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Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (8250U, MX110) Laptop Review

Exotic. Xiaomi has now built up a proud selection of notebooks alongside its Mi smartphones. Our focus for this review is the Mi Notebook 15.6, which lacks the Pro, Air or Gaming signifiers of the Chinese manufacturer’s other notebooks. The Notebook 15.6 is the company’s cheapest and entry-level device, but it is generally unavailable in the Western world save for a few shops that carry the laptop. Read on to see how the Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 with its Intel Core i5 processor fares in our detailed review.

Xiaomi, which is pronounced “Shao-Mi”, is already known around the world by technology enthusiasts for its Mi notebooks and smartphones, which have proven themselves in countless reviews and often score highly for being excellent value for money. Historically, Xiaomi devices have only been available to import from China and have limited, if any, warranty coverage. Often the only option of getting a Xiaomi device repaired is to send the device back to China, which is rather unpalatable. However, Xiaomi has slowly ventured into Europe, opening shops in Spain and then Austria. With that said, while the Mi Notebook Air is available in Europe, the Mi Notebook 15.6 is currently only available from import suppliers like Geekbuying, from whom we bought our review device. Xiaomi Germany is merely a website and online shop that lists Mi smartphones and accessories rather than one which sells them.

We can currently find three variants of the Mi Notebook 15.6 on Xiaomi’s Chinese website. The cheapest is the E58504D1D, which has an Intel Core i5-8250U processor and 4 GB of RAM. The next variant carries the same model number but has 8 GB of RAM, while the E58714D1D is the most expensive option with an Intel Core i7-8550U processor and 8 GB of RAM. All three variants have the same 128 GB SSD, 1 TB HDD and Nvidia GeForce MX110 GPU. Prices at the time of writing vary between 550 Euros (~$633) and 750 Euros (~$863).

Our test device is the E58514D1D with 8 GB RAM, which falls into either our office or low-end multimedia segments and cost 570 Euros (~$656). Xiaomi’s aggressive pricing has made it difficult for us to find equivalent devices against which to compare the Mi Notebook 15.6. We have included a short list of our comparison devices below, but the Mi is either cheaper or better-equipped than all of them when comparing their specifications.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D) (Mi Notebook Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8250U 4 x 1.6 - 3.4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX110 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 978 MHz, Memory: 5010 MHz, GDDR5, 397.97, Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4 SDRAM
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, BOE07C5 (NV156FHM-N42), LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ, 128 GB 
, + WDC WD10SPZX-22Z10T1
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Card Reader: SD Cardreader
Networking
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21 x 382 x 253 ( = 0.83 x 15.04 x 9.96 in)
Battery
40 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1,280 x 720 HD webcam
Primary Camera: 1 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: AKG Speaker, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no
Weight
2.189 kg ( = 77.21 oz / 4.83 pounds), Power Supply: 370 g ( = 13.05 oz / 0.82 pounds)
Price
769 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The Mi Notebook 15.6 has, as its name indicates, a 15.6-inch display. Our test device has a black plastic case and an aluminum display lid. The styling is as minimal as other Xiaomi laptops with the only branding being a Mi logo below the display and on the underside of the device.

The plastic parts all have a slightly textured, roughened feel to them and cannot be mistaken for anything but plastic. The case is sturdy though and did not creak or twist regardless of how much pressure we applied. The craftsmanship is good too, although there is a gap between the back corner of one of the edges and the bottom plate. Overall, it is obvious the price bracket in which the Mi Notebook 15.6 sits, but the case does not look or feel cheap.

Xiaomi has opted not to use comparatively large display bezels though, which makes our test device one of the largest in our comparison table at 38.2 cm wide and 25.3 cm deep. The device weighs 2.2 kg, which is also heavier than many of our comparison devices. However, it is only 21 mm thick, which is on par with its competitors. We would recommend a compact 14-inch or smaller device if you frequently carry your laptop with you and use it on the move as the Mi Notebook 15.6 is rather cumbersome.

Size Comparison

382 mm / 15 inch 259 mm / 10.2 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs382 mm / 15 inch 253 mm / 9.96 inch 21 mm / 0.827 inch 2.2 kg4.83 lbs379.5 mm / 14.9 inch 254 mm / 10 inch 22.1 mm / 0.87 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs376 mm / 14.8 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 1.8 kg3.9 lbs369 mm / 14.5 inch 252 mm / 9.92 inch 19.95 mm / 0.785 inch 1.9 kg4.24 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.9 kg4.12 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The Mi Notebook 15.6 has a limited selection of ports, but Xiaomi has spaced them out well along the rear left and right sides of the device. Our test device has an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports and a headphone jack on its left-hand side. The Notebook 15.6’s offering is rounded off by a USB 2.0 Type-A port and an SD card reader on its right-hand side.

Left-hand side: RJ45 Ethernet, HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-A x2, headphone jack
Left-hand side: RJ45 Ethernet, HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-A x2, headphone jack
Right-hand side: USB 2.0 Type-A, SD card reader
Right-hand side: USB 2.0 Type-A, SD card reader

SD Card reader

We tested the Mi Notebook 15.6’s SD card reader, as we always do, with our Toshiba Exceria SDXC 64 GB UHD-II reference card. The results are rather underwhelming, with our test device averaging below 30 MB/s in both tests. These speeds indicate that the reader operates at USB 2.0 rather than the faster USB 3.0, but then so do our equivalently priced comparison devices. The SD card reader is fast enough for occasionally transferring data like holiday photos, but we would suggest looking for a device with a USB 3.0 SD card reader if you regularly transfer large amounts of data between your laptop and portable storage.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s +239%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
76.4 MB/s +197%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M510 microSD)
76 MB/s +196%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s +116%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.2 MB/s +37%
HP 15-da0405ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
33.7 MB/s +31%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
32.6 MB/s +27%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
29.7 MB/s +16%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
25.7 MB/s
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
 
