In major departure, Xiaomi’s new tablet will also run Windows 10

Xiaomi’s latest tablet, the Mi Pad 2, is thinner than its predecessor, features a full-metal body, and will even be capable of running Windows 10, the company announced at an event today in Beijing.

The Mi Pad 2 will be available with 16 and 64 gigabytes of storage, and features a 7.9-inch screen, an Intel X5 quad-core processor, and USB type-C charging. In a nod to Apple’s “Rose Gold” iPhone 6S, the Xiaomi tablet will be available in “Champagne Gold” in addition to dark grey. The 16GB model will retail for RMB 999 (US$156) and the 64GB model will go for RMB 1,299 (US$203).

Image via MIUI.co

Image via MIUI.co

One particularly exciting detail for more serious tablet users came at the end of Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun’s speech, where he mentioned that the device will also be capable of running Windows 10. This marks a significant departure for Xiaomi, a company that has prided itself on using its homegrown MIUI Android skin and feature set for all of its devices.

The MIUI-based Mi Pad 2 is due for release this month, with the Windows 10 version slated for December.

Today’s event did not feature the much-rumored Xiaomi laptop, but building a high-quality tablet that can run Windows is already more than halfway there. If the company can come up with a solid keyboard dock, then they’ll be in the same game as Microsoft with its Surface Book or Apple with its iPad Pro.

But the company still has a ways to go before truly rivaling either of those companies: especially with only a 7.9-inch screen on its flagship.