Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro Review: Classic Xiaomi Good Value

Best Prices Today: Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro

Xiaomi is making a serious entry into the tablet market with the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro, which accompanies the Xiaomi Pad 8 and delivers slightly enhanced specifications. It joins a recent wave of high-end Android tablets competing with Apple’s iPad, as well as the Honor MagicPad 4 and OnePlus Pad 3.

While many Android tablets have traditionally been more affordable with lower-grade hardware, the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro positions itself as a flagship device, better equipped to compete with Samsung’s dominance in the Android tablet segment.

Delivering excellent value, the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro provides a compelling Android tablet experience. I’ve spent the past month testing the tablet to determine if it sets a new standard in the Android tablet market.

Design & Build

• Premium metal design
• Slim 5.75mm profile
• No IP rating

The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro builds on the design of the Xiaomi Pad 7, featuring a similar metal body with flat edges and a nearly uniform bezel surrounding the display. Available in Pine Green, Blue, and Gray, the tablet weighs 485g.

At 5.75mm thick, it’s thinner than the Apple iPad Air, although slightly heavier. For those seeking an even thinner option, the Honor MagicPad 4 measures 4.8mm and weighs 450g.

The only major drawback in the design is the protruding camera housing.

The primary design issue is the raised camera housing at the back. Although it only contains one lens, the large bump resembles the comprehensive camera systems found on phones or the iPad Pro.

This bump prevents the tablet from lying flat, causing it to rock when placed on a surface and used. Using accessories can alleviate the problem, but it’s worth noting. Additionally, the device lacks an IP rating, which is available on the latest Samsung tablets, offering better protection against dirt and splashes.

A fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button, complemented by face unlocking. Both methods proved reliable, providing seamless access to the device.

Accessories

• Focus Pen
• Keyboards and cases
• Premium prices

The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro benefits from a range of accessories offered by Xiaomi. None are included in the box—not even a charger—but there are many options available, often at discounted prices in the official store.

The Focus Pen offers a satisfying writing experience with squeeze functions and gestures.

The Focus Pen, which connects via Bluetooth and charges when magnetically attached to the tablet’s side, allows for writing and sketching. Though convenient for storage, the magnet isn’t strong enough to secure the Pen in a bag. The Pen itself provides a satisfying experience with squeeze functions and gestures.

The Focus Keyboard, reminiscent of the iPad’s Magic Keyboard, features a trackpad and hinge, allowing the tablet to float above the keys. It offers some angle adjustment and is suitable for light work, though it adds bulk to the tablet.

The keyboard draws power from the tablet via pogo pins and features a backlit keyboard. A more affordable standard keyboard, without a hinge and trackpad, relies on propping the screen up. Lastly, a simple folio case can be folded to serve as a stand.

Screen & Speakers

• 11.2in LCD screen, Dolby Vision
• Quad speakers, Dolby Atmos
• Matte Glass Version

The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro’s screen uses LCD technology instead of the OLED panels found in the iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11. Despite this, the display is vibrant, offering a high resolution of 3200 x 2136 pixels (345ppi), which is higher than the iPad.

It supports refresh rates up to 144Hz, providing smooth scrolling. However, the usefulness of higher refresh rates depends on the tablet’s use case, such as gaming or other applications.

The display and speakers make it a great tablet for on-the-go entertainment.

However, the display’s reflectiveness is a significant drawback. Bright environments can cause reflections that obscure content, and the 800 nits peak brightness isn’t always sufficient to combat this. Xiaomi offers a Matte Glass version for an additional cost (£629), which could be advantageous for those frequently using the tablet outdoors. Additionally, the auto-brightness feature can sometimes dim the display excessively, so manual adjustments might be necessary for optimal viewing.

Overall, the display size and quality make it ideal for watching movies and TV shows on the go. It supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, although it doesn’t achieve the peak brightness needed for HDR highlights to truly stand out.

With four speakers around the body supporting Dolby Atmos, the audio experience is enhanced. It’s advisable to disable the default Xiaomi Sound setting, which tends to be flat. Enabling the “immersive sound” setting significantly improves audio quality.

Overall, the combination of display and speakers makes this tablet excellent for entertainment while traveling.

Specs & Performance

• Snapdragon 8 Elite
• 8/12GB RAM
• 256/512GB storage
• No 5G option

The ‘Pro’ designation of this tablet is justified by upgraded core hardware compared to the Xiaomi Pad 8. It features a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which, although a year old, remains a high-end component found in many top-tier phones over the past year.

The tablet comes with ample RAM and storage but lacks options for SD card expansion and 5G connectivity, instead offering WiFi 7 as the maximum wireless capability.

It’s no wonder this tablet performs solidly.

With its robust hardware, the tablet performs efficiently. It smoothly runs games at high settings and handles multitasking with ease. This is crucial for those using the tablet as a mobile workstation. The Workstation mode can be toggled to provide a desktop-like experience, opening apps in windows similar to Samsung’s DeX feature.

Although there was minor stuttering when dragging windows over each other, it wasn’t a significant issue during daily use. The tablet does get slightly warm under heavy load, such as gaming and streaming, but it wasn’t concerning.