21.4 MB/s -17%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
85.7 MB/s +216%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M510 microSD)
85.6 MB/s +216%
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s +141%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
37.2 MB/s +37%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.1 MB/s
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24.2 MB/s -11%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
 
17.4 MB/s -36%

Communication

A Realtek 8821CE module handles Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The 8821CE is a cheap chip with a below-average performance. Our test device’s Wi-Fi performance is uninspiring with around 50% slower transmission speeds than our fastest comparison device. The Mi Notebook 15.6 finished higher than the HP 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 330s-15IKB in the iperf3 Client transmission test but bottom of our other Wi-Fi test.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Office
  (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years)
810 MBit/s +145%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
620 MBit/s +87%
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
555 MBit/s +68%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
471 MBit/s +42%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
347 MBit/s +5%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
340 MBit/s +3%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
331 (290min - 376max) MBit/s
HP 15-da0405ng
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
323 MBit/s -2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
315 MBit/s -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
299 MBit/s -10%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Qualcomm/Atheros QCA6174
219 MBit/s -34%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Office
  (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years)
852 MBit/s +205%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
585 MBit/s +110%
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
568 MBit/s +104%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
513 MBit/s +84%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Qualcomm/Atheros QCA6174
424 MBit/s +52%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
345 MBit/s +24%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
326 MBit/s +17%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
305 MBit/s +9%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
290 MBit/s +4%
HP 15-da0405ng
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
285 MBit/s +2%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
279 (140min - 285max) MBit/s
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340360Tooltip
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D); iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø279 (274-285)
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D); iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø331 (290-376)

Software

We spent our first moments with the Mi Notebook 15.6 changing the OS language
We spent our first moments with the Mi Notebook 15.6 changing the OS language

The Mi Notebook 15.6 comes with a Chinese language version of Windows 10 Home 64-bit when bought from Geekbuying. The OS only supports Chinese, which is a stumbling block if you speak other languages. Fortunately, there are two remedies to this which we will outline below.

The first option is to buy a Windows 10 64-bit key, which costs around 5 Euros (~$5.75) on eBay. The main advantage of this method is that you upgrade your existing system without having to reinstall Windows. Additionally, the upgraded OS retains all existing hardware drivers, so should not run into any hardware issues with this method. However, navigating to the correct menu option to enter a new product key in Chinese is tricky. We would recommend having a second computer on hand that is set to your desired language to act as a guide through the Chinese version of Windows 10.

This solution is not perfect though. Single text elements, like the Windows login, remain in Chinese even after downloading another Windows 10 language pack and setting that as the OS’ default language.

The second option is to reinstall Windows 10. You will need a Windows 10 key for this method too, but you must also create a bootable USB installer in your desired language on another computer. You will then need to alter your device’s boot sequence to boot from the USB rather than the SSD. The main disadvantage to this method is that you may need to manually install some device drivers that could be tricky to find. There are YouTube videos that give step-by-step instructions on this method though. While this method may be more time consuming, it does completely remove all Chinese text from the OS.

We chose method one for our review so that we could retain our test device’s original hardware drivers. This eliminates any potential driver-related abnormalities that may have occurred during testing had we manually installed some drivers.

Maintenance

The Mi Notebook 15.6 is relatively easy to maintain. The plastic bottom plate is secured by nine Phillips screws and several plastic hooks. We would recommend prying open the case with a plastic pry tool so that you do not damage the hooks. Removing the bottom plate reveals the two fans, the screwed-in battery, the M.2 SSD slot and the 2.5-inch drive bay among other components. All these components are removable, but strangely we could not find the RAM. It is neither visible on the motherboard nor hidden behind a metal cover.

A look inside of the Mi Notebook 15.6
A look inside of the Mi Notebook 15.6

Warranty

A warranty replacement or repair is a complicated experience. Xiaomi provides no manufacturer’s warranty for the imported device and the warranty offered by import suppliers tends to be for one year with numerous caveats. Moreover, the device must be sent back to China for repair, which is a lengthy and expensive process. In short, the Mi Notebook 15.6’s warranty options are extremely unattractive. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The Mi Notebook 15.6 has a keyboard that is inherently different from the ones that we have seen on the Mi Notebook Pro and the Mi Gaming Notebook. The keyboard has chiclet keys and also has a number pad, the inclusion of which we welcome as it adds to the functionality of the device. The number pad is also befitting of the Mi Notebook 15.6’s potential use as an office notebook too.

The key sizes are regular except for the single-line enter key, but all keys have a noticeable pressure point and a pleasant stroke to them. The keyboard is quiet too regardless of how fast you type. There is no backlight though.

Moreover, the keyboard only comes with a QWERTY layout. This is fine if you speak English, but it will take some time to get used to the different key layouts if you typically type on different language keyboards. German-speaking users may find the change frustrating as the Z and Y keys are inverted and some symbols are assigned to different keys.

A look at the Mi Notebook 15.6 keyboard and trackpad
A look at the Mi Notebook 15.6 keyboard and trackpad
A closer look at the trackpad
A closer look at the trackpad

Trackpad

The Mi Notebook 15.6 has a large 12.7 x 8.4 centimeter glass trackpad that has a frosted or matte finish. The trackpad is responsive and smooth enough to freely slide your finger across it and perform multi-finger gestures. There are no dedicated mouse buttons, but then this makes sense with Xiaomi’s ethos of minimalist design. The Mi Notebook 15.6 has a mechanical click within the lower-third of the trackpad instead, which has first-class pressure resistance and acoustic feedback. In our opinion, the Mi Notebook 15.6 has one of the best trackpads of any device at this price point and beyond.

