Xiaomi has officially launched its latest flagship smartphone series, the Xiaomi 17, in the Philippines. The lineup consists of two models: the Xiaomi 17 and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.

Customers can get the Xiaomi 17 in four color options: Alpine Pink, Ice Blue, Venture Green, and Black. The base model is available via Lazada, Shopee, and Xiaomi authorized stores for the following prices:

• 12GB+256GB: PhP 49,999 (from 53,999) until March 19
• 12GB+512GB: PhP 53,999 (from 55,999) until March 19

Early purchases also come with the following perks:

• Up to PhP 4,000 off on Shopee
• Up to PhP 2,000 off on Lazada
• Free Xiaomi Watch S4 41mm worth PhP 7,799
• Chance to win a Leica Q3 worth PhP417,000 (only one entry per customer per purchase)

Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is available at PhP 84,999 for the 16GB+512GB configuration. That’s a generous reduction from its base price of PhP 99,999.

Exclusive Shopee online perks until March 19 include:

• Free Xiaomi Watch 5 worth PhP 18,999
• Free Xiaomi Photography Kit
• Raffle entry to win Leica Q3

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra features an outstanding camera system, making it one of the best camera-focused flagships available now.

It comes with a 50MP f/1.67 main Leica Optical Summilux high-speed lens, with a large 1-inch sensor size.

This camera is complemented by a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera and a 200MP f/2.39~2.96 telephoto camera with 3.2x~4.3x continuous optical zoom. The latter uses a 1/1.4-inch Samsung ISOCELL sensor.

The Ultra is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, and has a large 6.9-inch 120Hz 2k display.

For a comprehensive review, read here: Forget the Phone: Xiaomi 17 Ultra Is A CAMERA!

On the other hand, the Xiaomi 17 has a more compact 6.3-inch design, Leica triple cameras, a 6,330mAh battery with support for 100W charging, and the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.

Xiaomi Pad 8 series

In addition to Xiaomi’s latest flagships, the company has also launched its latest premium tablet locally.

The Xiaomi Pad 8 series is now available in the Pad 8 and Pad 8 Pro variants. Both come in Pine Green, Gray, and Blue color options. Exclusive pre-order bundles are available until March 26:

• Pad 8 Pro: PhP 36,999 (from 38,999) with Touch Keyboard, free Focus Pen Pro
• Pad 8: PhP 27,999 (from 29,999) with Normal Keyboard, free Focus Pen Pro

In addition, there is also a Matte Glass version available from PhP 45,999.

The Xiaomi Pad 8 has an 11.2-inch 144Hz IPS LCD display with ample 3.2K resolution, 345ppi pixel density, and 800 nits peak brightness.

It comes in a lightweight body at 485 grams, and is even thinner than its predecessor at 5.75mm. The slate is also equipped with a 9,200mAh battery for longer use.

Professional workflows are likewise supported with integrated WPS Office PC.

Meanwhile, the Pad 8 Pro is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite. It even has a 50MP rear camera, 32MP front camera, and up to 512GB of storage, as well as 67W HyperCharge.

For the full review, read here: Xiaomi Pad 8 review: Slab that slaps!

HONOR has officially introduced the HONOR MagicPad4, positioning it as the world’s thinnest tablet and the first to run on the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 platform.

Thinnest

The MagicPad4 measures just 4.8mm thin, edging past the 5.1mm profile of the iPad Pro. It weighs around 450g, thanks to what HONOR calls a “Crescent Structure” design paired with aerospace-grade special fibre that improves stiffness while reducing overall weight. With the keyboard and stylus attached, the entire setup comes in at approximately 852g — lighter than a 13-inch MacBook Air, according to the company.

The tablet features a 12.3-inch OLED display with a 3000 x 1920 resolution, 93% screen-to-body ratio, and ultra-narrow 4mm bezels. It supports a 165Hz refresh rate and up to 2400 nits of HDR peak brightness. HONOR says the panel supports 1.07 billion colours and carries TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue light and flicker-free performance. It also integrates multiple eye-comfort features, including 5280Hz PWM dimming and AI-based defocus display technology.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

Under the hood, the MagicPad4 is powered by the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, marking its tablet debut. It is paired with an eight-speaker setup with HONOR Spatial Audio, a 10,100mAh battery, and 66W HONOR SuperCharge support. Cooling is handled by a 13-layer 3D thermal architecture with an 81,717 mm² heat dissipation area.

