Redmi Pad 2 review: Gets the basics right

Rating: 3.5/5Xiaomi’s Redmi brand has been steadily expanding into the tablet space, aiming to strike a balance between cost and necessary features. The first Redmi Pad introduced this approach, serving as a straightforward option for households interested in media, learning, and basic productivity.

Now, there’s a new addition to the lineup: the Redmi Pad 2. Starting at Rs 13,999, it comes with upgrades like a sharper display, a larger battery, and Xiaomi’s latest HyperOS 2 software. With a massive 9,000mAh battery and 90Hz 2.5K screen, the company claims that the newest model is designed for casual users, students, and remote workers alike, as the tablet aims to strike a balance between entertainment and utility in a compact form.We tested the Redmi Pad 2 over several days, using it for a range of tasks, including reading, video calls, streaming and sketching. Here’s what we found:

Design and Display

The Redmi Pad 2 has a tall and wide stance. You must use both hands to hold onto it at eye level. Yet, the design of the tablet is simple and purposeful.

It features an aluminium back with a matte finish and flat edges. The top of the rear panel has a sleek bar bearing the Redmi branding, which divides the camera island into two. All this gives it a clean and aesthetic look while having a solid in-hand feel.

At just over 500 grams and 7.36mm thick, the device feels somewhat bulky, especially when held for extended periods. However, we often used it while reclining on a couch or switching rooms during the day, and it remained easy to maintain and carry around.The Redmi Pad 2 also supports two accessories — a cover and a stylus. The cover has a 360-degree foldable stand and auto sleep/wake support. It came in handy while watching shows hands-free or typing with a Bluetooth keyboard.

Although there’s no official keyboard case that comes bundled with the tablet, productivity tasks that require typing may necessitate the use of an external Bluetooth keyboard.Meanwhile, the stylus, also called the Redmi Smart Pen, offers low-latency input. We tried taking handwritten notes, highlighting PDFs, and doing some light sketching, all of which felt responsive and accurate. However, the stylus doesn’t attach to the tablet and you’ve to charge it using a USB-C port separately. For this, the chances of losing the stylus also increase as you have to keep it safely away when you’re not using it. A pop-up appears on the tablet screen once the Smart Pen is fully charged.

The tablet even features an IP52 rating, which means it can withstand minor splashes and dust. This feature adds to peace of mind when used around children or near the kitchen.On the front is a massive 11-inch 2.5K IPS display with support for a 90Hz refresh rate. The display offers smoother scrolling and is quite responsive to both touch and the stylus.

Peaking at 600 nits in outdoor mode, it’s bright enough to help us see the screen clearly. However, direct sunlight slightly compromises the visibility.Reading e-books and browsing websites for long stretches also felt comfortable on this screen. Thanks to TÜV Rheinland certifications for Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free viewing, which didn’t make our eyes strain while bingeing through the episodes of the latest Special Ops 2 series on JioHotstar.

Whether watching a movie or following along with a cooking tutorial, the 10-bit panel offered decent colour depth and reproduction. The content looked sharp, and the motion felt fluid, even in casual games and watching videos rich in effects.Accompanying the display is a quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio support. In our tests, the speakers handled YouTube videos, Netflix shows, and music playback with surprising clarity. While it won’t replace a dedicated speaker, it easily fills a small room for a video call or a late-night binge session. We also listened to podcasts and YouTube Music playlists on the tablet while cooking and doing other household chores. The audio was loud enough with decent quality.

Performance and Software

At the heart of the Redmi Pad 2 is the MediaTek Helio G99 Ultra processor, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD). The device also supports virtual RAM expansion up to an additional 8GB.In real-world use, performance felt smooth for general tasks, such as opening apps, switching between them, scrolling through documents, or playing light games. We tried out titles like Modern Warships, EA Sports FC Mobile and Asphalt 9, and they ran smoothly without any hiccups. We didn’t notice any uncomfortable heating or any significant lags or stutters, even during extended sessions.

We used it to watch YouTube while browsing the web and even during our daily Sudoku sessions, and it didn’t stutter or feel underpowered. Graphics-heavy apps or advanced multitasking may push its limits, but for basic use cases, it held up just fine.The tablet runs on HyperOS 2, Xiaomi’s new Android 15-based operating system. This update brings a more unified and refined UI experience across Xiaomi devices. Practical features like a shared clipboard, call sync, and multi-device file sharing proved particularly useful, especially if you’re part of the Xiaomi ecosystem.What stood out during our usage was how clean and light the UI felt, with minimal bloatware and no intrusive ads. The split-screen feature worked well while referencing a document during video playback, and animations felt fluid thanks to the 90Hz refresh rate.

Battery and Charging

One of the Redmi Pad 2’s strongest features is its 9,000mAh battery. We used the tablet for a mix of streaming, casual games, browsing, and video calls, and it consistently lasted over a full day, often closer to two days with moderate use.

Charging is supported up to 18W, but the box includes a 15W charger, which took a little over 2.5 hours to charge the tablet from a near-empty state to 100%. It’s not the fastest, but considering its price and the device’s longevity on a single charge, it’s an acceptable trade-off.We particularly appreciated how the battery held up during long video calls and late-night content consumption. Even after streaming a movie and some YouTube videos, there was still plenty left for light browsing the next morning.

Camera

Cameras are often an afterthought on tablets, and the 8MP rear camera on the Redmi Pad 2 is sufficient for document scanning or casual photography. We tested it for scanning notes, and it performed reliably, delivering sharp and legible images in daylight.

The 5MP front camera is positioned for landscape mode and is primarily designed for video calls. In daylight or well-lit rooms, the image quality was decent. It’s more than capable for online classes or check-ins with colleagues.

Verdict

The Redmi Pad 2 is designed to do the basics right, and it largely succeeds in doing it. With a decent display, smooth software, capable speakers, and an excellent battery, it can be a well-rounded choice for students, remote workers, and casual users who don’t want to spend a fortune.Priced at Rs 13,999, it isn’t trying to replace your laptop or become a creative powerhouse. But if you’re looking for an affordable and dependable tablet for reading, entertainment, video calls, or occasional sketching, the Redmi Pad 2 makes a strong case for itself.