Xiaomi Mi Pad 2

Xiaomi products aren’t readily available in the UK, but the firm is making a name for itself by making top-spec devices at budget prices. With Apple setting the standard for many, the Chinese firm’s latest tablet is its answer for the iPad mini.

Price

Our review unit – a gold, 16GB model – came from Gearbest (gearbest.com) and costs £144. The silver Mi Pad 2 is an extra £5. There’s also a 64GB, which costs £162. That’s a small price to pay for a decent storage upgrade. Those prices are excellent, especially when the site offers free shipping. However, be aware that you’ll need to pay import duty, which for this tablet is £26. The total you’ll pay is, however, still under £200 for the entry-level model, which is a lot of bang for your buck.

Design

While the original Mi Pad looked like a tablet version of the iPhone 5c with its colourful plastic rear covers, the firm has really ramped things up a notch with the Mi Pad 2.

The second generation of its small-screen tablet has an aluminium chassis which, as we’ve said, comes in either silver or gold. Our review Mi Pad is gold, and the effect is subtle. Indeed, in certain lighting it doesn’t look gold at all.

There’s no escaping the fact that the Mi Pad 2 looks like the iPad mini, but to a large extent it was always going to. We’re not sure we could make a 7.9in tablet with a metal case and glass front without it looking similar. The lack of a physical home button and bevelled edge help differentiate the two, though the Mi logo on the back with ‘Designed by Xiaomi in Beijing’ etched below is perhaps not to everyone’s taste.

Whether this bothers you enough to affect whether you buy one is a personal decision, but we’re impressed with the design and build quality of the Mi Pad 2, especially when you consider how much cheaper it is than an iPad mini.

The aluminium case has a smooth finish, which is nice to touch, though it can be a little slippery, and the rounded edges look stylish. The vibrant but not garish colours, and great viewing angles. There’s plenty of brightness available too, and a reading mode that is accessible via the quick settings.

The entry-level model offers 16GB of storage, of which 11GB is available. There’s no microSD card slot for expansion though, so we recommend spending the extra to get the 64GB Mi Pad 2. Whichever