This Android tablet brings a crucial $1,700 iPad Pro feature to the $400 price point – and I love it

The first time I used an anti-reflective display on a personal device was last year when I reviewed the Galaxy S24 Ultra. I was amazed by the quality-of-life improvements it brought to my daily use — and I wanted to see it on more devices. Therefore, I wasn’t too pleased when Apple priced its nano-texture iPad Pro out of budget by limiting it to the 1TB variant. 

I wanted a flagship iPad with an anti-reflective screen, but that price made the feature inaccessible. Finally, I’ve found a great tablet with a nanotexture display that doesn’t break the bank.

Also: I tried to replace my MacBook Pro with the M3 iPad Air – then the reality of iPadOS struck me

The Xiaomi Pad 7 nanotexture variant brings an anti-reflective display for under $400. It’s as if the base iPad had a nanotexture screen because, unlike the iPad Pro, the Xiaomi tablet doesn’t feature an OLED screen or a flagship-level processor. Despite that, it’s easily better than the base iPad, which costs almost the same.

I’ve been using the Xiaomi Pad 7 nanotexture model for a while, and its anti-glare screen has enhanced my tablet experience on the go.

It’s great if you know what you want

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Most mainstream smartphones and tablets have sharp, bright, and vibrant displays. However, their quality is challenged when used in direct sunlight or bright lighting conditions. Two major problems hinder usability.

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First, most of these screens struggle to retain the indoor usability experience outdoors. My iPhone 16 Pro’s display is prone to smudges – I need to clean it every time I take it out of my pocket. Second, the media consumption experience isn’t great in a brightly lit indoor environment. Reflections from light sources such as bulbs or tube lights can be more prominent than the on-screen content.

Similarly, a nanotexture display is a quality-of-life upgrade if you use a tablet to work out of a café or a coworking space. Like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Xiaomi Pad 7 nanotexture variant brings both anti-reflective and smudge-resistant benefits for entertainment and productivity.

It’s an 11-inch, vibrant-looking screen with a 144Hz refresh rate and a sharp resolution. I’ve enjoyed browsing, typing, and watching videos on this tablet. The 3:2 aspect ratio is ideal for on-the-go productivity. While at home, I’ve used it as my entertainment device and have yet to be disappointed. The quad-speaker setup is loud and detailed enough that I don’t feel the need to wear headphones.

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The nanotexture display is fantastic for content consumption and productivity but has downsides. For example, it doesn’t seem as bright as the standard variant, which might bother some people. It also lacks the deep blacks of OLED displays. That being said, I could work on it at cafés, airports, and other places without any issues.

What else should you know about the Xiaomi Pad 7?

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Both the Xiaomi Pad 7 and the nanotexture model are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset. It’s not a flagship processor but delivers enough power for smooth everyday use and multitasking. While TCL has Nxtpaper-equipped tablets at a similar price, they aren’t as powerful as the Xiaomi tablet. It also comes with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, running Android 15-based Xiaomi HyperOS 2.

I like HyperOS 2 for the most part, but there are slight annoyances I’ve been waiting for Xiaomi to fix. For instance, widgets aren’t sorted alphabetically, making it hard to find the ones you need when setting up your home screen. There’s also a new Workstation Mode for overlaying windows, but it doesn’t utilize the whole screen. I’ve found myself using split-screen more often than Workstation Mode.

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The Xiaomi Pad 7 comes with a Magic Keyboard-like Focus Keyboard. It’s designed like an iPad Pro keyboard, giving you a floating screen-like experience. However, it’s more affordable than Apple’s offering. It tilts up to 124 degrees, but — as with iPads — you’ll need a solid, flat surface for a comfortable typing experience. The trackpad is responsive with gestures, and the keys have a nice feel.

Also: Why I prefer this ultraportable Lenovo tablet over the iPad for mobile entertainment

Xiaomi’s new tablet packs an 8,850mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging. It’ll last you at least two movies and a few browsing sessions in between. You can also buy the Xiaomi Focus Pen for a paper-like note-taking experience. I haven’t fully adapted to it yet, but it’s similar to using an Apple Pencil.

I’m skeptical about how the nanotexture display will hold up in the long run, but as of now, the Xiaomi Pad 7<!–> is more affordable than Apple’s 11th-generation iPad–>. Its nanotexture variant is priced at INR 32,499 in India, roughly $385. It’s easily the best value-for-money tablet in my book at that price.

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