Redmi Pad 2 quick review: Big specs, small price tag
It's been a while since Redmi launched a proper budget tablet. I remember trying out the original Redmi Pad back in 2022 — it was decent for its time, but of course, there was room for improvement. So, when I heard about the Redmi Pad 2, I was curious. Three years is a long time, and you'd hope the company would use that gap to polish things up and bring something that feels a bit more complete and blows you away with its value proposition.advertisementI've been using the new Redmi Pad 2 for a few days now — not enough to call it a full review, but just enough to get a feel of what it's like to live with. And so far, honestly, it's been pretty refreshing. Here are my first impressions.Multimedia enthusiasts are going to love itRight out of the box, it's clear this tablet means business. It's got a clean, minimal design — the kind that doesn't scream 'budget' the second you hold it. Sure, it's a bit thicker and heavier than the first-gen model, but that is okay. It still feels light enough to hold comfortably with one hand and prop up on your lap while watching something.
I've been using the Sky Blue variant, which looks quite nice and refreshing. There's also a Graphite Grey finish, for folks who prefer a more subdued look. Also, just the way it feels in the hand — the flat edges, the metal-like back — it gives off the premium tablet vibes without costing like one.advertisementAnother thing I wasn't expecting to say, but the display is probably my favourite part so far. It's an 11-inch LCD panel with 2.5K resolution, and it supports a 90Hz refresh rate — and that combination really shows in day-to-day use. Everything looks crisp, the animations are smooth, and just scrolling through stuff feels satisfying.Most of my use has been casual — YouTube, Netflix, a bit of Chrome, nothing too heavy — and the display's held up beautifully. The colours are punchy, and the brightness is good enough for indoor use. Outdoors, it struggles a bit, but I guess that's fair at this price.Redmi has gone with four speakers again, and they've partnered with Dolby Atmos for tuning. It's not crazy loud, but the clarity is good. Vocals are sharp, background scores don't get lost, and there's even a bit of bass — just enough to enjoy a movie or a podcast without needing headphones all the time. For a tablet that costs under Rs 15,000, I'd say the audio is definitely above average. Of course, you won't get home-theatre-level sound, but it doesn't sound tinny or hollow either.HyperOS makes it feel more fluidThis is also one of the first budget tablets I've tried that runs HyperOS 2.0 atop Android 15. And honestly, I quite liked it. It actually feels smoother than MIUI ever did on a tablet. Transitions are quick, the 90Hz helps, and general apps — YouTube, Chrome, Notes, WhatsApp — all feel fairly well optimised for a bigger screen.advertisementThere are some pre-installed apps, which is typical Redmi, but nothing that annoyed me enough to uninstall right away. If anything, the whole UI feels a bit more thought-out.Reliable performance throughoutThis one's powered by the MediaTek Helio G100 — and while it's not the kind of chipset that'll blow benchmarks out of the water, it's held up okay so far. I've mostly used it for media, casual browsing, and a bit of video calling — and in all of that, the tablet didn't stutter or hang.Of course, I'm not gaming on this thing (and I don't think it's meant for that), but for basic stuff, it seems to handle things fine. I'll obviously push it more in the coming weeks, but as far as first impressions go, it feels steady, not sluggish.And coming to one of the biggest highlights — this tablet comes with a 9,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, and that's quite a bit — especially paired with a low-power chip and a clean UI. I've been using it for a couple of hours each day, and I still haven't had to charge it after four days. So far, it looks like this thing could easily go five days between charges for casual users.advertisementCharging isn't blazing fast, though, so if you run it dry, expect to wait a bit. But the trade-off for long battery life feels fair here.It also supports Redmi's own stylus (sold separately), and while I've only tested it briefly, it works well enough for casual note-taking or sketching. It's nowhere near as precise as Samsung's S Pen or the Apple Pencil, but again — this is a budget tablet. Just the fact that it has stylus support at all feels like a win at this price.As for the cameras, well, they are basic. The 8-megapixel rear one is fine for scanning documents or clicking something quickly, and the 5-megapixel front camera — placed in landscape — is way better for video calls. It doesn't make you look awkwardly off-centre, and the quality is usable.Lastly, the Redmi Pad 2 has LTE support if you get the right variant, and that's good for people who want to stay connected on the go.advertisementSumming upThe Redmi Pad 2 starts at Rs 13,999 for the Wi-Fi-only version with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. LTE models go higher — Rs 15,999 and Rs 17,999, for the 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB variants, respectively.From what I've seen so far, it feels like Redmi's taken a measured, sensible approach with this one. They didn't try to do too much, and instead focused on getting the important stuff right — the display, battery life, and a cleaner software experience.I'll be testing it more over the next week or so — pushing it with heavier tasks, trying out the stylus more, and seeing how it holds up over time. But as of now, it's been a pretty pleasant surprise.Stay tuned to India Today Tech for our full review of the Redmi Pad 2.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
