Xiaomi Pad 5, is he the best Android tablet under 400 euros?The review

After a few years of stasis, the tablet market returns sparkling not only in the lower and higher bands, but also in those intermediate all too often dominated by the traditional iPad of Apple.With the arrival of the new Huawei and Xiaomi Pad 5 mathepads, however, the apple tablet sees two opponents decidedly fierce and ready for the challenge without too much shyness.After trying the Huawei tablet we also got our hands on Xiaomi Pad 5, and in our complete review you find everything you need to know on one of the best tablets in circulation under the psychological threshold of 400 euros.

Article index

Technical specifications

Xiaomi is not new in the world of tablets, however Xiaomi Pad 5 arrives after an extensive expectation compared to the launch of the previous family models (which still used the prefix and had not officially arrived in our borders).The new model uses a form factor with square lines reminiscent of those of iPad Air or iPad Pro, differentiating through a plastic back with iridescent shades based on the environment light.Aesthetics and attention to detail are undoubtedly Premium, for a beautiful and comfortable tablet to use.The dimensions: 255 x 166 mm with a thickness that touches the 7 mm, while the weight is 511 grams.

Tablet strength is its 11 "display with resolution support 1600x2560 pixels, therefore with a 16:10 format and a 120Hz refresh rate.The display is an IPS LCD that offers a 1 billion colors coverage, promising support to HDR and Dolby Vision content.The multimedia sector then provides a stereo four speaker system integrated with the possibility of reproducing 24-bit content and 192khz.There is not the 3 audio jack.5mm, while the cameras are not particularly refined: at the rear we find a 13mp sensor with F/2 lens.0, capable of registering also in 4K@30fps, while at the front there is an 8 MP F/2 module.0 that can record in Full HD.

Xiaomi Pad 5 supports the nib, which can be loaded magnetically, but surprisingly a version with the SIM slot is not available on the market, nor 4G, nor 5G.In the non-pro variant that we have tried, it uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor, not too recent but still printed at 7-NM and with 8-core by a maximum of 2.96GHz.In Italy it is sold in a single 6 + 128 GB of memory, not expandable, in the colors Cosmic Gray and Pearl White, and on the official website we have not found trace of the Keyboard Cover, but only of the Smart Pen.To feed everything there is an 8 battery.720mAh with 33W quick charging support on Pd 3 technology.0, through the USB Type-C connector present.

Present at the appeal, clearly, Wi-Fi 5 (AC) and Bluetooth 5.0, while GPS module and fingerprint sensor are absent.Software side cannot be missing the owner customization of Xiaomi, the MIUI 12.5 on Android 11 basis, magazine in a tablet key.Even in the software the references to the iPad world are not few.

Xiaomi Pad 5: prices and equipment

The technical characteristics of Xiaomi Pad 5 are balanced, just as its market positioning is in our opinion perfect: 399.90 for its DA6 + 128GB version which is, as already mentioned, the only one officially present in our market.The Xiaomi Smart Pen, however, is bought separately: 99.90 for those who want to expand the functionality of the device.

In the equipment we only find the essentials, as befits this product category: the 33W charger will have to be enough and the USB Type-C cable, in addition to the rapid driving and the warranty card.The adapter from Type-C to Jack from 3 is not provided.5mm, accessory that we would have liked in the absence of the audio door.

Software and experience of use

La miui 12.5 of Xiaomi presents many characteristics taken from Android, which is obvious since it is based on Android 11, but also several references to the Apple world.All the stylistic characterization, based on saturated colors and a linear and minimalist style is quite apple-style..

Of default all the installed apps are poured on the home and navigation takes place only through gestures, but the user can decide whether to enable the "app drawer" to hide the less used apps from the home or enable the navigation on-screen keys.Even the choice to divide the notification center into two distinct areas, one with notifications and the other with quick actions, refers to Apple, and it is not a solution that we liked very much.We find the Android single screen with quick notifications and actions more comfortable.

Bloatware is quite reduced to the first start: in fact, we find the whole suite of Google applications, including the Google assistant, and some essential tools.Among these, the cleaner, music, video, an app to manage security, a gallery, and also a scanner, the weather app and the Mi browser.There are duplicates with Google apps, and a 100% compatible app compatible with the owner Smart Pen, which works very well without sensitive delays.Xiaomi smartphone users can benefit from me, a system for sharing data quickly and easily.

There is no shortage of special features that we often encounter also on the owners' smartphones: turbo video games, appearance windows (to drag a notification and manage it inside a small screen) and according to space (to use a protected account in the device), are the main ones.Like any self-respecting tablet we also have the two main multi-window modes: the split screen, with which to use two apps alongside the screen at the same time, and the possibility of performing an app in the window in the foreground compared to what happens on thehis background.

The management of apps and windows takes place with optimal reactivity even when several operations take place simultaneously.Granitic fluidity in almost all circumstances, also thanks to the 120Hz of the display and the integrated hardware that manages to manage the Miui, also very light here as on smartphones, in an exemplary way.

