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Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop Review - entry-level device with GTX 1050 Ti and i5-7300HQ

Entry-level gaming. Can entry-level base models be fun as well? Compared to the 1060 a 1050 Ti is a clear regression. Let us see whether or not there are other differences and what effect the slower GPU had on the overall performance.

We have already had the mid-range model, equipped with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 and a Core i5-7300HQ, in review. Now, it’ is time to take a closer look at the entry-level model, powered by the same Core i5-7300HQ Kaby Lake CPU (3,5 GHz, 45 W) but a slower GeForce GTX 1050 Ti instead. Storage-wise, it features a 128 GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD. This particular model’s biggest advantage is its low price - when on sale it can be found for less than $1,200 (without duties or taxes). Read our full review to find out how much slower this entry-level device really is, and whether or not there are other compromises you will have to deal with.

Given that we are going to focus primarily on the differences between this unit and the GeForce GTX 1060 model we highly recommend reading our review of the GTX-1060-powered Mi Gaming Laptop first.

Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti (Mi Gaming Laptop Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-7300HQ 4 x 2.5 - 3.5 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
, SO-DIMM DDR4-2400, single channel, 1 of 2 slots occupied, 32 GB max.
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, BOEhydis NV156FHM-N61 (BOE0747), IPS, FHD, 60 Hz, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM175 (Skylake PCH-H)
Storage
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ, 128 GB 
, SATA-III SSD + Seagate BarraCuda ST1000LM048, 1 TB HDD, 5400 rpm. Slots: 2x M.2 Type 2280 & 1x 2.5 inch
Soundcard
Realtek ALC1220 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
5 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 0 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 1x headphones, 1x microphone, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC
Networking
Realtek Gaming GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 23 x 364 x 265 ( = 0.91 x 14.33 x 10.43 in)
Battery
55 Wh, 3620 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: 2.0 Dolby Atmos, Keyboard: Chiclet RGB, Keyboard Light: yes, 180 W power supply, Quick Start Guide, various manufacturer tools
Released
04/16/2018
Weight
2.742 kg ( = 96.72 oz / 6.05 pounds), Power Supply: 495 g ( = 17.46 oz / 1.09 pounds)
Price
1300 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The case is just the same as on the other more expensive device, and we once again liked the clean design and the high build quality. The protruding hinges were very well-made on our second review unit as well, but our main concern about its long-term rigidity and stability remain. After all, the hinges only have a few points of contact with the display.

Connectivity

As wjth the case the ports are identical between the two models. We still like their arrangement but mourn the lack of Thunderbolt 3 with Power Delivery. The backmost USB-C port still carries a DisplayPort signal, and it worked flawlessly with 4K60 using an Asus PB287Q display. The Intel 8265 Wi-Fi chip is identical to the more expensive model, and like before it performed below average.

Input Devices

Our assessment of the device’s keyboard and touchpad remains unchanged. We still love the keyboard but had trouble with the extra keys on the far left, which led to accidental key presses (ESC key). The ClickPad lacks dedicated mouse buttons, but it was very smooth and large. Additional information can be found in our more extensive review.

Display

Our review unit featured the same BOE NV156FHM-N61 (BOE0747) panel as the GTX 1060 model, only this particular unit was 11% brighter (300 nits). The remaining measurements returned almost identical results, for example an average DeltaE deviation of 4.9 for colors. Further information can be found in the GTX 1060 review, which also contains information on the display’s slow response times.

Similar results to the previously reviewed Mi Gaming Laptop
Similar results to the previously reviewed Mi Gaming Laptop

Performance

Let us get to the most interesting part of this review: the entry-level unit’s performance. As already mentioned the main difference between the more expensive model and today’s review unit is the GPU. Instead of the faster GeForce GTX 1060 our review unit featured a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. The processor (i5-7300HQ), RAM (8 GB DDR4-2400), and SSD (128 GB Samsung PM871b) have remained the same. The extra hard disk drive differed between the models, but did not really affect performance at all. It probably depends on the production batch what exact hard drive you get.

GTX 1050 Ti GPU-Z
1050 Ti GPU-Z
GTX 1050 Ti max Load
1050 Ti max Load
Intel HD Graphics 630
HD Graphics 630
HWInfo64 Details
HWInfo64 Details
65 GB and 931 GB of free space on SSD and HDD, respectively
65 GB and 931 GB of free space on SSD and HDD, respectively

Processor

The Core i5-7300HQ processor performed similarly to the GTX 1060 model. Its Cinebench R15 multi-thread score was average overall, and it scored slightly below average in the single-thread test.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=247, last 2 years)
265 Points +92%
Average Intel Core i5-7300HQ
  (129 - 149, n=19)
141.1 Points +2%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
138 Points 0%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
138 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=248, last 2 years)
2986 Points +485%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
516 Points +1%
Average Intel Core i5-7300HQ
  (501 - 520, n=19)
512 Points 0%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
510 (503.52min - 509.87max) Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
510 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
138 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
84.3 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

Our Cinebench R15 loop proves once again that the cooling system is amply dimensioned for the Core i5.

