Xiaomi RedmiBook 15 Pro Review: A Workhorse for Productivity, But Not Without Compromises
Xiaomi continues its aggressive push into the Indian laptop market, aiming to challenge established players like Dell, HP, and Lenovo with their new RedmiBook and Mi Notebook lineups. This time, we’re reviewing the RedmiBook 15 Pro, a mid-range laptop that targets users seeking a comfortable and affordable machine for daily tasks like communication, office work, and schoolwork. While it may not be the lightest or most portable in its class, the RedmiBook 15 Pro packs several features designed to enhance productivity. We’ll delve into what sets the new RedmiBook 15 Pro apart from previous Mi Notebook models, and whether Xiaomi has finally crafted a compelling alternative to the competition.
RedmiBook 15 Pro Price in India
The RedmiBook 15 Pro is priced at Rs. 49,999 in India. It’s available in a single configuration, featuring a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. No variants are offered, except for options such as extended warranty and insurance policies. Launched with tempting bank and payment service offers, buyers can potentially snag a small discount.
However, Xiaomi also presents the RedmiBook 15 e-Learning Edition, a less expensive alternative. This model shares most of its features with the Pro variant, but with a few compromises. It offers a lower-end Core i3 CPU paired with the same 512GB SSD for Rs. 44,999. Xiaomi also provides an option with reduced SSD capacity (256GB), dropping the price further to Rs. 41,999. This e-Learning Edition serves as a value-driven option for budget-conscious students or individuals.
RedmiBook 15 Pro Design: A Shift to Polycarbonate
Unlike the metallic Mi Notebook series, the RedmiBook 15 Pro takes a step down with a polycarbonate build, giving it a distinctly lower-end feel. Its design is fairly plain, lacking any intricate patterns or textures. The dark grey lid, adorned with a Redmi logo off-center, only features a barely visible slogan in tiny lettering. While a minimalist approach, it does attract smudges and fingerprints readily, requiring a quick wipe with a clean cloth.
Measuring 19.9mm thick and weighing 1.8kg, the RedmiBook 15 Pro falls outside the ultraportable category. Despite this, it remains comfortably manageable for daily commutes or visits to the classroom. The lid opens smoothly with a firm hinge, and with a single finger.
The open lid reveals a large matte screen surrounded by thick plastic bezels, which are starting to look dated compared to modern laptops. A second Redmi logo graces the center of the chin, while a welcome addition—a webcam—sits above the screen. This marks a departure from the gamble Xiaomi took earlier by removing webcams from their Mi Notebooks, which proved to be an unpopular move.
The lower half boasts an island-style keyboard that lacks a number pad. While many 15-inch laptops accommodate a number pad, its absence might be felt by users handling spreadsheets or frequent data entry. On the plus side, the keyboard offers full-sized arrow keys and a dedicated column for paging keys on the right. The power button, integrated into the top-right corner, has a slightly stiffer feel compared to other keys, minimizing accidental presses. However, the absence of both a fingerprint sensor and keyboard backlighting—features common in non-budget laptops—is a noticeable drawback.
The RedmiBook 15 Pro presents a unique port arrangement. On the left, you’ll find the DC charger inlet, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and an HDMI 1.4 video output. The right side houses a Kensington security slot, a collapsible Ethernet port, a USB 2.0 port, a full-sized SD card slot, and the 3.5mm combo audio socket. But the biggest surprise (or perhaps disappointment) is the complete lack of USB Type-C ports. Many modern budget laptops include at least one Type-C port, which is becoming increasingly essential for multi-device users and future compatibility.
The RedmiBook 15 Pro sports stereo speakers positioned on the bottom, relying on tabletop reflection for sound output. While there are no side vents, hot air is exhausted through the hinge. Overall, the build quality seems decent, with slight flex in the lid and keyboard—not uncommon in this price range—but should withstand the rigors of daily use.
RedmiBook 15 Pro Specifications and Software: A Focus on Productivity
Xiaomi opted for Intel’s 11th Gen "Tiger Lake" CPUs for this model, but with an interesting twist: the Core i5-11300H isn’t a typical 45W H-series model intended for mainstream productivity and gaming. Instead, it belongs to the H35 sub-series, a slightly more powerful U-series SKU with 35W thermal headroom compared to the standard U-series’ 28W. This CPU is primarily aimed at slim gaming laptops when paired with a dedicated GPU, suggesting it should handle common tasks with ease.
The RedmiBook 15 Pro provides 8GB of DDR4-3200 RAM that’s soldered and non-upgradable. The 512GB SSD is a standard NVMe M.2 module, allowing for replacement, although Xiaomi recommends authorized service centers for such procedures. The 46Wh battery boasts a claimed 10 hours of battery life, accompanied by a 65W charger.
Beyond the full-HD 1920×1280 resolution, there’s nothing particularly noteworthy about the screen. Xiaomi hasn’t disclosed details like the panel type, color gamut coverage, or any other specifications. Other specs also lean towards the standard: dual-band Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5, a 720p webcam, stereo speakers with DTS audio enhancement, and a multi-touch trackpad.
