The Mi Notebook Ultra: A Powerful and Feature-Rich Laptop for Professionals
Xiaomi’s Mi Notebook Ultra is not your average ultraportable. This 15.6-inch behemoth is designed to pack a punch, offering a premium experience aimed at creative professionals and users seeking substantial power and performance. Priced starting at Rs. 59,999, the Mi Notebook Ultra might not boast the sleekest design or ultimate portability, but it compensates with style, robust features, and impressive performance – making it a compelling choice for everyday work and entertainment on the go. Let’s delve into a detailed review and dissect what makes the Mi Notebook Ultra so special.
Mi Notebook Ultra Pricing in India: Value for Money?
The Mi Notebook Ultra sits comfortably above its sibling, the Mi Notebook Pro, which launched concurrently. While both boast similar specs, the Ultra distinguishes itself with its larger screen, more substantial battery, and overall premium feel. The base variant of the Mi Notebook Ultra, featuring an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU and 8GB of RAM, starts at Rs. 59,999. Stepping up to the 16GB RAM variant will cost you Rs. 64,999, slightly higher than the initial launch price. However, this cost difference makes sense because the RAM is not upgradeable. The top-of-the-line model, which is reviewed here, boasts a Core i7 CPU with 16GB of RAM and comes with a price tag of Rs. 76,999.
Mi Notebook Ultra Design and Features: Sleek Minimalism with a Touch of Substance
The Mi Notebook Ultra is crafted from Series 6 aluminum, exuding a premium feel. Weighing in at 1.7kg, it might not be the most portable option on the market, but its slim profile (17.9mm) makes it manageable for daily commutes. The build quality feels solid throughout, with a sturdy hinge and a lid that resists flexing. You can effortlessly open the laptop with just one finger. The air intake is channeled through a large grille on the bottom, while hot air is efficiently expelled through vents concealed behind the hinge barrel.
The metallic body boasts a sandblasted texture, lending an elegant touch to its minimalist design. However, the large black Xiaomi logo might be a departure from last year’s blank aesthetic. The Mi logo found below the screen on previous models has been updated in line with Xiaomi’s recent rebranding initiative, although the product name remains Mi Notebook Ultra.
The Screen: A Wide Window to Productivity and Entertainment
The standout feature of the Mi Notebook Ultra is undoubtedly its 15.6-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio screen. The slim borders are complemented by a 720p webcam positioned at the top. This addition is a welcome departure from last year’s neglect of a webcam, especially considering the rising importance of remote work and video calls.
Keyboard and Trackpad: Comfort and Functionality Combined
The generous space on the lower half of the laptop accommodates a large, comfortable keyboard. You’ll find a column of paging keys on the right side, ensuring comfortable navigation. The arrow keys are not cramped, and you even get a single macro key at the top right corner, allowing you to quickly launch any preferred program. The adjustable backlighting addresses another shortcoming of previous models, but it’s limited to just two brightness levels (although Xiaomi claims three, counting "off" as one).
The power button is cleverly integrated with a fingerprint sensor for convenient Windows Hello authentication. This feature cleverly caches your fingerprint upon booting up, enabling a speedy sign-in process without further interaction. However, you might need to adjust to touching the button with the pad of your finger. The trackpad is generously sized and comfortable to navigate. Windows multi-touch gestures are supported and work flawlessly. The only slight drawback is the slightly stiff physical click mechanism.
Ports and Connectivity: A Mix of Modern and Familiar
On the left side, you’ll find a USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps) Type-C port, an HDMI video output, another USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps) Type-A port, and a Thunderbolt 4 Type-C port. While DisplayPort video output is only supported through the latter, both ports can be used for charging the Mi Notebook Ultra. Moving to the right side reveals another USB Type-A port, albeit a slower USB 2.0 speed. Finally, there’s a 3.5mm audio socket. Sadly, the laptop lacks an SD card slot or a physical Ethernet port.
Mi Notebook Ultra Specifications: Performance Under the Hood
Under the hood, Xiaomi has chosen Intel’s 11th Gen H35-series CPUs. These processors are slightly more powerful than the U-series chips found in ultraportable laptops and do not belong to the more robust H-series favored for gaming and premium models. H35 refers to the 35W TDP rating, indicating the amount of power the CPU can draw for sustained peak performance. Xiaomi sticks with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and there are no discrete GPU options available.
You have the choice between 8GB or 16GB of RAM when opting for the Core i5-11300H CPU, while the Core i7-11370H is locked to 16GB. It’s important to note that the RAM is soldered and cannot be upgraded. All three variants pack a 512GB NVMe SSD, which can be replaced for future upgrades.