0306090120150180210240270300330360390420450480510Tooltip
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ: Ø508 (503.52-509.87)
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ: Ø509 (506.08-511.54)

System Performance

Running PCMark to determine system performance is the first time that we can actually see a difference between the two models. Our review unit ended up being between 6 and 10% slower due to its slower GPU.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=37, last 2 years)
5218 Points +46%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3910 Points +10%
Average Intel Core i5-7300HQ
  (3424 - 4257, n=14)
3753 Points +5%
Average Intel Core i5-7300HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (3562 - 3664, n=4)
3618 Points +2%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3562 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +32%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
4912 Points +6%
Average Intel Core i5-7300HQ
  (4486 - 4940, n=12)
4780 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i5-7300HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (4486 - 4746, n=4)
4642 Points +1%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
4614 Points
PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=208, last 2 years)
7531 Points +100%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
4197 Points +11%
Average Intel Core i5-7300HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (3767 - 3995, n=2)
3881 Points +3%
Average Intel Core i5-7300HQ
  (3157 - 4406, n=9)
3812 Points +1%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3767 Points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3562 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5600 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4614 points
PCMark 10 Score
3767 points
Help

Storage Devices

The SATA III SSD made by Samsung performed comparably to the more powerful model. In addition, the notebook was equipped with a 1 TB HDD made by Western Digital. In our sequential hard disk benchmarks it turned out to be slightly slower than the GTX 1060’s Seagate Barracuda, but a bit faster in the 4K benchmarks in return. What HDD you are going to receive is going to depend mostly on the production batch and not so much on the purchase price or model.

WDC WD10SPZX 1 TB HDD in our review unit
WDC WD10SPZX 1 TB HDD in our review unit
Seagate ST1000LM048 in the GTX 1060 unit
Seagate ST1000LM048 in the GTX 1060 unit
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
SCHENKER XMG A517 Coffee Lake
Samsung SSD 970 EVO 500GB
Average Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
8%
100%
-8%
Read Seq
504
508
1%
1376
173%
500 ?(443 - 519, n=7)
-1%
Write Seq
466
468.7
1%
1407
202%
402 ?(164.4 - 483, n=7)
-14%
Read 4K
35.04
35.48
1%
41.6
19%
33 ?(29.8 - 35.5, n=7)
-6%
Write 4K
94
120.7
28%
100.4
7%
82.8 ?(61 - 120.7, n=7)
-12%
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 535 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 506 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 347.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 147 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 504 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 466 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 35.04 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 94 MB/s

GPU Performance

The entry-level model was equipped with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, which was running at 1,658 MHz (boost) and thus slightly faster than specified by Nvidia. That said, some competitors featured even higher turbo boost speeds of up to 1,772 MHz (GPU-Z render test). Due to the GPU’s average clock speed and the comparatively slow i5 CPU the Mi Gaming Notebook performed slightly below the average of all GeForce GTX 1050 Ti notebooks. The GeForce GTX 1060 model was clearly faster, for example up to 56 % in 3DMark FireStrike. Generally speaking the less CPU-bound a benchmark was the bigger the difference turned out to be.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=246, last 2 years)
39499 Points +295%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
15322 Points +53%
Alienware 13 R3 (i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050 Ti)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
10325 Points +3%
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
10270 Points +3%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
10007 Points
Saelic Veni G522
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
9952 Points -1%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
9904 Points -1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (8304 - 10402, n=36)
9591 Points -4%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (15902 - 193851, n=157, last 2 years)
134064 Points +173%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
58932 Points +20%
Saelic Veni G522
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
51670 Points +5%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
51473 Points +5%
Alienware 13 R3 (i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050 Ti)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
51416 Points +5%
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
50683 Points +3%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (43721 - 53978, n=37)
50013 Points +2%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
49115 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=250, last 2 years)
28955 Points +280%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
11903 Points +56%
Alienware 13 R3 (i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050 Ti)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
8066 Points +6%
Saelic Veni G522
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
7917 Points +4%
Acer Aspire Nitro BE VN7-793G-5811
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
7883 Points +3%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
7795 Points +2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (6792 - 8376, n=38)
7743 Points +2%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
7626 Points
3DMark 06 Standard Score
22498 points
3DMark 11 Performance
8596 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
15924 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
6299 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
2407 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Some games required lower settings than on the GTX 1060 model. In the highest possible settings and in FHD, the GTX 1060 was up to 45% faster than our review unit.

