I spent 1 month with Redmi Pad 2 Pro: Here’s how it fits into regular use and what stood out to me

I will be honest with my readers that budget tablets have never impressed me. They’re usually sluggish, forgettable, and built just well enough to get by. I have always felt that most tablets under Rs 25,000 in India are just present or there. You know, the same old screen sizes, plastic builds, and software that feels like an afterthought. So when I first heard about the Redmi Pad 2 Pro, I was not expecting much. But after digging into the details, I realized this was not just another budget slab.

Xiaomi might have just cracked the formula for making an affordable tablet actually exciting. And after seeing what it offers, I think it might just be the jolt this price segment needed.

After spending a good amount of time with the Redmi Pad 2 Pro, I have come away with a pretty clear sense of what this tablet brings to the table and how it compares to others in its segment. For a device in the sub-Rs 25,000 category, it certainly offers some compelling features, especially when you factor in the display and performance capabilities.

But with strong alternatives like the Xiaomi Pad 7, OnePlus Pad Go 2, and Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ already vying for attention, the real question is does the Redmi Pad 2 offer enough to stand out in this increasingly competitive space? Let’s dive into my experience and see if it truly delivers something different.

Before we continue with review, here’s its specifications:

Design

The first thing I felt when picking the Redmi Pad 2 Pro was the familiarity it had. Xiaomi has not attempted to reinvent the wheel in this direction, and to be frank, that plays to its advantage. The tablet is in the same design language as the previously released Redmi Pad Pro and has a simple and robust metallic unibody which provides it with a high-end feel as soon as you place it in your hands.

The tablet is slim with a size of 279.80 x 181.65 x 7.5mm. It weighs a hefty 620 grams when you are reading the spec sheet but it actually feels much lighter in actual practice as the weight distribution is quite balanced. It never felt painful or jagged on my palms when I was spending more time watching Netflix and reading things in the landscape mode. That being said, this is not a tablet I would want to use with long period of time in my hands and that goes with most of the tablets in this size range.

The one that I purchased is in Quick Silver colour and I sincerely liked the way it looks discreet and hygienic. It seems more upscale than glitzy and manages to conceal fingerprints, which is never a negative. Xiaomi also has a Graphite grey color choice to the one who likes the darker finish. The version 5G is slightly different due to the textured part and dual-tone rear panel. It does not change the grip much, but does add some visual interest over the plain back on the Wi-Fi-only version.

The other minor yet significant detail is the IP53 rating. Although this does not render the tablet waterproof, it provides a sense of security with regards to small splashes and dust that is handy in day-to-day use.

The design experience becomes even better in the accessory support. Redmi Pad 2 Pro is compatible with a Bluetooth keyboard that fits on it magnetically through a case. After the attachment, the tablet really begins to resemble a miniature laptop. I also used it in emails and editing documents and the keys were decent to experience and provided satisfying click. Nevertheless, I also missed a backlight and a trackpad, but taking into account the price bracket, it is not a deal-breaker.

The Redmi Smart Pen is also an added feature to the design experience. It has 4096 levels of pressure with which it is responsive and precise when writing or drawing. The fact that one can make notes even when the screen is off is an actually useful feature.

In general, Redmi Pad 2 Pro does not follow the trends of flashy designs. Instead, it concentrates on good construction, comfort, and good usability. It seems to be considerate of the user who actually plans to use their tablet on a daily basis and not simply display it on a table.

Display

I used the Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G throughout my time doing what most people typically purchase a tablet and that is watching videos, reading, and multitasking through apps. The display plays an essential role in delivering that experience well. The tablet has a 12.1-inch IPS LCD display with a 2.5K resolution, and the size of the screen alone makes everything less claustrophobic. The additional screen space was actually helpful regardless of whether I was viewing YouTube or working on split-screen applications or drawing notes.

One thing that I observed at an early review was sharpness. The text remains readable in smaller sizes and the pictures do not appear soft or blurred. It was comfortable to read long articles and PDFs and I did not have to zoom in frequently.

The fact that the display has a 120Hz refresh rate is what makes the display feel high-end. Browsing social media feeds, interchangeable apps, or just navigating the interface is pretty easy and significantly smoother than usual 60Hz displays. Xiaomi lets you control how the refresh rate behaves, and I preferred it to keep on the auto mode. It stayed smooth when needed and eased off when not, which helped maintain a good balance between performance and battery life.

The screen has more than a billion colours and dolby vision and in practice, the images appear lively without being excessive. Films and programs are rough enough and the skin color seems to be natural. Although the panel has no HDR10 support, I did not feel short-changed when streaming in regular conditions at home. Even the hardcore HDR fans may find something to complain about, but the experience remains immersive.

