The market for portable appliances has undergone major changes, and the Chinese giant Xiaomi has entrenched itself in the niche of affordable and productive devices. Potential buyers are often lost in the abundance of names, confusing the brands Redmi and Mi, as well as various modifications of processors. In 2022, the range has become wider, allowing you to choose the gadget for any task, whether it is office work, programming or easy gaming.
In this article, we will analyze the key selection criteria, analyze current lines and help you decide on a budget. Competent approach to buying will avoid overpaying for unnecessary functions or, conversely, frustration from poor performance.
It’s worth noting that the company’s ecosystem doesn’t just offer computers, but full-fledged workstations integrated into a single smart home network, and choosing the right model will be the foundation of your productivity for years to come.
RedmiBook line: balance of price and performance
The RedmiBook series has traditionally been aimed at the mass user, looking for the optimal value for money. In 2022, the emphasis shifted to aluminum cases and quality products. IPS-It's a great start for students and office workers.
Entry-level models are often equipped with Intel Core i3 or Ryzen 3 processors, which is enough for web surfing, working with documents and viewing content in 4K. More advanced versions get powerful chips that can cope with video editing and even running modern games on medium settings.
It is important to consider that in some configurations RAM is soldered on the board, which means that it is impossible to upgrade in the future, so the amount of RAM should be selected with a margin immediately when buying.
- 🔹 Affordable cost compared to competitors
- 🔹 Thin metal body and modern design
- 🔹 Autonomy through system optimization
The cooling system is worth paying special attention to. In compact RedmiBook cases, engineers have managed to reduce noise levels, but under prolonged loads, fans can be heard.
⚠️ Note: In the basic trim levels of RedmiBook often lacks the keyboard backlight, which can be critical for those who work in the dark.
The flagship series Mi Notebook Pro: power and style
For professionals, designers and developers, the Mi Notebook Pro line is positioned as direct competitors to the MacBook, offering premium build materials and high-contrast OLED or Retina-like screens. The resolution of the arrays often reaches 3K or even 4K, which provides incredible detailing of the image.
Inside these machines, there's a top-end hardware. NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards not only render heavy projects, but also comfortably play the newest games in the industry. The touchpads are glassy, big, and support all of the gestures of Windows Precision.
The hulls are made of aeronautical aluminum, which has passed the process. CNC-This is because they're typically above average in weight because the cooling system requires space and copper heat tubes.
The full connectivity ports are available here: Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, USB-C and standard USB-A. This eliminates the need to carry a garland of adapters.
The cost of such solutions is much higher, but it is justified by the quality of the assembly and the durability of the components.
Gaming solutions: Xiaomi and Redmi G
The Gaming Laptop series deserves special mention. Unlike ultrabooks, it prioritizes maximum performance and efficient heat sink. The design becomes more aggressive, often with RGB-backlit keyboards and logos.
Screens in game models have a high refresh rate of 144 Hz or 165 Hz. This ensures smoothness in dynamic shooters and competitive disciplines. Color reproduction also remains at a high level, which is rare for a budget gaming segment.
The cooling system in these models works on a scheme with two or three fans and an increased number of heat pipes. In maximum load mode, fan noise is present, but the temperatures of the processor and graphics card remain within safe limits.
- 🎮 High frequency of screen matrix update
- 🎮 Powerful discrete graphics cards NVIDIA
- 🎮 Enhanced cooling system with large air intakes
When choosing a game model, it is important to pay attention to the power supply, which is often impressive in size and weight, as it is required for the stable operation of powerful components.
⚠️ Note: Xiaomi gaming laptops can run on a battery much less office counterparts, so the presence of an outlet near the gaming place is mandatory.
Selection criteria: processor, memory and screen
So, after we've got the lines, we're going to go into the technical details, and the processor is a task-specific processor: 4-6 cores are enough for the office, 8 cores are needed for gaming and graphics, and in 2022, Intel's 12th generation processors and AMD's Ryzen 6000 series are relevant.
RAM is critical. 8GB is the absolute minimum, which can already cause difficulties in multitasking. The comfortable standard is 16GB, and for professional work, it is better to look for 32GB.
The type of drive in all modern models is NVMe SSD. The speed of loading the system and applications depends on it. The disk volume is better to choose from 512 GB, since modern games and programs take up a lot of space.
☑️ Checklist before purchase
The screen should be evaluated by the coverage of the color space sRGB and DCI-P3. to work with photos and videos coverage should be close to 100%.
Comparative table of popular models of 2022
To make it easier to navigate the characteristics, we have brought the data from popular models into a single table, which will help you quickly navigate the differences between the budget and premium segments.
| Model | Processor | RAM | Screen. | Weight. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RedmiBook 15 | Intel Core i5 | 8/16 GB | 15.6" FHD | 1.8 kg |
| Mi Notebook Pro 14 | Intel Core i7 | 16GB | 14" 2.5K OLED | 1.4 kg |
| Redmi G Gaming | Intel Core i7 / RTX 3060 | 16GB | 16.1" 144 Hz | 2.4 kg |
| Mi Notebook Air | Intel Core i5 | 8GB | 13.3" FHD | 1.28 kg |
As you can see from the table, the range of performance is significant, with lightweight models sacrificing performance for mobility, and gaming models sacrificing mobility for power.
Why does weight matter?
MIUI+ Ecosystem and Software
One of the main advantages of buying a Xiaomi laptop is the integration with smartphones. MIUI+ technology (theory HyperOS Connect) allows you to broadcast the screen of the phone to the laptop, transfer files without wires and use a general buffer exchange.
To work the function requires a smartphone Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO It's a closed but convenient ecosystem where the devices complement each other. QR-code.
The operating system pre-installed a minimum set of third-party software, which is a plus, but drivers and utilities for power management and updating the BIOS are better downloaded from the official website to avoid conflicts.
- 📱 Instant synchronization of the exchange buffer
- 📱 Managing Smartphone Notifications from the Keyboard
- 📱 Transfer files over Wi-Fi at high speed
Connection stability depends on the version of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules in both devices.
⚠️ Attention: For proper operation MIUI+ Bluetooth and Wi-Fi should be enabled on your computer, and the versions of the apps on your phone and PC should match.
Final recommendations and where to buy
The choice of a particular model depends on your budget and use cases. If you just want a printer to learn, look at RedmiBook. If you're a professional, your Mi Notebook Pro.
Buying equipment is better from official dealers or in large chain stores, which guarantees the availability of an international version of the firmware (Global Version) and a valid warranty (CN Version may have problems with system language and Wi-Fi frequencies.
💡
When buying, pay attention to the keyboard: in global versions it should have a Russian layout, applied with a laser or be double, not stickers.
Do not forget to check the configuration: the original charger and cable is required.
💡
The top tip: Don't chase for maximum power unless you plan to play or render video. For 90% of users, the best choice is a mid-range 16GB storage and a good screen.