Xiaomi Redmi Pad review

MIUI could use some more tablet optimization

The Redmi Pad runs MIUI 13 on top of Android 12, a familiar combo we've seen on recent Xiaomi phones and the tablet-like Mix Fold 2. Xiaomi has promised 2 OS updates for the Redmi Pad, so it should get MIUI 15 in 2024, presumably alongside Android 14, and there will be three years of security patches.

The tablet-specific bits include a split-screen UI in apps like Settings, Notes, and File Manager.

Settings • Notes • File Manager

The multi-window functionality, however, isn't much different than what you can have on a Xiaomi smartphone, and it's not the best. You do get split-screen multi-window, but you're limited to just 50/50 or 33/67 ratios - you can't do custom splits.

There is also a floating window feature, but you only get one - other makers' implementations allow for multiple ones and with a separate task switcher, too, while here, the floating windows go into the main task switcher.

Multi tasking

Indeed, MIUI 13 on the Redmi Pad looks and feels like it does on smartphones, a lot more than other tablet-tailored software builds. That may or may be a problem - after all, if you just need a big-screen device for YouTube binging (the Redmi Pad comes with 2 months of free YouTube Premium), then perhaps extra features aren't all that vital. But maybe they could have come up with a side-by-side view of the control center and notifications, at least.

Homescreen • App drawer (optional) • Control center • Notifications

Performance and benchmarks

The Redmi Pad runs on the Helio G99 platform. It's a 6nm chip from Mediatek with a 2+6 core CPU configuration (2x2.2GHz Cortex-A76 and 2x2.0GHz Cortex-A55) and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. The base memory version has 3GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, and while storage is expandable via microSD, 3 gigs of RAM sounds limiting these days. The 4GB/128GB and 6GB/128GB versions are the better choices (the reviewed device was the 4GB/128GB spec).

The Redmi Pad is no chart-topper in benchmarks, but it's no slouch either. Sure, the proper Xiaomi Pad 5 (SD860) is in an entirely different league, and the Realme Pad X (SD695) also wins across the board, if not by quite as much. But then the Redmi Pad is a notable step up from the SD680 crowd - the likes of the Oppo Pad Air or the Honor Pad 8.

GeekBench 5 (multi-core)

Higher is better

• Huawei MatePad 11 (2021)
  3282
• Xiaomi Pad 5
  2583
• Realme Pad X
  2026
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G
  1904
• Xiaomi Redmi Pad
  1852
• Oppo Pad Air
  1661
• Honor Pad 8
  1545

GeekBench 5 (single-core)

Higher is better

• Huawei MatePad 11 (2021)
  920
• Xiaomi Pad 5
  743
• Realme Pad X
  691
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G
  615
• Xiaomi Redmi Pad
  554
• Oppo Pad Air
  384
• Honor Pad 8
  376

AnTuTu 9

Higher is better

• Huawei MatePad 11 (2021)
  639631
• Xiaomi Pad 5
  555079
• Realme Pad X
  395824
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G
  355430
• Xiaomi Redmi Pad
  319077
• Honor Pad 8
  279242
• Oppo Pad Air
  249172

GFX Aztek Vulkan High (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Huawei MatePad 11 (2021)
  20
• Xiaomi Pad 5
  16
• Realme Pad X
  12
• Xiaomi Redmi Pad
  8.3
• Oppo Pad Air
  4.9
• Honor Pad 8
  4.8

GFX Aztek Vulkan High (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Huawei MatePad 11 (2021)
  21
• Xiaomi Pad 5
  19
• Realme Pad X
  8.2
• Xiaomi Redmi Pad
  5.5
• Honor Pad 8
  3.2
• Oppo Pad Air
  3.2

GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Huawei MatePad 11 (2021)
  44
• Xiaomi Pad 5
  35
• Realme Pad X
  31
• Xiaomi Redmi Pad
  22
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G
  16
• Honor Pad 8
  13
• Oppo Pad Air
  13

GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• Huawei MatePad 11 (2021)
  86
• Xiaomi Pad 5
  43
• Realme Pad X
  34
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G
  31
• Xiaomi Redmi Pad
  25
• Honor Pad 8
  15
• Oppo Pad Air
  15

3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Huawei MatePad 11 (2021)
  3797
• Xiaomi Pad 5
  3396
• Xiaomi Redmi Pad
  1242
• Realme Pad X
  1217
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G
  1092
• Honor Pad 8
  450
• Oppo Pad Air
  450