Xiaomi’s notebook line the Mi Notebook Air 13 & 12 series got a refresh in June this year. The Mi Notebook Air 13.3 version now comes with a Kaby Lake i5 7200U which translates in my testing to around 14% more CPU performance in Geekbench 4or a Core i7 7500U which is slightly faster again. And a new Nvidia MX150 dedicated GPU with 2GB of Samsung DDR5 RAM. This GPU is based on the newest 16nm Pascal architecture which is a big improvement over the last gen 28nm GPU. This translates to around 30% faster performance (based on Cinebench R15) than last years Nvidia 940MX. The notebook now has an included a fingerprint reader within touchpad. The rest of the design remains exactly the same.
The SSD is either a Samsung 128GB SATA drive, or a 256GB NVMe Samsung PM961 (Like the Samsung 960 Evo) A very quick SSD, so if you don’t want to be limited by SATA3 SSD storage speeds, make sure you go for the 256GB model. The wireless chipset is also different, Intel’s dual band Wireless AC 8265, instead of the 8260 chip in the 2016 model. Honestly, I doubt this will make much of a difference.
So what about the main issue of the 2016 Mi Notebook 13, thermals and fan noise? Sadly, no real change here as you’ll see in the below-detailed video review. It still peaks up to 52 degrees C to the touch, just above the keyboard where the exhaust vent for the CPU and GPU cooler is.
Review time codes:
00:23 – Specs
00:46 – Design
04:32 – Loudspeaker test
04:56 – Webcam sample
05:25 – Screen & 4k vid test
07:32 – Windows & devices
09:41 – Fingerprint reader
09:53 – Benchmarks
12:04 – 4k video editing
13:04 – Battery life
14:09 – Charge times
14:53 – Gaming
15:28 – Thermals
16:54 – Fan noise
17:33 – Pros & Cons + Final words
Review screenshots:
Spec reviewed:
Intel Core i5 7200U
8GB DDR4 2133 RAM
Nvidia MX150 2GB DDR5
256GB NVMe Samsung PM961
Intel Wireless AC 8265
Windows 10 Home
Type-C USB 3.1
USB 3.0 x 2, HDMI out
39Wh Battery
1.3 kilos & 13.6mm thin
Final word:
The Mi Notebook Air 13 2017 edition is a fantastic notebook, it’s very quick, much faster than the 2016 model especially if you look at the GPU. It can handle most tasks with ease and even play some AAA 2017 titles like Battlefield 1 with playable frame rates. The GPU performance surprises, the SSD in the 256GB model is crazy fast thanks to the Samsung NVMe drive used.
End of the day, the refresh is a welcomed upgrade to the Mi Notebook Air 13, pushing the limits of what this small form factor can offer. It’s just a shame Xiaomi didn’t make any changes like offering up a 16GB RAM or most importantly improving the cooling. 52 degrees C to the touch after a 1-hour gaming session isn’t good at all, if you do plan to game on it, make sure you prop it up at least or better yet invest in a laptop cooler.
$739 with coupon MIAIR13NEW
Blackburn
Looks great, huge GPU improvement is great. But what are Xiaomi doing not improving the cooling solution in this thin laptop? is there nothing the can do to improve it? Can we undervolt and clock down the CPU to help when gaming? And is it hot like that when not gaming, for example watching a 1080p video?
Chris G
Use a laptop stand with a fan (AKA laptop cooler) will improve the surface temps greatly. Undervolting is an option too.
LaniaKea
Its psysics, if you want a very thin laptop topping around 40 degrees, then you can get there by thrttoling like there is no tommorow like we see on some and there perform awfull after the first few seconds, but if you wanne see at laptop there perform impressiv then you will encounter heat just around 50degrees and thats pretty much the scenario on close to all very thin ultrabooks with this level of effect..
the mi air are 13 are pretty much on call with all the competitors in that regard, at least the 940MX.
here is an overview all the others 940MX being reviewed and benched, and while many of those got up to 4GB DDR5 Vram and 16GB, and I7 dual core, the Mi air13 certainly perform right up there on fx Firestrike values. (Im getting 2234 in firestrike and that pretty impressiv for an last years chipset i5 6200U with just 1GB DDR5 vram
http://i.imgur.com/QhwNPhe.png
to put it into context many of lenovo thinkpad line’ with likewise specs, those tops out around 56 degrees on the keyboard in thermal test on notebookreviewcheck. (but also perform impressiv in computing effect)
same with the x360 spectre also above 50degrees on keyboard under hard load.
I think it simply a call from Xiaomi, either they could have handicap the effect massively with a harsh limit of thttoling, – or make it like it is, where its pretty much top of the charts in 940MX segment amongst way newer ultrabook many times the price,,
I think Xiaomi at least for now, have made the righ decision of the heat level. (ideelly you dont want heat, but its psysics and if you want the effect in this insane tjin formfactor you have to deal with it..