Let me get this straight, this is not a workhorse like high-end tablets. The Redmi Pad SE is for the everyday non-work related tasks that you’d use your laptop for. Like watching Netflix, browsing the internet, playing games and even getting some light work done.
It’s got quite an impressive form factor. The slim glass and aluminum construction with a brushed metal finish and curved edges do give it a premium look. Given the fit and finish levels, you could easily confuse the Pad SE for a tablet twice its price.
A big grouse with budget tablets is the terrible screen resolution. Thankfully, the Pad SE does not skimp on this feature and gets an 11-inch 1080p IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 400 nits brightness. The screen is crisp and feels seamless to swipe through. As for brightness, it could do with a bit more brightness but that said, the screen is decently readable even outdoors. Another cool aspect is the tablet-specific UI that has multiple features, like split screen and floating windows which allow you to work on different tabs simultaneously.
You can’t expect punchy performance with budget tablets and keeping that in mind, the Redmi Pad SE is a solid performer. It features a Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G chipset which works exceptionally well for mild-intensity tasks such as streaming OTT platforms, watching YouTube videos, browsing the internet as well as some mild gaming. For better performance, it is better to skip the base 4GB version and go for the 6GB or 8GB one. Also, the lack of sim-card support does limit the tablet’s connectivity.
The Pad SE gets 5MP front and 8MP rear cameras. Both offer decent resolution and support HD streaming so you should be able to video conference with ease. The inbuilt speakers are loud and offer crisp audio as well.
It gets an 8,000mAh battery which should last around two days with normal usage. Sadly it does not support fast charging and with the supplied 10W charger, it takes a couple of hours to fully charge.
Overall, the Redmi Pad SE comes across as a budget tablet that makes you question the need for high-end expensive tablets.
Rs 12,999 onwards | www.mi.com/in
Redmi Pad SE
Processor: Snapdragon 680 chipset, 8 cores CPU up to 2.4GHz, Qualcomm Adreno GPU
Display: 11-inches FHD @ 1920 x 1200, 207ppi Memory: 4GB / 6GB / 8GB
Storage: 128GB Built-in, Up to 1TB expandable Battery: 8000mAh
