Currently, the range of tablets is striking in variety. However, most recently, no one could even think that the tasks of a bulky computer could be performed by small gadgets. The benefits of tablets are undeniable. First of all, they are mobile. The owner of such a device can go online anywhere, work with documents, and just play games.
Modern tablets are presented in all price segments. A striking representative of the flagship devices is Apple products. But in the budget class, the Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has established itself. It has recently appeared on the domestic market. However, in such a short period of time quickly took a leading position. Its products are popular among Russian buyers due to the fact that the balance between cost, quality and, of course, functionality is optimally maintained in devices.
As you might have guessed, in this article we will focus on the characteristics of the MiPad line of tablets. There are three of them. According to the reviews of the owners, we can conclude that they are serious competitors to the "apple" iPads.
Alternative Apple iPad Replacement
The Chinese company Xiaomi is engaged in the production of various mobile equipment. Many smartphones, navigators, modems, tablets and other devices are produced annually. Demand for these products began around 2011-2012. During this time, Xiaomi's popularity is only growing, and sales are also increasing with it. On the Web, users have even given the nickname to this manufacturer - "Chinese Apple." And it is worth noting that it is completely justified. This is confirmed by reviews of the tablet Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb. However, unlike "apple" devices, Chinese ones are sold at a rather attractive price, but at the same time they are equipped with up-to-date applications. There are also no comments on quality. All functions work fine, the assembly is good, as are the materials.
Packaging and equipment
The manufacturer supplies their gadgets in simple cardboard boxes. Their design is concise, which is fully consistent with modern fashion trends. Retreating from the topic, we note that Apple was the first to abandon the colorful boxes. And the other manufacturers simply adopted this experience, which, as time has shown, was successful.
But packaging is just a box, and most importantly, what lies inside. The review of accessories will not be long. The fact is that unlike other Chinese manufacturers, this one provides a minimal set of resources. This is the documentation, adapter and USB cable. Some reviews of the first-generation Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb say that the kit also had a stylus, but not all. Therefore, this item can be considered a bonus from the seller.
Saving on components is understandable. The manufacturer simply used the minimum that could be offered without overstating the cost of the gadget.
Appearance
Having figured out the packaging and packaging, it's time to move on to the description of the appearance. All three generations of tablets are very similar to the "apple" gadgets. For example, Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb (White, Silver, etc.) of the first generation is very similar to the enlarged version of the iPhone 5c. The case of these models is made of plastic. The colors of the "apple" device are duplicated in the MiPad line. But the second version of the tablet is not so bright. Devices with a golden, gray and pink case went on sale. But this is also understandable - in such color schemes new gadgets from Apple began to be released. Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) looks very much like an iPad mini. The second generation tablet already has a metal case. The panels are made of thin aluminum sheet. The aspect ratio of the screen is 4: 3, like the iPad. The same resolution is also used.
The overall design looks strict, but not original, as it is borrowed from another manufacturer. However, this can not be called a disadvantage. But still there are differences. The rear aluminum panel is matte and rougher than the iPad mini. The third generation of the MiPad series looks like the second.
On the front panel of the tablets flaunts a 7.9 display. At the top are a selfie camera lens, an alert indicator and a sensor. At the bottom is a standard control panel, consisting of three touch-type buttons. The central one performs the “home” option, under the left button the function of calling the latest applications is programmed, and the right one is used to go back.
There are speaker holes and a camera lens on the back cover. Unfortunately, there is no flash. Standard lock and volume keys are on the right side. A 3.5 mm port is implemented for connecting a headset. It is located on top. And below there is a USB Type-C connector.
What do users say in reviews of the Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb? All owners of this gadget praise the manufacturer for the build quality. It is at the highest level - there are no gaps, creak and play are absent. Many also liked the elegant design, streamlined body shape, as well as the absence of sharp corners.
Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb. Dimensions
Given that the tablet is a mobile device, its size is important for each user. The first model of the line weighed 360 g. With this mass, the height of the gadget was 202 mm and the width was 135 mm. The users were very pleased with the thickness indicator. It is 8.5 mm. Such a thin tablet is everyone's dream.
The second and third generation are slightly different in size from the first. True, quite a bit. These two models have reduced weight - 322 g (Mi Pad 2) and 328 mm (Mi Pad 3). The same thing happened with height and width. These indicators became 200.4 mm and 123.6 mm, respectively. Given that the MiPad 1 tablet was already quite thin, manufacturers were able to make it even narrower. In the second and third generation, the thickness became 7 mm.
Specifications of the screen and camera Xiaomi MiPad 1 (16Gb)
It's time to move on to a review of technical specifications. We begin their description from the screen. The tablet has a high-quality display made using IPS technology. It is protected by glass, which is resistant to mechanical damage. The manufacturer was able to realize excellent resolution - 2048 × 1536 px. Note that for a 7.9-inch screen this is more than enough. True, the density indicator (326 ppi) turned out to be not quite high, but the picture does not pixelize. Very good screen brightness and viewing angles. Anti-glare properties are not bad, but could be better. So consider users. Developers were able to reduce the level of marrow by using a high-quality oleophobic layer.
Continuing the review of Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb, a few words should be said about the camera. There are two of them in the tablet. The first (front) is equipped with a 5 megapixel sensor. He copes with the tasks well. The main camera, located on the back side, works on an 8-megapixel matrix. By and large, there are no special comments on the quality of photos. However, they can only be done with good external lighting. The problem is a small but important nuance - the lack of flash. In the daytime, the frame is clear, the colors are even. No digital noise. The quality of pictures taken in the evening or at night drastically decreases.
The operating system of the first tablet of the MiPad series
The Xiaomi MiPad 2 / 16Gb Silver tablet is controlled by Android 4.4.2. Naturally, there is a proprietary MIUI shell, which is installed on all devices of this manufacturer. The tablet version of the OS is Russified, Google Play is installed. All applications are already on the desktop. It is not possible to combine them into one list. Anyone who has used gadgets on iOS, notice the similarity of systems. Only widgets and basic shortcuts can be placed on the desktops, but applications can not. Unfortunately, this did not play into the hands of the interface, since the flexibility of the Android menu is considered a significant advantage.
What do users say about the system in reviews? Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb, unfortunately, is unstable. Often error messages are displayed on the screen. It was also noted that not all menu items are translated into Russian, there are not only English inscriptions, but also hieroglyphs.
Autonomy of the first MiPad
The Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb firmware is optimized perfectly. Due to this, in terms of autonomy, the Chinese tablet can compete with the "apple" gadget. The manufacturer installed a fairly capacious battery. Her resource is 6700 mAh. Definitely, this figure is impressive, but you should not count on several days of work. The fact is that to assess the autonomy it is necessary to take into account the power of the hardware platform, and it is rather big in this device.
Actual terms of work:
- Reading mode - about 15 hours
- Watching videos online - up to 9 hours
- Games with a screen brightness of 100 cd / m² - 5-6 hours.
These terms can be increased, since the tablet has energy-saving modes:
- Battery Saving is suitable for reading.
- Balance can be used when watching a video.
- High Performance is recommended for gaming.
The tablet is charged both from a wall outlet and from a computer via a USB cable. If you use the original charger, it will take 3-4 hours to restore the battery life.
Performance MiPad 1
As mentioned above, the Xiaomi MiPad (16Gb) tablet has powerful hardware specifications. And it is true. The "heart" of the gadget was the Nvidia Tegra K1 processor. It runs on five compute elements of the Cortex-A15 type. The maximum frequency they can give out is 2220 MHz. The system operates on a 4 + 1 type, which makes it energy efficient. Paired with the main chipset, the Nvidia GK20A video card is installed. Manufacturers sold two gigabytes of RAM. The lineup has a modification with 16 GB of internal memory and 64 GB. If necessary, you can expand the storage to 128 GB by installing a USB flash drive.
Wireless networks
The Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb tablet received most of the negative reviews due to the lack of the ability to connect to the mobile Internet. This tablet has only one Wi-Fi module. But there are no comments on his work. It supports all popular standards, including 802.11ac. Works on the 5 GHz range. To transfer data, you can use the "Bluetooth". This gadget has a fourth version.
Reviews about MiPad 1
We conclude our review of the characteristics of Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb with reviews. At the time of release, according to users, this tablet was the most powerful in the low-cost segment. The hardware platform, presented by the Nvidia Tegra K1 processor, proved to be excellent in work. The performance is amazing, all games work without problems. Also, the advantages include balanced energy consumption. The battery life allows you to not feel the user restrictions. The indisputable advantage of this model is the screen.
However, there were some shortcomings. Users attributed to them the proprietary firmware, which works with failures, and the lack of a 3G module.
The average price of this model is about 10,000 rubles.
