Redmi Pad Pro Review: The Best Mainstream Android Tablet in 2024?

In the ever-evolving world of tablets, Xiaomi's Redmi Pad Pro emerges as a compelling contender, offering a blend of premium features and affordability that's hard to ignore. Now, I know what you're thinking - a "Pad Pro"? Really? Did Xiaomi just run out of original names? But, let me tell you, it is one of the better Android tablets I've used in a good while. Let’s see whether Xiaomi's latest offering truly lives up to its "Pro" moniker and if it can carve out a niche in the competitive tablet market.

Xiaomi Pad Pro 5G: Price & Availability

There aren’t many tablets that offer 5G connectivity in this price range, but Xiaomi offers the Redmi Pad Pro in both WiFi and Cellular options. 

The WiFi only model has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and is priced at Rs 21,999, while the 5G variants are priced at Rs 24,999 for 128GB of storage and Rs 26,999 for 256GB. Both of these also have 8GB of RAM. 

Xiaomi Pad Pro 5G: Look & Feel

I've been using this as my go-to media consumption device for the past few weeks and am thoroughly impressed. Whether I'm kicking back on the couch to watch the latest Netflix release or propping it up on my desk to do some light work, the Redmi Pad Pro has been an absolute champ.

Xiaomi has really nailed the design of the Pad Pro. It has a sleek, aluminium unibody, not plastic, which is a nice touch. Sure, it's a bit on the hefty side at 568 grams, but it doesn't creak and won't slip out of your hands. It's the kind of tablet you can get a good grip on and feel confident holding.

Xiaomi Pad Pro 5G: How Good Is The Display?

The 12.1-inch screen is big and bright. With a crisp 2.5K resolution, Dolby Vision, and a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate, it's perfect for watching your favourite shows on. 

I've been binging the final season of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix, browsing Instagram, and even doing a bit of light gaming; and the screen just makes everything pop. 

Colours are vibrant, blacks are deep, and the overall clarity is top-notch. Sure, it's not OLED, but at this price point, I'm more than willing to overlook that.

Xiaomi Pad Pro 5G: How’s The Performance In Daily Use?

Under the hood, the Redmi Pad Pro is packing a Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor, which is not the absolute latest and greatest, but it more than holds its own. 

I've been bouncing between all sorts of tasks - from casual web browsing and typing documents to light gaming and even video editing - and the performance has been consistently smooth and responsive. 

No, you're not going to be maxing out Warzone or Genshin Impact or anything like that, but this tablet gets everyday jobs done.

Sketching on this tablet is also fun. Even though it's not as polished as the sketching experience on the iPad 10th Gen, you must remember that it's not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, and the Redmi Pad Pro is a lot more affordable. 

Sketches made on Redmi Pad Pro (credit: @kalakaardas & _dobaramatpuchna)

Even if you account for Xiaomi’s Pen, you will spend just under Rs 30K for the whole package, while the iPad with the Pencil easily goes over 40K.

The Mi Canvas app comes pre-installed and is decent for beginners, though I faced input lag when trying to draw or write anything. 

Other apps, such as Sketchbook and HiPaint, worked perfectly fine, and you can have a lot of fun sketching on the Redmi Pad Pro. 

Oh, and it also recognises your handwriting, so you can simply use the pen to write text, for example to search the web. 

The 8MP cameras on the front and back are perfectly fine for the occasional video call or quickly scanning a document, but don't expect smartphone-level camera quality.

Xiaomi Pad Pro 5G: Battery Life

With a massive 10,000mAh battery, I've been easily getting through a full day of use without reaching for the charger. Seriously, this thing lasts forever. We're talking hours of video streaming, some light productivity work and sketching, and this tablet kept chugging along, but that was with cellular data disabled.

The 33W charging adapter provided in the box takes around 2 hours to fully charge this device from zero.

Xiaomi Pad Pro 5G: What’s Bad?

Now, I do have a few gripes to get out of the way. Xiaomi packed in four Dolby Atmos-certified speakers, and let me tell you, they are just about decent. Don't get me wrong, I've managed to watch movies, listen to music, and even hop on the occasional video call. The Xiaomi Pad Pro is good enough, but the Pad 6, for example, offers a richer and more immersive experience.

If you are looking for thumping sound specifically for entertainment, you might want to consider the Lenovo Tab Plus, which has an 8-speaker setup tuned by JBL, or of course a Bluetooth speaker.

The lack of a fingerprint sensor is also a bit of a disappointment. Face recognition works, but it's not always as convenient.

Now, for the accessories. The keyboard case is surprisingly good at Rs 3,999. The keys feel nice, and it's great for getting some work done on the go. 

The stylus, also priced at Rs 3,999, is decent. It doesn't magnetically attach to the tablet, but you get two detachable holders which keep it from getting lost when you're on the move.

Xiaomi Pad Pro 5G: Verdict

While these are relatively minor nitpicks, when you look at the Redmi Pad Pro as a whole package, what you get is simply great value. Sure, it may not have all the bells and whistles of a flagship tablet, but it gets the basics absolutely right. 

The design is premium, the display is gorgeous, and the performance is more than adequate for everyday use. The Redmi Pad Pro will make you want to use it more and more, and that's pretty rare in this price segment.

It’s a solid choice for anyone who wants a big screen and long battery life without breaking the bank. It's not the most powerful or feature-packed tablet out there, but it gets the job done and does it well. Plus, if you need to work or stream video on the go without the hassle of tethering your phone, you don’t have many other cellular enabled options at these prices. 

Redmi Pad Pro Pictures by @every_frame_a_paintingg