Just like CPU performance, GPU performance remained consistent over long periods of sustained load as well, as can be seen in our “The Witcher 3” benchmark results. The GTX 1060 performed much better, though.

On battery, our review unit’s comparatively slow gaming components become advantageous for the first time. Compared to running on mains, our review unit only lost a few FPS in “The Witcher 3” on Ultra settings: 24.8 FPS (21 - 29 FPS) on battery vs 26.2 FPS on mains (-5%).

0510152025303540Tooltip
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ: Ø25 (23-27)
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060 GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ: Ø38.7 (36-41)
Performance Rating - Percent
Average of class Gaming -1!
 
100 pt
MSI GE72 7RE-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
43.6 pt
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060 -2!
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
39.8 pt
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
 
38.6 pt
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
37.1 pt
Far Cry 5 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T
Average of class Gaming
  (14 - 218, n=135, last 2 years)
124.3 fps +219%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
59 fps +51%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (39 - 42, n=5)
40.4 fps +4%
MSI GE72 7RE-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
39 (33min - 51max) fps 0%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
39 (34min - 46max) fps
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1920x1080 High Quality
Average of class Gaming
  (9.13 - 194.9, n=242, last 2 years)
108.5 fps +321%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
39.8 fps +54%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
25.8 (15min - 40max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (23.4 - 25.8, n=4)
24.9 fps -3%
MSI GE72 7RE-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
23.4 fps -9%
Rocket League - 1920x1080 High Quality AA:High FX
MSI GE72 7RE-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
158 (125min - 208max) fps +49%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (106 - 158, n=4)
120.8 fps +14%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
106 (86min - 149max) fps
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x
Average of class Gaming
  (95.9 - 95.9, n=2, last 2 years)
95.9 fps +150%
MSI GE72 7RE-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
39.7 fps +3%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
38.4 (34min - 42max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (27.8 - 40.7, n=16)
36.3 fps -5%
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=245, last 2 years)
114 fps +335%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
40.3 fps +54%
MSI GE72 7RE-046
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
26.9 fps +3%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (14 - 38, n=31)
26.4 fps +1%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
26.2 (20min - 32max) fps

Generally speaking the GTX 1050 Ti is overwhelmed by more demanding games and is incapable of running them smoothly in high details. Examples include “Kingdom Come”, “Elex”, or “Final Fantasy XV”. For more details and examples, see our dedicated GTX 1050 Ti page.

low med. high ultraQHD4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 49.1 26.2
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 47.4 38.4
Rocket League (2017) 106
Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) 95 57 43 33
Assassin´s Creed Origins (2017) 49 42 39 33
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 57.6 38.9 25.8
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 58.4 48.1 43.8 33.8
Far Cry 5 (2018) 74 46 42 39
The Crew 2 (2018) 60 50.8 45.9 38.2 28.7 14.2
Call of Duty Black Ops 4 (2018) 48.4

Emissions

System Noise

Just like on the GTX 1060 model, Xiaomi has chosen fan settings optimized for low temperatures and high volume. Even when the notebook was completely idle the fans were spinning quite noticeably. Noise characteristics were fairly unobtrusive though.

Temperature

Temperatures and clock speeds remained at more than acceptable levels even at extreme load
Temperatures and clock speeds remained at more than acceptable levels even at extreme load

Surface temperatures were comparable to the GTX 1060 model by and large. Ambient temperature was slightly lower, and so were surface temperatures. The GTX 1050 Ti should also have a positive influence on surface temperatures. Overall, the results were almost identical: pleasantly cool palm rests with a somewhat high temperature at the bottom (45.4 °C/~114 °F near the fan vents).

Internal temperatures remained fairly low during our Prime95 and FurMark stress test. The GPU reached a maximum temperature of 67 °C (~153 °F) at 1,620 MHz, and the CPU maxed out at 85 °C (~185 °F) but eventually settled at 81 °C (~178 °F) and 3.1 GHz. We found no evidence of throttling.

