Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12.5 2016
Specifications
Pricecompare
Average of 18 scores (from 32 reviews)
Reviews for the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12.5 2016
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
Though it might be nearly as expensive as its more powerful sibling, the Mi Air 12 wins on portability and battery life. It’s a great-looking budget laptop that could easily be mistaken for a MacBook, with astonishing startup times, capable performance and a great screen. Our main concern is that it comes preinstalled with the Chinese edition of Windows 10 Home, which really will be a problem for UK users. This is fixable, but at additional cost.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/14/2017
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Igeekphone Archive.org version
Xiaomi MI Notebook Air 12.5 inch Core Intel Core i7-6500U still continues its old design with compact and portable style, it is a good trial to upgrade its processor to the latest and most powerful Intel Core i7-6500U processor, and its battery life and 45W quick charge have proved it is quite usable and reliable. Although the new version increases 100 yuan, $20 based on the old edition, we can still see the new version, MI Notebook Air 12.5 I7 processor edition will be more popular, do you think so?
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 04/08/2017
Source: Igeekphone Archive.org version
Last July, Xiaomi has officially released its first notebook, Xiaomi MI Notebook Air 12.5 and MI Notebook Air 13.3 inch, the former aims at battery life for office work, the latter is for ultra thin design and higher performance. After released in three months, it has sold up to 2.2 million units, and made the top 1 sale in Chinese single’s day last year.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 03/30/2017
Source: Igeekphone Archive.org version
They sell at different price, Xiaomi MI Notebook Air 12 at 3499 yuan, $583, Macbook at 9288 yuan, $1548. Xiaomi MI Notebook Air is triple cheaper than Macbook, although Macbook has better design. But if you are looking for a decent notebook with high performance as Macbook, and similar to Macbook in design, but cheaper than Macbook, Xiaomi MI Notebook Air 12 will still improve your personal status and help you work more conveniently. Don’t forget to use this coupon code: NOTEB125 , Coupon price: 584.99usd, just catch here for Xiaomi mi notebook air 12inch. Right now you can also enjoy coupon code: XAIR13IV for xiaomi mi notebook air 13inch at $887.
Comparison, online available, Long, Date: 10/12/2016
Source: Techradar Archive.org version
A very stylish laptop let down by a few design and component issues. Still, this is a great first attempt by Xiaomi and one that will entice punters who want a MacBook Air look without paying the Apple price.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 09/18/2016
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Techradar Archive.org version
The Xiaomi Air 2 is a great little laptop that's let down by some design and hardware choices – for example, a beefier processor could have been chosen for the same outlay and a DisplayPort connector would have been nice. Then there's the fact that there are other alternative devices that are either cheaper (Lenovo Yoga 700) with more flexibility, more system memory, and better connectivity. Most importantly, they are all available for sale in the UK which makes aftersales support far, far easier.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/14/2016
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Gear Open Archive.org version
The Xiaomi Air 2 is a great little laptop that’s let down by some design and hardware choices – for example, a beefier processor could have been chosen for the same outlay and a DisplayPort connector would have been nice.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/14/2016
Source: Unbox Archive.org version
With its spec sheet, performance, and price tag — it’s not hard to give the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air a thumbs up, and we’re giving it two. We cannot deny what the Chinese brand has done here; they’ve made a viable contender for the MacBook Air at half the price. Sure, the MacBook Air’s i5 processor may take the lead in processing power, but the 12.5-Inch Mi Notebook Air easily takes home the gold in terms of value for money.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/12/2016
Source: Unbox Archive.org version
What the Mi Notebook Air should be good at is endurance – Intel’s Core M3 processor may not be a powerhouse, but it’s good enough for basic productivity and content consumption. To that end, Xiaomi’s outfitted the Mi Notebook Air with AKG and Dolby Audio, as well as a 600Whr li-polymer battery. Xiaomi estimates that the notebook can go for 11.5 hours on a single charge – we’ll have to see if the notebook lives up to that promise.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 09/03/2016
Source: Manila Shaker Archive.org version
For a P29,990 retail price or $650 USD from the online stores in the Philippines ($525 in China), the Xiaomi Notebook Air 12.5-inch makes a really great option for people wanting to have an Ultrabook. It’s light, slick, and yet capable to get your work done. The robust battery life is also a big plus for those who are always on the road.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/02/2016
Rating: Total score: 76% price: 90% performance: 70% display: 70% mobility: 90% workmanship: 90%
Foreign Reviews
Source: Computerbild - 2/2017
Single Review, , Length Unknown, Date: 01/15/2017
Rating: Total score: 82%
Source: CNet Deutschland DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 11/05/2016
Source: ZDNet DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 11/04/2016
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 90% performance: 80% features: 70% mobility: 80%
Source: Golem DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/21/2016
Source: Chip.de DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 09/06/2016
Source: Profesional Review ES→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 11/05/2016
