The Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4 is a versatile tablet with neat tricks up its sleeve

Xiaomi’s newest high-end Android pill is the Pad 6S Professional 12.4, and it’s one thing of a head turner –  modern all-metal physique and a 12.4-inch 3K show on the skin, highly effective Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with as much as 12GB reminiscence and 512GB of storage on the within. 

In addition to providing consumers an alternative choice to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely – one other highly effective Android pill – and the Apple iPad Professional (2022), Xiaomi has made a pill that seems to have the ability to do something. 

Highly effective audio system and an in depth show promise a fantastic multimedia expertise. There’s additionally a Xiaomi Focus Pen stylus, which in addition to letting you doodle and take notes on the Pad 6S Professional, comes with an fascinating cropping characteristic, and a rubberised cowl with a kickstand. 

There’s additionally the Touchpad Keyboard dock within the pipeline, which ought to allow you to crack on with some work whenever you’re accomplished with streaming and sketching – this peripheral was not supplied with the evaluation pattern, sadly, and on the time of writing, neither was a launch date. 

With costs beginning at £599, the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional can also be competitively priced, and will do for high-end Android tablets what the Xiaomi Pad 6 did for mid-range tablets.

Check out our present picks for one of the best tablets cash should purchase.

Design & Construct 

• Wafer-thin all-metal jacket
• Digital camera module juts out from the physique
• You’ll most likely desire a case

The Pad 6S Professional’s physique is constructed from a metallic alloy that’s obtainable in only one color, a darkish silver which Xiaomi calls ‘graphite gray’. Presently, the official Xiaomi Professional Cowl folding case can also be solely obtainable in gray. Hopefully extra color choices will probably be made obtainable sooner. 

The metallic jacket and 7mm bezel give the Pad 6S Professional a sensible, tidy look. It’s laborious to consider that the skinny edges of the gadget home no fewer than six exterior audio system – two speaker grilles sit on both edge. 

On the left-hand fringe of the Pad 6S Professional (when holding it in portrait mode) you’ll discover the facility button. The quantity rocker sits across the nook, on the highest fringe of the gadget, which makes for simple screenshot taking. 

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

The highest edge additionally incorporates a magnetic strip, for the Focus Pen stylus to be related to for charging and storage. Over on the fitting hand facet between the 2 speaker grilles is a Sort-C USB port. There are not any ports, connections, or grilles on the underside edge. 

The front-facing digicam sensor is tiny, barely noticeable within the bezel. Over on the rear is a digicam module which appears prefer it’s been transplanted from the Xiaomi 14 smartphone. It rises about 2mm up from the remainder of the pill’s physique, which signifies that the Pad 6S Professional gained’t relaxation flush with a desktop. If I had been a cynic, I’d say that the intent right here is to power you to purchase a protecting cowl together with your pill. 

The Professional Cowl, with its rubbery coating, makes the Pad 6S Professional simpler to grip and maintain, plus, the clasp helps the stylus in place when it’s charging. Whereas the pill is pretty weighty, you may (nearly) maintain it in a single hand and swipe and sketch within the different.

Notice that it doesn’t include an IP score for mud and water safety just like the IP68 Tab S9 vary.

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Display & Audio system

• 12.4-inch LCD panel
• Most refresh price of 144Hz
• Six exterior audio system

The Pad 6S Professional’s 12.4in show is an LCD sort, which means that it gained’t supply the beautiful ranges of distinction that you just get from an OLED show – just like the one on the the Samsung Tab S9 Extremely – however with quoted peak brightness of 900 nits, distinction right here remains to be good.  

The excessive decision and 144Hz refresh price signifies that video games and video content material appears properly detailed as nicely. The three:2 facet ratio signifies that video content material is letterboxed, however the further peak you get in contrast with 16:10 shows makes for roomier net searching and workplace duties. 

The pictures I’ve taken may recommend in any other case, however the show was shiny sufficient to punch via the noon solar, even when the reflective coating does decide up glare fairly badly. With the Excessive Brightness Mode engaged, I recorded peak brightness of 921 nits, barely greater than the listed most. The show is greater than shiny sufficient for indoor use. 