Display

Our test device has a BOE Technology Group display that carries the model number BOE07C5 NV156FHM-N42. The 15.6-inch IPS display has a 1920x1080 resolution, which equates to a pixel density of 141 PPI. According to our comparison table, our test device’s display is akin to the ones in the Mi Notebook Pro and Mi Gaming Laptop, which both carry the model number BOE0747 NV156FHM-N61.

The display reaches a maximum brightness of 280 cd/m² at its centre, according to X-Rite i1Pro 2, with an average maximum brightness of 267 cd/m² across the entire panel. Our test device has a comparatively low black value at 0.2 cd/m², which results in an impressive 1,400:1 contrast ratio. Moreover, the display has a matte finish, which diffuses reflections and generally improves readability. In short, the Mi Notebook 15.6 has a display that we would usually expect to see in a 700-Euro to 800-Euro (~$805 to ~$921) laptop and not at this price point.

288
cd/m²
268
cd/m²
267
cd/m²
264
cd/m²
280
cd/m²
266
cd/m²
245
cd/m²
271
cd/m²
257
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE07C5 (NV156FHM-N42) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 288 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 267.3 cd/m² Minimum: 15.11 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 280 cd/m²
Contrast: 1400:1 (Black: 0.2 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.6
ΔE Greyscale 3.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
59.26% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.09% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.54% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.21% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.08
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
BOE07C5 (NV156FHM-N42), , 1920x1080, 15.60
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
BOE0747 NV156FHM-N61, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
BOEhydis NV156FHM-N61 (BOE0747), , 1920x1080, 15.60
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018
SHARP LQ133M1JW15, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Chi Mei (CMN15D5), , 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
BOE NV156FHM-N49, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
BOE0700, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Chi Mei N156HGA-EAB, , 1920x1080, 15.60
HP 15-da0405ng
BOE0687, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
Chi Mei CMN15D3, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
55%
55%
64%
-1%
-1%
0%
-1%
6%
Display P3 Coverage
40.21
66.5
65%
66.6
66%
67.8
69%
39.83
-1%
39.85
-1%
40.23
0%
39.52
-2%
42.27
5%
sRGB Coverage
59.6
86.9
46%
87.3
46%
91.6
54%
58.5
-2%
58.8
-1%
60
1%
59.4
0%
63.5
7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.54
63.5
53%
63.8
54%
69.8
68%
41.15
-1%
41.17
-1%
41.6
0%
40.83
-2%
43.69
5%
Response Times
12077%
11926%
98%
14416%
12200%
47749%
13869%
16102%
13862%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
46 ?(22.4, 23.6)
47.9 ?(22.4, 25.5)
-4%
53.2 ?(26.4, 26.8)
-16%
39.6 ?(18.4, 21.2)
14%
43.3 ?(22, 21.3)
6%
48.4 ?(25.6, 22.8)
-5%
44 ?(21, 23)
4%
40 ?(22, 18)
13%
41 ?(22, 19)
11%
40 ?(23, 17)
13%
Response Time Black / White *
34 ?(15.2, 18.8)
33.7 ?(19.2, 14.5)
1%
41.6 ?(23.6, 18)
-22%
29.3 ?(14.8, 14.5)
14%
13.8 ?(9.5, 4.3)
59%
37.6 ?(21.2, 16.4)
-11%
31 ?(17, 14)
9%
25 ?(20, 5)
26%
13 ?(8, 5)
62%
32 ?(13, 10)
6%
PWM Frequency
60 ?(100)
21800 ?(99)
36233%
21550 ?(99)
35817%
220 ?(18, 100)
267%
25970 ?(19)
43183%
22030 ?(99)
36617%
86000 ?(90)
143233%
25000 ?(20)
41567%
29000 ?(90)
48233%
25000 ?(10)
41567%
Screen
4%
8%
-7%
-103%
-24%
-21%
-70%
-65%
9%
Brightness middle
280
296
6%
283
1%
370
32%
246
-12%
292
4%
283
1%
185
-34%
176
-37%
259
-7%
Brightness
267
288
8%
269
1%
355
33%
225
-16%
272
2%
252
-6%
166
-38%
164
-39%
230
-14%
Brightness Distribution
85
89
5%
87
2%
90
6%
81
-5%
84
-1%
75
-12%
76
-11%
69
-19%
82
-4%
Black Level *
0.2
0.32
-60%
0.23
-15%
0.23
-15%
0.51
-155%
0.3
-50%
0.63
-215%
0.37
-85%
0.31
-55%
0.19
5%
Contrast
1400
925
-34%
1230
-12%
1609
15%
482
-66%
973
-30%
449
-68%
500
-64%
568
-59%
1363
-3%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5
4.3
14%
4.68
6%
6.9
-38%
11
-120%
5.8
-16%
4.02
20%
11.26
-125%
11.4
-128%
3.13
37%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.9
8.7
-10%
8
-1%
12.2
-54%
32.4
-310%
22.4
-184%
8.77
-11%
18.65
-136%
19.76
-150%
7.81
1%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.6
2.5
31%
1.4
61%
4.6
-28%
4.03
-12%
2.99
17%
3.09
14%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.7
3
19%
4.32
-17%
7.4
-100%
11.6
-214%
2.3
38%
0.8
78%
11.56
-212%
12.75
-245%
1.42
62%
Gamma
2.08 106%
2.1 105%
2.36 93%
1.76 125%
1.91 115%
2.12 104%
2.35 94%
2.1 105%
2.59 85%
2.36 93%
CCT
7309 89%
7100 92%
7612 85%
7529 86%
11807 55%
6223 104%
6552 99%
11788 55%
14899 44%
6391 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38.09
56.83
49%
57
50%
37.6
-1%
38
0%
38
0%
38
0%
40
5%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
59.26
86.86
47%
87
47%
58
-2%
58
-2%
60
1%
59
0%
63
6%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
4045% / 2277%
3996% / 2120%
52% / 28%
7157% / 3527%
4058% / 2272%
15909% / 8413%
4600% / 2556%
5345% / 2799%
4626% / 2453%

* ... smaller is better

We also measured the display’s color accuracy using a photo spectrometer and CalMAN analysis software. The Mi Notebook 15.6 has poor color accuracy when tested at factory settings with high Delta E deviations for colors and gray tones when compared to the sRGB reference color space. We managed to improve some values with additional calibration, but color Delta E deviations only reduced to an average of 3.6 and a maximum of 7.7. We have included our calibrated ICC profile in the display information above our comparison table should you wish to use it.

