The POCO Pad M1听plays the multimedia tablet balancing act听听
POCO听has been known for听finding the sweet spot between听specs, features, and pricing.听The听new听POCO听Pad M1听tries to walk听the line between听the two听use cases of a full-sized tablet: content consumption and content creation.听It鈥檚听a balancing act that a manufacturer听like POCO听has been known to execute听well听with its phones.听But does it succeed with its听newest听tablet?听
At first glance,听the听hardware gives the impression of a more premium device with its all-metal build. Whether you hold it in vertical or landscape orientation, handling the unit is a cinch because of its finely rounded edges. Putting it in a case is optional.听
When it comes to the case design, POCO听went for the minimalist route with just the brand鈥檚听big yet still understated typeface听logo听the back.听The only other prominent feature at the back is the rear camera lens and LED light听which are mounted on听a slightly raised platform.听The quad听stereo听speakers are听optimally mounted for听landscape use.听With听support for听Dolby Atmos, the听speakers deliver the goods when it comes to sound quality.听It can get pretty loud with minimal distortion at听near听max volume.听There’s听still a听dedicated headphone jack near the charging port听for those who want to听use听a wired headset.听听
With its 16:10听screen ratio,听it鈥檚听definitely a听multi-media centric tablet.听At 12.1 inches,听it鈥檚听suited听for听watching marathon听movie听and听TV听show sessions听as well.听Browsing, reading听ebooks, comics, and graphic novels听is a听satisfying听experience on听the听2.5K听resolution听IPS LCD听panel with a max brightness of 600听nits. Packed with a听12,000听mAh听battery, the tablet听lasts听long enough for more than half a day听of mixed usage. Ultrafast charging听would鈥檝e听been ideal for a听tablet听this size but with 33W charging, expect around 3 hours to charge from听zero to full.听
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset听plus the 8GB ram听keeps everything, well,听snappy听with ample storage space with 256GB onboard with the听option听to听add up to听2TB expandable memory.听When used for gaming,听Pad M1 users can expect听to听crank听everything听up听to medium听settings听for听most graphics-heavy games.听听
As a stand-in for a laptop, the tablet works best with an add-on keyboard. You听can听adequately perform听most tasks such as听writing听emails,听content creation听for social media,听editing online听documents,听and even mobile-based graphics and video editing.听Main connectivity is only via Wi-Fi6听so you have to keep that in mind听when taking the tablet out for internet-heavy tasks.听听
At 610g, the tablet is easy to toss and lug around. Even without a case, the matte finish of the rear metal panel makes gripping it with one or two hands easier. The rear is resistant as well to smudges. Another听must-have听accessory听should be听the POCO Smart Pen which can be听purchased听separately. We听didn鈥檛听have a unit during the review period but听on paper,听it鈥檚听an ideal drawing and sketching companion with 4,096-level pressure sensitivity and 240hz touch sampling听rate.听
On the software side, the tablet runs听Xiaomi听HyperOS听v2.0.听There鈥檚听practically no听bloatware with only essential apps installed.听Apart from standard Google apps, Gemini is also pre-installed to provide听basic听AI-features.听
The POCO Pad M1 is now available at POCO鈥檚 official Shopee store for P12,999 (launch price) until Dec. 9 with a free keyboard/case bundle. SRP is P15,999. 鈥 Ed G.听Geronia听Jr.听听
