Xiaomi has just made a quiet release in the laptop segment, after a four-year break. But the Chinese company is returning with a bang with a capable new thin-and-light model, called the Xiaomi Book 14 Pro, that feels like a direct answer to the MacBook Air; and on paper, it might even outclass it in a few key areas.
How the Xiaomi Book 14 Pro gets ahead
One of the big highlights is undoubtedly its gorgeous display. Packed in the all-metal body is a 14.6-inch OLED panel that offers touchscreen support, a 3.1K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an impressive peak brightness of 1,600 nits.
Under the hood, Xiaomi equips its notebook with Intel’s Panther Lake platform, up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 358H. But what’s even more impressive is the 24GB RAM on the base configuration, along with 1TB of SSD storage, which can be expanded up to 4TB via a spare M.2 2280 slot.
A large 72Wh battery pack powers this laptop, and Xiaomi claims it can offer up to 19.8 hours of battery life. Keeping the beefy specs cool are two fans and a large vapor chamber system that can sustain up to 50W of performance. All of this is packed into a 1.08kg body, making it even lighter than the MacBook Air. While the specs and pricing may have it rival the Air, the vibrant soft pink and blue color options make it resemble the MacBook Neo more.
Despite such a lightweight design, Xiaomi hasn’t skipped out on the port selection either. You get all the essentials like Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-1, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Compared to the MacBook Air’s two Thunderbolt 4 and a 3.5mm audio jack, this package is a lot more versatile.
So what’s the catch?
When you look at everything that the Xiaomi Book 14 Pro has to offer, it doesn’t seem like there can be any shortcomings on the Windows alternative to the M5 Air. Even the pricing, when converted from Chinese yuan (¥8,499 – $1,275), puts the laptop a little over $100 more than a base M5 MacBook Air. For that small premium, you get a high-res 120Hz OLED panel, higher RAM, and a robust port selection.
But there is a downside, which is availability. As of now, the laptop is only available in China, with no clear indication of a global release. That severely limits its appeal for potential buyers outside the region.
