Xiaomi forays into laptops with Mi Notebook Air

“Although both Mi Notebook Air and MacBook Air offer 13.3” display, Xiaomi’s notebook has 11% smaller body.

Xiaomi also unveiled the Redmi Pro smartphone at an event in China on Wednesday. It is priced at about $750, while the 12.5-inch variant will cost around $525.

“The 12.5” Mi Notebook Air is powered by an Intel Core M3 with integrated graphics, 4GB RAM and a 128GB SSD. In addition, it also has 256GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) based storage with an additional free SSD slot for storage expansion. Xiaomi says it did that so customers could personalize the Mi Notebook Air however they want.

“The larger 13.3” notebook claims a battery life of 9.5 hours and fast charging to get the machine back to 50% charge in only 30 minutes. Furthermore, while the device’s branding is named after Xiaomi, the laptop is manufactured under its partner Tian Mi, according to a report from CNET.

Both Mi Notebook Air models run Windows 10, and there will be various Xiaomi services preinstalled to give users access to things like the Mi Cloud and the ability to unlock their laptops using the Mi Band 2. As reported earlier, there are two variants of the product. On the audio front, the laptop comes with AKG dual speakers and Dolby Digital surround sound. The Mi Notebook Air is a return to Xiaomi’s technology roots though, expanding its core Mi range with a full-blown computer. The laptop is thinner than the MacBook 12-inch model, which has a 13.1mm thickness. Other key features include a USB Type-C connector, two USB 3.0 ports, and one HDMI connector. For games, there’s a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics card.

Both laptops in the Mi Notebook Air line-up feature a 1080p HD display with slim bezels that are packed under the glass. The laptop is available in Gold and Silver colour options. With an opportunity for them to shine, Xiaomi has taken it upon itself to come up with an “Air” notebook of its own in the Mi Notebook Air.

The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air comes in two versions: a 13.3in model that Xiaomi claims is 13 per cent thinner and 11 per cent lighter than Apple’s similarly sized offering, and an even lighter 12.5in model. Xiaomi has also introduced a leather sleeve (RMB 299), PU leather sleeve (RMB 99), and Microfibre sleeve (RMB 69).