The Display: Immersive and Refreshing
The 15.6-inch screen truly stands out, boasting a resolution of 3200×2000 pixels. This translates to a comfortable 16:10 aspect ratio, which is a boon for productivity and multitasking. The 90Hz refresh rate is a rarity in laptops, enhancing the visual experience. Xiaomi proudly claims 100 percent sRGB colour gamut coverage. However, the brightness is rated at just 300nits, which might be a tad disappointing. Despite this, the panel excels for work and multitasking thanks to its impressive sharpness and brightness. The colours aren’t the most vibrant for video playback, but the anti-reflective coating is perfect for productivity-focused tasks.
Audio and Battery: Solid Performance
The Mi Notebook Ultra has a stereo speaker system and a built-in microphone. Xiaomi doesn’t disclose a specific battery capacity rating, but it promises 12 hours of local video playback. The box includes a 65W Type-C charger, enabling a 50 percent charge in 45 minutes. The laptop supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1, ensuring seamless connectivity.
Mi Notebook Ultra Performance: Beyond Everyday Computing
The Mi Notebook Ultra seamlessly handled everyday tasks with ease. Multitasking was a breeze, effortlessly managing over 20 browser tabs with numerous Web apps running simultaneously. The top-end variant reviewed here provides abundant power for everyday productivity and even light content creation. The keyboard offers excellent key travel, enhancing typing comfort.
While the large, high-resolution screen is a joy to use for work and multitasking, the bottom-firing speakers disappoint with lackluster music performance. The volume and fullness leave much to be desired.
Benchmark Results: A Solid Performer
Benchmarks provide insights into a device’s performance in scenarios simulating real-world use. In PCMark 10, the Mi Notebook Ultra achieved 4,680 and 4,195 points in the standard and Extended runs, respectively. These figures are only marginally higher than those obtained by last year’s Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition, which was equipped with a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU. The SSD performance exceeded expectations, measuring 2378.7MBps and 1508.2MBps for sequential reads and writes, while random reads and writes clocked in at 1171.2MBps and 458.5MBps, respectively. These are incredibly fast speeds.
Cinebench R20 results were equally impressive, with 548 and 2,014 points in the single-threaded and multi-threaded tests. POVRay’s render benchmark was completed in 2 minutes and 45 seconds. Compressing a 3.24GB folder of assorted files using 7zip took 2 minutes and 29 seconds, while transcoding a 1.3GB AVI file to H.265 in Handbrake required 1 minute. These improvements mark significant gains over last year’s model.
Unigine Superposition graphics benchmark averaged 15.96fps at the 1080p Medium preset. 3DMark’s Time Spy and Time Spy Extreme tests yielded scores of 1,363 and 576, respectively. Night Raid scene achieved 14,209, while Fire Strike Extreme resulted in 1,555. Interestingly, last year’s model outperformed in some instances, likely due to its entry-level discrete Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU.
Despite its performance, the Mi Notebook Ultra struggles to run 3D titles smoothly. While casual games are viable, more demanding titles will face difficulty. Many games support 16:10 screens, enabling scaling down to avoid stretching or letterboxing. At 1280×800 with Medium quality settings, Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s built-in benchmark averaged only 23 fps. Far Cry 5 managed 30fps, but the visual quality was compromised at these settings, indicating a need to settle for older or simpler games.
Battery Life: A Day’s Worth of Work
The battery life is quite impressive, enabling a full workday with usage primarily focused on browsing and productivity tasks. The Battery Eater Pro 3D test reported a runtime of 2 hours and 8 minutes, which is a commendable result. Heavier tasks such as games and benchmarks cause the left side of the body, including the wrist rest, to become warm. The cooling fan remains virtually silent during routine usage, becoming noticeable only when the laptop is under significant stress.
Mi Notebook Ultra Verdict: A Strong Contender
The Mi Notebook Ultra offers impressive features and performance, providing exceptional value for money. Even compared to the newly launched Redmibook series, the Ultra shines. The display and keyboard are the highlights of the device, and the battery life is sufficient for work-related needs. The hardware is powerful enough to withstand the test of time for a few years. However, there are areas for improvement, such as the speakers, trackpad, and port selection.
Xiaomi has achieved a remarkable balance between cost, features, and performance. The Mi Notebook Ultra might not be the utmost portable or gaming machine, but it delivers a comfortable everyday usage experience and handles demanding tasks with aplomb. It is a solid choice for students, self-employed individuals, remote workers, and home users. The Core i7 variant, reviewed here, is an excellent option if your budget allows for up to Rs. 80,000.
The mid-tier variant with its less powerful CPU should satisfy most users. This option enables you to enjoy the high-res 90Hz 16:10 screen, comfortable keyboard, and Thunderbolt port at a significantly lower price, while boasting similar CPU performance. However, the base variant with its 8GB of RAM (which is not upgradeable) might not be the ideal choice considering the minimal cost savings compared to the mid-tier model.
In conclusion, the Mi Notebook Ultra is a compelling option in the premium laptop market. While it might not be suited for hardcore gamers, it is a solid performer and an excellent choice for those seeking a powerful and feature-rich laptop for everyday use.
