- Xiaomi is introducing two laptops in India.
- Both laptops pack 14-inch displays.
- The range starts at Rs 41,999 (~$554) and goes all the way up to Rs 59,999 (~$792).
After conquering the smartphone space, Xiaomi has been rapidly scaling up its ecosystem offerings in India. As the company makes a bid towards more premium offerings, laptops seem to be the next big product category for the brand. The company launched its Mi NoteBooks lineup in India and the initial focus appears to be on the thin and light category of laptops.
Xiaomi is starting the range with two models. Called the Mi NoteBook 14 and Mi NoteBook 14 Horizon Edition, both pack 14-inch displays.
The Mi NoteBook 14 is equipped with a Core i5-10210U processor and is paired up with 8GB of DDR4 RAM. You’ll have to make do with onboard Intel graphics with an option to step up to a Nvidia Geforce MX250 GPU.
The Horizon Edition, on the other hand, is available with both the aforementioned Core i5 processor and the option to step up to a 10th generation Core i7 10510 U processor. In either configuration, RAM is limited to 8GB and since it is soldered in, there’s no option to upgrade it either.
On the storage side of things, the Mi NoteBook can be configured with either a 256GB or 512GB SATA 3 SSD. The Horizon Edition ships with a 512GB SATA 3 SSD out of the box, but can be further upgraded to an NVMe SSD for faster transfer speeds.
While both machines pack 14-inch displays, the Horizon Edition kicks things up a notch with an edge-to-edge panel that is definitely visually striking. The resolution, however, is limited to just Full HD which might be a bit of a downer.
Elsewhere, the laptop employs a magnesium and aluminum alloy in its construction which should definitely help it stand out against the competition. That said, I noticed a small amount of flex while holding up the machine. The port selection on the laptop is interesting. The standard Mi NoteBook gets just two USB 3.1 ports in addition to a single USB 2.0 port. The Horizon Edition adds in a USB-C port to the mix.
Yes, the laptop doesn’t have an integrated webcam which is an interesting omission as video calls become ubiquitous. Xiaomi is tossing in an HD webcam in the box but this is a cumbersome solution at best.
Elsewhere, the keyboard doesn’t have backlighting support either. Additionally, the USB-C port cannot be used for charging. For that, you’ll have to fall back to a barrel connector with the included 65W brick. Xiaomi claims 10 hours of battery life on either model.
The Mi NoteBook starts at Rs 41,999 (~$554) for the 256GB base model, while a 512GB variant will set you back Rs 44,999 (~$594). Need the Nvidia GPU? Then you’ll be splashing out Rs 47,999 (~$634).
Fancy the Horizon Edition? This model starts at Rs 54,999 (~$726) for the Core i5 model, and Rs 59,999 (~$792) for the Core i7 variant. Either way, you can get the Mi NoteBook range from June 17 via Mi.com, Amazon India, and Mi Home stores.
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