ColorChecker
ColorChecker
Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation
Saturation
Colorspace
Colorspace
CalMAN: ColorChecker – calibrated
CalMAN: ColorChecker – calibrated
CalMAN: Grayscale – calibrated
CalMAN: Grayscale – calibrated
CalMAN: Color Saturation – calibrated
CalMAN: Color Saturation – calibrated

Our test device is only 59% sRGB and 38% Adobe RGB accurate, which makes the Mi Notebook 15.6 unsuitable for image or video-editing. These values are insignificant for the average user though. Colors look vivid in images and videos thanks to the display’s high contrast ratio and low black value.

The Mi Notebook 15.6 is suitable to use outdoors too, but we would recommend avoiding direct sunlight. The display is not bright enough to handle bright sunshine even with its matte finish.

Using the Mi Notebook 15.6 in the shade…
Using the Mi Notebook 15.6 in the shade…
…and under direct sunlight
…and under direct sunlight

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15.2 ms rise
↘ 18.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 89 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
46 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22.4 ms rise
↘ 23.6 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 75 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 60 Hz ≤ 100 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 60 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 60 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Our test device has between 34 and 46-millisecond response times, which is typical for IPS panels in budget devices. These response times should not concern a regular user and gamers are not the Mi Notebook 15.6’s target audience anyway. However, what may bother many users is the display flicker, which we measured at 60 Hz. It is worth keeping in mind that this is not a typical pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal either, but those who are PWM-sensitive could suffer from eye strain or headaches when using the Mi Notebook 15.6 for an extended period.

The Mi Notebook 15.6 has strong viewing angles thanks to its IPS display. We noticed no brightness or color distortions even at acute angles, with readability issues at oblique angles only occurring when we used the device outside.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

The Mi Notebook 15.6 is currently available with either a Core i5-8250U or a Core i7-8550U processor and 4/8 GB RAM. We would recommend choosing the 8 GB option as the RAM is not upgradable. The Core i5-8250U will be powerful enough for most users, while the extra power of the Core i7-8550U may only be noticeable in a few programs, if at all.

Xiaomi has equipped the device with a 128 GB M.2-2280 SSD and a 1 TB 2.5-inch SATA HDD to save costs. The inclusion of cheaper storage is a good solution for providing plenty of storage at an affordable price. However, the faster SSD will fill up quickly while moving programs to the HDD negates the speed improvements associated with the SSD.

HWInfo
HWInfo
Nvidia GeForce MX110 hardware information
Nvidia GeForce MX110 hardware information
Latency Monitor
Latency Monitor

Processor

Cinebench R15 Loop Log
Cinebench R15 Loop Log

The Core i5-8250U is no stranger to our test lab. The CPU is a quad-core chip that has up to eight simultaneous threads thanks to Intel Hyper-Threading and a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W. OEMs have used the CPU extensively in thin and light notebooks, but inadequate cooling often prevents the CPU from being used to its full potential. The Mi Notebook 15.6 has no such issues though as it is 21 mm thick, has two fans and it has a larger case for better heat dissipation.

The Mi Notebook 15.6 delivers first-class performance in Cinebench R15. We ran the multithreaded benchmark on a loop 30 times, during which our test device initially scored 665 points. Only a handful of equally equipped devices can crack the 700-point mark, while many Core i7-8550U-powered devices cannot match the Mi Notebook 15.6, as our comparison chart demonstrates. Performance dropped by 10% in the second run of the benchmark and remained steady thereafter but these scores still put the Mi Notebook 15.6 in second place overall and well ahead of many of our other comparison devices. We would recommend the device based on its Core i5-8250U performance alone, it is that good.

Unfortunately, it was not possible for us to get Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (Intel XTU) running on our test device for further undervolting and TDP testing. We gave up trying to run the program after repeated aborted attempts with the utility stating that we were trying to run it on an unsupported platform.

04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D) Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø625 (620.97-665.25)
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø493 (481.04-518.17)
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U: Ø428 (403.66-613.02)
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø500 (432.57-532.94)
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø506 (502.7-553.14)
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø548 (544.28-575.47)
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø537 (500.56-587.96)
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø481 (476.32-517.64)
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø461 (452.07-488.22)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA Intel Core i3-8130U, Intel Core i3-8130U: Ø335 (332.21-338.59)
HP 15-da0405ng Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø519 (513.66-568.03)
Asus VivoBook 15 X510UQ-BQ534T Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø638 (617.09-720.56)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +51%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 (144.66min - 144.78max) Points +2%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points +2%
HP 15-da0405ng
Intel Core i5-8250U
144 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points +1%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
Intel Core i5-8250U
142 Points 0%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
Intel Core i5-8250U
142 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (81 - 147, n=97)
141.1 Points -1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
140 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
140 Points -1%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
138 Points -3%
Asus VivoBook 15 X510UQ-BQ534T
Intel Core i5-8250U
136 Points -4%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +108%
Asus VivoBook 15 X510UQ-BQ534T
Intel Core i5-8250U
720 Points +8%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
Intel Core i5-8250U
665 Points
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
613 Points -8%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
576 (544.28min - 575.47max) Points -13%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (320 - 730, n=101)
570 Points -14%
HP 15-da0405ng
Intel Core i5-8250U
568 Points -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel Core i5-8250U
553 Points -17%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
Intel Core i5-8250U
533 (432.57min - 532.94max) Points -20%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
518 Points -22%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
488 Points -27%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
338 Points -49%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
58.8 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
665 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
142 Points
Help

System Performance

The Mi Notebook 15.6 fares well against its equivalently priced competitors in system performance benchmarks and is only 15% behind the considerably more expensive Mi Notebook Pro. The latter scores more in PCMark 10 because of its faster SSD and more powerful MX150 GPU. The Notebook Pro is also aimed at multimedia enthusiasts, which is a different and more-demanding target market to the office and simple multimedia uses for which the Mi Notebook 15.6 is intended. Overall, the Mi Notebook 15.6 has solid and satisfactory system performance.

