By the numbers: Compact 7″ to 9″ Tablets Compared

Looking for a tablet that’s not a hefty 10-incher but not too small that you can’t enjoy your favourite TV shows and movies on? Then a mid-sized tablet (anything below 10-inches and above 6-inches) is just the thing you’re looking for.

We compare the Xiaomi Mi Pad along with 9 other mid-sized tablets such as the Nexus 7, Huawei MediaPad X1, Samsung Galaxy Tab 4, iPad mini with Retina Display, ASUS Memo Pad 8, FonePad 8 and Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 so you can find the best one for you.

With a 8.4-inch display, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is the largest in this comparison. It packs the highest resolution (2560×1800 pixels) and also the highest pixel density (359ppi versus 326ppi on the iPad mini Retina Display and the Xiaomi Mi Pad) which should give you a great viewing experience especially when watching high resolution movies.

In terms of processing power, all of the tablets in the comparison run on quad-core processors except for the iPad mini which is running a dual-core A7 chip. Notable in this lot is the Xiaomi Mi Pad being the first tablet to use Nvidia’s new Tegra K1 processor. Announced at CES 2014 in January, the Tegra K1 features a completely revamp design architecture that promises better graphic performance on top of improved processing and power management. The recently announced ASUS Memo Pad 8 for 2014 also packs quite a punch with the latest Intel Atom Z3580 “MooreField” Quad-Core processor that’s running at 2.3GHz.

In terms of storage, all the tablets in our comparison supports microSD expansion except the iPad Mini, Nexus 7 and the latest Memo Pad 8 for 2014. The best of the bunch is the Xiaomi Mi Pad which supports cards up to 128GB where the others only go up to 64GB.

In terms of camera, Huawei leads the way (on paper at least) with a 13MP rear camera with f/2.2 aperture. You also get a large 5MP front facing camera in case you want to take selfies with the Media Pad X1 — but for the love of all that is good, please don’t.

If its a large battery that you’re looking for than the Xiaomi Mi Pad is something you want to look at (if it becomes available in Malaysia). The device packs a 6,700mAh battery, the largest in this group.

So in terms of specs, the Xiaomi is looking pretty good. You get the latest processor, a high resolution screen and a large battery. Combine that with Xiaomi’s very attractive pricing strategy, you end up with a really, really good buy.

For those looking for something really compact and would like to make phone calls and SMS while on the go, the Huawei MediaPad X1 is the lightest and compact tablet here. Thanks to its thin bezels, it is only 107.9mm in width making it bearable to hold in a single hand. It is only 7.2mm thick and weighs and also incredibly light at just 239 grams. That’s lighter than the mammoth sized 7″ Galaxy W smart phone.

What do you think of the mid-sized tablet we’ve compared here? Which one is your favourite? You can click on the image above for a larger view.