Xiaomi has finally delivered its first laptop, and just as expected, it wants to battle the MacBook Air head-on. Its new Mi Notebook Air is thinner, lighter, and more powerful than Apple’s machine — and yet it’s still kinder on your wallet.
Despite its somewhat silly name, the Mi Notebook Air is a pretty special laptop. It’s designed to be portable enough to take anywhere, yet it packs enough power to compete with beefier, more powerful machines like the MacBook Pro.
There are two models to choose from — with 12.5- and 13.3-inch displays — and it’s the latter that’s really exciting. Its aluminum unibody measures just 14.8mm thick and weighs just 1.28kg, making it thinner and lighter than the MacBook Air (at its fattest edge).
If you splash out on the high-end model, which is priced at just 4,999 yuan (about $750), you get an Intel Core i5-6200U processor clocked at 2.3GHz (with Turbo Boost to 2.7GHz), 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 256GB of solid-state storage, and a battery that lasts around 9.5 hours.
You also get an NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics chip with 1GB of DDR5 RAM, which will allow you to get greater performance when editing video. It will even allow you to use your Mi Notebook Air to play games, though you’ll have to turn the settings all the way down.
The 12.5-inch model is even slimmer at 12.9mm, and even lighter at 1.07kg. However, it carries a weaker Intel Core M3 processor, just 4GB of RAM, and just 128GB of solid-state storage. It doesn’t have the graphics chip, either — but it starts at just 3,499 yuan (about $520).
Both machines have Windows 10, Full HD displays, USB-C and HDMI connectivity, headphone jacks, 1-megapixel webcams, and backlit keyboards. They will be available in gold and silver when they make their debut in China on August 2.
Xiaomi hasn’t announced any plans for international availability yet, but like a lot of its products, the Mi Notebook Air will probably remain exclusive to Asia. That means you’ll have to import one, or pick one up from a third-party on Amazon or eBay.
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
28 responses to “Xiaomi’s MacBook Air rival is thinner, lighter, more powerful”
And it runs Windows! Wow, that’s so appealing to a Mac OS user!
It is to me, getting tired of apple and mac. Next one will probably not be apple or mac. Will stick to iphone and ipad for now though. Everyone else runs windows 10 at home and it’s faster and more stable than el crapitan. I would take one of these in a heartbeat over apple’s old, underpowered tech.
Seriously, 2500 and up for a laptop with discreet graphics? If apple were more about customers and less about the bottom line I would stay with osx.
Somehow, this doesn’t ring true. So you’re saying if the hardware were cheaper you’d stay with what you just claimed to be unstable software? Makes no sense. Also,the idea that El Capitan is unstable is bunk. Operator error?
Go to macrumors and read the bootcamp threads. It makes no sense to you because you are a clueless kool aid drinker. I bootcamp 10 and it’s much more stable than osx.
Windows more stable than OS X?? That’s hilarious.
I actually run osx and boot camp 10. Clueless apple bots that depend on cook for their information are hilarious.
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As an applications developer, I’ve used Windows every day of my working life since the early late 90s, and OS X every day of my working life since the early 2000s. I’d say that I’m pretty familiar with both operating systems. I don’t think it’s even a close contest between the OSes in terms of system stability, and why would it be? Apple builds the OS and the machines that power it, whereas Microsoft has to support any conceivable configuration of hardware. Windows has come a long way in the last several years in terms of stability, but it still can’t hold a candle to OS X or any other *nix variant.
“Everyone else runs Windows 10 at home”
It always been true that most other people are running Windows than Macs. Not even close to new news. As for Windows 10, the adoption rate is nowhere near where MS was hoping it would be – even with a free upgrade and tricky tactics upgrading users.
“Faster and more stable”
Nope. Not even objectively.
“Discreet Graphics”
The ONLY valid point here. Apple’s graphics options suck, no two ways about it. For a long time it didn’t matter except to a fringe, but now it is a serious road block. With thing like VR coming down the pike (as well as PC gaming), Apple needs to up their graphics game.
VR? Hahahahahaha. VR is a lot of hype. It’s like 3D TV’s. Does anyone actually use them? Hardly anyone. How about Google Glass? I don’t think anyone has the balls to use them in public anymore. VR is going to go the same way after a few years. It’s great for very short term use as a GAME or to get WOWED at something, but to use it for hours on end every day? I don’t think so.
