Finally, an actual iPad (mini) killer

The Xiaomi Pad Mini is genuinely better than Apple's version

Almost as soon as the first iPad was announced, a range of competitors sprung up in an attempt to become the “iPad killer.” Devices like the Motorola Xoom, BlackBerry PlayBook and HP TouchPad all put their own spin on the formula but couldn’t come close to the iPad’s blend of performance and App Store dominance.

Android tablets are still around today, of course, but most manufacturers don’t push them too hard. They’re all fine at doing tablet things like watching videos, and they’re all worse than the iPad when it comes to the app ecosystem. In recent years I’ve used some great hardware that I still wouldn’t outright recommend over an iPad.

Xiaomi’s latest tablet, though, is straight-up better than its Apple equivalent.

The Xiaomi Pad Mini feels like an exercise in picking low-hanging fruit: in this case, the iPad mini. Apple’s smallest tablet is often neglected and rarely updated, leaving several open goals for competitors. In this case, Xiaomi has turned in a better design with better performance, and critically in a form factor where Apple’s software advantages are less relevant.

This tablet isn’t going to stun anyone with its originality — it pretty much looks like an iPad mini. It does have one neat trick, though, by placing USB-C ports along both the bottom edge and one of the sides, meaning you can easily charge it in a dock or while using it for video. (Apple apparently considered the same idea for the original iPad before deciding against it.)