The Xiaomi Pad 6 is one of the best Android tablets I've ever used. The latest to be sold in Malaysia is the 12.4 inch Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro which is Xiaomi's first "Pro" tablet for the local market. After using it for almost a month to replace my iPad Air M1, I can say that this Xiaomi tablet is a good candidate as a replacement.
SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4
Screen 12.4″ LCD 3K (3048 x 2032), 3:2, 144Hz
Dolby Vision, HDR10
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (4 nm)
1x 3.2 GHz Cortex-X3
2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A715
2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A710
3x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A510
Adreno 740 Graphics Chip
RAM 8/12 GB LPDDR5X
256/512 GB UFS 4.0 storage
Primary Camera 50MP JN1, f/1.8
2MP OV02B1B, f/2.4
Front Camera 32M POV32D, f/2.2
10000mAh battery
120W HyperCharge
Sim/WiFi Telephony only
Audio 6x Dolby Atmos Speakers
WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth WiFi 7, Yes, Bluetooth 5.3,
Infrared None
Waterproof None
Fingerprint Scan System on the power button
Graphite Gray Sale Price
RM2,799 (8/256GB)
RM3,099 (12/512 GB)
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 uses a design similar to the new iPad Pro, only, it has a thickness of 6.26mm compared to the 13-inch iPad Pro M4 which is only 5.1mm. This Android tablet also feels premium and luxurious when used because it is a flagship tablet that focuses on productivity not for children's entertainment use.
The screen in front uses an almost even bezel design to be easy to handle, the tablet is also not that heavy but when connected to the magnetic keyboard I feel like I'm carrying a laptop. There's a square camera bump on the back and a magnetic port for connecting to various accessories. Each physical button is also comfortable to press but on the charging part the magnetic stylus used is quite weak causing it to often fall off.
SCREEN
This 12.4-inch LCD screen is not just an ordinary LCD screen used on smartphones. With Dolby Vision and HDR 10 recognition, the colors this screen produces are very bright and beautiful. Watching videos on Netflix provides the best viewing experience for a tablet, then using the screen to read e-book apps like Cereka is also satisfying. The screen is also quite satisfactory for the purposes of simple photo editing or drawing with a stylus.
The 144Hz refresh rate support is also very interesting because the adaptive features on the LCD screen are well managed through Xiaomi HyperOS. The system really intelligently determines the best refresh rate whether you're working or playing. The brightness is also satisfactory for my daily use.
BIOMETRIC
The fingerprint biometric system is already built into the power button but is less consistent. I have to scan my finger 2-3 times before the tablet can be unlocked. An interesting feature for me is the face scan paired with AI features because it can turn on the screen and immediately unlock the device when it detects I'm near it.
USAGE – Xiaomi HyperOS And Accessories Ecosystem
Before I get into HyperOS, I will share my experience using all the official accessories that are sold, namely the Touchpad Keyboard priced at RM699, the Focus Pen priced at RM399 and the Cover priced at RM149.
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 Touchpad Keyboard tries to be Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad but there is no "magic" here. The keys are less pleasant to press while the touch pad does not bring many efficient features compared to using a touch screen. The last cover is an origami type on the back that can be folded to place the tablet vertically or horizontally.
The Xiaomi Focus Pen is the best iteration of the Apple Pencil-like Android tablet. It is very user-friendly, packed with interesting features and provides a satisfying user experience no matter for writing or sketching. The only problem is that the weak magnet on the charger side makes it easy to detach so I'm worried it might disappear without being noticed if dropped.
One feature of Xiaomi HyperOS for tablets that I appreciate the most is Workstation which has similarities with Apple Stage Manager. This feature does not require a connection to a monitor and multi-tasking work can be done very smoothly without any time lag. The main issue is only the Interconnectivity feature that can connect with Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi Watch S3.
This tablet should be able to receive the same notifications, share the screen and transfer files as easily as the Apple or Huawei ecosystem. It's a pity that since the HyperOS on the Xiaomi 14 is not the same as the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 I can't test this feature myself.