Our test device also performs equally well on battery power as it does on mains power when running 3DMark 11.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +66%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3686 Points +15%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
3609 Points +13%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
3324 Points +4%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
3260 Points +2%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
3230 Points +1%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (3194 - 3260, n=2)
3227 Points +1%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3194 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3175 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
2449 Points -23%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +35%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3903 Points +24%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3766 Points +19%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
3741 Points +19%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
3729 Points +18%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
3621 Points +15%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
3478 Points +10%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3461 Points +10%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (3153 - 3478, n=2)
3316 Points +5%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
3302 Points +5%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3153 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
4901 Points +8%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
4783 Points +5%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4775 Points +5%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4769 Points +5%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
4749 Points +5%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4746 Points +4%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
4728 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (4544 - 4728, n=2)
4636 Points +2%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
4544 Points
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
4534 Points 0%
Average of class Office
  (1854 - 5610, n=12, last 2 years)
3746 Points -18%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3153 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4544 points
PCMark 10 Score
3194 points
Help

Storage Devices

A look at our storage benchmarks confirms that the Mi Notebook 15.6 is an entry-level device. Our test device has a Samsung PM871 SSD and a Western Digital Blue SATA HDD which runs at 5,400 RPM. The PM871 is no longer a comparatively quick SSD but still delivers adequate performance for a 570-Euro (~$656) device. The Mi Notebook Pro has faster transfer speeds thanks to its newer Samsung PM961 NVMe SSD, but it cannot fully exploit the potential of the drive, about which we discuss in our review. The HP 15 takes the crown for best storage option of the budget notebooks that we are comparing the Mi Notebook 15.6 against thanks to its fast NVMe SSD.

As mentioned earlier, the included 128 GB SSD will fill up quickly with general use. We would recommend switching to at least a 256 GB SSD, which costs well under 100 Euros (~$115), particularly if you plan to reinstall Windows.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
 
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
HP 15-da0405ng
SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
Average Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-0%
67%
-9%
1%
129%
12%
6%
74%
4%
Write 4K
77.3
80.9
5%
112
45%
71.8
-7%
81.8
6%
150
94%
101.4
31%
97.6
26%
82.8 ?(61 - 120.7, n=7)
7%
Read 4K
29.77
28.23
-5%
32.44
9%
21.23
-29%
33.33
12%
36
21%
26.75
-10%
39.08
31%
33 ?(29.8 - 35.5, n=7)
11%
Write Seq
442.5
266.3
-40%
598
35%
257.1
-42%
131.1
-70%
1057
139%
158.1
-64%
383
-13%
571
29%
402 ?(164.4 - 483, n=7)
-9%
Read Seq
442.7
495.5
12%
1157
161%
476.3
8%
910
106%
1074
143%
892
101%
432.4
-2%
1110
151%
500 ?(443 - 519, n=7)
13%
Write 4K Q32T1
173.8
255
47%
255.5
47%
202.6
17%
122.1
-30%
429
147%
162.2
-7%
292.1
68%
235.7
36%
192.2 ?(147 - 325, n=7)
11%
Read 4K Q32T1
233.6
288.3
23%
287.5
23%
282
21%
199.3
-15%
441
89%
320.4
37%
225.1
-4%
297
27%
295 ?(179.7 - 517, n=7)
26%
Write Seq Q32T1
510
265.6
-48%
594
16%
265.6
-48%
133
-74%
1283
152%
160.2
-69%
382.8
-25%
812
59%
392 ?(146.2 - 522, n=7)
-23%
Read Seq Q32T1
530
556
5%
1568
196%
559
5%
935
76%
1838
247%
933
76%
526
-1%
1742
229%
491 ?(208 - 547, n=7)
-7%
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 530 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 510 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 233.6 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 173.8 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 442.7 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 442.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 29.77 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 77.3 MB/s

Graphics Card

It is exciting to see Xiaomi equip the Mi Notebook 15.6 with an Nvidia GeForce MX110, not because it is particularly powerful, but because we have only tested a handful of notebooks with it. The MX110 is based on the GeForce 920MX and so is manufactured on Nvidia’s Maxwell architecture. The MX110 is between 20% and 80% faster than the Intel UHD Graphics 620, depending on the benchmark, with the Nvidia GeForce MX130 a further 35% ahead. Moreover, the Nvidia GeForce MX150 in the Mi Notebook Pro has around double the power of the MX110. The Radeon RX 540 is also considerably more powerful than the GPU in our test device, but its better benchmark scores do not translate into better game performance as we will discuss below.

