Xiaomi’s Mi Notebook Air’s Design Pays Homage to MacBook Air Design

Xiaomi has built a notebook that looks deceptively like a MacBook Air, even down to the trackpad size. Here we give the Mi Notebook Air a closer look.

The Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air comes in the customer’s choice of screen sizes: 12.5 inches and 13.3 inches. Xiaomi didn’t note any major differences between the displays besides their sizes in their product specifications, but the company did say that the models feature 1,920-by-1,080 Full-HD resolution, which should make for a fine viewing experience across streaming video and video games.

Depending on the screen size a customer chooses, the Mi Notebook Air comes with major differences. For instance, the 13.3-inch model has the sixth-generation Intel Core i5 processor inside, while the 12.5-inch version runs on Intel’s Core M3 processor. The larger version also features a better graphics chip, more RAM and far more storage. So when choosing a screen size, customers also will be deciding how much power they get under the hood.

Both Mi Notebook Air models come with Windows 10. Xiaomi did not say whether customers would be able to downgrade to Windows 8.1 if they so choose. Given the company’s history of keeping customers locked into its designs, however, it’s unlikely it will offer that option, so expect no choice but Windows 10 in the upcoming notebook.

The portability factor in the Mi Notebook Air is stellar. The 12.5-inch version is just 12.9mm at its thinnest point and weighs about 2.4 pounds, making it both thin and lightweight. The 13.3-inch model is similarly mobile-friendly, featuring a thinnest point of 14.8 mm and a weight of 2.8 pounds.

The 12.5-inch Mi Notebook Air is a bit underpowered by its Core M3; however, the 13.3-inch option comes bundled with several appealing components. In addition to the aforementioned Intel Core i5 processor, customers will find the Nvidia GeForce 940MX dedicated graphics chip, a 256GB solid-state drive and support for 802.11ac WiFi. It even has USB Type-C for charging and two USB 3.0 ports alongside its single HDMI port.

Battery life matters in a mobile product, and Xiaomi knows it. The company says the 12.5-inch model will be able to last 11.5 hours on a single charge based on standard use. The 13.3-inch model battery pack will last 9.5 hours, but that version comes with a fast-charging feature that can boost the battery life by 50 percent in 30 minutes.

Xiaomi plans to offer an adapter that plugs into the notebook that expands the device’s usability dramatically. The adapter will deliver more HDMI and USB ports, allowing users to have up to three displays and an external hard drive connected while they’re using the notebook.

According to Xiaomi, the Mi Notebook Air will be rugged enough for corporate users to get work done. In addition to its hardened case, the Mi Notebook Air comes with strong, scratch- and shatter-resistant glass. Although Xiaomi didn’t note how high the Mi Notebook Air could be dropped without any trouble, it did say it’s far less likely than many other computers to sustain damage to its screen if it slips out of the user’s hands.

The 13.3-inch Mi Notebook Air comes with a potentially important feature for enterprise users: an expandable Serial ATA SSD slot that will allow users to plug in additional storage. On the 12.5-inch model, the Mi Notebook Air supports a solid-state drive with up to 128GB of storage.

For now, the Mi Notebook Air will be available only in China starting Aug. 2. When the notebook launches, Xiaomi said it will retail for the equivalent in Chinese currency of about $525 and about $750 for the 12.5- and 13.3-inch models, respectively. While it’s currently unknown whether Xiaomi intends to market the Mi Notebook Air outside China, the company has said it wants to expand sales of its products around the world. That suggests its latest notebook could go on sale in more countries across Asia, South America and perhaps even North America.