However other multi-tasking features such as dual-window with some floating apps can still be used like any Android tablet. Xiaomi also provides Mi Canvas and Xiaomi Note applications to take advantage of the Xiaomi Focus Pro.
These two apps I like because they are free and operating system friendly but not cross-platform friendly. Notes and drawings will only appear in other Xiaomi devices with the same account and there is no option to automatically back up in the cloud for quick and easy access.
What I am disappointed with Xiaomi HyperOS on Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 is that it lacks generative AI features. Samsung has distributed One UI 6.1 to the Galaxy Tab S9 tablet series with many generative AI features. So far, interesting AI feature I only found it on Xiaomi 14 in the latest update.
I also want to say a thousand thanks to Xiaomi for giving this tablet HyperOS that is free of ads and fat applications. During my first day using this tablet it was reminiscent of the experience of setting up an iPad, very simple and headache-free.
PERFORMANCE AND BENCHMARKS
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is still a powerful chip. The selling price of this tablet challenges the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE which has approximately the same price but less powerful specifications. Here is a comparison of benchmark scores with two different tablets using 3DMark, AnTuTu 3D and Geekbench 6.
Antutu 3D
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 – 1,509,513
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ – 595,820
Geekbench 6
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 – 1895/4996
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ – 990/2790
3D Mark Wildlife Extreme
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 – 2989/17.9 FPS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ – None
Solar Bay
Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 – 4282/16.28 FPS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ – None
These relatively high benchmark scores correspond to very fast and smooth tablet performance. During use, regardless of whether it is for work using many applications or just playing games all day, this tablet is still able to operate perfectly until night without heating problems and time delays.
CAMERA
Only Apple cares about the quality of the camera on the tablet because it believes that the iPad is a computer replacement. For Xiaomi tablets, although they do not emphasize the quality of the camera like there is no Leica feature but the selfie camera results are beautiful, clear and bright. Details are successfully preserved and the AI mode now successfully identifies lighting situations for better quality portrait and automatic results.
Teleconference
Most teleconferencing services already include AI camera features that enhance the quality. The quality of the camera for teleconferencing depends on the device, on this tablet it is quite bright and has good movement. There are no hang-ups and teleconference sessions that come with this tablet are sure to end well.
AUDIO
Dolby Atmos audio for the six speakers on this tablet is balanced. It's also loud enough for solo entertainment. Because it is more bass oriented, watching movies is more ideal than listening to music. Xiaomi needs to make their tablet speakers better if they want to sell at a price of up to RM3000.
BATTERY AND CHARGING
Usually when I test a smartphone, if the battery doesn't last I can forgive if there is fast charging. For a hard tablet I'm sorry because this Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 only lasts around 5 hours SOT for light use and around 3-4 hours SOT for heavy use. True, 120W charging is fast and useful but it interferes with my work process if before lunch the tablet battery is dead and I have to take out the laptop anyway.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
Regardless of whether you buy the 8GB RAM or 12GB RAM model, here's what you'll receive in the box;
1x Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4
1x USB-A to USB-C Cable
1x 120W HyperCharge Charger
1x Guide and safety set
CONCLUSION
This Android tablet problem is more or less the same as the iPad. Every time I test an Android tablet I'm told it's still not as good as iPadOS. The iPad is expensive but it's still iPadOS not macOS. Many of the apps I use on a daily basis are not Android tablet friendly and are only phone mode upscaled. Even the web browser default mode is still mobile version not desktop mode.
Even so, for my use writing articles, testing AI chatbots, simple photo editing, video editing with Capcut and for entertainment – this Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 is a good Android tablet and much more powerful than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ sold at the same price but with almost twice as poor specifications and performance.
PRO
Quality and satisfying tablet screen.
Good operating system.
Smooth performance with solid productivity features.
A quality camera for photography and teleconferencing.
Super fast charging, 35 minutes can be full.
CONS
Too bad it's not OLED.
Still not as good as iPadOS.
No generative AI features like competing tablets.
Battery does not last long.
Attractive accessories sold separately.
