I tried to replace my laptop with a tablet, and I was surprised by the result

My job is to write articles, edit images, go through, communicate with colleagues and sometimes video editing. For my workload, I use a 14 -inch MacBook Pro. He manages everything without sweating. Although it is compact, it is not the lightest laptop. I often travel for work, and when I go out with my Mac, I feel the additional weight on my shoulders. So, I went from my Mac to an Android tablet for a week to see if he could manage my workload.

Xiaomi launched his pad 7 at the same time, and it became my choice for experience. The brand also sells a keyboard like Apple’s magic keyboard, which is a bonus because I type a lot. I configured the tablet, installed the required applications and transferred certain files to the 7 Xiaomi PAD. I spent more than a week to use it as the main computer, but did he succeed in the test?

Get used to the small shape factor

My fingers feel piled up and I barely used the trackpad

The biggest change when going from a 14 -inch laptop to an 11 -inch tablet is to adapt to the new shape factor. My brain is wired to type on a keyboard where the keys are spaced, so switch to the compact keyboard of the Xiaomi Pad 7 was a challenge given the tiny and the filling of the keys. It took a while to develop the muscular memory of the place where to rest my fingers when entering the keyboard, because the size of the keys is not standard. After using the keyboard for a few hours, you get used to it. However, be ready to make a lot of typing mistakes in the first days.

I also like what the keyboard feels thanks to the gentle coating on the peal rest. In particular, the Xiaomi keyboard box includes a backlight, which is an excellent addition for those working in the dark. The Xiaomi keyboard also includes a trackpad like that of Apple. He adds to the laptop type experience, allowing a mouse pointer to the screen for a precise selection.

I pushed myself to use the trackpad, returning to my old laptop using tracks. However, since the tablet has a touch screen, pimples and tapping options were easier than using the small trackpad. The trackpad allows some practical gestures. For example, you can slide with three fingers to go home, slide up and hold to access the multitasking tray and slide horizontally to switch between applications.

Find bypassing solutions for missing applications

Can you run CAD on a tablet?

I use several applications per day to do my job, including Chrome, Slack, Asana, YouTube and G-Suite. The native versions of these applications are on the Google Play Store. The challenge is to find alternatives for applications that do not exist on Android. For example, I use Final Cut Pro to modify videos on my Mac. As is Apple’s owner application, it is not available for download on Android. Although there are some good video editing applications on Android, they do not provide as much features or as much flexibility as Final Cut Pro.

Although I can live without FCP, I can’t say the same thing about SolidWorks and Prusa Slicer, the software I use for 3D printing. These applications are not available on Android, so you need a computer operating system to run them, which means you need a dedicated computer with the tablet.

One way to get around this limitation is to use a remote desktop connection if you have a PC or a Mac connected at any time. You can access the computer on the remote tablet to use applications that are missing on the platform. I have an office at home that is connected wirelessly to my 3D printer, so I used Chrome Remote Desktop To run printed files via Xiaomi PAD 7. Although it works for small tasks like these, it cannot manage demanding activity.

Multitasking on Android

It’s better than what I expected

I have basic requirements for my work computer. He must perform quickly, not late or in stuttering, and execute several applications simultaneously. Android 15 is mature enough to manage this easily. It also depends on the interns and the skin used by OEMs.

The Xiaomi Pad 7 works on a mobile platform capable of Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3, which manages most of everything you launch. In addition, Hyperos software – although it is not the cleanest in terms of aesthetics – has many features that improve your workflow. For example, I can execute two applications side by side with a third application operating like a floating window.

Like Windows and MacOS, you can resize the three windows according to your needs. When not used, the floating window takes place in a corner of the screen so that they do not watch your view on the small screen. When several windows are open, you can drag and place files between them to reproduce a computer experience in its own right.

The persistent at the bottom quay automatically creates applications pairs depending on the applications that you frequently open in multi-window mode. Everything you do is press it to launch the two applications. These small additions contribute to the tablet experience. A workstation mode allows you to open all applications in small floating windows. You can open up to four windows and resize them. I appreciate these thoughtful inclusions. They are practical when working with several applications and must reference them all simultaneously.

These combined features make the tablet use a pleasant work experience. Although he cannot reproduce the same experience on a Windows or MacOS device, it is getting closer. It’s good enough for me when I work on the go. However, the Samsung Dex user interface on the shelves is more polite and reproduces an office experience better than the hyperos of Xiaomi.

Live with PAD Xiaomi 7

A surprisingly good tablet for the price

I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of work I could do on the Xiaomi Pad 7. I quickly got used to the keyboard, to slip between several applications like a breeze and to type 2000 words and more every day as I could on my Mac. Although I was impressed, the experience was better because the tablet offered a good global package.

Although it is not OLED like the latest iPad Pro, the screen is good enough to work and watch the film or occasional television show. I used the Xiaomi Pad 7 on a few flights to watch movies. I had no complaint about the screen. Xiaomi also offers a Nano-Texture display variant of PAD 7 which reduces reflections, similar to the iPad. It is a better choice if you use a tablet on flights or in external environments. The speakers powered by Dolby are fantastic, the sound exit being among the best I heard on a tablet.

A front camera is placed on the horizontal telescope, which is ideal for making video calls. The rear camera is good enough to scan documents. Despite the low price, Xiaomi did not reduce the corners in these aspects. The quality of construction is fantastic thanks to the aluminum frame. The battery life on my 14 -inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro is better than that of the Xiaomi Pad 7.

Like the iPad, Xiaomi sells a stylus with PAD 7. It works as planned for writing and drawing, so that digital artists may want to consider this on the keyboard. The pen has several levels of pressure sensitivity and buttons that can be assigned shortcuts.

Did I go back to my Mac?

Can I survive Android for over a week?

While I met some hiccups during my week with the tablet, the experience was good enough to convince me to go to a trip. I now leave my Mac behind me when I take flights and wear a tablet. He can do everything I need when I travel while letting myself lose weight of my backpack.

However, I cannot completely abandon my Mac. He remains my main computer at home. Serious tasks (such as the design of a 3D model, adding visual effects to videos or cracking numbers in Excel) are reserved for my Mac. It has become more like an office that remains at my office. In addition, I have a NAS that synchronizes all my files, so I can access it from my tablet.

Should you replace your laptop with a tablet?

My point to remember from this experience is that you can go to a tablet for basic IT needs, such as writing, navigation and research. These are only the EDGE cases where you need a dedicated computer. It is because of software compatibility problems. My experience is limited to the use of the Xiaomi Pad 7, which checks all the right boxes. However, most affordable Android tablets offer poor specifications, so your mileage can vary.

If you change, I recommend a Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 device or an iPad. If an iPad ran macOS or the Xiaomi pad 7 Ran windows, I could use this compact tablet all the time. Until it happens, I reserve it for when I go out.