Cameras

• 50Mp, f/1.8 main camera
• 32Mp, f/2.2 front camera

While I’m not a frequent user of tablet cameras, the 32Mp front camera delivers good video call quality. However, the 50Mp rear camera doesn’t justify its large housing.

On paper, the 50Mp camera with f/1.8 aperture is above average for tablets. However, the small sensor size is evident in the results. The cameras are suitable for casual photos, but your phone’s camera will likely produce better images.

Photos taken with the rear camera are noisy and lack vibrancy in low light, with a tendency to overexpose in bright conditions. The front camera isn’t ideal for photos, as even a slight decrease in light results in noise in shadow areas. However, its wide field of view makes it great for group video calls.

Battery Life & Charging

• 9200mAh battery
• 67W charging

The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro’s battery life is impressive, thanks to the 9200mAh cell. It lasted through a couple of days of regular use before needing a recharge.

The tablet also retained its charge well when in standby in my bag for over a week. This makes it a great choice for those seeking a productivity device on the go or for loading up with content for long flights.

While no charger is included, the tablet charges rapidly with a 100W Anker Prime charger, reaching 53% in 30 minutes, thanks to its 67W charging capability.

This charging speed is an improvement over the standard Xiaomi Pad 8, which supports up to 45W charging.

Software & AI

• HyperOS 3 based on Android 16
• Workstation mode
• 4 OS updates and 6 years of security updates

The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro runs on Android 16, with Xiaomi’s HyperOS skin layered on top. This will be familiar to users of Xiaomi, Redmi, or Poco phones, and it’s great that this premium tablet runs the latest software version.

While I’ve criticized HyperOS for its excessive changes on phones, I find it less problematic on tablets, as it doesn’t obstruct the core functions. In fact, HyperOS offers some excellent features specifically for tablet users.

The pièce de résistance is the workstation mode.

The home page includes a dock, allowing apps to launch full screen or windowed, which is convenient. Additionally, there’s simple split-screen functionality, but the standout feature is the workstation mode, similar to Samsung DeX, which provides a desktop-like experience.

This mode displays a longer dock across the bottom of the screen, reminiscent of macOS. It enhances accessibility when using a wide range of apps, making it easy to access them without constantly swiping open the apps tray. The swipe gesture is replaced with a button press, making it user-friendly for keyboard and mouse users.

Despite HyperOS’s tendency to be cluttered on phones, it doesn’t feel as overwhelming on this Xiaomi tablet. While Xiaomi’s Mi Browser can be bothersome with notifications, it’s easy to silence. Interestingly, I found that some website elements that didn’t load correctly in Chrome worked in Mi Browser, so it’s worth keeping.

Hyper AI features are present, with Gemini as the primary offering. Beyond that, Xiaomi provides AI writing, image creation, translation, and more, primarily through its own apps. While these features didn’t add much value for me, they’re easy to ignore.

Android has improved the tablet experience over the years, but it still doesn’t match the iPad’s level. Some Android apps aren’t optimized for large screens, despite Google’s efforts to improve this. Even popular apps like Facebook aren’t great in landscape mode on tablets.

A notable software downside is the limited four years of OS updates, meaning support ends in 2030. However, the device will receive six years of security updates, ensuring protection even without new features.

Price & Availability

The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro is priced at £529, but it’s available for £449 from Mi.com for the 8/256GB model, making it competitively priced compared to its rivals. The 12/512GB model costs £599, and the Matte Glass Version (only available in Graphite Gray and 12/512GB) is £629.

Discounted prices are also reflected on Amazon for those preferring to purchase elsewhere. Additionally, Xiaomi is likely to offer discounts on accessories at checkout along with other perks.

Key competitors include the latest iPad Air, Honor MagicPad 4, and OnePlus Pad 3.

For those looking to spend less, the £399 Xiaomi Pad 8 offers a similar experience (including accessories) with some hardware changes, making it potentially even better value.

Check out our list of the best tablets right now for more options.

Should you buy the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro?

The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro provides excellent specifications and performance for its price, offering a more affordable alternative to premium Android tablets from the segment leader, Samsung. It’s less expensive than Apple’s top models, though the standard iPad costs less and arguably provides a more polished app experience and longer software support.

Xiaomi’s accessories are well-designed but can be pricey at full price. The Focus Keyboard is an excellent choice for those seeking a compact productivity tablet that excels at both work and entertainment.

Overall, if the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro meets your requirements, it’s a highly recommended Android tablet.

Specs

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
• 8/12GB RAM
• 128/256/512GB storage
• 11.2in 144Hz 3.2K (3200 x 2136) IPS LCD display
• Matte Glass Version (optional)
• Quad speakers
• 50Mp main camera, f/1.8
• 32Mp front camera, f/2.2
• USB-C
• WiFi 7
• Bluetooth 6.0
• 9200mAh battery
• Wired charging up to 67W
• 485g
• 251.22 x 173.42 x 5.75mm
• Android 16 with HyperOS 3
• Colours: Gray, Blue, Pine Green, Graphite Gray (Matte Glass Version)