On the software side, the MagicPad4 introduces a PC Mode that enables a desktop-style interface with full mouse support, keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+C and Alt+Tab, and advanced multi-window controls. HONOR is also pushing AI-driven productivity tools, including AI Memo for automatic meeting minutes and speaker recognition, alongside AI Summary and voiceprint-based noise cancellation.

Through HONOR Connect, the tablet supports cross-brand connectivity, including screen extension and file sharing with iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices.

Price and availability

The HONOR MagicPad4 is available in Gray and White. Pre-orders start today, with retail availability beginning March 3, 2026. Pricing starts at £599.99 for the 12GB RAM model and £699.99 for the 16GB RAM version.

Despite having two tablets with me, I admit I am not a religious tablet user. So, why accept another tablet review?

Well, as privileged as it sounds, the tablets with me represent the two ends of the spectrum: entry-level and flagship.

However, the arrival of the Xiaomi Pad 8, nestling right in the middle, came just in time, and it might just be what I’ve been looking for in this niche tablet territory.

In for a sweet treat

In a sea full of gargantuan slates, I never knew Xiaomi Pad 8’s 11.2-inch screen is the sweet treat I truly desire. The other two tablets I’ve mentioned both exceed the 12- and 13-inch range.

Having a tablet with a bigger screen, while great for one’s viewing pleasure, still means having to deal with its overall heft. However, the Xiaomi Pad 8 has a reasonable amount of heft at just 485 grams — 15 grams less than its predecessor.

It also managed to shed some trimmings from 6.2mm down to just 5.8mm.

Now hear me out: Those numbers might not sound a lot. However, the actual feeling and experience make a difference, not just when carrying it, but also when putting it on surfaces — whether it’s your lap, a café’s roundtable, and even inside your bags (or sleeves).

Flight-friendly

No one asked, but I took the Xiaomi Pad 8 with me in my recent Japan trip.

Flying economy (not that I have the option as it’s an LCC or low-cost carrier) is the greatest measure I can think of just to prove my “sweet spot” admiration.

Surprisingly, after putting down the airplane tray table, the Xiaomi Pad 8 fit like a glove. I cannot do the same with my 14-inch MacBook Pro for, well, the most obvious reason.

BONUS UPDATE: The Xiaomi Pad 8 was also able to fit in this half-folded tray table during my 16-hour flight to Amsterdam. No issues of wobbling whatsoever. Although the food items were able to fit, it was kind a bit of a reach to put everything.

During that 4-hour flight, I was able to catch up with the first four episodes of Undercover Miss Hong that I missed during its Netflix premiere.

While asking for an OLED display sounds too much to ask for, its IPS LCD display still did the job well. That 3.2K resolution and 345ppi pixel density are as sharp as ITZY Yuna’s character as she made her cameo being Park Shin-hye’s badass younger sister.

Dolby Vision is also there for all the content that supports it.

My only complaint here is how ultra-glossy its panel is. That’s despite its 800 nits peak brightness.

Even after closing the plane’s window shades, I can still see my own reflection while trying to appreciate my new celebrity crush, Cho Hangyeol.

But hey, at least I can see myself being with him. 😬

Now Playing: XG’s HYPNOTIZE + KiiiKiii’s 404 (New Era) / Delulu Pack EP

My content consumption doesn’t end just yet.

While everyone is complaining about letterboxed content (and ignoring the fact that zoomed in content is still viable), watching the 3:2 music video of KiiiKiii’s 404 (New Era) perfectly complemented Xiaomi Pad 8’s 3:2 aspect ratio.

Much like those popping fireworks behind Haum, colors ultimately pop that aren’t too straining to the eyes.

And, much like how hypnotizing XG’s HYPNOTIZE is, the same can be said with its sound quality.

The Xiaomi Pad 8 boasts a quad speaker setup powered by Dolby Atmos. During my playback session, it was able to fill my room even at just around 70% to 80%. If that’s still not enough, Xiaomi provides a volume boost feature of up to 200% for those banging (literally and figuratively) song sessions.

