I tested Xiaomi's matte-glass tablet for a month, and it effectively replaced my iPad

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

At MWC 2026, Xiaomi announced a bunch of new devices, including a follow-up to my favorite Android tablet of 2025. The Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro Matte Glass version continues to make nanotexture screens more accessible and adds a more powerful processor and upgraded accessories, among other things for a more complete experience.  

Also: Best of MWC 2026: Live updates on phones, concepts, and innovations we're seeing

I've been using the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro Matte Glass version as my primary entertainment and productivity device since early February, and this is the first 11-inch tablet that I want to carry with my MacBook Air. 

No, I didn't try to replace my laptop with Xiaomi's claimed "PC-level productivity" experience - because my use case (our content management system) needs desktop Chrome to function seamlessly. However, I ...