Reviews

Redmi Pad SE Hands-On: Unboxing and First Impressions

We got our hands-on the newly launched Redmi Pad SE. Check out our first impressions of another budget tablet from Xiaomi.

Last updated on

29/02/2024

Published on

August 18, 2023

Zara Ali

The tablet market continues to evolve with new offerings that cater to diverse user needs and budgets. Xiaomi, known for its commitment to delivering feature-rich devices at competitive prices, has unveiled its latest tablet, the Redmi Pad SE. This entry-level tablet, designed for the European market, aims to strike a balance between affordability and performance, making it an intriguing option for individuals seeking a multimedia tablet without breaking the bank. In this article, we’ll delve into the unboxing experience and detail our hands-on impressions of the Redmi Pad SE, exploring its features, design, display, performance, and more.

Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE on* Amazon

Pricing and Variants

The Redmi Pad SE is an affordable tablet that starts at just 199 Euros. It offers multiple configurations, with the base model having 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. For those seeking more powerful performance, higher-tier variants with 6GB or 8GB of RAM are available at a slightly higher price of 249 Euros. This competitive pricing strategy makes the Redmi Pad SE a great option for budget-conscious individuals.

What’s Inside the Box

Before diving into the technical aspects of the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE, let’s take a closer look at the unboxing experience and the accessories that accompany this budget-friendly tablet. The unboxing process offers an initial glimpse into what the Redmi Pad SE has to offer and sets the stage for the user’s first interaction with the device.

Opening the box reveals the centerpiece—the tablet itself. The Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE showcases a subtle pinkish hue. Alongside the tablet, users will find the standard paperwork, including a warranty guide and a quick start guide. There’s also a microSD tray ejector tool to access the tablet’s Micro SD card slot.

The package also contains a standard charger, ensuring that users can power up their tablet promptly upon unboxing. Alongside the charger, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable is provided, ensuring compatibility with various devices and charging sources.

While some tablets offer optional accessories such as keyboard covers or stylus pens, the Redmi Pad SE takes a slightly different approach. The tablet does not come with an optional keyboard cover or stylus pen. However, an official cover is available, offering protection and a touch of style. Made from plastic, this cover mimics the appearance of leather, contributing to an aesthetic that blends functionality with visual appeal. The cover envelops the tablet from all sides. Additionally, its foldable design allows users to transform it into a stand, enhancing the tablet’s usability.

Redmi Pad SE Hands-on Review

Let’s dive into our first impressions of Redmi Pad SE. Of course, we will be bringing out a detailed review for you too.

Design and Display

The Redmi Pad SE features a slightly saturated pinkish color, giving it a unique look. It has an 11-inch display with minimal screen bezels, giving it a modern look. The display has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, providing clear visuals for media consumption and online browsing. A standout feature is its 90Hz refresh rate, which is not commonly found in tablets at this price point. This high refresh rate results in smoother visuals and paired with its 400 nits brightness level, makes it great for outdoor use.

The tablet comes with a quad speaker setup, making it ideal for multimedia activities such as video streaming and casual gaming. The speakers provide a satisfying audio experience, enhancing the overall multimedia capabilities of the Redmi Pad SE.

Performance and Hardware

A cornerstone of any modern tablet is its internal hardware, and the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE doesn’t disappoint in this regard. Powering this budget-friendly device is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset, a robust platform that promises a balance between performance and efficiency. With varying configurations of up to 8GB RAM, paired consistently with 128GB of storage (up to 1TB expandable storage via microSD card) across the board, the Redmi Pad SE positions itself as a contender in the entry-level tablet category.

One of the intriguing aspects of the Redmi Pad SE’s hardware offering is the absence of 5G or LTE connectivity options. While this omission might raise eyebrows, it’s evident that Xiaomi has focused its efforts on optimizing other aspects of the tablet, especially its affordability and core performance capabilities.

For an objective assessment of the Redmi Pad SE’s performance capabilities, let’s delve into the realm of benchmark tests, particularly the Geekbench 5 Benchmark comparison. A consistent practice for tech enthusiasts, benchmark tests provide insights into a device’s raw computing power and its prowess in handling various tasks.

Upon analyzing the Geekbench 5 Benchmark scores, a few notable patterns emerge. In terms of multi-core performance, the Redmi Pad SE inches slightly above the standard Redmi Pad, showcasing its capability to handle multitasking and resource-intensive applications more effectively. However, the graphics performance paints a slightly different picture. The tablet’s compute performance and graphics processing capabilities trail behind, positioning it as a notable weak point of the device.