The Mi Notebook 15.6 is well suited for office and multimedia applications thanks to its MX110 GPU, but it will struggle with demanding games.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +175%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
AMD Radeon RX 540, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
4646 Points +117%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
4252 Points +99%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2882 Points +35%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2786 Points +30%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
2140 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (2115 - 2140, n=3)
2125 Points -1%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
2121 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1805 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1629 Points -24%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8130U
1366 Points -36%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points +111%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
AMD Radeon RX 540, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
23263 Points +106%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
17552 Points +55%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
13246 Points +17%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
12654 Points +12%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
11314 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (10858 - 11314, n=3)
11146 Points -1%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
10858 Points -4%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
10069 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
7532 Points -33%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8130U
6911 Points -39%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points +136%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
AMD Radeon RX 540, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3519 Points +104%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
3263 Points +89%
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2311 Points +34%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2310 Points +34%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
1722 Points
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
1714 Points 0%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (1666 - 1722, n=3)
1701 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
938 Points -46%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8130U
819 Points -52%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
557 Points -68%
3DMark 11 Performance
2400 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
10015 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1647 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The “smallest” GPU in Nvidia’s current portfolio is powerful enough for playing a few modern games at reduced graphics. Titles like FIFA 18, Team Fortress 2 and Rocket League are playable at 1080p. By contrast, more complex titles like Fortnite, Farming Simulator 17 or Overwatch only play smoothly at reduced graphics. Expectedly, the GeForce MX150 performs significantly better than the MX110 in games. However, the entry-level Nvidia GPU outperforms the Radeon RX 540 despite the latter scoring considerably better in graphics card benchmarks.

We tested the Mi Notebook 15.6 extensively with FIFA 18, with our test device averaging 47.5 FPS at maximum graphics when playing at 1080p. Replays or video clips run at a reduced frame rate though. Equally, Overwatch is playable but only at reduced details and at a resolution low enough to guarantee high frame rates.

FIFA 18
1280x720 Low Preset
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
135.6 fps +20%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
115.8 fps +3%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
112.9 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (100.1 - 112.9, n=2)
106.5 fps -6%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
100.1 fps -11%
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
62.4 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (56.2 - 62.4, n=2)
59.3 fps -5%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
56.2 fps -10%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
54.8 fps -12%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:2xMS
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
73.2 fps +47%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
54.1 (39min - 59max) fps +8%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
49.9 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (49.2 - 49.9, n=2)
49.6 fps -1%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
49.2 fps -1%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
40.2 fps -19%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
72.3 fps +52%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
47.5 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (43.5 - 47.5, n=2)
45.5 fps -4%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
43.6 (33min - 47max) fps -8%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
43.5 fps -8%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
40 fps -16%
Overwatch
1280x720 Low (Render Scale 100 %) AA:FX AF:1x
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
141.8 fps +55%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
91.3 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (87 - 91.3, n=2)
89.2 fps -2%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
87 fps -5%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
83.6 fps -8%
1366x768 Medium (Render Scale 100 %) AA:FX AF:2x
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
97.2 fps +43%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
67.9 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (60.4 - 67.9, n=2)
64.2 fps -5%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
60.4 fps -11%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
50.9 fps -25%
1920x1080 High (Render Scale 100 %) AA:SM AF:4x
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
46 fps +64%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
32 fps +14%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
28.1 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (27.9 - 28.1, n=2)
28 fps 0%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
27.9 fps -1%
1920x1080 Epic (Render Scale 100 %) AA:SM AF:16x
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
29.8 fps +92%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
18.3 fps +18%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
15.8 fps +2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (15.5 - 15.8, n=2)
15.7 fps +1%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
15.5 fps
Fortnite
1280x720 Low Preset
Honor Magicbook
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
113.2 fps +75%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
89.2 fps +38%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
66.1 fps +2%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
64.7 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (62.7 - 66.1, n=3)
64.5 fps 0%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
63.6 fps -2%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
61.7 fps -5%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
41 fps -37%
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Honor Magicbook
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
58.9 fps +99%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
33.7 fps +14%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (19.9 - 41.8, n=3)
30.4 fps +3%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
30.1 fps +2%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
29.6 fps
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
22.1 fps -25%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
19.9 fps -33%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
13.7 fps -54%
1920x1080 High Preset
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
91.5 fps +429%
Honor Magicbook
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
36.1 fps +109%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
22.1 fps +28%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
19.1 fps +10%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
17.3 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (14.1 - 17.3, n=3)
15.4 fps -11%
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
14.1 fps -18%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
13.3 fps -23%
1920x1080 Epic Preset
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1060
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
81.4 fps +536%
Honor Magicbook
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
24.1 fps +88%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
16.2 fps +27%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
12.8 fps
HP 15-da0405ng
GeForce MX110, i5-8250U, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB
11.5 fps -10%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
  (9.3 - 12.8, n=3)
11.2 fps -12%
Honor Magicbook
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZNLN256HAJQ
10.9 fps -15%
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
Radeon RX 540, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
9.4 fps -27%
low med. high ultra
Overwatch (2016) 91.3 67.9 28.1 15.5
FIFA 18 (2017) 112.9 62.4 49.9 47.5
Fortnite (2018) 64.7 29.6 17.3 12.8

Emissions

Fan Noise

The Mi Notebook 15.6 is largely silent during office tasks and Internet browsing, except for the HDD which whirrs at around 30 dB(A). The fans will spin up even for short bursts of high CPU usage. Predictably, the fans get louder when the device operates under sustained load, reaching a maximum of 45.3 dB(A). This is relatively loud, but our test device has no coil whine or other unpleasant noises, which is a plus.

Noise Level

Idle
29.9 / 30.6 / 35 dB(A)
HDD
30.6 dB(A)
Load
38.8 / 45.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.9 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2041.742.441.7412530.530.630.429.83131.328.731.229.84030.43029.533.2502831.529.630.46328.531.327.628.68027.828.326.229.210027.227.726.126.512525.224.624.625.116024.423.724.823.720024.522.923.524.725024.222.222.623.631524.321.120.822.440024.420.42123.5500252019.523.363025.719.318.524.580029.120.617.927100030.220.117.426.11250311917.527.5160030.318.117.425.4200027.417.717.423250028.717.417.321.7315022.817.617.220.7400020.717.317.119.1500018.5171717.6630017.717.217.217.3800017.517.317.317.41000017.517.317.317.41250017.217.117.217.41600017.317.317.217.5SPL3545.338.838.730.629.935.3N2.15.12.82.71.51.42.2median 24.4median 19median 17.4median 23.3median 16median 15.6median 18.7Delta4.72.71.83.414.614.316.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseXiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)

Temperature

The Mi Notebook 15.6 during a stress test
The Mi Notebook 15.6 during a stress test
Stress test results
Stress test results

Our test device is relatively cool at idle with surface temperatures averaging 25.1 °C on the top case and 26.7 °C on the bottom. Subjectively, only the area around the HDD feels somewhat warm to the touch at idle.