13 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Pope warns of AI risks to young brains
Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV warned on Friday of the potential consequences of artificial intelligence (AI) on the intellectual development of young people, saying it could damage their grip on reality. Since his election as head of the Catholic Church on May 8, the pope -- a mathematics graduate -- has repeatedly warned of the risks associated with AI but this is the first time he has spoken out exclusively on the subject. "All of us... are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development," the American pope warned in a written message to participants at the second Rome Conference on AI. "No generation has ever had such quick access to the amount of information now available through AI. "But again, access to data -- however extensive -- must not be confused with intelligence," Leo told business leaders, policymakers and researchers attending the annual conference. While welcoming the use of AI in "enhancing research in healthcare and scientific discovery", the pope said it "raises troubling questions on its possible repercussions" on humanity's "distinctive ability to grasp and process reality". Pope Leo himself has been the target of deep fake videos and audio messages published on social media in recent weeks. An AFP investigation earlier this month identified dozens of YouTube and TikTok pages broadcasting AI-generated messages masquerading as genuine comments from the pope in English or Spanish. A survey from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism this week found significant numbers of young people in particular were using chatbots to get headlines and updates. The Catholic Church has attempted to influence ethical thinking surrounding the use of new technologies in recent years under Leo's predecessor Francis. In 2020, the Vatican initiated the Rome Call for AI Ethics -- signed by Microsoft, IBM, the United Nations, Italy and a host of universities -- urging transparency and respect for privacy.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
This Microsoft feature is accidentally ‘blocking' Google Chrome on Windows
Microsoft 's Family Safety tool is reportedly preventing Google Chrome from opening on some Windows devices. According to a report by The Verge, the issue was first noticed on June 3, and since then, more users have complained about it. It is affecting those who have enabled Family Safety on their devices, causing Chrome to either close immediately or fail to launch at all. Other web browsers, such as Firefox and Opera, however are not affected. What is Microsoft's Family Safety feature The Family Safety feature is commonly used by schools and parents through Microsoft 365 subscriptions to limit online access for children. The bug, as per the report, has now been active for over two weeks, with no update or resolution from Microsoft at the time of publication. Google Chrome acknowledges the issue by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Investire è più facile che mai BG SAXO Scopri di più Undo The Verge report quotes Chrome support manager Ellen T who said 'Our team has investigated these reports and determined the cause of this behavior. For some users, Chrome is unable to run when Microsoft Family Safety is enabled.' While Chrome has acknowledged the issue, Microsoft is yet to issue a public statement or a timeline for a fix. 'We've not heard anything from Microsoft about a fix being rolled out,' a Chromium engineer wrote in a bug report dated June 10. 'They have provided guidance to users who contact them about how to get Chrome working again, but I wouldn't think that would have a large effect.' Some users have found that renaming the Chrome executable file (e.g., from to allows the browser to function. Disabling the 'filter inappropriate websites' option in Family Safety also resolves the issue, but removes content restrictions for children. While the issue is believed to be accidental, Microsoft has previously faced criticism for trying to steer users away from Chrome and toward its own Edge browser, using popups, misleading messages, and in some cases, altering search results. World Music Day 2025: Tech That Changed How We Listen to Music
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Time of India
MakeMyTrip's record raise; Zuck goes talent shopping
MakeMyTrip's record raise; Zuck goes talent shopping Also in the letter: What's the news: The fundraise marks the largest ever by a listed Indian new-age company. On Tuesday, MakeMyTrip disclosed in a regulatory filing that it is raising $3 billion to buy back shares from Group. MakeMyTrip cofounders Deep Kalra and Rajesh Magow currently hold 4.6% of the company's voting rights. Domestic control: Other major raises: Paytm raised $2.5 billion during its IPO in 2021. Through its public issue, Zomato (now Eternal) raised $1.25 billion and followed this with a $1 billion raise via a qualified institutional placement (QIP) in November 2024. Swiggy raised $1.2 billion from the public markets in its public issue in 2024 Ola Electric raised $740 million through its IPO in August last year. Also Read: Elevation Capital sells Ixigo shares worth Rs 97.4 crore; Schroder buys stake Numbers game: Elevation Capital has sold 53.9 lakh shares for Rs 97.4 crore, pricing them at Rs 180 apiece. In parallel, global investor Schroder International Selection Fund picked up shares worth Rs 96.9 crore in the company. This comes after Elevation sold 21.5 lakh shares in Ixigo for Rs 38.27 crore in May. As of March 31, Elevation held a 14% stake in Ixigo. That has now come down to 12%. The early-stage