Xiaomi MiPad 2. Screen and cameras
Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) Silver is equipped with the same display that was installed in the first generation. All specifications remain unchanged. The same high-quality IPS-matrix, protective glass, oleophobic coating. There is a multi-touch option that recognizes ten touches made simultaneously. Most users were satisfied with this screen. Pleasantly pleased with the ability to change the brightness in read mode.
Just like in the first generation, Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) has two cameras. The front is represented by a 5-megapixel sensor. As the main matrix is implemented at 8 megapixels. Video recording with these cameras is carried out with a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels. It is possible to record clips with stereo sound.
As with the first model, high-quality images are obtained only in daylight. Already in the room to make a quality shot will be problematic.
Performance MiPad 2
But the hardware platform in the second-generation tablet has undergone changes. It implements the Intel Atom X5-Z8500 chip. It is based on 4 cores. Each of them is capable of issuing a frequency of 2240 megahertz. The graphics accelerator has changed in this gadget. Now, the Intel HD Graphics model acted as a video card.
How much RAM is in the Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) tablet? 2Gb. Just like in the first model, there are only two modifications on sale - with 16 Gb and 64 Gb. Unfortunately, an intermediate version of 32 Gb is missing, which outrages some buyers.
Many users were surprised that Xiaomi decided to change the brand of the processor. There is no exact data on why this happened. Some users suspect that such a decision was made due to the fact that models running on the Windows operating system were released in the line. As for the parameters, no major changes have occurred. The Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) platform has remained just as powerful. If you compare this gadget with competitors, then it is not inferior in speed. It even plays heavy games in a few seconds, and users do not even need to lower the settings.
Wireless networks
In the second generation of tablets of the MiPad line, unfortunately, with wireless modules, everything is just as sad as in the first model. Owners noticed the lack of GPS navigation function and support for mobile networks. The gadget provides only Bluetooth version 4.1 and Wi-Fi with support for modern standards.
Autonomy MiPad 2
The Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) Black tablet, however, like other colors, is equipped with a 6190 mAh battery. You can see that in the first generation the battery was larger. How did such changes affect autonomy? Now, when watching a video at maximum brightness, the tablet can work for no more than 7 hours. In reading mode with the Internet turned off, you can count on almost 16 hours.
To fully restore the battery life, you will need to spend 2 hours, provided that the charger is connected to an outlet. This time will increase slightly when using a computer or laptop as a power source.
The operating system of the second MiPad
It was already said briefly that in the second generation, in addition to Android, the developers used the popular Windows 10 operating system. Moreover, it is worth noting that their functionality is not cut. Both operating systems are fully installed. In this matter, the manufacturer provides the choice to the buyer. For example, a tablet running on Windows is offered only in a modification with 64 gigabytes of memory. But on the "Android" you can purchase two versions.
Unfortunately, as in the first generation, the second did not solve the problems with the MIUI proprietary shell. Let's look at the disadvantages of a gadget running on Android:
- Not all information is translated into Russian. Even flashing does not help to fix this flaw.
- Google services are missing. They will have to be installed independently.
- Not all applications run on the tablet, for example, MX Player. Gives an error message.
- The words in English and Russian are displayed in different fonts on the screen. This leads to a formatting violation in some applications.
Xiaomi MiPad 2 reviews
What are the advantages and disadvantages in their reviews of Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) users have identified? To begin, let's figure out the merits. These include a powerful hardware platform, system performance, quality materials, excellent display and support for USB Type C.
In general, users had a pleasant experience after interacting with this gadget, however, some of the shortcomings were still voiced in the comments. They talked about the lack of the Russian language in the firmware, the mobile communication module, GPS navigation and the need to independently install the Play Market.
For a tablet with the listed pros and cons, you will have to pay about 12 thousand rubles.
Screen and cameras Xiaomi MiPad 3
Regarding other characteristics of the third-generation Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb, we will discuss the screen settings. Unfortunately, the expectations of many users did not materialize. The screen remained the same as in the second generation. All the same 7.9 inches diagonal, resolution 2048 × 1536 px, density 326 ppi. But the display manufacturing technology has been changed. In this model, the On-Cell matrix is used. What can I say about her? The technology implies the absence of an air gap, which positively affects the image quality, excellent anti-glare properties, high-quality color reproduction, realistic, no color inversion. Viewing angles are wide, therefore, when viewing a video, problems should not arise.
