Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro Review: This Tablet’s a Steal Under RM3K
Xiaomi has a decent line of tablets in its catalog that, over the years, have established the brand as a worthy competitor in the market. The feature-packed Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, with its sub-RM3K price tag, is one such tablet in its arsenal that shouldn’t be overlooked.
It did arrive somewhat late to the party, with its official release in Malaysia only happening in March this year (despite launching in China the year before, in October).
Nevertheless, you’ll still see this model sold across the country, and for good reason too. A brief time with the Pad 7 Pro is all we needed to understand its qualities — which you’ll learn about below in our review.
The tablet is offered in two configurations: an 8GB/256GB variant now priced at RM2,299, and a 12GB/512GB model at RM2,699.
Pros
Sleek Form with Sturdy Aluminium Alloy Build
The Pad 7 Pro is a rather unassuming tablet — both in its simplistic design and muted color choices. For colors, you have three options: the blue and green both adopt pastel-like qualities to their hues, while the gray sports a more steely, industrial look.
As a not-so-loud person myself, I’m all for the quiet color scheme the tablet offers. We received the gray model, which, for me, is the best of the lot.
The tablet itself weighs 500g and has a slim 6.18mm profile that would suit on-the-go working professionals and students. It’s definitely a decent alternative to bulky laptops in terms of portability, particularly if you want to minimize the weight of your backpack.
That said, the tablet is by no means flimsy, as it is reinforced with high-strength aluminium alloy that provides some assurance it won’t bend when nestled among the knick-knacks in your bag.
Snappy Performance for Work and Entertainment
The Pad 7 Pro is ultimately an everyday tablet focused on work productivity. It’s a snappy piece of machinery that poses no issue for casual users who will mainly use the tablet for typing, web browsing, and binge-related entertainment. Credit where it’s due, this is undoubtedly the work of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 powering the tablet.
HyperOS 2, based on Android 15, also contributes to the overall smooth experience. The tablet comes with well-thought-out multitasking features such as easily toggleable floating windows and split-screen functions.
Personally, the tablet’s performance checks the boxes for my usage, and I’m inclined to say the same for most of you too. Unless you’re planning on doing heavy editing work or running power-hungry software, I don’t see why you’d need to spend more on higher-priced tablets when the Pad 7 Pro is available.
A noteworthy mention is its quad speakers, which offer fairly good sound. Interestingly, you can toggle between two tuning modes: Dolby Atmos and Xiaomi Sound. It was a bit hard for me to notice any significant difference, but it could at least be appreciated by audiophiles.
You can even personalize your preferred sound by customizing your own EQ in the Graphic Equalizer section in Settings. Again, these are things I typically don’t mess around with too much, but they could serve you well depending on how fine-tuned your ears are.
No OLED, No Problem
One of the better aspects of the Pad 7 Pro is its display. While the tablet misses out on an OLED panel, the 11.2″ IPS LCD panel is far from disappointing. No true blacks here, yes, but coupled with 3.2K (3200×2136) resolution, visuals are comfortably sharp and vibrant. Again, perfect for hours of content consumption.
The 144Hz refresh rate is a nice bonus, keeping scrolling smooth and easy on the eyes. Additionally, brightness levels are high enough to maintain adequate viewing conditions even in rooms with natural sunlight pouring through the window. Still, an anti-reflection coating would have made it even better.
Also worth mentioning is that the tablet’s display has received TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light, Flicker-Free, and Circadian Friendly certifications to lessen eye strain during prolonged usage.
Commendable Battery Endurance with Fast Charging
A quick glance at the 8,850mAh battery capacity on the spec sheet didn’t quite invoke excitement. Considering there are tablets packing 10,000mAh capacities, I was prepared to be slightly underwhelmed by the tablet’s endurance.
That proved not to be the case, as the Pad 7 Pro proved its stamina on a daily basis with impressive runtime. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a two-day tablet at full speed ahead, but with light to moderate usage, you can likely last a day or two before plugging in.
On top of that, the 67W wired charging will juice up the tablet to 100% in just over an hour. Another good piece of news: the supporting adapter and a USB-C cable ship in the box, so at least you know Xiaomi isn’t getting stingy on charging peripherals.
Cons
PC-Like Experience — But Only with the Focus Keyboard (Sold Separately)
The tablet itself is a great buy, but the entire cornerstone of a PC-like experience on the tablet — and one that made the tablet a joy for me — was the Focus Keyboard. Unfortunately, this doesn’t come included and will cost an additional RM799. Not only that, the keyboard adds considerable weight and heft. It’s still on the lighter side, but it will be noticeably heavier than carrying the tablet on its own.
Once you cross that bridge, the Focus Keyboard is a productivity booster that elevates the tablet. It doubles as a stand with a floating design that is uncannily similar to a certain magical keyboard, and clips on easily through magnets.
It helps that the keyboard is a proper keyboard, and not some toy-like add-on. The touchpad supports shortcut gestures akin to laptops, and the mechanical backlight is perfect for working in dim environments, which most remote workers find themselves in.
The Focus Keyboard will undeniably add value to the package, but you’re going to need to be willing to part with more money.
Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro: Should You Buy?
The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro will definitely make it to the shortlist of sub-RM3K tablets. It has plenty going for it: a quality build, vibrant display, on-par performance, and endurance that could see you through the day.
Personally, I wouldn’t buy it without the Focus Keyboard, and if you’re like me, you’ll need to account for the fact that adding it will push the price beyond RM3,000, which would then make it not-so-affordable anymore. That being said, I’ll also make it a point to assure anyone that it would be money well spent, as the keyboard itself is a no-nonsense peripheral.
To answer the question of whether the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is worth the bucks, it’s an easy yes for me. Even once the next generation has been released, I predict this particular model will still hold its value — perhaps even more so if Xiaomi or authorized retailers decide to slash the tablet’s prices to clear stock.
PriceShop Rating
Best Giler!
✅ Sleek, lightweight profile with aluminium alloy build
✅ Snappy performance for multitasking, versatile audio settings
✅ Punchy displays despite no OLED
✅ Commendable battery endurance
❌ Focus Keyboard is a great addition, but not for everyone’s budget
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