Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro review: An impressive new flagship tablet for £449 (aff)
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With fast performance, standout battery life and a premium feel, Xiaomi’s latest tablet delivers serious value despite a few software quirks
It's becoming justifiably big news when Xiaomi launches a new flagship product. Its 17 Ultra has gone some way to redefining smartphone photography, and no sooner has the dust settled on that launch, we've now got a new top-tier tablet from the Chinese brand. The Pad 8 Pro.
On paper, it's less impressive than the 17 Ultra, but it's still a lot of tablet for its £449 launch price.
It’s slim, fairly light, and wrapped in a premium metal body that feels far more expensive than you might expect.
The display is equally impressive, with a sharp, smooth panel that makes everything from scrolling to streaming feel effortless. It might not be OLED, but in day-to-day use it still looks vibrant and punchy enough for most people.
Performance is where it really starts to separate itself from the pack. This is a seriously fast tablet, and it shows. Apps open instantly, multitasking is smooth, and even heavier tasks like gaming or editing don’t seem to faze it.
This is a big box to tick for a tablet, as this is a device you'll want to invest in and live in for a while, unlike a smartphone which will be chopped in at the end of a contract cycle.
Battery life is another big win. In real-world use I've comfortably had a couple of days out of it without worrying about charging, and for a tablet this powerful, that’s a huge plus.
Where things get a little more mixed is the operating system. Xiaomi’s HyperOS is packed with features and offers plenty of flexibility, including split-screen multitasking and some useful productivity tools, but it doesn’t always feel as polished or consistent as it could be.
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Some apps still aren’t fully optimised for larger screens, and occasionally the experience feels a bit cluttered. It’s good, but it doesn’t quite match the seamless feel you get elsewhere. Move to this from an iPad or a Pixel and you'll see what I mean straight away.
That said, Xiaomi has clearly tried to make this more than just a media device. With support for a stylus and keyboard, it can double up as a light productivity machine, and features like strong front-facing cameras make it perfectly usable for video calls.
The keyboard, which obviously doubles as a case, is one of the best I've used. It has a rather small enter key and a largely pointless little trackpad, but it's very tactile and responsive for a small keypad.
The only trouble is the price. The Pro Focus Keyboard costs £179. It might be a great accessory to have, but it adds a lot of cost. The stylus is also pretty pricey at £89, but it is very good.
Even so, it’s hard not to be impressed with the tablet as an overall package. It feels solid in the hand without being too heavy, and it gets so much right that it feels like a genuine alternative rather than a cheaper imitation. It’s fast, well built, and has battery life that genuinely stands out.
The software might not be perfect, but for most people, it’s more than good enough.