Redmi Pad Pro 5G Review: A Value-for-Money Android Tablet with 5G Connectivity

Another day, another tablet. This time it is none other than Xiaomi, who is adding another tablet, to their portfolio. The Redmi Pad Pro 5G is positioned as an affordable alternative to the company’s Pad 6. The Redmi Pad Pro 5G comes with accessories - Redmi Pad Pro Cover, Redmi Pad Pro Keyboard & Redmi Smart Pen - to make this the all-in-one budget device. Launched in both Wi-FI (priced at Rs 21,999) and 5G (Rs 24,999), does this tablet do enough to stand out from the shadows of its elder sibling? Let’s find out.

What is the Redmi Pad Pro 5G

The Redmi Pad Pro 5G is Xiaomi’s first tablet to come with both Wi-Fi and 5G variants. It’s rocking Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset, a massive 10,000mAh battery, and a larger display than on the Pad 6. The tablet further mounts the pressure on the competition by bringing Dolby Vision Atmos on board. Redmi is taking a huge step forward with the tablet.

Let me quickly run down some of the specifications for everyone reading this:

Weight: 568g.

Thickness: 7.52mm.

Display: 12.1-inch 2.5K LCD display (Peak brightness of 600 nits, 16:10 aspect ratio, 120Hz refresh rate, 12-bit display, 1500:1 contrast ratio and protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3).

Colours: Graphite Grey and Mist Blue.

Software: Xiaomi HypoerOS (based on Android 14).

Software updates: 2 years of OS upgrades and 3 years of security updates.

Memory: Up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM.

Storage: 256GB of UFS 2.2.

Rear camera: 8MP (f/2.0 aperture).

Front camera: 8MP (f/2.28 aperture).

Battery: 10,000mAH.

Charging speeds: 33W (charger included in the box).

Design: Nothing out of the ordinary

A metal unibody design with a polycarbonate rectangle band covering 1/5th of the rear (which includes the camera setup). That’s the Redmi Pad Pro 5G for you. The other 4/5th is made out of metal. Overall, the design feels sturdy and the build is solid. The design is pretty unspectacular, but you’re going to slap on a case, so it doesn’t matter. The tab feels premium, and there is also a 3.5mm headphone jack (something you wouldn’t have expected in 2024)!

My only complaint is that the rear panel accumulates fingerprints/smudges. It’s easy to clean, yet annoying. But a case fixes all of that.

If you don’t want to listen through headphones, then there is a stereo speaker setup (with four evenly placed speakers - two to the left and two to the right). The camera unit appears huge, but it only has one 8MP rear camera and a flash unit.

It’s lightweight and easily fits into any backpack.

Display and sound: Protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3

The 12-inch LCD display (2,560x1,600p resolution) is vibrant and has decent colour accuracy. It’s a flat display and has Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos.  It’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (hallelujah!) for protection against scratches and drops. While the colour accuracy may not be the best, the display does offer some exceptional viewing angles. There is a wide 16:10 aspect ratio which adds to the screen real estate.

Watching random YouTube videos, and binging the Olympics, was a treat. I know it’s an LCD panel, but in this price range, you cannot get better. Taking that into account, the contrast was decent and the brightness levels were good. An OLED display would have been much preferred but an LCD display in this price bracket isn’t a dealbreaker.

The four Dolby Atmos speakers get loud, and are clear for the most part, adding to the overall experience. 

Performance: Gets the job done

I’m not going to delve deep into the performance, but just know that this isn’t a gaming tablet, and neither is it meant to match the might of Apple’s iPad. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset from Qualcomm is very capable. Coupled with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, the tablet gets the job done. Multitasking is a treat, with the extra screen real estate. Even four apps open at once isn’t a problem for this tablet. The tablet flew while performing daily tasks.

Casual games work just fine on this tablet, but if you want to play COD: Mobile or BGMI at their highest resolutions., then I suggest looking elsewhere.

The tablet comes with Xiaomi’s HyperOS (based on Android 14), and despite a few bits of bloatware, the skin is light, breezy, and very customisable. There are several interconnectivity features but those (just like on other tablets) are limited to Xiaomi devices.

The Redmi Pad Pro 5G will get two years of OS upgrades and three years of security updates.

Cameras, battery, and other features

Cameras: The less said the better. Cameras on a tablet are never any good. They suffice for a few images here and there and document scanning. The front camera is good for video calls. That’s about it.

Battery: The Redmi Pad Pro houses a massive 10,000mAh battery and comes with 33W fast charging. This is pretty good. With my medium-to-heavy usage, I was able to get upwards of 10 hours of screen-on-time (SoT). With a medium usage pattern, you can easily get two to three days of battery before you have to reach for the charger. It’s not the best battery life of a tablet in this segment, but it is no slouch either.

With the 33W fast charger (included in the box), the tablet takes just about two hours to fully charge the tablet.

5G connectivity: If you opt for the 5G variant of the Redmi Pad Pro then you’re in for a treat. Why do I say that? Well, the experience is equivalent to a smartphone. The download and upload speeds were very similar and the tablet can be used as a hotspot.

Accessories: A keyboard and a stylus

The Redmi Pad Pro Keyboard was my favourite of the two accessories that Xiaomi sent across for review. The keyboard case has both a keyboard and a stand. It’s a standard keyboard with a key travel of 1.3mm. It felt a little cramped (I’ve been using the OnePlus Pad 2 and the keyboard features a touchpad, and hence is more spacious) but the typing experience is good, and my speed was quite fast. The best part is the tactile feedback from the keys. The stand is good, but can’t quite tilt at any angle. The keyboard isn’t a backlit one, and that’s a disappointment.

Since there are no pogo pin connectors, the keyboard and the stylus, have to be charged separately. The keyboard and stylus come with a Type-C port for charging. It’s a bit annoying to have to charge them separately, but you get used to it. Moreso because you don’t have to charge it often (only after several days of usage).

I wasn’t a huge fan of the Redmi Pen but for taking notes it worked fine. It isn’t the best for drawing or doodling, but it suffices. Again, like I said above, the Smart Pen doesn’t magnetically attract to the tablet, so you need to make sure you don’t lose it. To that extent, Xiaomi has given a hook to hold the Pen.

Verdict

If it were up to me, I’d be spending a few more rupees and getting the Xiaomi Pad 6. But, for the price, the Redmi Pad Pro 5G is a very good tablet with some quirks. The addition of 5G connectivity is smart on the part of Xiaomi and adds a lot of versatility - along with the Redmi Pad Pro Keyboard and Redmi Smart Pen - and makes it more of a complete package.

The Xiaomi Pad 6 offers superior performance, and a better viewing experience, but has a shorter battery life and no 5G support. Buy the Redmi Pad Pro 5G for two reasons. One is if you want to binge YouTube content or live sports. Two, if you’re on the go a lot and need 5G connectivity.