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Audio from movies and music performed via the stereo audio system sounds incredible, all issues thought-about. Dialogue all the time sounded clear as a bell above background noise, even in motion sequences, such because the battle scene of Episode 9 of Shogun. 

Tracks with stereo and 5.1 mixes sounded much more spacious than they’d on most tablets, and whereas the bodily limitations of a tool of this measurement imply that bass response is all the time going to be restricted, I used to be impressed with how weighty songs sounded.

It’s no substitute for a standalone speaker or soundbar, naturally, however as pill audio system go, they’re excellent certainly. 

Focus Pen stylus 

• 240Hz contact sampling price
• 8192 ranges of strain sensitivity
• Nice for sketching and writing
• Highlighter software and palm detection wants work

A key promoting level of the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional is the Focus Pen, an lively stylus which pairs with the Pad 6S Professional by way of Bluetooth. 

It makes use of proprietary Xiaomi expertise, and in accordance with spokespeople isn’t primarily based on AES expertise. In different phrases, in case you attempt to use one other stylus with this, chances are high if it does work in any respect, its performance will probably be restricted.

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

In addition to functioning as a stylus as you’d count on, the Focus Pen has some fascinating methods up its sleeve. There are three controls on the facet of the Focus Pen, which allow you to motion various things.

The Writing button (the one closest to the tip) quick-launches the Mi Canvas note-taking and sketching app. The Screenshot button (the center button) launches a cropping software, which which you’ll seize and save particular parts of what’s in your show, or take a complete screenshot, as a substitute of getting to succeed in for the facility key and quantity rocker. 

Lastly, there’s the standalone Highlight button, which may do quite a few issues. Urgent and holding this button sees a purple dot cursor seem on the display screen which you’ll the transfer round with the stylus, successfully utilizing the Focus Pen like a digital laser pointer. It’s straightforward to make use of, enjoyable, and efficient sat shut up and stood far-off.

Whereas I used to be ready to make use of this comfortably when stood two meters away, at such a distance, it’s additionally difficult to see what’s on the show, so maybe not greatest employed in giant conferences.  

Urgent the Highlight button as soon as brings up a highlighter software which does an analogous factor, though in observe, that is tougher to make use of, due to the cursor instantly veering off in a single route, or the highlighter not all the time highlighting, although you’ve obtained the button pressed down. Attempting to make useful annotations to photographs felt like performing keyhole surgical procedure with a Nintendo Wii controller. 

One other factor you are able to do with the Highlight button is use it as a distant digicam shutter. 

You could be considering, ‘Sure, that is all very good, however how does it fare as a stylus?’ Fairly good, because it occurs. 

The Focus Pen boasts 8192 ranges of strain sensitivity (double that of the Apple Pencil 2nd gen), a 240Hz contact sampling price (the variety of instances the Pad 6S Professional’s show can sense the stylus per second), and 3ms of latency (the delay between you writing one thing and it showing on the show).

In easy phrases, it’s a really delicate stylus that’ll allow you to shortly scrawl away with little or no activation power. 

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

The Mi Canvas app demonstrates this nicely – I had loads of enjoyable producing sketches of pine cones and marvelled on the very refined adjustments you can also make to drawings. For instance, the pencil software will yield stronger, darker marks the tougher you press, as you may count on. With the pencil opacity set to 60%, this impact turned uncannily lifelike, as with tiny flicks of the stylus, I may simply add slight particulars, or heavy shading just by urgent a mite tougher. 

That is nice not simply due to the pleasing impact of the expertise, however as a result of it saved me from having to cease drawing, dive into the settings, improve opacity, and leap again. I may have simply missed the deadline for this evaluation on account of how a lot enjoyable sketching is. 

The ink pen software was a bit of slower to reply, with some noticeable delay between pen strokes and the ‘ink’ showing on the display screen. Aside from that particular software in Mi Canvas, there was no discernible delay. 

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Mi Canvas additionally as an intriguing AI Pen software, however this selection is at the moment solely obtainable to beta testers, so I can’t say if it’s an enchancment on what we noticed at this yr’s Cell World Congress. It might flip a easy, garbage even, sketch into usable art work.