For better measure, I also tried playing KiiiKiii’s Delulu Pack EP in Lossless quality through Apple Music. Thankfully, Xiaomi Pad 8 supports Hi-Res Audio.

Of course, it’s not as supreme sounding as what I hear when I wear my LDAC headphones and earphones. Still, I was finally able to hear all the layers of each track — all while appreciating the slightest of hums and adlibs.

Even with MUNGNYANG (my favorite b-side here) as an example. The Korean palace-like instrumentals can easily be heard meters away from my room to the point where I still get goosebumps over me with how good the song is.

I could boldly claim this is a true no-skip release. It’s probably KiiiKiii’s redemption arc after I DO ME and DANCING ALONE didn’t get the hype both releases deserved since debut.

Productivity powerhouse

I will reiterate what I said in my last tablet review: tablets can never really “replace” laptops — at least in the line of work that I do.

Admittedly, I can never let go of my 14-inch MacBook Pro as my main powerhouse. That’s for editing our YouTube videos in Final Cut Pro, post-processing product photos via Lightroom, and making graphics through Photoshop.

However, there’s one thing I truly enjoyed using the pad for: writing this review article itself.

The bundled Focus Keyboard for Xiaomi Pad 8 made me realize that this is where people go crazy over the “laptop replacement” statement.

I enjoyed typing on that bundled Pro-grade Focus Keyboard accessory more than I expected. While it’s not clickity clackity as my Mac’s keyboard, it’s not too mushy either with just the right amount of response.

Also, despite having thicc fingers, its chiclet keys worked well in my favor with little to no typos at all.

Evidently, the screen is also ideal for multitasking that’s why I used the Xiaomi Pad 8 specs sheet as a reference on the right side as I type this review write-up.

Even though it’s not as flexible as other OSes with multitasking screen panes or even the “open canvas” app-switching, it’s manageable enough to split running apps into three with an extra floating window up and above.

That trackpad is a nice addition as well. Gestures felt familiar from scrolling, breezing through apps, even those one or two-finger functions.

If you’re not fond of restrictive Focus Keyboard with a limiting screen angle tilting, Xiaomi offers a less-daunting and more basic Keyboard accessory with better screen tilting support sans the trackpad.

If that still feels heavy, replace it with the Xiaomi Pad 8 Cover along with its origami-type stand for further flexibility.

Pen is mightier than the sword

Speaking of flexibility, those accessories go hand-in-hand with the all-new Focus Pen Pro for the new Xiaomi Pad 8.

Ditching the conventional stylus buttons, Xiaomi’s new stylus is button-less and totally relies on double-tapping and squeezing.

These shortcut keys are pressure-sensitive, depending on the force you apply.

The hover preview and side-rotating brush are also handy, especially for creatives who want precision in the creative work they do.

Whenever you’re already in a pinch, the pen can be charged magnetically on the tablet’s frame.

And just like the pen, both keyboard accessories are magnetically-powered, too, through a set of pogo pins at the back. It’s so easy-peasy that you won’t struggle to charge the device through the USB-C cable.

Far from being mid

Enjoying that much-needed work-life balance is possible with the Xiaomi Pad 8.

With Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 in its core, this pad is more than capable of being a lean and mean gaming machine, despite being a mid-class tablet.

If you were able to read some of my reviews, you’d know that there are two games I always play.

First and foremost, Racing Master was totally up and running in Ultra-High / 60fps settings.

That 144Hz refresh rate was complementary to that. Moreover, it’s comfortably soothing to my frame rate-sensitive eyes.

CoDM (or Call of Duty: Mobile) was also playable at Very High graphics settings.

And unlike my undesirable gameplay with the HONOR MagicPad 3 and its daunting 13.3-inch screen right before I reconfigured the placement of controls, Xiaomi Pad 8’s 11.2-inch display made full sense with no adjustments, whatsoever.

Other goodies that need to be mentioned are its 13MP rear camera with a larger ring flash — which means Xiaomi wanted you to use it for more than just document scanning.

Additionally, there’s that 8MP front-facing camera for calls (and maybe some selfies).

Connectivity-wise, standards are pretty high, as well: Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, even Wi-Fi 7 support not left behind.

Battery blast

The only advantage its Pro sibling can brag about is its faster 67W HyperCharge speeds (over the slower 45W turbo charging in this tablet). Other than that, you’re basically getting the same battery treatment at 9200mAh.

