Redmi Pad Pro 5G Review: A Solid Entertainment Powerhouse for the Masses?
Redmi has been making waves in the tablet market with the introduction of the Redmi Pad SE 4G and the Redmi Pad Pro 5G. While the former caters to the budget-conscious user, the latter is aimed at offering a compelling feature set for mainstream consumers. Priced at Rs 21,999 for the Wi-Fi variant (6GB RAM + 128GB storage) and starting at Rs 24,999 for the 5G variant (8GB RAM + 128GB storage), the Redmi Pad Pro 5G is positioned to be a strong contender in its price segment. But does it have the features and performance to make it the "Chosen One"? Let’s delve into our detailed review to find out.
Redmi Pad Pro 5G Design: Sleek and Thin
Redmi has gone all out with the design of the Redmi Pad Pro 5G. Featuring an aluminum unibody construction, the tablet boasts a premium look and feel. It’s remarkably thin – measuring just 7.52mm – and weighs a manageable 571 grams, making it easy to slip into a laptop bag. Despite its large display (more on that later), the sleek design ensures a comfortable grip.
The rear panel sports a dual-tone finish. While the majority is metal, a small section is made of plastic to accommodate the 5G modem and other connectivity components. Interestingly, the Wi-Fi variant comes with an all-metal unibody. The flat display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, offering peace of mind against scratches and minor drops.
To enhance the user experience, Redmi offers optional accessories like the Redmi Smart Pen and a keyboard, priced at Rs 999 and Rs 3,999 respectively. These add-ons can transform the Redmi Pad Pro 5G into a truly comprehensive package. However, it’s worth noting that the keyboard does not utilize POGO connectors, relying instead on a Bluetooth connection and requiring separate charging via USB Type-C. The same applies to the Redmi Smart Pen, which can be a minor inconvenience. Nonetheless, both accessories boast decent battery life, ensuring prolonged usage.
The included keyboard delivers a good typing experience with a comfortable travel distance and tactile feedback. Whether you’re jotting down notes or writing longer documents, the keyboard proves reliable and pleasant to use. Unfortunately, it lacks backlighting and a trackpad, which could have enhanced its functionality. Pairing is seamless, and the case securely holds the tablet.
The Redmi Smart Pen shines in various scenarios, whether you’re writing or drawing. It offers excellent responsiveness thanks to its 4,096 pressure levels. One noteworthy feature is the ability to take notes even with the screen off, adding to its practicality. However, the pen does not magnetically attach to the tablet, although Redmi cleverly provides a hook for attaching it to the keyboard accessory.
Redmi Pad Pro 5G Display and Audio: Decent
The Redmi Pad Pro 5G display delivers a solid performance, despite being an LCD panel. Xiaomi has a reputation for color tuning excellence, which is evident in this tablet. The display is massive – a true gamechanger compared to standard tablets – making it ideal for movie and series streaming. Moreover, it supports Widevine L1, allowing you to stream Netflix content in HD. However, HDR10 support is missing, which could be a dealbreaker for some.
During our testing with "Maharaja" on Netflix, we were impressed by the color reproduction, although the screen can be somewhat reflective. This can be mitigated by turning off the automatic brightness feature. The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate ensures a smooth and seamless user experience, with no noticeable lag during browsing or app usage.
The Redmi Pad Pro 5G is equipped with four speakers and supports Dolby Atmos. The output is well-balanced, offering ample bass and volume, making it a perfect device for immersing yourself in content.
Redmi Pad Pro 5G Software: Smooth Experience
This is the first Redmi tablet to run on HyperOS, a customized version of Android 14. While it shares similarities with MIUI, it delivers significant under-the-hood optimizations. The result is a smoother and faster experience compared to MIUI, showcasing more efficient multitasking and lower latency.
The tablet comes with an array of interesting connectivity features. The Smartphone Link feature enables seamless data transfer between your Xiaomi device and the tablet. You can conveniently access the smartphone screen right on the tablet and easily drag and drop files.
