Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro: An Honest Review

In 2020, Xiaomi shocked the laptop market with the Mi Notebook line, but customers were puzzled by the lack of a webcam. We found that the Mi Notebook Ultra, one of their subsequent releases, significantly raised the bar for budget Windows laptops regarding construction quality, features, and performance.  The Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G, their most recent high-end offering, makes some significant improvements over its predecessor and is a compelling laptop for the money.

After more than three weeks of use, the Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G is an enticing gadget with pleasant surprises. Find out what impressed me and what didn’t in the following paragraphs.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro Specification

The models

The graphics processing unit (GPU) separates the two versions of the Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G. The entry-level model (the 120, without the G) costs Rs 69,999 and features integrated UHD graphics. The nVidia MX550 GPU is a decent upgrade and can be yours for Rs 76,999. The laptop has a wealth of other performance-enhancing features. The Intel Core i5-12450H chipset is suitable for use in professional workstations. With 16 GB of DDR5 RAM and 512 GB of PCIe 4.0 storage, this system meets every performance requirement for 2022.

The hardware

The Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G continues the company’s previous laptop designs, which evoke the aesthetic of Apple’s MacBook. The grey chassis features “aerospace-grade” aluminium alloy construction. They have my trust because the machine is so rigid that not even the keyboard deck wiggles. It’s an average of 1.4 kilograms and can be opened with a single finger. The quality of the construction is superb.  The 14-inch, 16:10, 2.5K display boasts full sRGB coverage and professional-level colour accuracy but makes no claims about its brightness. Unusually for a laptop of its type, it also has a refresh rate of 120 hertz. The screen’s quality is rock solid, and the colours are rendered faithfully. Even without a professional calibration, I would feel comfortable using it for my photography business.

The light output could be better, albeit not spectacular. The matte coating helps compensate for the less-than-ideal performance when used in the sun. We previously examined a Mi Notebook Ultra and found that its speakers were weak and tinny. I’m delighted to report that the Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G has made significant strides in this regard. While not the greatest in their class, these speakers are serviceable and provide adequate volume and quality for most listening situations. Even though I would still wear headphones whenever possible, these speakers suit most everyday situations.

Display

About 16 inches in length with a 15.6-inch display, the Xiaomi Mi NoteBook Ultra is a full-size laptop. Similar to the Space Grey finish of the MacBook Pro, this shade has an overall metallic look. The Series 6 Aluminum is used in the chassis of the laptop. Visually, it’s very high-end and reminiscent of the MacBook Pro. The small Xiaomi emblem at the top of the laptop’s casing is a nice touch. It’s a simple design that doesn’t detract from the laptop’s sleek appearance. The computer is bulkier than I had anticipated, but that’s fine because it has so many different connectors. Multiple USB-A connectors, an HDMI port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and the super-fast Thunderbolt 4 port are included. Thanks to the abundantly available ports on both devices, I can connect my external wired mouse and laptop to the TV via the HDMI connection. The fan draws hot air out of the computer through a grill at the bottom, where the speakers are also located.

Performance

I’m a massive fan of the Mi NoteBook Ultra because of its performance. The Mi NoteBook Ultra was a welcome relief after dealing with the MacBook Air 2019’s overheating problems every time I used Adobe Premiere Pro. The Mi NoteBook Ultra made my workday a breeze. The system never slowed down, and neither did any of the programs. Premiere Pro never froze or slowed down while I had Chrome running in the background with seven or eight tabs open simultaneously and the desktop version of WhatsApp running in parallel. The video playback was incredibly fluid.

If there were one place Xiaomi could have improved, it would be in the speakers and audio department. The speakers are located at the base, as is standard on Windows laptops. The audio on the Mi NoteBook Ultra is so terrible that I will never use the computer without headphones again. The volume is too low, and the sound is too muffled to be audible. Unfortunately, the laptop’s poor sound quality has caused some potential buyers to reject it. Including a 3.5mm audio connector and Bluetooth capability for wirelessly connecting headphones or earbuds saved the day.

Buy it?

This sub-Rs 80,000 laptop is great if you can tolerate poor battery life. You get excellent build quality, a great keyboard, and a screen with near-professional color accuracy. This laptop’s performance, thermal management, sleep behavior, and minimum Xiaomi bloatware make it a pleasure to use.

I’m impressed by Xiaomi’s ability to make tiny aspects like sleep behavior affect the laptop’s daily use. However, I wish they had included a 70 Wh battery to make this an all-around winner. Xiaomi Notebook Pro 120G faces competition. For Rs 72,000, the Asus Vivobook 14 OLED has a more excellent screen but less performance, while the M1 Macbook Air has longer battery life for Rs 10,000 more. But this extraordinary mix of an Intel H-class processor, discrete GPU, and 120Hz screen is fairly distinctive at this price range. For those who don’t need the GPU, the non-G version for Rs 69,999 is also a solid alternative and may give more fantastic battery life.