The pill’s palm rejection measures normally labored – the Pad 6S Professional may normally inform every time I used to be resting my hand on the show, and wouldn’t decide that up after I was sketching, however, I discovered that every time jotting down issues within the Notes app in panorama mode, my palm would, as a rule, by chance launch the keyboard, which was irritating.

Fortunately, I by no means encountered this when holding the pill portrait-wise, which might be how most individuals will probably be holding it whereas taking notes, so arguably, not as massive a difficulty as it would seem however it’s nonetheless annoying. 

This apart, the handwriting recognition facet of the Notes app is superb. I actually needed to strive laborious, by writing badly on goal, to idiot the software program into changing my handwriting into the flawed phrase, however the majority of the time, the Pad 6S Professional had me beat.

Specs & Efficiency 

• Glorious total efficiency
• Not fairly as highly effective because the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely
• However Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional’s battery lasts longer

The Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional’s efficiency is superb certainly. In addition to the aforementioned Mi Canvas app operating very easily, high-end recreation Asphalt 9 ran like greased lightning with added grease.

Basic on a regular basis operations like net searching and even simply swishing via menus feels incredible as nicely, a sensation helped by that 144MHz show.

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

There are two variations of the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional obtainable, one with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, one with 12/512GB, neither of which could be expanded with microSD playing cards. The mannequin supplied for testing is the entry degree one. 

Each are powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which boosts as much as 3.19GHz – slower than the overclocked Samsung variant, which boosts as much as 3.36GHz.

It’s maybe not a shock then to see that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely leaps forward of the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional in virtually each benchmark, particularly the Geekbench CPU stress take a look at. It’s a bit of behind the Apple iPad Professional 12.9 as nicely – a pill from 2021.

However, to paraphrase Blade Runner, the pill that burns brighter eats via battery energy extra shortly – the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional might not be as highly effective as these, however it’ll outlast them in a long-distance run (extra on battery life later). 

Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional 12.4 benchmarks

Connectivity-wise you get Wi-Fi 7 right here, promising speeds far above 1Gbps, supplied you’re related to an up-to-date router, and Bluetooth 5.3. There’s no 5G help both. 

Cameras

• 50Mp primary digicam with 2Mp depth lens and LED flash
• 32Mp entrance digicam

Cameras on tablets are not often a lot to jot down dwelling about, and the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional is not any exception. 

Pictures are comparable with what you’d see from a mid-range telephone so stills are inclined to look wonderful in daylight, or areas with loads of synthetic mild. 

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

The primary 50Mp sensor is fast to concentrate on topics and takes pictures shortly, so as a rule, your snaps are inclined to look very crisp and detailed. This usually holds up when zoomed in at x2 magnification, however pushed past that and issues quickly deteriorate. 

Colors are a bit washed out and fewer vibrant than they’re in actuality, however total, outcomes are good. In darkish areas, or at night time time, it’s a distinct story. 

One of the best factor about the primary digicam for me is the doc scanner software, which does a great job of shortly zeroing in on what you need. 

The front-facing 32Mp digicam is okay for video calls. The angle that the Pad 6S Professional sits at with the Professional Cowl kickstand out signifies that folks on the opposite finish get a great take a look at your face as a substitute of trying up your nostrils or immediately at your chin.

Stills are usually not so good, because the outcomes are sometimes fairly grainy and noisy. 

Battery Life & Charging 

• 10,000mAh battery is sufficient energy for a working day
• Lasted over 9 hours in benchmark take a look at
• Prices again up from flat in simply over 40 minutes

The battery lifetime of tablets usually isn’t nice, particularly if they’ve shiny, detailed shows, however the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional fared a bit of higher than most. 

Working the PCMark Work 3.0 benchmarking software with brightness locked at 200 nits noticed the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional lasting 9 hours and 10 minutes, barely forward of equally ‘specced tablets. The battery will sit at round 80-85 after an hour of streaming music on YouTube or watching TV. 

Better of all although is how shortly you may replenish the tank with the whopping 120W mains adapter. From empty, after quarter-hour, I used to be at 48%, and after half an hour, 81%, lastly hitting 100% after 43 minutes.

It’s nice to see that share counter go up so shortly. 