It is a different story under load though where surface temperatures rise drastically. Importantly, the palm rest still feels cool to the touch, but the area around the fan vents on the bottom case reaches an unpleasantly hot 58.8 °C. We would strongly recommend against using the device on your lap when you are pushing it hard. It appears that Xiaomi is willing to accept high case temperatures to ensure good performance and relatively quiet fans most of the time.

A look inside shows that our test device can only sustain peak CPU performance for a short time. The CPU core temperature quickly reaches critical levels at which point the frequency drops from 3.4 GHz to 2.3-2.4 GHz. The core temperature then settles at just under 80 °C. We suspect that we could improve our test device’s thermal performance by undervolting and repasting the CPU, but Intel XTU will not run. The GPU also sits between 70 °C and 75 °C during a stress test, but it can continuously maintain a clock speed above 1 GHz without thermal throttling.

Overall, the Mi Notebook 15.6 is easy to use even under laboratory conditions, but we would recommend using it on a solid surface during resource-heavy tasks to maintain optimum air circulation.

Max. Load
 46.1 °C
115 F
48.2 °C
119 F
38.2 °C
101 F
 
 38.8 °C
102 F
41.2 °C
106 F
34.7 °C
94 F
 
 26.2 °C
79 F
27.4 °C
81 F
27.2 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 48.2 °C = 119 F
Average: 36.4 °C = 98 F
47.6 °C
118 F
58.8 °C
138 F
51.7 °C
125 F
31.4 °C
89 F
50 °C
122 F
42.5 °C
109 F
26.4 °C
80 F
26.8 °C
80 F
25.1 °C
77 F
Maximum: 58.8 °C = 138 F
Average: 40 °C = 104 F
Power Supply (max.)  53.6 °C = 128 F | Room Temperature 21.2 °C = 70 F | Raytek Raynger ST
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.4 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 48.2 °C / 119 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 58.8 °C / 138 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.1 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27.4 °C / 81.3 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+0.3 °C / 0.6 F).
Top case surface temperatures at idle
Top case surface temperatures at idle
Bottom case surface temperatures at idle
Bottom case surface temperatures at idle
Top case surface temperatures after an hour’s stress test
Top case surface temperatures after an hour’s stress test
Bottom case surface temperatures after an hour’s stress test
Bottom case surface temperatures after an hour’s stress test

Speakers

The Mi Notebook 15.6 has two speakers on the underside of the device. The speakers have AKG branding, which is a brand known to audiophiles. However, the sound quality does not meet expectations and the maximum volume is only 76.6 dB(A), which is hardly loud enough to fill a medium-sized room. Audio lacks bass and the speakers’ positioning means that sound reverberates off whatever is underneath the device. In practice, the sound gets muffled when using the device on your lap or on a soft surface. We would recommend placing the device on a solid surface when playing music or audio to ensure optimum sound quality.

The comparison diagram below shows the lack of the speakers’ low and high-frequency tones.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.436.52530.930.7313230.3403229503130.36329.328.28027.527.210029.127.212536.725.216047.824.820054.623.925057.222.431557.721.640057.520.850054.419.563054.319.280064.220.6100066.320.412506918.5160068.218.1200067.418.2250064.317.7315066.817.6400059.517.5500055.217.1630057.217.2800060.617.31000058.717.31250051.917.21600046.417.3SPL76.630.7N36.81.5median 57.5median 18.5Delta7.22.535.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseXiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D) audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.7% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 38% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 47% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

Our test device consumes between 5.6 W and 8.7 W at idle, which is slightly above average for a 15-inch device with an Intel Core i5-8250U processor. Strikingly, our AMD-powered comparison device consumes considerably more than its Intel-powered counterparts.

The Mi Notebook 15.6 consumes up to 39.9 W under a realistic load when running 3DMark06. That value is around 10 W higher than the ThinkPad E580, which also has a Core i5-8250U. The ThinkPad lacks a dedicated GPU though. More-powerful devices with a GeForce MX130 or GeForce MX150 typically consume around 10 W more than our test device. We also measure a maximum power consumption of 59.9 W during a stress test, which is still within the included 65 W power supply’s limits.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.6 / 8.6 / 8.7 Watt
Load midlight 39.9 / 59.9 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 Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
i5-8250U, GeForce MX110, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ, LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
i5-8250U, GeForce MX130, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
R5 2500U, Radeon RX 540, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
i5-8250U, GeForce MX130, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP
i5-8550U, Radeon 530, Toshiba MQ01ACF050, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, , IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
i3-8130U, UHD Graphics 620, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP 15-da0405ng
i5-8250U, GeForce MX110, SK Hynix BC501 NVMe 256 GB, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX110
 
Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
-6%
-19%
9%
24%
-2%
-29%
21%
15%
14%
8%
7%
Idle Minimum *
5.6
5.1
9%
6.9
-23%
3.3
41%
3.4
39%
3.7
34%
8.2
-46%
5
11%
5.4
4%
3.8
32%
4.4 ?(3.8 - 5.6, n=3)
21%
4.27 ?(2.2 - 9.4, n=107, last 2 years)
24%
Idle Average *
8.6
7.6
12%
9.6
-12%
5.6
35%
6.7
22%
7.5
13%
8.4
2%
7.6
12%
8.2
5%
6.2
28%
7.37 ?(6.2 - 8.6, n=3)
14%
7.32 ?(3.8 - 20.6, n=107, last 2 years)
15%
Idle Maximum *
8.7
8.2
6%
11.8
-36%
7.8
10%
7.7
11%
8
8%
8.4
3%
8.6
1%
8.4
3%
6.7
23%
7.63 ?(6.7 - 8.7, n=3)
12%
9.1 ?(4.8 - 23.9, n=107, last 2 years)
-5%
Load Average *
39.9
49.4
-24%
50
-25%
54
-35%
31.1
22%
49
-23%
62.6
-57%
25.6
36%
32.2
19%
40.8
-2%
40.9 ?(39.9 - 42, n=3)
-3%
40.4 ?(8.7 - 75.2, n=106, last 2 years)
-1%
Witcher 3 ultra *
33.2
42.1
-27%
50.6
-52%
53.6
-61%
Load Maximum *
59.9
68
-14%
60
-0%
63
-5%
42.9
28%
55.2
8%
66.8
-12%
34
43%
32.6
46%
65.2
-9%
62 ?(59.9 - 65.2, n=3)
-4%
57.4 ?(11.1 - 101.4, n=107, last 2 years)
4%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

There are two important factors concerning battery life: battery capacity and power consumption. The Mi Notebook 15.6 has a 40 Wh battery, which is smaller than the batteries in all our comparison devices. Power consumption is above average at idle too as mentioned above. Our test device lasted just 6 h 40 m in our Wi-Fi battery life test, which puts the Mi Notebook 15.6 at the bottom of our comparison table. The battery can last up to 10 h 13 m when the device is idling, but overall the Mi Notebook 15.6 has much weaker battery life than our comparison devices.

Our test device takes around 90 minutes to charge from flat to 80% with the included 65 W power supply. Charging up to 100% takes another hour for a total of two-and-a-half hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
10h 13min
WiFi Websurfing
5h 40min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
7h 45min
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D)
i5-8250U, GeForce MX110, 40 Wh
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
i5-8250U, GeForce MX130, 48 Wh
Acer Swift 3 SF315-41G-R6BR
R5 2500U, Radeon RX 540, 48 Wh
Acer TravelMate P2510-G2-MG-50WE
i5-8250U, GeForce MX130, 48 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 60 Wh
Dell Latitude 15 3590-K8JP
i5-8550U, Radeon 530, 56 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
i3-8130U, UHD Graphics 620, 37 Wh
HP 15-da0405ng
i5-8250U, GeForce MX110, 41 Wh
Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
19%
5%
30%
20%
56%
30%
13%
-17%
4%
84%
Reader / Idle
613
867
41%
724
18%
864
41%
857
40%
754
23%
1414 ?(527 - 2359, n=23, last 2 years)
131%
H.264
465
525
13%
366
-21%
516
11%
435
-6%
632
36%
691 ?(348 - 1112, n=40, last 2 years)
49%
WiFi v1.3
340
350
3%
401
18%
505
49%
421
24%
597
76%
408
20%
350
3%
281
-17%
355
4%
589 ?(272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
73%
Load
162
109
118
96
122
114
113
117 ?(56 - 209, n=65, last 2 years)
Witcher 3 ultra
83
152 ?(142 - 162, n=2, last 2 years)

Verdict

Pros

+ simple design with clean lines
+ good port placement
+ easy to maintain thanks to a removable bottom plate
+ impressive input devices
+ high contrast display with a matte finish
+ strong Core i5-8250U performance
+ the device is generally silent in daily use

Cons

- Windows 10 is set to Chinese by default
- Chinese warranty
- slow card reader
- average Wi-Fi transfer speeds
- only a QWERTY keyboard layout
- small color-space coverage
- display flicker detected at 60 Hz
- the device can get hot under load
The Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 review.
The Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 review.

It is difficult to draw an adequate verdict about the Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6. Crucially, the device is currently unavailable in the Western world, which raises numerous warranty-related issues if the device develops a fault. Moreover, the device only comes with a Chinese version of Windows 10, which requires some lengthy changes unless you speak Chinese. These factors alone could put off people who do not want any fuss associated with their laptop.

The device itself is outstanding value for money though. The Mi Notebook 15.6 is made largely of plastic but is well crafted and retains Xiaomi’s minimalist design aesthetic. The keyboard and trackpad are exceptional for a sub-600 Euro (~$690) device too.

On the other hand, the display is a mixed bag. The brightness is good enough for most uses, while the matte finish and high contrast ratio are welcome bonuses. However, the display has comparatively poor color accuracy and color-space coverage.

The Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 is characterized by its attractive price-to-performance ratio. Its current availability only within China will limit the device’s success in Europe and the USA though.

A highlight of the Mi Notebook 15.6 is how well it performs. The Core i5-8250U delivers exceptional performance under sustained load, and the MX110 delivers playable frame rates in modern games despite being Nvidia’s entry-level laptop GPU.

Our test device largely works silently too, but the fans get loud when the system is stressed. Equally, Xiaomi has focused on maintaining peak performance at the expense of high case temperatures.

Overall, the Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 is a great device for the money and one which offers significantly more than other equivalently priced laptops. You may save around 200 Euros (~$230) by buying the Mi Notebook 15.6 compared with other devices that are available worldwide, but the associated warranty risks of importing a device from China may negate the savings for some people.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (E58514D1D) - 10/12/2018 v6(old)
J. Simon Leitner

Chassis
71 / 98 → 73%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
44 / 80 → 55%
Weight
62 / 20-67 → 89%
Battery
88%
Display
87%
Games Performance
67 / 68 → 98%
Application Performance
82 / 92 → 90%
Temperature
87%
Noise
83%
Audio
60%
Average
75%
82%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Xiaomi Mi Notebook 15.6 (8250U, MX110) Laptop Review
J. Simon Leitner, 2018-10-16 (Update: 2019-02-26)