The Xiaomi Redmi Pad: Affordable and Feature-Packed Tablet for Online Education

Since the release of inexpensive smartphones with large screens, the tablet market has been in decline. Android has been known to have a subpar user experience compared to other devices, and the iPad’s superior app design optimizations were other factors that contributed to this trend. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought a surge in demand for online education among children, has created the perfect conditions for Android tablets to make a comeback. This has prompted original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to design and create innovative tablets that are both affordable and completely new.

Google’s idea of improving the Android user experience was revealed with the launch of Android 12L. Later in the first half of 2022, Xiaomi took a risk by introducing its Xiaomi Pad 5 tablet in the Indian market. The risk paid off as the company sold out its entire stock in a matter of hours. Subsequently, Xiaomi has released a new tablet, now bearing the Redmi logo.

The Xiaomi Redmi Pad is a low-cost tablet that aims to provide a fair price for a range of features. It has a Helio G99 processor, a huge battery, and a massive 2K resolution display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. All of these features are included in the starting price of 14,999. We have been using the Redmi Pad for over three weeks and can attest to its impressive features. Those looking for an affordable tablet should consider the Redmi Pad as an excellent option.

The Xiaomi Redmi Pad is an Android tablet that doesn’t look like a cheap device, despite being one. Its all-metal construction gives it a great feel in the hand and the flat frame design and perfect weight distribution make it appear lighter than its 465g weight. Furthermore, this tablet is relatively thin, measuring 7.1mm. All in all, the Redmi Pad strikes a great balance between quality and affordability.

No matter how you use the tablet, the corners are always rounded to make it comfortable to hold and prevent digging into your hands. The tablet is available in three different colors – Graphite Gray, Mint Green, and Moonlight Silver. We tested the Graphite Gray variant for this review.

Honestly, the Green colour is quite modest and it is a great complement to other Xiaomi ecosystem items, such as the POCO F4 model. The body of the tablet is coated with a matte texture which prevents most fingerprints and smudges from appearing on its exterior.

When holding the tablet in portrait mode, the little power button is located at the top, the volume rocker is situated on the right side, the SD card slot is present on the left side, and the USB Type-C connector is found at the bottom.

5mm audio jack, you’d be wrong. It’s still there and ready to be used with your favourite headphones. The tablet contains four speakers, two located in the top section and two in the bottom section, to provide the best stereo separation possible. Additionally, it includes a 3.5mm audio jack for use with headphones for an even more immersive experience.

It is regrettable that the tablet does not have a 5mm headphone jack, particularly considering its price point. This means that users will not be able to connect headphones to the device, making it difficult to listen to audio privately.

Additionally, the Xiaomi Pad 5 does not have Pogo connectors for external peripherals. This means users cannot easily connect to other devices such as keyboards or mice for extended use.