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| Xiaomi Pad 9 review |
The mid-range tablet market has a new champion, and it's not made by Apple.
If you're in the market for a new tablet in 2026, you've probably noticed something frustrating: Apple's base-model iPad still commands a premium price while offering hardware that feels increasingly outdated. Meanwhile, Xiaomi has quietly released a device that doesn't just compete with the iPad — it embarrasses it on nearly every spec sheet.
According to a detailed review from Notebookcheck, the Xiaomi Pad 9 is the mid-range tablet to beat, and the numbers don't lie.
The Display: No Contest
The most striking difference between these two tablets is the screen. Xiaomi equips the Pad 9 with an 11.2-inch LCD featuring a 144 Hz refresh rate and a crisp 3,200 x 2,136 resolution. Apple's entry-level iPad? Still stuck at 60 Hz with a non-laminated panel.
That air gap between the glass and LCD on the iPad isn't just a technical detail — it's something you feel every time you tap the screen. Content appears less immediate, contrast suffers, and stylus input feels noticeably less natural. The Xiaomi's higher refresh rate makes scrolling buttery smooth, something anyone coming from a modern smartphone will immediately appreciate.
Brightness tells a similar story. Notebookcheck measured the Xiaomi Pad 9 at a solid 802 cd/m², while the iPad 11 trails significantly behind at just 547 cd/m². Whether you're using your tablet outdoors or in a bright room, that difference matters.
Performance: Snapdragon Dominance
Under the hood, Xiaomi's Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 with its Adreno 825 GPU delivers a decisive advantage over the A16 chip in the iPad 11. In graphics benchmarks, the gap is staggering:
- GFXBench Manhattan offscreen: Xiaomi Pad 9 hits 334 fps vs. iPad's 205 fps
- Aztec Ruins High Tier: Xiaomi achieves 81 fps — more than double the iPad's 40 fps
For gamers, content creators, or anyone who multitasks heavily, this isn't just a spec-sheet victory. It's a real-world performance difference you'll feel every day.
Battery Life That Actually Lasts
The Xiaomi Pad 9 packs a 9,720 mAh dual-cell battery, while the iPad 11 offers just 7,606 mAh. In Notebookcheck's battery tests, the results were decisive:
- Xiaomi Pad 9: Over 19 hours
- iPad 11: Around 11 hours
That's more than eight hours of additional usage — essentially an entire extra workday or a full transatlantic flight. Charging is no contest either. The Pad 9 supports 45 W fast charging, PD 3.0, QC 3+, and even 22.5 W reverse charging for accessories like earbuds or smartwatches.
Premium Build, Affordable Price
Despite its budget-friendly positioning, the Xiaomi Pad 9 doesn't skimp on build quality. The aluminum unibody measures just 5.8 mm thin and weighs 485 grams, making it one of the sleekest tablets in its class. The screen-to-body ratio of nearly 86% actually exceeds what you'll find on the more expensive iPad Air.
Other notable features include:
- Eye-friendly display: TÜV-certified flicker-free panel (no PWM), a critical detail for anyone who experiences eye strain during extended use
- Dolby Vision support with 12-bit color depth
- IP52 rating for light dust and water resistance
- Longevity: Xiaomi promises four major Android upgrades and five to six years of security patches
Where to Buy
Pricing varies depending on your region and import channels. The 8GB/128GB variant is available through TradingShenzhen for approximately €467, a trusted source for Chinese tech imports that installs Google Play Store and tests every device before shipping. You'll also get a 14-day return window and a full year of warranty with local repair options in Germany.
For those preferring mainstream retail, check availability via Amazon, though stock tends to fluctuate.
For a deeper dive into the Pad 9's real-world performance and software experience, GSM Go Tech has an excellent breakdown covering everything from gaming benchmarks to the import process.
The Verdict
The Xiaomi Pad 9 isn't just a good value — it's a genuinely better tablet than Apple's entry-level iPad in almost every measurable way. Brighter display. Smoother refresh rate. Faster performance. Longer battery life. Premium build quality. And all of it for less money.
Unless you're deeply invested in Apple's ecosystem or absolutely require iPadOS-specific apps, there's little reason to choose the iPad 11 over Xiaomi's offering. The mid-range tablet conversation has changed, and Xiaomi is leading it.
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