offers a tantalizing comparison of specifications and prices. The price is IDR 5 million, and it is only available in 6GB/256GB variants, but it has a pretty stunning screen and specifications that are fairly fierce, for its price class.
In addition to an attractive price and specification combination, the presence of the Pad 5 also enlivens the Android tablet market which is increasingly quiet, because there are relatively few players in the tablet realm, only Samsung and Huawei (and various types of iPads) so far on the market.
Design
The Pad 5 costs IDR 5 million, cheaper than most Samsung and Huawei tablets, as well as the iPad. But that does not mean the design looks cheap, quite the opposite. The body of the Pad 5 is quite thin (6.9mm), with a flat metal frame. Premium.
The screen is 11 inches, not OLED indeed, like Samsung's Galaxy Tab S line which costs more than twice as much as the Pad 5. But the IPS panel used in the Pad 5 has its own strengths, namely high resolution (WQHD + 2560 x 1600) and refresh rate 120Hz, which makes the animation look very smooth.
The colors produced by this IPS panel are also stunning, almost making you forget that this is not an OLED panel. The premium design is also helped by the relatively thin screen bezel.
The back body uses a matte finish, aka not shiny, and the body is not easily dirty because of the user's fingerprints. Oh yes, the unit we received was Pearl White, which will reflect a tinge of various colors when exposed to light.
The rear camera of the Pad 5 is indeed only one, but it is still stored in a fairly prominent area, with a design similar to other Xiaomi devices of its contemporaries.
Specification
Snapdragon 860
RAM LPDDR4x 6GB
Storage UFS 3.1 256GB
13MP rear camera, 16MP front camera
8,720 mAh battery charger 22.5W
Supports stylus and keyboard cover (sold separately)
It must be admitted, the specifications are not the fastest at this time. The brain is the Snapdragon 860, the same as in the Poco X3 Pro, and was the flagship processor a year or two back.
However, this does not mean that the performance is bad, because the Snapdragon 860 is a very capable processor for now. Also helped by the 120Hz screen which makes animations very smooth. Then the MIUI version that is used is also version 12.5, which is much lighter than MIUI 12.
To play the game, we tried it with PUBG Mobile and Genshin Impact. In Genshin Impact, the maximum settings including 60fps can be bulldozed smoothly. Meanwhile for PUBG Mobile we chose HDR and Extreme frame rate settings to get a higher frame rate.
Oh yes, the MIUI used is not exactly the same as MIUI for phones, but a special variant for tablets. Its name is MIUI for Pad, which is a slight modification of MIUI for phones.
Apparently, Xiaomi is also preparing a 'PC' mode for the Pad 5, which will change its appearance like a PC. It may be suitable when used with the Xiaomi Pad Keyboard -- and the Xiaomi Smart Pen -- which are not currently available in the market.
Conclusion
So far, the experience using the Xiaomi Pad 5 has been pretty impressive. The screen is fun, the performance is fast, and the battery is fairly durable. The body is comfortable to hold, and doesn't leave many fingerprints on the back of the body. What's more, the price is relatively cheap for its specifications.
But we chose not to go into detail before the keyboard and stylus accessories became available. Because with these two accessories, the use of the Pad 5 will become much wider, not just a device for consuming video content or playing games.
Xiaomi Smart Pen and Keyboard Pad are promised to be released and sold separately in the near future.
