Xiaomi had a surprise element today at its Remi Pro smartphone event: it has unveiled its first laptop, branded the “Mi Notebook Air” (via TechCrunch).
It’s not just the name, but the build also show similarities with Apple’s MacBook. As noted by the CNET reporter attending the event, the build quality is quite impressive, but there are some points where Xiaomi could have done a better job in imitating Apple such as the flex of the notebook and the keyboard area: “It just doesn’t feel as solid as the Apple MacBook Air that it imitates,” the reporter concludes.
The high-end version of the Mi Notebook Air retails for roughly USD$750 and features a 13.3 inch full HD display. It is equipped with up to a 2.7GHz Intel Core i5-6200U processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD and weighs 1.28 kg. Compared to the 12-inch MacBook, the Mi laptop is ultra-equipped connectivity-wise: Type-C USB for charging, 2x USB 3.0, 1x HDMI, 3.5mm audio port. The battery life listed in specs is 9.5 hours.
The lower-end model features a 12.5-inch display, is slightly thinner and weighs 1.07 kg. It lacks the discrete graphics its higher-end bother has, it packs only a 128GB SSD, 4GB of RAM and uses an Intel Core-M processors.
According to Xiaomi, the Mi Notebook Air will launch in China first on August 2. There is no word for a Canadian launch. You interested?