Max. Load
 43 °C
109 F
45 °C
113 F
39 °C
102 F
 
 37 °C
99 F
44 °C
111 F
36 °C
97 F
 
 26 °C
79 F
23 °C
73 F
22 °C
72 F
 
Maximum: 45 °C = 113 F
Average: 35 °C = 95 F
40 °C
104 F
51 °C
124 F
40 °C
104 F
35 °C
95 F
48 °C
118 F
35 °C
95 F
24 °C
75 F
20 °C
68 F
24 °C
75 F
Maximum: 51 °C = 124 F
Average: 35.2 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  49 °C = 120 F | Room Temperature 19 °C = 66 F | Raytek Raynger ST // Voltcraft IR-360 // FIRT 550-Pocket // Fluke 62 Mini
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 51 °C / 124 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26 °C / 78.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (+2.9 °C / 5.2 F).

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The biggest difference to the more expensive model is power consumption, particularly under load. When running “The Witcher 3” the 1050 Ti model was 35% slower but at the same time 46% more efficient. Under maximum load the power consumption was identical to the GTX 1060 model. We assume that the power supply was the limiting factor here.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 1.3 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 9.1 / 12.5 / 17.2 Watt
Load midlight 61.9 / 138 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
 
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
-13%
-1%
-63%
Idle Minimum *
9.1
10
-10%
7.92 ?(3.8 - 14.6, n=36)
13%
13.7 ?(2 - 64, n=191, last 2 years)
-51%
Idle Average *
12.5
13
-4%
11.9 ?(6.6 - 20, n=36)
5%
18.9 ?(6.5 - 67, n=191, last 2 years)
-51%
Idle Maximum *
17.2
19
-10%
15.4 ?(8.1 - 25, n=36)
10%
26.5 ?(9 - 101.1, n=191, last 2 years)
-54%
Load Average *
61.9
68
-10%
85.1 ?(57.6 - 114.2, n=36)
-37%
111.7 ?(32.1 - 202, n=191, last 2 years)
-80%
Witcher 3 ultra *
75.3
110
-46%
Load Maximum *
138
136
1%
130.5 ?(100 - 163, n=36)
5%
249 ?(64.5 - 418, n=190, last 2 years)
-80%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery life was very similar to the GTX 1060 model, which was not surprising given the fact that both notebooks were running on the integrated GPU thanks to Optimus. Compared to other gaming notebooks, the Mi Gaming Laptop performed average overall.

Battery Runtime
Witcher 3 ultra 150cd
0h 52min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 39min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 19min

Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, 55 Wh
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 55 Wh
Alienware 13 R3 (i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050 Ti)
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, 76 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
0%
44%
32%
WiFi v1.3
279
275
-1%
460
65%
366 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
31%
Witcher 3 ultra
52
81.7 ?(47 - 155, n=23, last 2 years)
57%
Load
79
80
1%
97
23%
86 ?(36 - 173, n=155, last 2 years)
9%
Reader / Idle
386
769
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
H.264
265
392 ?(56 - 747, n=99, last 2 years)

Verdict

Pros

+ pretty decent price-performance ratio if on sale
+ decent input devices
+ good-looking and rigid case
+ RGB backlight

Cons

- operating system, software, and manual in Chinese
- slow GTX 1050 Ti
- unnecessarily loud despite the slow GTX 1050 Ti GPU
- slow display
- no Thunderbolt 3

We liked the entry-level model powered by a GTX 1050 Ti just as much as we liked the GTX 1060 mid-range model. As expected, gaming performance differed quite drastically. Accordingly, gamers are certainly going to benefit from the more expensive GTX 1060 SKU. The i5 CPU is the bottleneck in low resolutions and low details, but by and large it is a decent companion for the GTX 1050 Ti.

When idle, the differences between the two models were negligible. While the fan did turn off every now and then, it never remained off for significant periods of time. Sometimes, it got pretty loud, even without any load whatsoever. We would have preferred if Xiaomi would have optimized this further.

We still like the high-quality case, the clean design, and the input devices. Another thing both units have in common is the import formalities, as they have to be individually imported from China. As we speak, the Mi Gaming Laptop is not yet available on either side of the Atlantic. When purchasing the device from China, you are facing the usual plethora of challenges: a Chinese version of Windows 10 without an easy way to change the language, warranty claims, and last but not least duties and taxes.

Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti - 06/25/2018 v6(old)
Klaus Hinum

Chassis
88 / 98 → 90%
Keyboard
87%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
60 / 81 → 74%
Weight
58 / 10-66 → 86%
Battery
79%
Display
86%
Games Performance
89%
Application Performance
89%
Temperature
85 / 95 → 90%
Noise
66 / 90 → 73%
Audio
78%
Average
79%
84%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop Review - entry-level device with GTX 1050 Ti and i5-7300HQ
Klaus Hinum, 2018-06-28 (Update: 2018-08- 7)