Technical analysis

Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 is the re -proposal of Snapdragon 855, hardware platform not more than latest fashion, with a slight overclocking for the main core.Compared to the new generation Snapdragon 888, we have a less modern production process (7-NM against 5-NMs of 888) and a micro-architecture for less recent cores, as well as a two generations DSP ago.Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 is practically identical to Snapdragon 855, changing only the frequency of the main core: 2.84GHz on Snapdragon 855, 2.96 Ghz instead on the new Snapdragon 870.Here are the differences between the various Soc.

In fact, not a big problem, since - as we will see below - the performances are similar to those of the best Android tablets of the same market, and the autonomy guaranteed by the large battery is not a big problem.On the contrary!

Benchmark

Below is the benchmark that we performed with the terminal.

Display

Xiaomi Pad 5 mounts a WQHD+ display with a 16:10 format extremely comfortable both as regards the vision of multimedia content and for navigation on the web or apps.Supports the DCI-P3 standard, according to the manufacturer's proclamations, and over a billion colors.It also mounts a light sensor and a color temperature sensor, thus allowing to enable the function called adaptive colors that regulates the colors according to environmental light.Support to Dolby Vision and HDR10 is combined with support for Dolby Atmos for integrated speakers, and wireless hi-res audio.The user can choose to set up the update frequency at 60Hz and 120Hz, which therefore does not appear to be adaptive.

Display analysis

The Xiaomi Pad 5 display can be set in three different ways:

During our tests we measured a maximum luminance of 447 nits, with a contrast ratio of 1230: 1 approximately.Fairly significant values, which allow a vision of good quality, even if not excellent, even in external environments in the sunlight.

Modalità Standard

Gamut

White balance

Range curve

Chromatic loyalty (DCI-P3)

Riproduzione HDR

Gamut

White balance

Range curve

Chromatic loyalty (DCI-P3 SMPTE 2084 HDR)

Ups and downs for the Xiaomi Pad 5 display which, net of a chromatic reproduction however effective, has some uncertainty on the precision front.The standard mode is the most correct based on our tests, while revealing an average Deltae of 5.5 with the colors of the Macbeth Color Checker (we measured a not very satisfactory precision especially with warm colors).In this mode, the gamut triangle is correct according to the DCI-P3 reference, and the tonal progression of white is also correct with a range curve that follows the reference well.In intermediate saturations, however, the Macbeth Color Checker has highlighted some imperfections in the chromatic reproduction, present on all the reproduction methods available through the MIUI 12.5.Instead, the reproduction of HDR content, of good quality on Xiaomi Pad 5 is faithful.Here we find a deltae = 3.8 and a fairly faithful range curve according to the reference, while the white balance is faithful only from 30% upwards (difficult to notice inaccuracies to the naked eye at lower values, however).Gamut's triangle, however, is slightly less extensive than the reproduction of SDR content.

Autonomy

Xiaomi Pad 5 surprised us on the level of autonomy with a result that is not often seen on tablet.In our Wi-Fi navigation test, made with an automated script that simulates human interaction with web pages, we have scored a 965-minute result.As a comparison, tablet with excellent autonomy such as Huawei Matepad 11 or Matepad 10.4 made results of 725 and 800 minutes respectively respectively.Huawei's customization is less aggressive in Idle times, however Xiaomi Pad 5 is currently the tablet that in our test has scored the higher score among the models of the last generations.

In combination with the 33W charger with Power Delivery 3 technology.0, the autonomy of Pad 5 is never a big problem: the battery life is in fact one of the strengths of the new Chinese tablet.This is also thanks to the big unit for almost 9.000mAh installed under the aluminum and plastic chassis.

Camera

If on the level of autonomy Xiaomi Pad 5 surprised us favorably, on that of the camera there are no great expectations.The tablet mounts a small 13 mp sensor at the rear inside a small island that protrudes slightly from the device.The island also presents the space for a second module, which is only "designed" since there is nothing inside.Instead, there is an LED flash, which helps to get around the sensor limits when the environmental light is poor.On the front we find an 8 MP sensor, inside the small frame of the display, more than satisfactory for the now essential videoconferences.

Examples of snap Xiaomi Pad 5

The quality of Xiaomi Pad 5 shots does not drive crazy, this is clear.The photos can be used especially when taken in good light conditions, but in many cases the background noise and a general scarce incisiveness is evident as regards the chromatic aspect.Some aspects can be corrected in postproduction, others less.No tablet excels in this area, this is true, but there are several models that in the same price manage to offer something more than Xiaomi Pad 5.

Final considerations

Xiaomi Pad 5 is certainly one of the tablets to be considered around the price threshold of 400 euros, especially for those looking for a device designed for mere reproduction and consultation of content.The display is of a good level, and is accompanied by an excellent audio sector, while the performance is always high with an optimal fluidity guaranteed also by the 120Hz.The design that, if on the one hand it recalls that of competition devices on the one hand, on the other it is quite recognizable for finishing at the rear.

Compared to Matepad 11, with which he compares himself directly, he can boast some interesting features such as the 120Hz HDR display - albeit slightly lower quality - and complete support at the Google Play Store, as well as an autonomy as a true record holder.Instead, a winner compared to iPad, however, is difficult, since in this case it is more a matter of tastes and ecosystem.What is certain is that Xiaomi Pad 5 is configured as one of the best alternatives of the new 10 iPad.2 ", perhaps the best ever under 400 euros with Android operating system.