Realme Pad Mini review – a good option for entry-level users

• The Realme Pad Mini is the latest tablet from Realme in India.
• The tablet is priced starting at ₹10,999 and is aimed at entry-level users.
• Here’s our review of the Realme Pad Mini that will help you decide whether you should buy the device or not.

Realme recently introduced the Realme Pad Mini, the company’s second tablet in the country. The Realme Pad Mini is a toned-down version of the Realme Pad and has been positioned in the budget segment.

Unlike Samsung and Xiaomi which are focusing on the mid-range and premium segments with the tablets, Realme has gone for entry-level users, which may work well for the company amid the increase in students attending online classes and people looking to watch shows and movies on apps like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar.

I have been using the Realme Pad Mini for a few weeks now and here is my review of the latest budget tablet from the Chinese smartphone maker.

I received the 4GB LTE variant for review.

Realme Pad Mini price and availability

The Realme Pad Mini has been launched in four variants. The tablet is available starting at ₹10,999 and comes in Blue and Grey colour options. It is available from Flipkart, Realme online store and the company’s authorized offline retailers across the country.

Realme Pad Mini pros and cons

Pros

• Price
• Design

Cons

• Performance
• Display

Realme Pad Mini design

The Realme Pad Mini comes with a minimalistic design. It features an aluminium back and the top and bottom parts of the tablet feature a plastic design to ensure proper connectivity.

There is a small camera module at the top left corner. On the front, the tablet comes with an 8.7-inch display with thick bezels at the top and bottom.

On the right side, you have the volume rockers and the power button, which can be easily reached.

If you get the LTE variant, the SIM slot will be placed on the left side.

Despite being an entry-level tablet, the Realme Pad Mini looks and feels premium. The tablet is 7.6mm thick and weighs 372 grams, which isn’t a lot considering the size and battery. I did not face any issues while holding the tablet, however, during extended use, you might prefer placing it somewhere. So having a cover that also works as a stand would be a good idea.

Realme Pad Mini software

The Realme Pad Mini comes with Android 11 out of the box topped with Realme UI on top. There’s no bloatware on the tablet apart from Facebook and a few Google apps. We did not notice any apps in the UI.

The tablet comes with Kids Space which offers pre-loaded content for kids and allows you to use parental controls to set daily limits, bedtime and more.

Day-to-day usage such as browsing and watching content was good and the tablet performed smoothly. Apps open quickly but there may be some delay if multiple apps are open. Switching between apps is smooth and there is no delay.

At the moment, it is not known if the Realme Pad Mini will get the Android 12 update.

Having a tablet allows you to multitask, thanks to the huge screen. The Realme Pad Mini comes with a split-screen feature that allows you to use two apps at once. The split-screen mode is easy to enable and feels smooth.

Realme Pad Mini display

The Realme Pad Mini features an 8.7-inch WXGA+ (1340 x 800 pixels) LCD display which comes with thick bezels at the top and bottom. One of the main uses of tablets is media consumption and the low resolution makes it difficult to enjoy the content. The display is not crisp and looks pixelated at times.

In terms of brightness, the display works well indoors but you may have some issues if you use it outdoors under direct sunlight.

At the end of the day, the tablet is ideal for students but if you are looking to watch movies and shows, you may be disappointed with the display.

Realme Pad Mini performance and battery life

The Realme Pad Mini is equipped with a UNISOC T616 chipset coupled with up to 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The tablet performs well while browsing social media, watching content or using it for other basic tasks.

The LTE variant allows you to make calls and we did not face any issues while placing calls. The call quality is decent, and we did not face any call drops.

The issue begins when you try to play games on the tablet. While basic games like Subway Surfers run without any issues, it is not possible to play intensive games like Battlegrounds Mobile India or Asphalt.

If you are okay with playing basic games, you will not face any issues.

Coming to the battery, the Realme Pad Mini is powered by a 6,400mAh battery with 18W charging support. A single charge lasted around 11 hours with a good number of videos being played and light gaming. It takes around 2 hours to fully charge the tablet, which is expected considering the battery size.

You do not have to worry about running out of juice if you are streaming content while travelling.

Realme Pad Mini camera

The Realme Pad Mini comes with an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. At this price point, you should not expect much from the camera.

The Realme Pad Mini offers decent pictures in daylight but struggles a bit in low light as the images are average and look pixelated. The front camera is good enough for video calls and does its job well.

If you are looking for a device to capture images, the Realme Pad Mini may not be a good choice.

Wrapping up

Overall, the Realme Pad Mini is a decent device at this price point but there are some major drawbacks such as the display and the performance. If you are looking for a tablet for basic school or office work, you can go with the Realme Pad Mini. However, if you are looking to watch videos or play games, it is worth considering the Xiaomi Pad 5.

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