Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12: For the One’s who Cannot Afford a MacBook Air

For laptop lovers, there are many options available in the market, some pocket-friendly and some that could literally burn holes in your pocket. For example, there are laptops like the MacBook Air, which even if you want you cannot afford it if you are chained to a penny-pinching budget. But then, there are also homophonic laptops like the Xiaomi Notebook Air that target the budget-friendly users. Well, not exactly homophonic, but we can say that the latter has many similarities with the MacBook Air. So, are the names MacBook Air and Xiaomi Air showings signs of similarities or is it just a co-incidence? Well, let’s have a detailed look at the specifications of the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12 to find out more.

First things First- Design of Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12.5″ 4G 256GB Silver (Picture Credits- Xiomi-Mi.com)

A 12-inch screen, full metal body, non-electric fan, light and thin design, and a Core M processor, the Xiaomi Notebook Air 12 has a strikingly similar design to Apple’s MacBook Air. In terms of design it is very MacBook-like with its aluminum exterior, lid hinge, a cut-out in front of the base, as well as the shape of its central one piece touchpad. In terms of size, the Notebook Air’s display is just about half-an-inch longer between the corners.

It measures at 292mm x 202mm x 12.9mm making it slslightly thinner than Apple’s MacBook, but deeper and wider by a few millimeters. Despite its 1.07 kg of weight that is around 150g more than MacBook; it feels lighter.

There is one aspect where the Xiaomi designers have really worked hard. They have managed to pack the Air laptop with a HDMI port and a full size USB 3.0 Type-A port. It is also combined with a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB Type-C port that also works as a power socket. Compared to these specs, the MacBook Air offers only the USB Type-C port and audio jack, making the Notebook Air a better option.

The Xiaomi Notebook Air 12 has two speaker grills on its underside, which surprisingly sound good given the placement. The U.S international keyboard has a backlight and it offers well spaced and sized keys.

Beneath the laptop are two speaker grills as mentioned, 5 grey rubber feet and a sticker (it can be peeled off).

Display of the Notebook Air

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12.5″ 4G 256GB Silver (Picture Credits- Xiomi-Mi.com)

This is one segment where the Cupertino company’s MacBook Air clearly wins the race. Even though the Notebook Air has a full HD 1080p display, it is on the downside compared to Macbook’s 226ppi high resolution display. One sad part about the Notebook Air 12 is that it is not touch screen.

Despite this difference, the 176ppi IPS screen of Xiaomi’s Air 12 has a bright and sharp display, with excellent contrast levels. The touchpad does not have any physical buttons and it is really smooth.

Colors and Availability

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12.5″ 4G 256GB Silver (Picture Credits- Xiomi-Mi.com)

While the MacBook Air comes in 4 colors- golden, silver, dark grey, and golden; the Notebook Air comes in just golden and silver colors. As far as the availability is concerned, the Xiaomi Notebook Air has not released officially in the U.S.

Compared to the Apple MacBook, the Xiaomi Notebook Air 12 is available at about a third of its price. Its price starts at around $490-$500.