 |
| Left to right: OPPO Pad Air, Xiaomi Pad 5 |
Tablets seem to have regained their spot in the market. Garnering interest from people planning on using these devices for online classes, productivity and media consumption. So it isn’t surprising to see more and more smartphone brands focus on this category as well.
With OPPO strongly expanding their lineup of devices, they too have joined the competition as they release the OPPO Pad Air. A reasonably priced tablet which aims to take on the role we’ve mentioned earlier which also targets to compete with other well established devices in this segment.
Xiaomi on the other hand, has been very successful in this scene with the Xiaomi Pad 5 - an impressively feature-packed tablet they’ve released last year 2021.
Both priced relatively affordable begs the question - which device is meant for you?
Well, let’s find out in this comparison.
SPECS
|
OPPO Pad Air |
Xiaomi Pad 5 |
|
|
Display |
10.36
inches, 2K resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, IPS |
11.0
inches, 1600
x 2560 px, 120Hz, IPS, Dolby
Vision |
|
Processor |
Qualcomm Snapdragon
680 + Adreno 610 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon
860 + Adreno 640 |
|
RAM |
4GB RAM |
6GB RAM |
|
Storage |
64GB, Expandable via
MicroSD |
128/256GB, No
expansion |
|
Battery |
7100 mAh battery |
8720mAh battery |
|
Charging |
18W Charging |
22.5W Charging (Compatible with up to
33W) |
|
Camera |
8MP (main), 5MP
(front) |
13MP (main), 8MP (front) |
|
Connectivity |
Wifi ,No Cellular Data |
Wifi, No Cellular Data |
The Xiaomi Pad 5 is undoubtedly the more powerful among the two. But surely not everyone is enticed by just strong specs and what we’re really trying to find out is how these devices fit our use case.
Design and build
Xiaomi Pad 5: Bigger, tougher but heavier
The Xiaomi Pad 5 is an 11-inch device which does look like a blown up Xiaomi smartphone from its generation. Having the device in your hands, you can tell right away that it is nicely built. This tablet feels reasonably tough which would make you confident putting it in your bag along with your other stuff.
It does, however, come with a compromise of being heavier to hold. Weighing 511 grams, the Pad 5 will likely feel strenuous to your wrists when you're using it for long periods of time.
A few minutes on this and you will gradually feel your arms finding a place to lean on.
The OPPO Pad Air comes in at almost 100 grams less than the Xiaomi Pad 5. At 440 grams, this is one of the most attractive features that might make people go for this one. Constructed with both aluminum and plastic, this feels comfortable to hold despite having the same thickness of the Pad 5 at 6.9mm.
Its design also isn’t as familiar compared to other tablets in the market but it looks fine.
After using this for quite some time, it actually feels awkward switching back to the Pad 5 simply because of their weight difference. You can very likely use this handheld for hours without problems.
Display and Sound Quality
 |
| Left to right: Xiaomi Pad 5, OPPO Pad Air |
Using the Pad 5 for media consumption is definitely a treat for your senses. Visually, the colors out of this display pop out nicely despite it being an IPS panel instead of an AMOLED. The size isn’t overly big and the refresh rate of 120Hz makes even basic usage a smooth experience.
 |
| Xiaomi Pad 5 |
Sound quality on the other hand, is also something noteworthy on this. With four speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos, the sound out of this has enough oomph to make sound tripping enjoyable.
Running on a lower resolution than the Pad 5, the OPPO Pad Air’s display doesn’t feel less sharp than the previous. This is mostly due to it having a smaller overall size making its pixel density acceptable. This also feels fast and smooth to operate because of the 90Hz refresh rate which is significantly better than other 60Hz displays.
 |
| OPPO Pad Air |
This display does show its weakness when it comes to color reproduction. You can observe that colors do lack a bit in saturation so color sensitive tasks like color grading probably won’t be a good idea.
 |
| Top to bottom: Xiaomi Pad 5, OPPO Pad Air |
As for its sound quality, the Pad Air is also packed with four speakers which actually sounds pretty good. This will presumably beat most smartphone speakers or even a number of laptops but slightly less than the Pad 5 we’re comparing it to.
Performance
Xiaomi Pad 5: Can probably handle anything with ease
 |
| Xiaomi Pad 5 |
From the most demanding games like Genshin Impact, console emulation, and even video editing using footage taken with a mirrorless camera, the Xiaomi Pad 5 can get these done. Even a year since its release, it’s still amazing how much performance is packed on this device for the price it is being offered. Something that is to be expected as this is running on an old flagship level chipset albeit a generation older.
This can still definitely keep up with the newer and more expensive tablets and would probably still be relevant in a year or two.
OPPO Pad Air: Also up for the challenge
Being a Snapdragon processor despite belonging in the mid to entry-level category, the chipset on the Pad Air also packs a punch. This managed to run games we tested like Call of Duty: Mobile at very high settings and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang on Ultra without any hiccups.
 |
| OPPO Pad Air |
Genshin Impact also ran very well on its default (lowest) graphics setting, but any higher did impact its performance.
For most of what people would need though, I don't think people would be disappointed with this tablet's performance and is still capable of performing most people's demands.
Battery Endurance
OPPO Pad Air: Will last you more than you would need
As I've mentioned in my review of the OPPO Pad Air, I struggled to drain the battery of this tablet on normal use. I've played games, watched a ton of videos, browsed for days and it still lasted me four days before I even got the lower battery warning.
This is probably a benefit of having a smaller display and a more efficient and less power hungry hardware running the device.
Xiaomi Pad 5: Great battery life
The battery life of the Pad 5 is also very good and would range about three days on casual use and about two days on resource heavy tasks.
In our test, battery endurance of the Pad 5 isn’t as long lasting as the Pad Air but still more than enough for the average person. You won’t find yourself charging this everyday plus you do get to get things done quicker with its more powerful hardware which is a plus.
Storage
Xiaomi Pad 5: Choose storage option wisely
One thing to keep in mind on the Xiaomi Pad 5 is that it does not come with any means for expandable storage. You're pretty much stuck with the storage option you've purchased so it's worth considering going for the higher 256GB variant if you're planning on downloading a ton of apps.
Having only a built in storage of 64GB, the Pad Air will surely get filled up quite easily. But that's not to say it is unusable. This is perfectly workable if you don't intend on installing many apps or games and keeping files minimal.
Thankfully, this does also offer an available expansion slot for microSD of up to 512GB so you're not doomed when you're lacking in storage.
Which one is for you?
 |
| Left to right: OPPO Pad Air, Xiaomi Pad 5 |
Obviously, if you require a lot of horsepower for gaming or probably a lot of video editing, then it is worth spending extra to go for the Xiaomi Pad 5. The hardware specs for its price even being an older device is still very relevant for today's standards and is nowhere near being outdated anytime soon.
Being the more affordable choice, it does make sense to choose this and save a few bucks. You’re still getting a device that is respectably capable and performs its functions very well even though it’s not at the top of its game.
With budget as a big consideration, the adequate performance, above average sound quality, excellent battery life and the comfort and portability it features, the OPPO Pad Air is a great option.
—-----------------------------------
Given that cameras are not a primary function of tablets, this comparison did not focus on this aspect. Both devices come equipped with cameras but we’re giving a slight advantage to the Xiaomi Pad 5.