But the manufacturer made changes to the characteristics of the cameras. Now the main sensor was 13 megapixels. Frontal remained at the same level - 5 megapixels. The camera menu has been simplified. It contains only the most necessary settings. The capabilities of accelerated or slow motion shooting in this gadget are not provided. The only thing available is just a few effects options. The quality of the pictures is mediocre. For video chatting, a selfie camera will be enough. But for a high-quality image, it will be necessary to choose the right lighting.
The performance of the third MiPad
For certain reasons, the manufacturer and in the third generation changed the brand of the processor. Currently, the tablet runs on a MediaTek MT8176 chip. To consider this a plus or minus, everyone must decide for himself. The company came to this decision due to the fact that the Intel processor did a poor job of the main task, that is, many applications were not adapted to the hardware platform used in the second generation. To fix this error, the developers installed a six-core processor, which is capable of issuing a frequency of 2100 MHz. Surprisingly, this turned out to be enough for all modern utilities to work without problems. They are now installed the first time on the device and run without any errors. The accelerator IMG PowerVR GX6250 GPU acted as a video card. Its capabilities are limited to a frequency of 600 megahertz.
A characteristic of the hardware platform is not only the brands of the processor and graphics accelerator, but also the parameters of RAM. In the third generation, it increased and amounted to 4 GB. There is only one version in the line, in which the built-in memory is 64 GB. The possibility of expanding the integrated storage is not provided for in the Xiaomi MiPad 3. 16Gb of the new generation’s internal memory is no longer available.
MiPad 3 operating system
The third generation of this brand of tablet runs on the seventh Android. Naturally, not without a branded shell. MiPad 3 has MIUI 8.2 installed. What do the owners say about this firmware? Note that even those customers who were among the first to purchase the tablet were satisfied with the software. Even at the start of sales, models were already produced with a pre-installed "global" version. What does this mean? The tablet had all the Google Play services and support for the Russian language, which is important for a domestic buyer.
An indisputable advantage of this model was that the manufacturer did not install a large number of programs. All that is out of the box is standard Android applications.
In MiPad 3, the system shell is fully optimized for tablet formats. However, some smartphone features still remain. For example, in order to take a screenshot of the screen, it will be necessary to draw three fingers on the display.
The autonomy of the tablet MiPad 3
Unlike the Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) tablet, in the third generation, the manufacturer again increased the battery life. Now the gadget runs on a battery with a capacity of 6600 mAh. In principle, as in the first and second generation, in the third there are no problems with the terms of autonomy. With the active use of the tablet at medium brightness, you can count up to 12 hours, after which you will have to connect it to the charger.
Some users have tested their gadget in the PS Mark app. The results are impressive. The device with an active screen and Wi-Fi turned on was able to work for more than 8 hours. We can say that these results for the mid-range device are more than excellent.
As you know, a modern device is not recommended to discharge up to 0%. Therefore, as a rule, it is connected to charging when the battery life reaches 10-15%. It takes approximately 3.5 hours to charge the tablet.
Wireless Modules
In the third generation, as in Xiaomi MiPad 16Gb, the characteristics of wireless interfaces are not impressive. They remained unchanged. There are also no navigation modules, 3G / 4G mobile Internet, and NFC functions. However, some changes have been made. This tablet has already implemented support for displaying images on a TV screen. This can be done through Wi-Fi Display. There is also a Wi-Fi Direct function. It is designed to exchange data in large volumes.
File transfer can be done using Bluetooth version 4.1. The dual-band Wi-Fi module works fine, there are no problems with the connection.
Reviews on the third MiPad
By and large, users did not notice significant changes in comparison with the Xiaomi MiPad 2 (16Gb) tablet. Everything except the "filling" has remained the same. However, let's take a look at how the MediaTek processor handles its tasks. Users noticed that the software began to work stably. The errors that appeared during the installation of applications can now be forgotten. The graphics core of the processor is quite powerful, so it draws all modern games. And for the tablet, this is the main indicator. Also, importantly, under heavy load, the metal case does not heat up.
The screen, although it has a small diagonal, however, its resolution is enough to comfortably watch movies or read electronic books. Undoubtedly, praise deserves battery life. Along with other competitors, this tablet gives good results. But the quality of the pictures taken by both the main and the front camera somewhat upset the owners. Still in the third generation, the photos are obtained, one might say, mediocre. However, it is in the tablet that this criterion is not considered the main one. As for the price, the third generation MiPad is sold approximately in the range from 12 to 15 thousand rubles.