investor had originally put in Rs 63.1 crore across multiple tranches. Mark Zuckerberg made abortive attempt to buy ex-OpenAI executive Ilya Sutskever's AI startup: Report Driving the news: High-stakes game: Zuckerberg is spearheading an ambitious effort to build a 'superintelligence' team focused on developing artificial general intelligence (AGI), the elusive frontier where AI not only matches but surpasses human capabilities. Inside Meta, there is growing frustration with the sluggish progress of its current efforts, particularly the limitations of the Llama 4 models. Eager not to be left behind, Zuckerberg is setting his sights on outpacing OpenAI and Google in the AGI race. Tell me more: Also Read: Swiggy pilots travel and lifestyle concierge app Crew Details: What's the significance: Background: Krutrim eyes AI growth with BharatSah'AI'yak acquisition Tell me more: Why it matters? Also Read: Zoom out: Internal challenges: YouTube Shorts has hit 200 billion daily views: CEO Neal Mohan Numberwise: More details: At the 2025 Cannes Lions Festival, Mohan added that people now watch over 1 billion hours of YouTube on their TVs every day. In May, YouTube was the most-watched streaming platform in the US for the fourth consecutive month, topping Nielsen's The Gauge report. Future outlook: Also Read: MakeMyTrip has raised $3.1 billion in the largest fundraise by a listed Indian new-age company. This and more in today's ETtech Top 5.■ Swiggy's latest pilot■ Krutrim's latest acquisition■ YouTube Shorts' monster growthMakeMyTrip raises $3.1 billion in landmark deal; to slash Chinese firm stake to 20%Online travel platform MakeMyTrip has raised $3.1 billion through a mix of equity and debt, its banker, Morgan Stanley, confirmed on faced criticism last month over its sizable Chinese shareholding, after EaseMyTrip founder Nishant Pitti accused the platform of risking the travel data of Indian Army personnel. Following this buyback, stake will fall from 45% to around 20%. Its board representation will also shrink from five directors to Bajpai (R), MD and group CEO, Ixigo, and Rajnish Kumar (L), co-CEO, IxigoVenture fund Elevation Capital has offloaded shares of Le Travenues Technology, the parent company of travel platform Ixigo, for a second time in a month, pocketing a 25x return on its Zuckerberg, CEO, MetaMeta's $14.2 billion recent investment in Scale AI, and roping in its CEO Alexandr Wang, appears to be just the beginning. Mark Zuckerberg seems to be on a man on a mission : to recruit top AI talent, and reports suggest he made a move for one of the sector's most-talked-about to CNBC, Zuckerberg tried to acquire Safe Superintelligence, the $32 billion startup founded by former OpenAI cofounder Ilya Sutskever. The talks didn't go far, with Sutskever reportedly turning him down. Meta then shifted focus to poaching CEO Daniel Gross for its AI Meta CEO is assembling a handpicked team of 50 researchers, including a new head of AI, and has held private meetings with potential hires at his homes. Alongside Gross, Meta is also bringing in former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman to under Altman recently stated on a podcast that Zuckerberg has offered $100 million bonuses to attract talent, but so far, with little has ventured into a new category with the pilot launch of its travel and lifestyle concierge app, app blends human concierges with generative AI to help users plan trips, offering more than just itinerary year, ahead of its IPO, Swiggy tested a similar service, Rare Life, a personalised concierge service for exclusive experiences. That experiment was short-lived, as the company decided to focus on broader lifestyle offerings is part of Swiggy's latest push beyond food delivery, dining out, and quick commerce. In January, it launched Pyng, a professional services marketplace This signals a departure from Swiggy's earlier 'superapp' strategy. Instead of integrating all services under one platform, Swiggy has started offering standalone apps. Instamart, its quick commerce unit, got a dedicated app earlier this May, the company shut down its parcel delivery service, Genie , opting instead to focus on Bolt, its rapid food delivery feature now available in 500 cities. As food delivery growth tapers off, Swiggy and rival Zomato are betting on 10-minute orders to regain Aggarwal, founder, KrutrimOla's AI division, Krutrim, has acquired BharatSah'AI'yak , an AI platform developed by governance consultancy move comes as Krutrim seeks to expand its presence in government-led digital initiatives through its proprietary AI stack. As part of the agreement, Krutrim has also onboarded Samagra's core AI has been employed in projects spanning education, agriculture, and citizen services. It will now be integrated with Krutrim's in-house large language models (LLMs), cloud infrastructure, and agentic AI assistant platform, February, Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal announced an investment of Rs 2,000 crore in Krutrim , with plans to increase it to Rs 10,000 crore by next has recently faced internal turbulence , including several senior-level departures and criticism following the alleged suicide of an employee, with claims of a toxic work Mohan, CEO, YouTubeYouTube Shorts now commands around 200 billion daily views , according to CEO Neal marks a dramatic leap from March 2024, when YouTube said Shorts was attracting around 70 billion daily views. In just one year, daily viewership has surged by nearly 186%.As Shorts continues to gain traction, YouTube plans to strengthen support for creators by rolling out more tools. Mohan announced that Veo 3, the latest version of Google DeepMind's video generation model, will launch on the platform later this summer.
