Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 review: A new blueprint as budget Android tabs keep improving

Hindustan Times

01-07-2025

There is definitive momentum to Android tablets getting better, over time. Xiaomi's role in sustaining this trajectory is often under-realised, but recent efforts explain as much. It all started with the Xiaomi Pad 6 but then there was a serious step forward with the Xiaomi Pad 7 that also had a nano-texture display https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/xiaomi-pad-7-s-nano-texture-display-milestone-counters-conventional-wisdom-101739941624600.html option, alongside the likes of the Redmi Pad Pro suggesting the improvement is percolating down the price bands. The Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 may well be a culmination of those chapters, particularly from the pricing perspective. The Redmi Pad 2 will cost ₹ 13,999 for the Wi-Fi only variant that has 4GB memory and 128GB storage. (Vishal Mathur | HT Photo)
The Redmi Pad 2 will cost ₹ 13,999 for the Wi-Fi only variant that has 4GB memory and 128GB storage, and ₹ 15,999 onwards for the Wi-Fi + Cellular alternative that may be a better bet since it gets two more powerful configurations — 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB (and another 2TB capacity, via memory card). Of course there is a broader accessory ecosystem play which sees the optional cover being priced at ₹ 1,299 and a Redmi Smart Pen (this is the stylus) that costs ₹ 3,999. The cellular option certainly delivers more in terms of longevity and variance of usage, and while this is 4G, it may just be the ticket for a tablet that remains connected even when away from a Wi-Fi envelope.
Immediately impressive is the display, and even though it could have done with a bit more crispness, still delivers enough brightness to make this usable in most differing lighting conditions and colours that look good overall. Xiaomi has played the balance rather well with the 11-inch screen size, which in the current state of play, fits best for media consumption, web browsing, reading, and some workflows too. I don't believe the Redmi Pad 2 has a keyboard accessory for now, and that in a way streamlines the demographic this is largely appealing to. And its a wide scope anyway, including the ideal first tablet for a user, a tablet that can be shared between more than one family member, or even a secondary screen for catching up on emails and reading as you run shuffle meetings.
The MediaTek Helio G-100 Ultra, and we tested this with the 8GB memory plus another 8GB set as RAM extension via the software settings, is par for course as far as performance is concerned. This will be able to handle most apps with ease, and get through some bit of multitasking without slowing perceptibly, but do not expect this to get you through any more. This is an entry spec tablet, and the limits to performance will begin to show if there isn't enough free memory or the processor has a lot to do. I am not entirely sure if this is a factor of the hardware that powers the Redmi Pad 2, but there are instances when the interface requires a second stab of a gesture to get it to respond. An optimisation that can be delivered via a HyperOS 2 update? We would hope so.
Where the Redmi Pad 2 does really well is with battery stamina. This 9,000mAh capacity battery, which depending on how you use it, will last you anywhere between a day and three days. This is by far the most capacity that any Android tablet this side of ₹ 20,000 has delivered thus far. The 18-watt charging speed isn't by any means fast, but hardly a shortcoming. That isn't all. Xiaomi has done well to integrate Google Gemini powered Circle to Search, and the responsiveness is impressively smooth. Gemini assistant is very much available too. There's an AI suite beyond that as well — Live subtitles for conversations and meetings, for instance.
As far as affordable Android tablets go, there's little to nitpick with the Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2. It isn't rewriting the approach, but has its finger very much on the pulse. Cellular connectivity, a thin and light (7.36mm and 510 grams) design as well as an 11-inch screen that's the perfect balance between an immersive experience and portability, give this tablet just the substance it needs. This is meant for a very specific set of audiences and use-cases, and within that paradigm, it really leaves no cards on the table.