Xiaomi Pad 7 review: Budget tablet, premium vibes

Xiaomi Pad 7

Ratings: 8/10

For years, Android tablets have struggled to keep up with Apple’s iPads, which have consistently been ahead in performance, display quality, and ecosystem integration. Android tablets were often seen as the more affordable alternative for those who couldn’t splurge on Apple products. Think tablet, think iPad could very well be the unofficial anthem for buyers.

But gradually Android tablets have stepped their game and managed to compete with the iPad on a budget. Having used my fair share of tablets over the years, it something I can vouch for. My recent experience with the Xiaomi Pad 7 has even made me develop a soft spot for Android tablets, making me view them with kinder eyes.

The Xiaomi Pad 7 has quickly become my go-to device for almost everything. Whether I’m binge-watching my favorite series, writing news articles, or just surfing the web, this tablet manages to do it all, and do it really well. So, after using it for a few weeks, here’s what I’ve discovered — the good, the great, and a few things that could use some work.

Design

The Xiaomi Pad 7 is definitely a looker. And considering we are highlighting the “budget” aspect while discussing the Pad 7, it looks surprisingly premium for its price( it starts at Rs 27,999). The tablet features an all-metal build, a sleek finish, and a slim form factor. At 500g, it is also quite lightweight—in fact, lighter than its predecessor, the Pad 6. I had no trouble carrying it around all day without feeling weighed down.

Xiaomi Pad 7

The tablet has a square-shaped camera module, similar to the one seen on the Xiaomi 13. The rear panel has a matte finish, which looks great but tends to attract smudges. There is also a small Xiaomi branding at the bottom alongside pogo pins.

The Pad 7 comes with a quad-speaker setup, with two speaker grilles on the top and bottom. The power button is located at the top, while the volume buttons are placed on the right side. You will also find the USB Type-C port at the bottom. Whether you use it vertically or horizontally, the button placement is extremely convenient.

The tablet is offered in three interesting colourways– the Sage Green, Mirage Purple and the Graphite Grey. I have received the Grey colour variant for the review. It looks premium but if you want newer colours, you can opt for the Sage Green or even the Mirage Purple colour variant.

Display

The Xiaomi Pad 7 comes with a 11.2-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio. It is one of the sharpest, most vibrant screens I have ever seen on a tablet in this price segment. The 144Hz refresh rate makes everything feel silky smooth, whether I’m scrolling through Instagram, editing photos, or watching YouTube videos.

Xiaomi Pad 7

What I really appreciate is how bright and clear everything is—even under sunlight. The Pad 7 also comes with a nano texture display, which keeps the screen free from glare. The variant I used does not have the nano texture display but it can be bought for a few extra bucks.

The Pad 7 also comes with the HydroTouch feature, which means you can use it even with wet fingers. Overall, the display is perfect if you want to watch movies or use it for your work. My only issue is that the display is reflective, which means you will always have to find the perfect angle in order to avoid seeing your own reflection– this is where the nano texture display will help.

Coming to the speakers, it has Dolby Atmos support so you do get the rich, immersive sound with clear highs, mid-tones, and—while not super heavy—enough bass to make your movie nights or gaming sessions more engaging. I have used it for video calls too, and the audio quality is crisp enough that I don’t have to strain to hear people.

That being said, if you’re a bass junkie, you might find the speakers lacking in that department. It is also not very loud. But for most people, the audio will be more than enough. If you want more bass, external speakers or headphones are an easy fix.

Performance and battery

Let’s talk power. The Pad 7 is powered by Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 mobile platform. The LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 4.0 storage ensure that everything runs smoothly. I have used the device for entertainment purposes as well as for work. And work means multiple tabs. However, I was impressed by its lag-free performance throughout the time I used it. There were no slowdowns even during long Asphalt 9 sessions.

The Pad 7 also supports cross-device syncing, which means you can sync your apps across devices. The feature is only available with Android phones though.

Xiaomi Pad 7

While HyperOS 2 offers a host of customisation options, some apps are not optimised well for an Android tablet, for instance, it still feels odd to work on the Google Docs, as it does not have the same kind of interface for tablets as it does for computers. The word count does not appear at the bottom and somehow you don't get to see all the tools at the top. There is very little that can be done from the brand’s side here. Maybe if the apps were optimised better or if Xiaomi had replicas of the popular Google apps that don't look as good on Pad 7, the overall experience would have been even better.

Coming to the battery, the Pad 7 houses a 8500mAh battery, which easily lasted me around two days of heavy usage. On standby mode, it even lasted me a week. It comes with a 45W fast charger, which usually takes about an hour to refill the juice.

Two more things – Focus Keyboard and Focus Pen

When I previously reviewed the Pad 6 with its keyboard, I deeply missed having a touchpad. It looks like Xiaomi has answered my prayers by introducing one in its Focus Keyboard. Since my job involves writing on a laptop for a significant part of the day, the Xiaomi Pad 7 with a full keyboard felt like a blessing. The best part? The keyboard is super sturdy and not wobbly like many other folio keyboards — here’s looking at you OnePlus.

Xiaomi Pad 7

I wrote stories on a moving bus, placed the keyboard comfortably on my lap, and typed with ease—without constantly adjusting the screen or the keyboard. The key travel is fairly good. While the layout is a bit cramped, the key sizes are large enough to provide a comfortable typing experience.

I have been using the Focus pen for scribbling down notes and for casual sketching. It feels as natural as writing on paper, thanks to the 8192 pressure sensitivity levels

Verdict

To answer the burning question if the Pad 7 can replace a laptop? The answer is no. It still has a long way to go. But if you want to write and do basic tasks and don't deal with heavy files, applications — more importantly don’t wish to carry heavy laptop — then in this area, it can certainly replace a laptop. It has got the power, display, and design to keep you engaged whether you're working, watching, or creating. The performance is smooth, the display is a delight. Sure, there are a few areas that could be tweaked (like the camera and speaker bass), but they don’t take away from the overall experience.

If you’re in the market for a tablet that can handle both work and play, without breaking the bank, I’d say the Xiaomi Pad 7 is definitely worth checking out. It truly does everything—and does it well. Whether you're using it for productivity or entertainment, you won’t be disappointed.