The Mi Notebook Ultra makes a good case for itself in the premium class by addressing several of its predecessor’s flaws.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The Mi Notebook Ultra is based on Intel’s 11th Gen H35 CPUs
- Overall performance in everyday tasks and productivity is good
- You can get through a workday on a single charge
The Mi Notebook Pro and Mi Notebook Ultra models for 2021 aren’t straight replacements for the Mi Notebook 14 range of ultraportables from last year. These are more expensive but also larger, with value-added capabilities that you could find appealing for both ordinary work and on-the-go entertainment. They’re above the new Redmibook series, which debuted earlier this year. More importantly, they address many of the flaws in last year’s models, bolstering Xiaomi’s position in the Indian laptop market.
The new Mi Notebook Ultra, a premium 15.6-inch laptop aimed at creative professionals and anyone looking for more power and performance than the entry-level segment can provide, is with us today. This is not the most slick or portable laptop on the market, but it does offer style, features, and performance at Rs. 59,999. Let’s get our comprehensive review underway.
Price of Mi Notebook Ultra in India
The Mi Notebook Ultra is aisl step up from the Mi Notebook Pro, which was released simultaneously. Although the Ultra model is physically larger, with a larger screen and battery, the characteristics for both product lines are very comparable. The Mi Notebook Ultra’s base model, which sports an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU and 8GB of RAM, starts at Rs. 59,999.
Stepping up to the 16GB RAM variant will set you back Rs. 64,999, which is a little more than the Rs. 63,999 Xiaomi advertised at launch but still makes sense since the RAM isn’t upgradeable. The top-of-the-line model, which we’re looking at today, comes with a Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM and costs Rs. 76,999.
Mi Notebook Ultra design and features
Mi Notebook Ultra’s body is built of Series 6 aluminum. Although this laptop weights 1.7kg, it’s not ultraportable, but it’s still light enough to tote around every day if you have to commute. At 17.9mm, it’s also quite slender. I have no issues about the construction quality. The lid doesn’t flex too much, and the hinge feels solid. This laptop can be opened with with one finger. On the bottom, there’s a big air intake grille, and hot air is vented through vents in the back that are hidden by the hinge barrel.
Although the massive black Xiaomi logo is a departure from last year’s completely blank look, the metallic shell has a sandblasted feel and looks rather beautiful. Aside from that, the body is rather simple and does not draw much attention to itself. The Mi logo beneath the screen on last year’s models has been modified to match the company’s current rebranding efforts, however the product name remains Mi Notebook Ultra.
The Mi Notebook Ultra’s most prominent feature is its 15.6-inch 16:10 aspect ratio screen. The boundaries are thin, but there’s still enough at the top for a 720p webcam — removing the webcam on the previous Mi Notebook range was a significant mistake, especially since remote work and video conferences have become far more vital and commonplace in the last year or so.
On the lower half of this laptop, there’s enough area for a large, ergonomic keyboard. I was relieved to discover a column of paging buttons on the right, and the arrow keys are thankfully not cramped. In the upper right corner, you’ll find a macro key that allows you to instantly launch any program. Adjustable backlighting addresses another of last year’s models’ major flaws, but there are only two brightness settings (Xiaomi claims three, but “off” counts as one).
For Windows Hello authentication, the power button contains an embedded fingerprint sensor. When you turn on the laptop, it remembers your fingerprint so you don’t have to touch it again when Windows starts up – but you’ll have to get used to hitting the button with the pad of your finger. The trackpad is generously sized and comfortable to use. Multi-touch gestures in Windows are supported and function effectively. The physical click mechanism, on the other hand, is a tad stiff.
Specifications for Mi Notebook Ultra
Xiaomi has employed Intel’s 11th Gen H35-series CPUs on the inside, which are slightly more powerful versions of the U-series chips used in ultraportable laptops and not part of the more powerful H-series used in gaming and high-end models. H35 stands for 35W TDP, which is a measurement of how much power a CPU may consume in order to function at a higher speed for longer periods of time. There are no separate GPU alternatives, and Xiaomi will stay with the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics.
If you choose with the Core i5-11300H CPU, you may choose between 8GB and 16GB of RAM, but the Core i7-11370 only has 16GB. It is not possible to upgrade the RAM because it is soldered. If you desire to upgrade in the future, all three models come with a 512GB NVMe SSD that can be swapped.
For a variety of reasons, the 15.6-inch display stands out in this market. It boasts a 3200×2000 pixel resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is incredibly comfortable. It also boasts a 90Hz refresh rate, which is unusual for laptops, and Xiaomi claims that it covers the entire sRGB color gamut. However, the brightness is barely 300 nits. This panel is fantastic for multitasking and getting things done. It has a bright and sharp feel to it. When watching video, the colors aren’t the most brilliant, but the anti-reflective coating helps productivity.
A stereo sound system and a built-in microphone are included with the Mi Notebook 14. Xiaomi does not provide a battery capacity rating, but claims that it will last for 12 hours of local video playback. In the box, you’ll find a 65W Type-C charger that can charge your phone to 50% in 45 minutes. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 are also available on this laptop.
You get Windows 10, which you can upgrade to Windows 11 if you want to. Xiaomi also includes a complete license for Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019, as well as MIUI+, a service that, similar to Apple’s AirDrop function, is touted to allow seamless file sharing across handsets running MIUI.
Mi Notebook Ultra performance
Normal use, I had no issues with the Mi Notebook Ultra. I was able to complete work that required multitasking with 20 or more Web programs in multiple browser tabs. The top-end model I’m looking at offers more than enough power for everyday productivity and even light content creation. Because of the good key travel, typing was a breeze, albeit I would have preferred a bit springier action.
If you’re used to smaller computers, the huge, high-resolution screen is a joy to work on. It can also be used to watch TV episodes and movies. Music, on the other hand, does not sound very well, as the bottom-firing speakers are just barely enough in terms of volume and richness.
Benchmarks demonstrate how well a device performs in scenarios that resemble heavy use in the real world. In the normal and extended runs of PCMark 10, the Mi Notebook Ultra scored 4,680 and 4,195 points, respectively. These results are just slightly better than those achieved by last year’s Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition, which had a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor. Sequential reads and writes were measured at 2378.7MBps and 1508.2MBps, respectively, while random reads and writes were measured at 1171.2MBps and 458.5MBps, which are quite good rates.