Rating: Total score: 89% performance: 80% display: 90% workmanship: 90%
Source: Xataka ES→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 09/29/2016
Rating: Total score: 78% performance: 70% display: 83% mobility: 75% workmanship: 90% ergonomy: 80%
Source: Mi Mundo Gadget ES→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Elegant design; excellent display; good processor; decent autonomy; good price.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 11/11/2016
Source: Pplware PT→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 11/02/2016
Rating: Total score: 92% performance: 85% display: 95% mobility: 85% workmanship: 95%
Source: 4G News PT→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Nice design; comfortable keyboard; solid workmanship. Negative: No card reader.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 08/30/2017
Source: Andrea Galeazzi IT→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 12/15/2016
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 85% display: 80% mobility: 79% workmanship: 80%
Source: Andrea Galeazzi IT→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 12/15/2016
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 85% display: 80% mobility: 79% workmanship: 80%
Source: Chimera Revo IT→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 11/03/2016
Rating: Total score: 78% features: 70% mobility: 85% workmanship: 85% ergonomy: 85%
Source: Chimera Revo IT→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 11/03/2016
Rating: Total score: 78% features: 70% mobility: 85% workmanship: 85% ergonomy: 85%
Source: Smart World IT→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 10/07/2016
Rating: Total score: 84%
Source: Tweakers NL→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 10/06/2016
Rating: Total score: 85%
Source: Tweakers NL→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/21/2016
Rating: Total score: 100%
Source: Clubic FR→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 10/12/2016
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 90% performance: 60% mobility: 70% workmanship: 100%
Source: Komputerswiat PL→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 02/22/2017
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 70% features: 57%
Source: Svet Androida CZ→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Solid workmanship; long battery life; good display; comfortable keyboard and touchpad; lightweight; silent system. Negative: Only 4GB Ram and 128GB SSD; no memory card reader.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 10/26/2016
Source: Zive CZ→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Slim case; good price; solid workmanship; fast charging technology; silent cooling system; decent speakers.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 08/29/2016
Source: Mobilenet.cz CZ→EN Archive.org version
Positive: Good design and performance; light weight; comfortable ergonomy. Negative: Unsupport SD card reader; relatively high sensitive keyboard.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/21/2016
Comment
Model: The Xiaomi Mi Air is a mid-range laptop which is both affordable and decent in performance. Xiaomi is quite successful in China’s smartphone market, but this is the first laptop released by the Chinese company. The Xiaomi Mi Air is a slim ultrabook with very simple and clean design. The very thin, silver-colored case made from aluminium looks premium in quality. It doesn’t even carry a Xiaomi logo to make it even cleaner. However, there is only one color option available for this laptop which is silver. The build quality is good and lid as well as keyboard and palm rest area do not flex too much. The laptop measures at 14.8 x 309.6 x 210.9 mm ( 0.58 x 12.19 x 8.3 in) and weighs at 1.28 kg (45.15 oz / 2.82 pounds). It is very lightweight and slim for a 13.3-inch display laptop. Its 40 Wh lithium-ion polymer battery is capable of delivering up to 7.5 hours of web browsing and 7.5 hours of local video playback.
It is neatly designed with a USB 3.0 port, a USB Type-C port (AC-in) and a Power-LED at the right side of the laptop. The left side of the laptop houses an HDMI port, another USB 3.0 port and a 3.5 mm audio port. As for wireless connectivity, it has an Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 module built in. Like many ultrabooks these days, it has no Ethernet connectivity and users may have to purchase a separate adapter if it is required. The Xiaomi Mi Air is powered by an Intel Core i5-6200U processor, an NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphic card and 8 GB DDR4 RAM. It is not common for ultrabooks to have a discrete graphic processor, so it is an advantage for the Xiaomi Mi Air to have one for high-quality image processing and 3D games. As for storage, it features a 256 GB SSD. Its keyboard and trackpad are quite good and precise. Users can expect to get a similar typing experience as a Macbook Air delivers. However, there are reports of driver issues with the trackpad and Xiaomi will probably fix these with a software update.
The Mi Air is equipped with a glossy, 13.3 inch IPS display. The Samsung LTN133HL09-M01 model features an aspect ratio of 16:9, a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, and a pixel density of 166 ppi. The display measures at 293.76 mm x 165.24 mm and delivers high-contrast images. However, it could capture fingerprints and reflect quite a lot of environmental lighting. Using it in outdoors can be a problem. The Windows 10 system comes with a Realtek ALC255 audio card on two AKG Customised dual speaker 2 W. To enhance audio experience, it features Dolby Audio Premium Advanced Edition. Hence it can deliver a more natural and balanced sound. For convenience in video calling, the Xiaomi Mi Air has a 1 MP camera. Video telephony is possible at a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixel. The Mi Air is a good attempt by Xiaomi but it has a major drawback. It doesn’t have a design originality and lacks any kind of uniqueness. It is hard to look at it as a serious competitor to any other laptop manufacturer out there.
Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam
The Xiaomi Mi Air 12 inch is another laptop released by Xiaomi which is quite successful in China’s smartphone market. Released alongside with the Xiaomi Mi Air 13 inch variant, the 12 inch variant of the laptop fits users who demand a very slim and lightweight laptop on the go. It is a direct competitor to the Macbook and Asus Zenbook 3. The exterior of the laptop is built with aluminium finish. There is no logo on the lid of the laptop, which is clearly an effort to keep the exterior clean and sleek. As for colour options, there are only two options - silver and gold - which is similar to the 13 inch variant of the laptop. The Xiaomi Mi Air measures at 292 mm x 202 mm x 12,9 mm and weighs at 1,07 kg. It is only slightly bigger and heavier than the 12 inch Macbook.
The display of the laptop is a 12.5’’ Full HD LCD screen measuring at 276,5 mm x 155,6 mm with 5,71 mm of screen border. It has a pixel density of 176 ppi and a screen proportion of 78.6%. With 170-degree viewing angles and 300 nit brightness, it is able to deliver high contrast and bright images. Concerning protective measures, it features a sapphire glass layer which protects from minor scratches and damages. The texture of the screen is glossy, which normally reflects environmental lighting at outdoor usage. However, Xiaomi’s special lamination technology reduces the thickness of the air gap between the display and the protective glass 4 times, whereby the probability of glare caused by light refraction is reduced.
As for hardware specification, it features an Intel Core m3 processor, just like the Macbook. The m3 processor paired with Intel HD Graphics 515 isn’t as powerful as an i5 processor but it is more power efficient. It smoothly runs on the Windows 10 operating system but might struggle with heavier tasks such as video editing and extreme multitasking. As for audio performance, it features a Realtek ALC233 audio driver and Austrian manufacturer, AKG’s customised dual speaker located at the bottom of the laptop.
The battery of the Xiaomi Mi Air 12 inch is a 600Wh lithium-ion polymer battery capable of delivering online video playback of 9.5 hours, local video playback of 7.5 hours and web browsing of 7.5 hours. With fast charging support, it is possible to charge the laptop by 50% in half an hour. As for the webcam, it features a 1 megapixel camera capable of delivering a video call resolution of 1280 x 720 pixel. Another extra feature of the laptop is being able to unlock without entering a password by using a Mi Band 2, Xiaomi’s very own fitness tracker. This compensates for the lack of Windows Hello security support. As for input and output interfaces, the Xiaomi Mi Air 12 inch comes with a USB Type-C port, a USB 3.0 port, a HDMI port and a 3.5mm jack for headphone. It also has the common Bluetooth and wireless ac connectivity functions.
The Mi Air is a good ultraportable laptop that is able to compete with the 12 inch Macbook. However, its main rival is still the Windows based Asus Zeenbook 3. The Zenbook 3 features the more powerful Intel I series processors but also cost more than the Mi Air. For users who require an ultraportable laptop for light usage and lesser price, the Mi Air will be a better choice. Xiaomi may be a relatively new smartphone manufacturer but the Chinese company is already making it big in the smartphone industry and is also well known for its wide range of high tech home products such as smart rice cookers, drones and electric scooters. This only shows that Xiaomi is not a company to be taken lightly and with a great product like the Mi Air, it might be here to stay for a long time.
Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam
Intel HD Graphics 515: Integrated GPU (GT2) with 24 EUs found on Core-m-CPUs of the Skylake generation (4,5 W TDP).
Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
6Y30: Skylake-based ULV dual-core processor for tablets and 2-in-1 notebooks. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 515 GPU and is manufactured in 14 nm.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
12.50":
This range of display format is largely the upper limit for tablets and the lower limit for subnotebooks.
The advantage of subnotebooks is that the entire laptop can be small in size and therefore easily portable. The tiny display has the added advantage of requiring little power, which further improves battery life and thus mobility. The disadvantage is that reading texts is exhausting for the eyes. High resolutions, which one is used to from a standard laptop, are almost not usable.
The same applies to tablets in this size range.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.Xiaomi:
Founded in 2010, Xiaomi Corporation is a Chinese multinational electronics company and produces consumer electronics and related products, including smartphones, televisions, fitness bands, power banks, headphones, smart devices and accessories. Xiaomi offers its products under the Mi, Redmi and POCO brands.
81.78%: This rating is slightly above average, there are somewhat more devices with worse ratings. However, clear purchase recommendations look different.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.