Redmi Pad Review: The Budget Tablet Worth Buying

Redmi is the so-called affordable cousin of the Xiaomi family. Like the other brands, it started its journey as a smartphone brand, and then slowly moved to other segments. Xiaomi already offers its tablet in the market, and now it is time for Redmi but with a different focus. The Redmi Pad is the latest Android tablet in India that looks to the target audiences that still limit their usage of a tablet to watching movies or surfing the web, and by the looks of it, there are quite a few takers in this range.

The Redmi Pad tablet is available at a starting price of Rs 14,999 where you also have Realme and Oppo battling it out. We used the Redmi Pad for more than a week, and here’s our review which talks about its value in this space.

Redmi Pad Review: What’s Cool

Budget tablets have grown, and they are quite likeable now. After using the new tablets in the market, we had set our expectations for the Redmi Pad, and thankfully it came through nicely. The premium metal body is such a refreshing sign for tablets in the space, which doesn’t look like an afterthought anymore.

Along with that, you get a slim frame design at 7.1mm that is also lightweight at under 500 grams. All these attributes allow you to hold the tablet and not feel its weight. The matte finish is another bonus for its construction and any day a better option than the glossy back panels we usually get.

Redmi Pad features a 10.61-inch LCD panel but what you get is a 90Hz refresh rate screen which makes it better than the rest in this segment. In most cases, the display will keep you happy but the lack of an oleophobic coating means you will easily notice the smudges on the screen and need to wipe it at every instance.

The tablet has been bestowed with Widevine L1 certifications which means you can enjoy Full JD content on various OTT platforms, including Netflix.

Performance is another big advantage that you get with the Redmi Pad. It is powered by MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, which is a 4G-enabled hardware but quite capable of handling both your daily tasks and some gaming sessions without any hiccups. You can play popular gaming titles at high refresh rate settings, where you will notice minor stutters but nothing that will be a deal breaker.

The other big advantage of using this tablet is that you get an expandable storage slot, which goes up to 1TB if needed. Redmi has added quad speakers powered by Dolby Atmos that do the trick, and in most cases, we relied on the built-in unit to watch movies.

The MIUI 13 Pad version running over Android 12 is another big plus for us since it does not have much bloatware. The overall UI experience was quite good but it is fair to say that Androids on tablets still need optimisation from the developer’s end.

Redmi Pad has been packed with an 8000mAh battery that goes for days, making sure you are not searching for the charger frequently. During our video loop test, we started using the tablet at around 80 per cent, and after over 4 hours of streaming, the battery just dropped by 20 per cent, which is pretty solid.

Redmi Pad Review: What’s Not So Cool?

Redmi Pad for some reason doesn’t get a cellular variant in India. The cameras are basic and we suggest you don’t expect a lot from them, especially the unit at the back.

The tablet does not have a fingerprint sensor, so you only have the software-centric face unlock or the PIN lock for security. The tablet also doesn’t get a headphone jack, and the giant 8000mAh battery only supports 18W charging, which takes hours to fully juice up.

Redmi Pad Review: Should You Buy?

Redmi Pad has more pluses than drawbacks, which makes it a good choice for tablet buyers. You have a big screen with a high refresh rate that is fluid, the storage is expandable, the performance is reliable and the battery life is solid. The software can definitely get better and the cameras could use a tweak or two as well. All in all, Redmi Pad is a worthy Android tablet that we can easily recommend.