Test: Xiaomi Mi Pad 3, the little tablet that overshadows the iPad Mini
Best known for its smartphones, Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi also offers tablets, including this third iteration of its Mi Pad model , currently on sale through importer Gearbest for less than 250 euros, after a recent price cut.
Xiaomi’s use of the word Pad is not insignificant, as this 7.9-inch tablet in 4/3 format resembles Apple’s iPad Mini. Like the Apple iPad Mini, its design is very carefully crafted, with an aluminum back.
We also appreciated the rounded lines, which make it pleasant to hold.
There’s a USB Type-C connector at the bottom of the tablet, and an audio jack at the top.
On the other hand, the Mi Pad 3 lacks a microSD card reader, making it impossible to expand storage. Fortunately, Xiaomi has provided 64 GB of internal memory, including 53 GB available to the user, as well as the possibility of plugging in a USB Host key. This model also lacks a GPS module.
Very high definition for the 7.9-inch screen
The other point in common with the iPad Mini is the high definition of the IPS screen: 2048 x 1536 pixels. Display quality is on target, with a brightness of 449 cd/m² and a contrast ratio of 1340:1, higher than that of the iPad mini 4 (968:1). While the 4:3 format is well suited to surfing the Web and viewing photos, it is not ideal for videos, which are in 16:9 format, hence the appearance of horizontal black bands.
Browsing Android 7.0 proves fluid, and the MIUI 8.2 overlay doesn’t weigh the system down. The tablet is equipped with a MediaTek MTK8176 processor – 6 cores up to 2.1 Ghz – and 4 GB of RAM. A configuration powerful enough to run most applications and even games in good conditions. In terms of endurance, Xiaomi’s tablet fares rather well with, according to our measurements, 10 hours of operation in multi-purpose use (Internet surfing, photo viewing, video playback) and more particularly 10 h 39 min in video playback. Very satisfactory scores indeed.
Average photo results
The Mi Pad 3 is equipped with 5-megapixel front-facing and 13-megapixel rear-facing photo sensors. Alas, the latter is far from offering the image quality of the iPad Mini 4.
Outdoor shots are decent, but lack a little sharpness. This shortcoming becomes more pronounced indoors when the light fades, with the appearance of digital noise. 1080p videos are not detailed enough and suffer from slight image shake, due to the lack of stabilization. Unfortunately, it is not possible to access the parameters of the shooting application, to change image definition, for example. The interface is minimalist, with only a choice of effects to personalize shots.