Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 Review: Worthy Flagship Tablet?

 

Xiaomi officially launched the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4, the latest tablet in their lineup. Now, looking at the name alone, it may seem like an upgraded version of the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 Pro. However, in reality, it represents the next generation of the Xiaomi Mi Pad 6 Pro.

The tablet is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 processor, delivering a 35% performance boost and 40% energy efficiency improvement. Notably, it is the first domestic tablet to incorporate the second-generation Snapdragon 8 processor.

Beyond just the Snapdragon 8 Gen2 processor, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 undergoes a comprehensive upgrade.

1. Let’s start with the display.

It features a 3K+900nit screen, a first for Android tablets, ensuring optimal visibility even under direct sunlight. The resolution and refresh rate have been upgraded to 3048×2032 and 144Hz, respectively, offering a 17% clearer display than the iPad Pro 11.

2. Moving on to connectivity.

The tablet introduces the Wi-Fi 7 wireless network card, making it the first tablet to support Wi-Fi 7 technology. This advancement enables a 4320Mbps wireless connection rate, an 80% improvement over Wi-Fi 6.

3. Now, let’s talk about audio.

Equipped with six speakers, including 4 full-range and 2 high-frequency units, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 delivers a superior audio experience. The addition of a dedicated high-frequency unit enhances treble transparency, while the 2.5cc ultra-large rear cavity full-frequency unit improves bass depth and volume.

4. Shifting focus to productivity.

Pre-installed with ThePaper OS, the tablet supports PC-level applications like WPS, providing a seamless user experience. Multi-tasking capabilities allow users to open four windows simultaneously, enhancing productivity.

5. Charging technology takes center stage.

Featuring 120W gallium nitride fast charging, the tablet can fully charge its 10000mAh lithium battery in just 35 minutes, a significant improvement from the previous 67W fast charging.

6. Finally, other notable upgrades.

The tablet boasts a 50-megapixel rear main camera, a 32-megapixel front main camera, and upgraded storage to UFS 4.0, enhancing disk read and write performance.

In conclusion, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 represents a significant leap forward in terms of performance, display, connectivity, audio, productivity, and charging capabilities.

Design and Display

We received the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 along with the optional Mi Smart Touch Keyboard. Now, let’s take a closer look at the device.

The Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 boasts a four-sided equilateral design. On the front, there’s a 12.4-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 3048×2032 and a brightness of 900nit. It supports HDR10, Dolby Vision, professional primary color display, and multiple screens of the same color.

Moving to the back, it’s crafted entirely from metal and features a minimalist design. The entire back houses only the camera modules and Xiaomi’s logo.

Speaking of cameras, there’s a dual rear setup – a 50-megapixel JN1 lens at F1.8 and a 2-megapixel depth-of-field lens.

Adjacent to the Xiaomi Logo, there are three metal Pogo Pin contacts. These contacts are utilized for connecting the Xiaomi smart touch keyboard. This direct connection not only enhances stability but also effectively reduces latency.

Now, let’s shift our attention to the Mi Smart Touch Keyboard. Crafted from a leather-like material, it’s more skin-friendly and increases friction with the desktop, preventing it from sliding. The magnetic back clip allows adjustments from 110 to 165 degrees.

At the top, there are 2 speakers and a power button. On the bottom, you’ll find 4 speakers and a Type-C charging port. The Type-C interface adheres to the USB 3.2 Gen1 specification with a maximum transmission rate of 5Gbps, also supporting DP video output.

Moving on to the touchpad, it supports various gesture operations. For example, returning is as simple as sliding two fingers inward on the edge, while the notification center is accessible by swiping down from the upper left corner with two fingers.

Lastly, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 supports 120W gallium nitride fast charging, offering output options of 5V3A, 9V3A, 11V 6A, and 20V6A.

Hardware

The AnTuTu CPU test, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 boasts a total AnTuTu score of 1.63 million points. This score stands 310,000 points higher than its predecessor, the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro, representing a notable 23% increase.

Breaking down the improvements, the CPU performance sees a 10% boost, the GPU performance enjoys a 24% increase, and the memory capacity jumps up by 60%, leading to an overall enhanced experience of 15%.

Moving on to a direct comparison with the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 achieves a 23% higher total score. Surprisingly, it nearly doubles the performance improvement when compared to the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro equipped with Snapdragon 870, showcasing a substantial 140% GPU performance improvement.

Shifting our focus to the Geekbench 6 test, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4’s single-core performance excels with a score of 1933, while its multi-core performance hits 5423. In contrast, the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro trails slightly with scores of 1738 and 4649, respectively.

Comparing the two, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 achieves an 11% improvement in single-core performance and an impressive 17% improvement in multi-core performance over the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro. Going further back to the previous generation, the improvements are even more striking, with a 45% lead in single-core performance and a 48% boost in multi-core performance compared to the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro 12.4.

GFXBench 5.0.5 test, a visual comparison shows the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 outperforming the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro by approximately 10-20% in frame rate. This highlights the notable performance leap of the Adreno 740 over the Adreno 730.

However, when put against the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro, the improvements are staggering, with most metrics showcasing over 100% enhancement. The 1080P Aztec OpenGL/Vulkan off-screen performance, in particular, skyrockets by an impressive 130%.

Now, delving into the AnTuTu disk test, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 on the left takes the lead with a total score of 154,313. A striking difference is observed when compared to the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro on the right, whose score of 82,138 is nearly doubled.

Detailed examination reveals significant advancements in sequential read and write speeds. The sequential read speed reaches an impressive 3526MB/s, marking a 75% increase over the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro and an outstanding 133% boost compared to the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro. Meanwhile, sequential writing hits 3410MB/s, showcasing a remarkable 125% improvement over the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro and a substantial 117% increase over the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro.

The Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 continues to outshine its predecessor in random reading and writing. Random reading speed climbs to 902MB/s, a 27% increase over the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro and a remarkable 116% surge compared to the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro. The random writing speed impressively reaches 1101MB/s, showcasing a substantial 158% leap over the Xiaomi Pad 6 Pro and an impressive 210% surge over the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro.