Xiaomi finally stepped into the realm of gaming laptops with Mi Xiaomi gaming laptop collection. These smart looking laptops look like anything but gaming laptop but in this case, looks can be deceiving. Let’s talk about what you can expect.
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Xiaomi Gaming Laptop Performance
Xiaomi tried it’s best to offer fast gaming experience without losing the edge of competitive price. The higher price range model ($1400) comes with Intel 7th generation i7-7700HQ processor. You can expect a smooth performance without lagging. Overall i7 -7700HQ processor is one of the best you can get within this price range.
The standard inbuilt RAM is 16GB DDR4 – enough to take care of performance when you are playing even high-end games. In case you are wondering, DDR4 RAM is 40% faster and more powerful than its DDR3 counterpart. Thanks to this 16GB memory, you will enjoy an enriched gaming or even working experience without any lagging.
Alternatively, less than $1000 option has inbuilt Intel i5-7300HQ processor. Though not as efficient as the previous one, it is perfect for those who want a gaming laptop without breaking the bank. And this model has 8GB DDR4 RAM only. Little disappointing, of course, but you get what you pay for, right? That being said, this model is an overall quite good fit if you restrict yourself from high-end gaming. Otherwise, most of the games should work properly.
As far as storage is concerned, the expensive model comes with 256GB SSD and 1TB HDD. Under $1000 option has same HDD but 128SSD instead. This SSD is way faster than HDD. So your device can access files faster while you continue to work or play games. 1TB HDD is perfect for saving tons of data and files.
Graphics
The high-end configuration laptop comes with GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5 GPU. This GTX 1060 is better than GTX 1050 and 6GB GPU is enough for most of the games. Expect an immersive, vivid visual experience while playing.
The base configuration model has GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5 dedicated graphics. Though not GTX 1060, GTX 1050 is 30% better than GTX 960 graphics. Of course, 4 GB GTX 1050 is no match for 6GB GTX 1060 but overall it’s good enough.
Now, please note, graphics performance may decline if you are on battery. Preferably find a plugin before starting to work or play.
Cooling
Xiaomi designed their new range of laptops while keeping the heat issue in mind. The first line of defense is a larger Chassis. Compare to other 15.6 inch laptops, it’s quite thicker, approx. 20.9mm. The basic idea behind is more space you have better will be the air circulation.
These laptops have two fans – one for CPU another for GPU, along with multiple heat pipes for venting out the heat. If you press the tornado button, the fans will work in full throttle and cool off the system real quick. On an average, you can expect the temperature to go down 3 to 5 degree Centigrade per minute which is quite good.
Vents are on the sides of laptop and fans draw fresh air from the bottom.
Connectivity
Some laptop manufacturers go for minimal design and provide two or three ports only. Xiaomi here went 180 degrees, keeping the needs of gamers in mind and included multiple ports for better connectivity which includes four USB 3.0 ports, two USB type C ports, 1 Ethernet port, HDMI port, audio jack and so on. That means now you have more flexibility if you want to connect external devices. It also has 3 in 1 card reader inbuilt.
Apart from these, these laptops have inbuilt Bluetooth 4.1 and 802.11AC Wi-Fi. Now Bluetooth 4.1 is known for low power consumption and high performance. So even if you have multiple wireless devices connected, you won’t drain the battery faster.
802.11AC ensures faster and stable internet connectivity. That means, there is less chance of sudden connectivity interruption when you are playing or working.
Sound and Keyboard
Great quality sound and a gamer-friendly keyboard are must for any gaming laptop and Xiaomi did a good job here.
These gaming laptops RGB keyboard that supports 16 million colors over four regions. Keys are comfortable and don’t make much sound. Keys are distributed in a fashion which will suit gamers’ finger placement habits.
As far as sound is concerned, Xiaomi gaming laptop is quite impressive. Thanks to Dolby sound and Sony high-resolution audio, users can experience an immersive and rich auditory experience. The sound is clear, loud enough and without any noises. Combining with visual performance, these laptops offer great gaming experience.
Portability and battery backup
Mi laptops don’t look like any other run-of-the-mill bulky gaming laptops. These look kind of sleek and can be passed off as a notebook even.
With that said, Xiaomi gaming laptop is quite heavy, around 2.7kg. Considering it is designed as a gaming laptop; there is not much room for complaining though. But you can carry around if you want as it’s still lighter than few other laptops available in the market.
Average battery life is 8 hours – not the best of course, but kind of acceptable. Just don’t forget to keep the adapter within your reach.
Conclusion
Xiaomi’s Mi laptops are quite promising overall. It’s a good choice for the gamers who are searching for a budget option but want good performance. These laptops yet to be launched in the global market but you can still buy from some third-party websites. In that case, your new laptop will have a Chinese version of Windows 10. Just re-installation of English version can take of that issue though.
