2
At a conference in Paris, Xiaomi presented the Smart Band 7, a new Electric Scooter 4 and a completely new PC in 2-in-1 format: the Book S. We were able to get our hands on it for a first impression. .
Xiaomi Book S
Introductory price €699
In the absence of offers discover
Xiaomi has recently entered the laptop market, but until now its computers have been unavailable in Europe. The Chinese manufacturer is changing course with a brand new 2-in-1 PC with a detachable screen in 12.4-inch format: the Xiaomi Book S. This tablet/PC therefore competes with Microsoft’s Surface Go, as well as the recent MateBook E from Huawei or the future Dell XPS 2-in-1.
It can be transported easily thanks to a featherweight to which it will be necessary to add that of the keyboard/cover which connects easily using a magnetic connector (sold separately). The keyboard is pleasant to use and the finishes are correct, which is to be underlined when one observes the quality of this type of detachable model from certain competitors. On the connection side, the PC is limited to a USB-C port and a mini-jack socket. It’s not much, but unfortunately in the norm on this type of machine. Good news, there is a 1080p webcam at the top of the screen to deliver a good video conferencing experience. About screen, it offers a definition WQHD + (2560 x 1600 pixels) in 16:10 format, which is significant.
Typing on the detachable keyboard is quite pleasant.
Snapdragon chip for long battery life
Xiaomi’s choice of processor is interesting, the manufacturer having set its sights on a Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2. A Qualcomm SoC that we have not yet had the opportunity to test and which promises ample performance for office automation. By browsing for a few minutes on it, no problem, but we will obviously have to carry out complete tests to find out more. Hopefully, however, Microsoft has made progress in optimizing its Arm-compatible apps, as the results were disappointing on the last few PCs equipped. It remains to be seen whether the performance will be there, as announced by Qualcomm a few months ago. This Arm chip would in any case allow up to 13 hours of autonomy according to the manufacturer, all accompanied by a 65 W charger for fast charging.
Connectivity is extremely limited.
The Xiaomi Book S will be sold at €700 with an introductory price of €600 for pre-order. It will be necessary to add 150 € for the detachable keyboard, a significant price which significantly increases the final bill.