The shared clipboard feature allows you to copy text and images from your smartphone and paste them directly onto the tablet. Network Sync helps in connecting to your phone’s hotspot with a single click. However, these features are currently limited to Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Civi smartphones.
Additionally, you have access to common multitasking features like Split-screen and Floating windows, making it easy to juggle multiple tasks. Redmi has confirmed that the tablet will receive two years of Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates.
Redmi Pad Pro 5G Performance: Does the Job
The Redmi Pad Pro 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor. While faster than the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, it falls short of the power of the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 or Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.
However, the tablet handles most tasks efficiently. Switching between apps while streaming music on YouTube Music in the background was seamless. While some minor lags were observed when multiple apps were running simultaneously, the device performs exceptionally well in general.
The Redmi Pad Pro 5G scores reasonably well in benchmark tests. You can find a breakdown of the scores in the table below:
| Benchmark | Redmi Pad Pro 5G |
|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 Single Core | 1034 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi Core | 2994 |
| AnTuTu v10 | 602,839 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 12,518 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL | 5177 |
| 3DM Slingshot | 6690 |
| 3DM Wild Life | 2970 |
| 3DM Wild Life Unlimited | 3072 |
| GFXBench T-Rex | 81 |
| GFXBench Manhattan 3.1 | 30 |
| GFXBench Car Chase | 15 |
The tablet handles most games competently. Call of Duty Mobile ran smoothly on the default settings of High graphics quality and Very High frame rate. However, we noticed occasional lags when using the Max frame rate settings. Thermal performance was decent, and the tablet did not experience excessive heating during gaming sessions.
Redmi Pad Pro 5G Cameras: Usable
The cameras on the Redmi Pad Pro 5G are sufficient for video calls. The rear camera captures decent photos in daylight but struggles in low-light conditions. The front camera performs adequately for video calls and occasional selfies, although smartphones remain the primary choice for taking high-quality images.
Redmi Pad Pro 5G Battery: Massive Backup
The Redmi Pad Pro 5G boasts a massive 10,000mAh battery, ensuring exceptional battery life. In our battery loop test, the tablet lasted an impressive 28 hours and 30 minutes. The tablet supports 33W fast charging, although it takes a considerable time to fully charge. During testing, the tablet reached 26 percent charge in 15 minutes, 30 percent in 30 minutes, and 59 percent in 60 minutes. It took a total of 2 hours and 10 minutes to fully charge the device.
In real-world usage, the Redmi Pad Pro 5G provides outstanding battery life. With moderate use, you can easily squeeze two to three days of battery life out of the tablet.
Redmi Pad Pro 5G Verdict
Overall, the Redmi Pad Pro 5G offers an exceptional value-for-money proposition. The sleek design makes it comfortable to carry around, and the display is impressive in this price segment. Performance is decent, although not exceptional. Battery life is outstanding, though faster charging would have been appreciated.
In terms of competition, the Redmi Pad Pro 5G faces stiff competition from tablets like the Lenovo Tab P12 and Xiaomi Pad 6. However, if you’re looking for an entertainment powerhouse that excels in other aspects, the Redmi Pad Pro 5G is a compelling choice.
Key Takeaways:
- Sleek Design: An aluminum unibody construction, thin profile, and comfortable grip.
- Large Display: 12.1-inch 2.5K LCD display with Widevine L1 support for HD streaming.
- Impressive Battery Life: 10,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging capabilities.
- Solid Performance: Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor, it handles most tasks efficiently.
- Value For Money: A strong contender in its price segment.
The Redmi Pad Pro 5G provides a solid blend of features, performance, and affordability, solidifying its position as a valuable offering in the tablet market. It particularly shines for users who prioritize multimedia consumption and seek a device with a long battery life. With its competitive price point and well-rounded capabilities, the Redmi Pad Pro 5G presents a great choice for those looking for their next entertainment companion.
