Xiaomi rolls out the Mi Pad 3 with upgraded hardware, unchanged exterior

The Mi Pad 3 delivers much-needed upgrades while retaining its affordability.

Xiaomi has rolled out an update to the 2015 Mi Pad 2, switching out the Intel SoC — which offered the ability to run both Android and Windows 10 — for a MediaTek MT8176 with two 2.1GHz Cortex A72 cores and four 1.7GHz Cortex A53 cores. The external design hasn't changed with the Mi Pad 3, and the tablet features the same 7.9-inch 2048 x 1536 screen as its predecessor.

The RAM has been doubled to 4GB, and storage is now at 64GB. The battery segment also sees an upgrade with the tablet now powered by a 6600mAh cell, which according to Xiaomi provides up to 12 hours of multimedia consumption and a standby time of 867 hours. The rear camera has also picked up an update, and now features a 13MP f/2.2 sensor.

Overall, the beefier hardware should make the tablet much more capable, and while MIUI 8 offers a ton of customizability, it is running atop Marshmallow. That said, the Mi Pad 3 will retail for the equivalent of $218 (¥1,499), making it an enticing proposition. No word as of now regarding availability outside of China, and if Xiaomi's track record is any indication, your best bet of getting your hands on one outside the country is to import it via third-party sellers.