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Software program & Options 

• Xiaomi HyperOS on prime of Android 14 
• Some (however not all) bloatware could be eliminated
• Two years of OS updates
• Three years of safety updates

The Pad 6S Professional’s consumer interface is fairly straightforward to familiarize yourself with, and will probably be immediately acquainted to anybody who has used an Android pill earlier than. 

Particularly, it comes with Xiaomi’s new HyperOS customized consumer interface operating on prime of Android 14. It doesn’t massively differ from the inventory Android expertise and is a reasonably inoffensive customized UI. 

Many of the belongings you’ll need to begin taking part in with are put proper in entrance of you after you’ve completed setting the factor up – though, bizarrely, Xiaomi determined to cover the wonderful Mi Canvas app away on the menu display screen instantly to your proper.

Dragging down from the highest proper nook opens the short settings panel the place you may toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness and the like. 

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Whereas on the floor, HyperOS doesn’t look a lot totally different to Xiaomi’s outdated MIUI interface, it’s much less resource-intensive. 

HyperOS comes with a handful of Xiaomi apps and companies pre-installed, like Xiaomi Dwelling, a hub via which you’ll handle and management Xiaomi sensible dwelling units – and is due to this fact solely actually helpful in case you even have any Xiaomi sensible dwelling units. If you happen to don’t, no less than you may uninstall it – which is greater than you may say for the Mi Browser, which you’ll’t uninstall. 

As I didn’t have a Xiaomi telephone at hand whereas testing out the Pad 6S Professional, I can’t say how nicely the brand new Dwelling Display+ characteristic works – this allows you to solid your telephone’s display screen to your pill and work together with it remotely. 

When it comes to help, Xiaomi confirmed that the Pad 6S Professional will get two years of OS updates and three years of safety cowl. It’s a fundamental degree of help and we’d hope for extra contemplating Xiaomi provides 4 years OS and 5 years of safety for its flagship telephones.

When you possibly can be spending some huge cash between the pill and its optionally available equipment, it solely lasting three years on the software program facet isn’t nice worth for cash. The likes of Samsung and Google supply longer help.

Value & Availability

The Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional is on sale now, though be aware that on the time of writing, availability is restricted. 

Within the UK, you should buy immediately from Xiaomi, the place the 8/256GB and 12/512GB fashions can be found for £599 and £699 respectively. 

You can too decide up the Focus Pen stylus from Xiaomi for £79, and the Professional Cowl for £29. 

The Touchpad Keyboard shouldn’t be but on sale, and no launch date has been introduced, however Xiaomi has confirmed to me that it is going to be priced at £169.

Notice that the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional 12.4 won’t be happening sale in the USA, Canada, or Australia.

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Thomas Newton / Foundry

Must you purchase the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional 12.4?

If you happen to’re available in the market for a high-end pill and also you’re considering branching out into digital artwork, or simply usually like the concept of getting some sketching accomplished in between work and Netflix binges, then the Xiaomi Pad 6S Professional must be in your procuring listing. 

It won’t be as highly effective because the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely – nonetheless probably the most succesful Android pill on the market – however it’s smaller and due to this fact simpler to hold round, the battery lasts longer, and it’s significantly cheaper as nicely. 

If sketching or utilizing a stylus to take notes is of much less significance to you, then the mid-range Xiaomi Pad 6 could be a greater possibility, or the Lenovo Tab P12 Professional – it could be a mannequin from 2021, however it’s nonetheless a great value-for-money purchase. 

What the Pad 6S Professional doesn’t have on its facet in comparison with rivals is longevity due to brief software program help.

Specs

• Show: 12.4in 144MHz 3:2 LCD show
• Decision: 3K (3,048×2,032), 3:2 facet ratio
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Octa-core as much as 3.19GHz
• Storage: 256/512GB
• RAM: 8/12GB
• Digital camera: 50Mp+2Mp entrance, 32Mp rear
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
• Sound: Six Dolby Atmos-branded stereo audio system, microphone
• Battery Life: As much as 9 hours
• Charging: USB-C (USB 2.0)
• Weight: 278.7 x 191.6 x 6.26mm 
• Dimensions: 590g