In fact, a comparison against the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 highlights this difference starkly. Despite the A8’s status as an older and more budget-friendly option, it manages to outshine the Redmi Pad SE in graphics performance. This particular aspect raises questions about the tablet’s suitability for more graphically demanding tasks such as high-end gaming or resource-intensive graphic applications.

However, it’s not all shadows and shortcomings for the Redmi Pad SE. The tablet manages to redeem itself on the CPU front. Its performance in CPU-related tasks is noteworthy, positioning it favorably in terms of raw processing power, especially considering its entry-level status. This aspect resonates well with the tablet’s intended use as a versatile multitasking device, capable of handling various applications simultaneously.

Comparing the Redmi Pad SE to higher-end tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022 and even Xiaomi’s own flagship, the Redmi Pad 6, underscores the tablet’s position as an entry-level contender. While it might not achieve the same heights as its more powerful counterparts, it’s important to note that the Redmi Pad SE is tailored for a different audience—those seeking affordability and core functionality.

During a mobile gaming test, the Redmi Pad SE exhibits promising capabilities, particularly with games like PUBG Mobile. While the tablet showcases smooth gameplay, graphical limitations necessitate a compromise in settings for optimal performance.

Software and Interface

The Redmi Pad SE runs on Android 13 and features Xiaomi’s MIUI customization, giving users an updated software experience. An interesting observation is that the software experience on the Redmi Pad SE mirrors that of its predecessors, such as the Xiaomi Pad 6, Pad 5, and other tablets within the Redmi lineup. This consistency is a nod to Xiaomi’s commitment to ensuring that users across its range of devices have access to similar user experiences and feature sets.

Xiaomi’s dedication to providing timely updates is noteworthy. The tablet’s predecessors have experienced consistent and substantial updates over the last few years, which is a positive sign for the Redmi Pad SE’s future. While official information about the tablet’s update cycle might be pending, the trend suggests that Xiaomi aims to improve and enhance its devices over time.

MIUI’s customization extends beyond the interface itself, with pre-installed apps designed to enhance user productivity and convenience. Among these offerings is a notes app with a built-in browser, a weather app, a recorder, and additional tools that cater to diverse user needs. Notably, apps like WPS Office come pre-installed, catering to productivity tasks that often require document editing and management.

Furthermore, the tablet arrives with pre-installed applications such as Geekbench 5, PUBG Mobile, and Netflix. The inclusion of Netflix ensures that users can immediately dive into streaming their favorite shows and movies on the tablet’s vibrant display. Additionally, the presence of the Google Play Store and the suite of Google apps underscores the tablet’s international appeal. Xiaomi’s decision to release the Redmi Pad SE beyond China ensures that users around the world can access the tablet along with localized support and warranties.

Conclusion

In our first impressions of the Redmi Pad SE, we have come to a well-rounded perspective on its strengths and areas for improvement. While the tablet does have many impressive features and a reasonable price of 199 Euros, its graphics performance falls short. This could be a setback for users who require a tablet with exceptional graphical capabilities.

On the other hand, the regular Xiaomi Redmi Pad is a viable alternative. It has a similar price point and better graphics performance, making it a more attractive option, especially with recent price reductions. Those who prioritize tasks that demand high graphics performance may find the standard Redmi Pad to be a better choice, especially if it is available at a discounted price.

The Redmi Pad SE offers a similar user experience as its predecessor, demonstrating Xiaomi’s dedication to improving its products. Users can expect a sense of familiarity when switching between Xiaomi tablets. There is speculation about the future of Xiaomi’s tablet releases. The standard Redmi Pad may be phased out in favor of the Redmi Pad SE as an entry-level option. Furthermore, there are predictions of a Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 with better features and a higher price point.

To sum up, the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE is a great choice for those looking for an affordable tablet with good performance. It offers multiple RAM options, a bright display, and timely software updates, making it a valuable option. However, if you need a tablet for graphics-intensive tasks, this may not be the best choice. For those interested in premium options, our review of the Xiaomi Pad 6 is worth considering.

Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE shows a lot of potential in the budget tablet market. Xiaomi is dedicated to innovation, affordability, and user experience, and we can expect future iterations to be even better.

Check out our Redmi Pad SE unboxing video below and subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the latest reviews and more!

Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE

Read now: Our Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE Review

The Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE offers good value for the money overall. It's particularly interesting as a media tablet for Netflix and YouTube. The Redmi Pad SE features a metal casing, a sleek 90Hz display, up-to-date software, and a long battery life. The downsides are its weak graphics performance, lack of support for an active stylus, and the absence of an official keyboard.

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