To be fair, that’s still an increment over Xiaomi Pad 7’s 8850mAh capacity.

Out in the real world, it managed to last before the night ended.

I was able to watch 4K music videos and live performances, stream a K-Pop playlist I curated, plus type this review article. All that in around six to seven hours of usage before the tank finally drained out.

During standby, it totally lasts more than that. When I was not using it as I was in a heavy editing rush with my Mac, the tablet remained in my table for around two (2) days and the tablet still has 38% charge left.

As expected, the biggest battery drain happens when using it for gaming or other graphics-reliant tasks such as editing videos in CapCut for Reels / TikTok, doing graphics in Canva, or even post-processing heaps of stills in VSCO.

No tablet is perfect

While the Xiaomi Pad 8 looks excellent on paper, software experience kind of ruins the overall tablet experience.

The Xiaomi Pad 8, just like any other new device, possesses AI tools that are beneficial to make your tasks easier. Google’s Gemini and Circle to Search functions are also ever-present. So, what am I even ranting about?

Frankly, Xiaomi’s HyperOS already feels like an after-thought, yet it doubles-down as it’s literally just an oversized layout of what’s already running among Xiaomi, REDMI, and POCO phones.

Most Android makers have already improved and adapted towards a better tablet experience just to rival Apple’s iPad. For instance, HONOR’s MagicOS for tablets (and even phones) lets me resize folder icons the way I wanted it.

It truly bums me how Xiaomi even missed adding this feature at least to their tablets. I feel like its large screen real-estate is being wasted and not being fully-maximized.

Heck! Even its native File Manager app consists of blatant ad placement, and that’s just one. First time I witnessed this was during my time with the POCO M8 Pro when it popped-out a games ad — all disguised as a notification pop-up.

Other than software, hardware isn’t a total miss. I mean just look at the inconsistency of components used:

Storage (ROM)
8GB	UFS 3.1 (slower)
12GB	UFS 4.1 (faster)
Memory (RAM)
8GB	LPDDR5X (fast enough)
12GB	LPDDR5T (way faster)

Can we blame AI for these shortage of components and the continuous cost hike? Well, these tech giants only have a definite answer to that.

And while we’re already at it, its storage options felt limiting.

For a powerful pad like this that runs a speedy and reliable chip, the 128GB storage capacity I have isn’t enough to install games. Ultimately, it’s why I skipped testing out Zenless Zone Zero with how massive the game data is. A 512GB variant could have also been a great addition.

Lastly, while its all-metal build feels premium to the touch, you have to be wary that it’s also a huge smudge and dust magnet (or “smudg-net” in my vocab).

It might just be the subdued Pine Green colorway that I rock — which looks classy enough. I’m not sure if the same can be said when you pick either its Blue or Gray shades.

Is the Xiaomi Pad 8 your GadgetMatch?

Much like its sweet screen treat, the Xiaomi Pad 8 is a sweet deal at just EUR 449.9 (about US$ 532).

One thing’s for sure: no tablet, not even the Xiaomi Pad 8, can surpass my powerhouse that I use on a daily basis for the work I do. However, for all the strength it offers, the Xiaomi Pad 8 is a tablet you just cannot ignore.

The Xiaomi Pad 8 is a Swipe Right for all things considered: display in the Goldilock’s Zone (both in size and quality), a truly capable chip within its core, battery that lasts you until the end of the day (or two), plus host of accessories that truly make up for that “PC-level” productivity.

The only things I can think of why you need to Swipe Left are none other than Xiaomi’s plagued HyperOS and slower charging standards despite its massive battery. Other letdowns such as the glossy display, actual display tech used, and smudge-net finish are all arguable — and it may or may not entice you to own one.

Despite all that, it’s still a worthy recipient of the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval. While other brands focus too much on either entry-level or maxed-out models, Xiaomi hit the right spot not just in hardware, but also in price.

My only buying advice is to save up more and get the 256GB configuration to achieve faster storage and memory speeds, unless you will just use it as your screen companion and nothing else (I mean, it’s still your money at the end of the day).

Now, if only Xiaomi decides to deeply reflect on making the HyperOS reliant for its line of pads, it could set a solid footing on the “well-rounded” tablet throne — not just a tablet that’s great, hardware-wise.