Xiaomi has set its name well in the mid-range tablet market, especially with last year’s Xiaomi Pad 6. To solidify its position, it has recently introduced the Xiaomi Pad 7, which is expected to maintain the standards set by its predecessor. Given its hard-to-ignore specs, the tablet can easily hold a candle to the Pad 6. But, can it deliver? And most importantly, can it go head-to-head with the iPad Air? Let’s find out in my review.
Xiaomi Pad 7
Rs 27,999
What Is Good?
- Subtle and premium design
- Affordable Focus Pen and keyboard
- Clean UI with the neat workstation mode
- Good performance
- Decent battery life
What Is Bad?
- No fingerprint scanner
- No SIM support
- AI features not readily available
Pricing and Availability
The Xiaomi Pad 7 starts at Rs 27,999 and can be purchased via mi.com, Amazon, Reliance Digital, and leading retail stores. Here’s the pricing,
| Device | Storage | Price |
| Xiaomi Pad 7 | 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage | Rs 27,999 |
| 12GB RAM + 256GB Storage | Rs 30,999 | |
| 12GB RAM + 256GB Storage (nano texture display) | Rs 32,999 |
Design and Display
The Xiaomi Pad 7 follows the style of the Pad 6 and hence, you get the Xiaomi 14-like squarish rear camera bump (which by the way, houses a single camera only) and a metal build. It is sleek and gives a premium vibe, but its predecessor is still thinner and lighter. Having said that, the difference is minuscule, and the Pad 7 is quite comfortable to carry around and use for longer hours.
I used the Sage Green colour of Pad 7, which embodies subtlety and looks great. The Pad 7 has pogo pins to attach the keyboard accessory, and the inclusion is so seamless that you may not spot them right away or feel there’s something dated about it. The design may not be revolutionary, but its premium look at a mid-range price is impressive.
The matte finish isn’t prone to smudges or dust, which is a great blessing for those who are keen on wiping a device as soon as a dust particle is spotted (yup, that’s me!). However, I did miss a couple of things: a fingerprint scanner and a 3.5mm audio jack!
| Design | Specifications |
| Weight | 500 grams |
| Thickness | 6.18mm |
| Colours | Graphite Grey, Mirage Purple, Sage Green |
| Port and Button Placements | Bottom: USB-C port, Two Speaker grille
Top: Primary microphone, two speaker grilles, power button Right Side: Volume button |
The Pad 7’s display is slightly larger, but not noticeably so at first glance. It retains the same 144Hz refresh rate as the Pad 6, but three key aspects have changed. This version features an improved 3.2K resolution, 800 nits HBM, and a 3:2 aspect ratio. The display also includes Nano Texture technology to reduce glare. However, this is available only on a separate variant, while the one I used has a regular glossy display.
This didn’t affect my usage, as viewing angles and sunlight visibility remained excellent. For multimedia consumption, the tablet doesn’t disappoint. Whether watching YouTube long-form videos or Shorts, or catching up on a series or movie on Netflix, the Pad 7 delivers vibrant colors. While not at OLED quality, it comes impressively close. Netflix supports Widevine L1 and HDR10+, ensuring that darker scenes are well-rendered and lighter movies like Kinda Pregnant look great.
The only drawback is the 3:2 aspect ratio, which results in black bars while watching content and even crops it in full-screen mode. At a time when an immersive full-screen experience is standard, this change feels somewhat frustrating.
| Display | Specifications |
| Size | 11.16-inch |
| Type | LCD |
| Resolution | 3200 x 2136 pixels |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Peak Brightness | Claimed: 800 nits (HBM) |
This is complemented by a quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos support, enhancing the overall experience. I used it during my commute and never felt bored!
Performance and Software
This time, Xiaomi uses the popular mid-range chipset instead of the 8-series member, which isn’t a problem, given that the Pad 6 had an old one. The chipset powers many phones like the Realme GT 6 and the OnePlus Nord 4.
The Pad 7 does a good job at whatever you throw at it. I mainly used it for content streaming, and it hardly stuttered there. I tried playing some games on this tablet, and everything ran smoothly without any complaints. BGMI hit 120 fps, while Asphalt 9 reached 90 fps at its highest settings.
| Hardware | Specifications |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 SoC |
| RAM | Up to 12GB |
| Storage | Up to 256GB |
| Software Version | Xiaomi HyperOS, based on Android 15 |
| Connectivity Details | Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.4 |
The Pad 7 runs HyperOS with Android 15 out of the box. Besides this, there are on-point optimisations and ease of usage, which make a great case for the Pad 7. The UI is mostly clean, with a few pre-installed apps like WPS Office that can be useful. Xiaomi’s focus with this tablet is to enable users to multitask, and a great example of this is the Workstation mode.
While tablets can’t completely replace laptops, Xiaomi does a solid job of offering a taste of that experience. It took me a bit of time to get used to it, but once I did, it felt seamless. I can see myself using this feature in the long run. This brings me to the accessories,
Accessories
- The keyboard gets the Focus trackpad for the first time (which mimics Apple’s Magic keyboard). It helps in this experience; it is quite sturdy, and typing on it, especially on the go, won’t be a problem. I still reiterate that it’s not a laptop replacement, but in case you need a proxy, the Pad 7 can help. And attaching is just so easy. However, the touchpad gestures seem off at times, and swiping down won’t exit the page you are on. Instead, you will take a screenshot but will take a screenshot instead.
- The Focus Pen is also great to use. At Rs 5,999, it offers precision in editing or writing. Pairing it with the tablet is quite easy: just attach it to the top of the device, enable Bluetooth, and it’s done!
Sadly, the AI features aren’t available yet and are expected to reach users with a future update. We will discuss more on this once I get to access them.
Cameras
The camera setup can capture decent pictures and lend a hand for casual photography. The front camera orientation is thoughtful, and video-calling (for work or with friends) was easy.
| Camera | Specifications |
| Primary Camera | 13-megapixel rear camera, f/2.2 aperture |
| Selfie Camera | 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, f/2.28 aperture |
| Video Recording Capabilities | 720p at 30fps |
Battery and Charging
The Xiaomi Pad 7 has almost the same battery capacity as its predecessor, but the fast-charging support makes things super convenient. The tablet charges fully in about an hour and a half, which isn’t bad. That said, this will be slowed down significantly if you use a third-party charger (say, a Mac or other phone charger).
| Battery | Specifications |
| Battery | 8,850mAh |
| Charging Adapter | 45W charger in the box |
| Charging Time | 1 hour 37 minutes |
| PCMark Test | 9 Hours 20 mins |
The tablet lasted more than 9 hours in the PCMark test. While this is not exceptional, the tablet went on for over a day, which is not bad.
Verdict
Let’s get to the question I asked in the beginning: Does the Xiaomi Pad 7 hold a candle to its competition or its predecessor? It surely does.
Starting at under Rs 30,000, it is all one would need from a tablet. The price is accessible, the display experience is great, and, more importantly, the UI isn’t troublesome.
It speaks of premium and offers great value in the tablet space. The AI features aren’t readily available, so commenting on them is too soon. While Xiaomi aims to create its own identity in this space, it gives the iPad Air a run for its money, quite conveniently. The accessories are added costs, but compared to what Apple charges, these are quite reasonable (the Focus Keyboard at Rs 7,999 and the Focus Pen at Rs 5,999).
It does lack a few things like a fingerprint scanner, SIM support, and a 3.5mm audio jack, but overall, I can’t think of a major competitor here and if you want a tablet without wanting to spend on the added Apple expenses, don’t hesitate to go for the Xiaomi Pad 7.
