This can even keep up with the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 in the single-core tests, but the four cores of Intel's new eighth-generation chip play on their assets in the multi-core benchmark and easily outpace the i7-7500U. Out of pure curiosity, we also included the HP Envy with the previous CPU version, the Intel Core i7-7500U, in our comparison table. However, all laptops (except for the HP Spectre x360) lie within the narrow margin of between 162 and 170 points. Both have results that are significantly higher than the average result of all i7-8550U devices tested by Notebookcheck. Compared to other Intel Core i7-8550U CPUs, the Xiaomi's performance is right at the front, together with that of the Acer Spin 5. The slim case of the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro means that a good cooling system is vital if you want this performance to be consistent.Ī look at the Cinebench R15 Single test shows that the device performs splendidly in single-core use, as one might expect from the i7-8550U due to its high clock rate of 4 GHz. In turbo mode, the clock rate increases to 4 GHz and, for 28 seconds, performance is boosted to 44 watts. The TDP of the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7 is set to 15 watts by default. So what are the differences between these two processors and how is the Intel Core i7-8550U faster or better? A look at the specification sheets of the quad-core chips shows that the Intel Core i5-8250U clocks between 1.6 and 3.4 GHz, while the base clock rate of the i7-8550U is a little higher at 1.8 GHz. The results of our tests are very similar. The included webcam is not particularly impressive and reaches its limits even when photographing text or during simple video communication in good lighting.ĭisplayThe 15.6-inch display (NV156FHM-N61) has an FHD resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and is identical to that of the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5. Comparable models such as the MacBook or the Dell XPS seem to be more resistant in this regard. One thing we already noticed on the i5 version is that the surface shows scratches and other signs of use quite quickly. Unfortunately, the only available color is a slightly boring gray. The feel of the aluminum case is good, and it gives the impression of high quality.
The case is not constructed as a unibody case but as a pressed metal case with a reinforced magnesium frame on the inside. As all other features such as case, connectivity and display are identical, we will focus on the expected improved performance in this review.Ĭase & ConnectivityAs the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7-8550U has the same build as the i5 model, we can only repeat our praise from November. In addition to this, you will need to consider delivery, import tax and currency fluctuations.īut first let us take a look at the test results of the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7 with the stronger Intel Core i7-8550U. If you are interested in the i7 model with 16 GB of RAM, you will have to hand over $1150. We were also convinced by the device's price: While the online price for the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5-8250U (8 GB RAM + 256 GB SSD) currently lies at around $930, the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7-8550U with 8 GB of RAM costs a bit more at around $1000.
On the other hand, we were happy to note the good battery runtimes, mainly silent operation under normal load, the bright, high-contrast display and the well-dimensioned Harman Infinity speaker that cannot quite keep up with the sound quality of the MacBook, but it can still produce a nice, high-quality sound. We had to criticize the missing Thunderbolt port, the slow SD card reader and the M.2 slots that are connected with only two lanes. The design and quality of the aluminum case can be directly compared to the cases of Apple's MacBook Pro 15, the Asus ZenBook UX550 or the Dell XPS series, although the surface seems to be more prone to signs of wear. We have already reviewed the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5-8250U and were quite pleased with it.