Xiaomi MiPad is a pretty package for just $240 (REVIEW)

Xiaomi unveiled its first ever tablet in May in the form of the MiPad. Available initially only in mainland China, it costs RMB 1,499 (US$243) for the 16GB model and RMB 1,699 (US$276) for the 64GB one.

The MiPad went on sale in June. Although it’s only available to Chinese shoppers, I wanted to review this from more of an international perspective, so I requested a review unit and loaded it up with all the apps that I use on my old Nexus 7. After living with the MiPad for a week, these are my thoughts.

Before we leap in, let’s weigh up the very strongly specced MiPad against its rivals on price. Let’s not include the much pricier iPad Mini with retina display, because if a brand is going in cheaper than an iPad, it’s venturing into price-sensitive territory, likely targeting consumers who seriously cannot afford the extra couple of hundred bucks for an iPad. That’s where the MiPad scores an early win against brands like Samsung with specifications that whip its similarly priced rivals:

Let’s dive in to the full review.

Hardware – look and feel

The MiPad hardware itself is an insight into Xiaomi’s secret sauce. It looks good from a distance, and it looks and feels nice in the hand. While it couldn’t be described as premium – with a plastic rear and plastic buttons made to look like metal – few people would say that it looks bad. Indeed, the MiPad itself feels solid and well put together. Individuals who get a glimpse of the MiPad up close, whether friends or waitresses, have been impressed with it and asked to hold it.

The good first impression turns to gasps of surprise when they turn on the screen and see how crisp and vibrant it is. The 7.9-inch screen is on a par – and identical in size and specs – to the iPad Mini. There will be more expressions of surprise when you say the MiPad costs just RMB 1,499, which is a whisker over US$240.

That’s pretty much how Xiaomi has rocketed from zero to a target of 60 million phone sales for 2014 in the space of just over three years – with hardware that’s good enough to pass muster allied to a price that’s half of what you’d pay for similar gadgets.

Screen and sound

Software – massaging MIUI

Camera

Performance and battery life

Rivals

Conclusion