Another aspect that the tablet is doing very well is in brightness. The display is also very bright and comfortable, even during medium settings indoors. Visibility is reasonable even in a bright environment, due to its high brightness setting, but bright sunlight remains a problem, as is typical of LCD.

It is not an OLED screen, thus there is no deep blacks or extreme contrast. Nevertheless, the screen is capable of displaying shadows and highlights to make movies and games to be enjoyable.

Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G has a display that is carefully adjusted to the daily needs. It is big, has smooth texture and does not strain the eyes, making it a strong reason to consider this tablet if media consumption and productivity matter to you.

Performance

Redmi Pad 2 Pro is also powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor, 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and up to 256GB storage in UFS 2.2. The tablet is fast and responsive in everyday application. Activities as videos playback, web browsing, video calls, and changing applications occur without any apparent delays and hiccups on the system. To perform the usual level of productivity and entertainment, the performance seems well balanced and trustworthy.

In the case of gaming, BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile can be played at a medium or high graphics level, which is stable in frame rates and the gameplay is smooth. Genshin Impact and GRID: Legends are more demanding games that you can enjoy playing on the tablet, although that requires a reduction in the graphics settings. At that, it is possible to notice minor frame drops even in the moment of the intense scenes, so it is obvious that this tablet is not designed to play hardcore.

Heat management on the device is effective and throttling does not occur considerably in the case of longer sessions. Long gaming, however, can be tiring as the size of the tablet is a factor that influences the grip and comfort of hands rather than the performance. This represents a typical issue with a bigger tablet and not confined to this model.

On the whole, Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G is aimed at providing a regular and consistent performance to be used in everyday life, and providing the possibility to play the most popular games with reasonable quality. It is not supposed to compete with the serious gaming tablets, but at casual and moderate gaming as well as daily chores, it is a confident performer.

Software

The Redmi Pad 2 Pro comes with Android 15 and HyperOS 2 out of the box, and the overall software experience feels smooth and easy to use. Everything is responsive and easy to follow, including daily tasks like opening apps, browsing the internet, or switching between screens. The interface is clean and even new users will find it easy to navigate.

One of the advantages of this tablet is multitasking. This split-screen and floating windows are quite handy due to the large screen. I could view a video on one hand and also check messages or read an article on the other and the tablet was able to manage it quite easily. It is not necessarily a replacement of a full laptop, but when it comes to actually doing work and studying, it works.

It is also easy to use accessories with the tablet. The keyboard is fast to connect and functions as desired, hence typing of emails or documents is a breeze. Most apps support keyboard shortcuts, which is time-saving. Smart Pen is also responsive and can be effectively used to write some notes or draw. Writing is smooth and it does not have a delaying effect when in use.

Xiaomi has also vowed to support software in the long run, including 5 years of android updates and 7 years of security updates. This means the Redmi Pad 2 Pro should stay updated and secure for many years. Overall, the software feels stable, user-friendly, and well suited for a large tablet like this.

Battery

Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G is powered by a massive battery of 12000mAh and in day to day use, this clearly reflects on how strong the device is. After being charged, I hardly saw the necessity of charging it again in the same day. The tablet would just last without battery anxiety whether I was on YouTube, having video calls, or browsing the web or working on documents.

Speed of charging is however not its best side. The tablet also supports fast charging 33W and it is good to see that Xiaomi does provide the charger in the box. Nevertheless, it would require more than two hours to charge such a large battery. It is not excruciatingly slow, but given the size of the battery, a faster recharge rate would have been better.

The tablet can easily pass a day of use in terms of backup. I was able to handle almost 14-15 hours of screen time that was mixed with viewing videos, reading, multitasking, and a little bit of casual gaming. When reading, it is comfortable enough in short uses particularly when the eye comfort features are on, but it is by no means a substitute to an e-reader.

The battery is not aggressively consumed by gaming either. Playing games such as BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile of approximately half an hour each led to minimal loss of battery percentage. The tablet is able to withstand even when it is more heavily used, whether it is gaming, video calls, or a combination of two or more applications operating concurrently.

In general, the Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G has a good battery life. It can charge even quicker, but when charged, it has an easy time lasting long enough to provide a full day work and entertainment.

Final Verdict

The Redmi Pad 2 Pro 5G is a well-rounded tablet that gets the basics right. It offers a sturdy metal design, a large and smooth display for work and entertainment, reliable everyday performance, and clean software with useful multitasking features. Battery life is strong and easily lasts a full day, though charging could be faster. Overall, it is a solid choice for users looking for a dependable Android tablet for daily use without spending too much.