One welcome addition is the inclusion of Microsoft Office 2019 Home & Student Edition, adding value to the package. You’ll also be eligible for an upgrade to Windows 11 when it becomes available. The pre-installed software includes:
- Xiaomi Cloud: for synchronizing data across devices
- Mi Support: providing customer service
- MIUI+: a potentially game-changing feature
MIUI+, currently in beta, introduces features reminiscent of iPhone and Mac ecosystems, borrowing inspiration from Samsung’s Dex tool. It allows for seamless file transfer between Xiaomi smartphones and the laptop, clipboard synchronization for copy-pasting across devices, and screenshot sharing from your phone to the RedmiBook 15 Pro. You can also receive notifications from your phone on the laptop, send web pages from your phone’s browser to the laptop’s larger screen, mirror phone apps, and edit files directly from the phone’s storage. While only a select few Xiaomi laptops running MIUI 12.5 and certain Xiaomi phones are supported at this time, the potential for expansion across all Android phones and Windows PCs, and maybe even Macs, is significant.
Xiaomi’s website currently lacks any mention of these MIUI+ features on the RedmiBook 15 Pro’s product page. Unfortunately, I couldn’t test these features due to a lack of a compatible phone during the review.
RedmiBook 15 Pro Performance: Everyday Tasks, But Not for High-End Use
Setting up Windows 10 after the initial boot was smooth, as expected. The operating system feels responsive and snappy, offering more than enough power for everyday tasks. Multitasking, with dozens of browser tabs open alongside productivity and basic creative applications, is handled effortlessly. However, the SSD on my review unit was partitioned unnecessarily into a 146GB boot drive and a blank 330GB secondary drive.
Despite the solid performance, the RedmiBook 15 Pro’s screen delivers surprisingly underwhelming results. While sufficiently bright for indoor use, it lacks decent color reproduction and struggles with viewing angles, particularly vertical tilt. Colors appear washed-out and desaturated, diminishing the experience for games, videos, and any color-sensitive work like photo editing. Similarly, the speakers deliver adequate clarity for voices and sound effects in games, but lack depth and detail in music. The RedmiBook 15 Pro is clearly more aligned with productivity than entertainment.
Xiaomi promotes the RedmiBook 15 Pro’s keyboard design and comfort, and this is indeed one of its strengths. The layout is user-friendly, and key travel provides a satisfying experience. While the keys might feel slightly plasticky, and the left side warms up during use, these are minor issues. The absence of a backlight, however, is a regrettable omission. The trackpad, although also made of plastic, allows for smooth multi-touch gesture control. Centrally aligned with the chassis and not the keyboard, the trackpad might cause your wrists to rest on it while typing, but I didn’t encounter any unintended inputs.
To gauge the RedmiBook 15 Pro’s raw performance, we conducted several benchmark tests. PCMark recorded scores of 4,547 in its standard run and 3,438 in its Extended run. The browser-based WebXprt and Basemark 3.0 tests achieved scores of 231 and 189.35, respectively. Cinebench R20 yielded scores of 537 and 1,790 in its single- and multi-core tests, while POVRay’s render benchmark completed in 3 minutes, 6 seconds.
The SSD performance stood out, with CrystalDiskMark 6 reporting sequential reads and writes of 1567.8MBps and 1412.4MBps, respectively, and random reads and writes of 655.7MBps and 375.2MBps, respectively. Compressing a 3.24GB folder of assorted files with 7zip took 5 minutes, 3 seconds. Handbrake required 1 minute, 23 seconds to transcode a 1.3GB AVI file to H.265.
In 3D performance benchmarks, 3DMark’s Time Spy test returned 917 points, while the Fire Strike score was 1,762, and Night Raid managed 8,078. The Unigine Superposition test resulted in an average of 8fps at its 1080p Medium preset, with a score of 1,069 points. Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s built-in benchmark averaged 15fps at Low quality at 1280×720, while Far Cry 5 achieved only 19fps on average at the Normal preset at the same resolution.
Although the left side of the keyboard became noticeably warm during gaming or heavy testing, the wrist rest area remained cool. Fan noise never became an issue.
Under light usage, I managed to achieve about eight hours of battery life, suggesting a full workday should be achievable without recharging. Considering the laptop’s limitations for high-demand tasks, this battery life proves quite suitable. The demanding Battery Eater Pro benchmark lasted for 2 hours, 4 minutes before the laptop automatically shut down.
Verdict: A Productivity Powerhouse, But Not a Flagship Experience
Xiaomi has taken a decidedly low-end approach with the RedmiBook 15 Pro in nearly every aspect, except for the CPU power. This translates to a capable workhorse for productivity, offering a comfortable experience for office work or schoolwork. The generous 15-inch screen and spacious keyboard layout further enhance its appeal for these use cases.
However, the CPU choice feels odd, considering the H35 sub-series targets slim gaming laptops. Xiaomi could have easily chosen a standard 28W "Tiger Lake" U-series CPU to achieve a lower price point. The average screen and speaker quality, the absence of Type-C ports, and basic plastic construction leave the RedmiBook 15 Pro lacking for power users. That extra CPU thermal headroom isn’t effectively utilized for tasks like gaming, as intended.
The top-end variant of last year’s Mi Notebook 14, while slightly less expensive, offered a more refined package. It was slimmer, lighter, constructed of metal, and even included a basic discrete GPU. Sadly, that model has been discontinued entirely. The RedmiBook 15 Pro represents a significant shift in priorities, as Xiaomi caters to the sub-Rs. 50,000 segment with a different approach. The 2021 Mi Notebook Ultra, priced Rs. 10,000 higher, offers the same CPU, RAM, and SSD specifications, but in a much more appealing package that includes a high-resolution display, backlit keyboard, fingerprint sensor, and crucially, Type-C ports.
While the RedmiBook 15 Pro is likely to find its niche audience, it falls short of being a standout product. I always recommend visiting a retail store to experience a laptop firsthand before making an online purchase solely based on specifications. This allows you to assess crucial factors like display quality and keyboard layout, ensuring they meet your individual needs and preferences.