I’d disagree with that. VR has things going for it that 3D TVs and Glass didn’t: namely purpose. Gaming is a big one, but business applications are growing as well. Are we going to wear it all day every day? No, of course not – but we will use it for training/education, hobbies, gaming, virtual meetings, etc. as an augmentation.
The big things that will make VR really fly:
– Less intense hardware requirements
– Price
– Ability to create content without a lot of skill
– Platform independence
Listen einstein, I am talking about family members at home all run 10. How is that not news to you?
I have been building computers and repairing them since the 80’s, apple is even getting worse about putting out old hardware pluse os updates suck.
The only valid point is discreet graphics? Not hardly, apple’s one to two year old chips are also a valid point.
Try going to macrumors and reading the boot camp threads. Many that run both say 10 is faster and more stable. I run osx on an ssd and 10 on a stock apple spinner and 10 does everything faster, put osx on the spinner and it runs even slower.
I don’t expect you to accept what people that run both say, but then again you are aparently just another apple bot.
Wow… Personal insults. Surely the mark of someone who’s comfortable with their own point.
I run Windows 10 on my MacBook (boot camp), Surface Pro 3, and my Dell Venue 8 Pro. Windows 10 is slower than OS X in every way, even on native Microsoft Hardware. And referencing Macrumors forums as an authoritative source? Laughable.
Macrumors reference = zero credibility.
“Building computers since the 80s” = even slightly less credibility.
I love how this guy says Apple makes 2nd rate hardware, but then says Windows 10 with bootcamp runs faster and better on Apple hardware. LOL
El Capitan isn’t unstable. Sierra is, but it’s still in Beta, so it has a reason, but El Capitan works a heck of a lot more stable than Windows 10.
They don’t want to end up being IBM, Compaq, and the others that had to sell their companies for lack of profits.
No, it’s not. I run el capitan and boot camp windows 10 on a spinner. 10 blows osx away in speed and stability.
I agree although I already dropped my iPhone for a Galaxy Note 5 and my Pixel C works great for me. All I wanted was an 11″ MBA with a Retina screen, but when you have a monopoly, you don’t have to be responsive to your customers. I bought the terrible Macbook and now have it sitting on a shelf. I am getting by with a MBPR 13″ waiting for a successor. I am getting tired of waiting. Agree that EC is no more unstable than previous versions and certainly more stable than Windows. My issue is that I am getting of Apple’s crap. As for this machine, no i7, not enough memory (Windows sucks with 8GB) and not even close on the storage. The article really is not clear on the resolution of the screen and whether is it “edgeless”. This is certainly an option for purchasers of the low-end MBA’s. For the people who were maxing out the configs, this is irrelevant.
It would be a dream, running Mac OS!
It’s probably possible these days.
Xiaomi is just a blueprint copy of Apple’s Mac’s running Windows. Where is the creativity? Where is the innovation? Why do apple need to be impressed? They should be pissed!
It’s the “Mi too”
I’m not one of those who thinks Apple holds exclusive license on minimalist design, but this is downright blatant. THIS is something Apple should be able to sue over. And before anybody says “there’s only so many ways to design a laptop…”, Surface Book, HP Envy, and a host of other laptops prove that you can make a nice looking computer without looking EXACTLY like Apple.
Xiaomi has Apple Envy. That dipstick Hugo Barra has Steve Jobs/Apple Envy and it’s blatantly obvious. I see Xiaomi as copycats of both Samsung and Apple in their various products. It’s essentially a form of what some would refer to as “Penis envy”.
Windows sucks everybody with a Mac knows.
If it can run Ubuntu, I might think of it to replace my old MBP 17″.
Yep, it’s a “special laptop”. It’s quite the special achievement to completely steal the design and name from your rival and slap your own name on it. They should get a special medal. Also, special.
OS X, Windows10, OS X, Windows10, OS X, Windows10, OS X, Windows10!? The bigger issue is China once again ignoring all manner of patents. They invent nothing (except for man made islands in the South China Sea)! Don’t buy Chinese “goods”!