Buzz
Not only does it possess a slim and lightweight design, but the Xiaomi Book Air 13 also features versatile flexibility, allowing comfortable usage in various postures. The latest Intel Evo certification model provided by Xiaomi appears to be very versatile, promising to be a versatile companion or mobile office for users anytime, anywhere.
Xiaomi's packaging of its products is truly exceptional, reflecting its standout features as indicated in the title of this article. Inside the cardboard box with a handle is a sturdy square-shaped paper box, neat and compact, perfectly fitting the Xiaomi Book Air 13 alongside a screen cleaning cloth. Along with the machine, the accessories include a Type-C charging cable and a short adapter converting from USB Type C to USB Type A. The charger, labeled AD651, delivers a maximum output power of 65 W, equipped with fast charging to meet the requirements of Intel Evo certification. While the snug packaging hugs the device closely, I would suggest adding a pull tab to facilitate easier removal for users, rather than having to tilt and maneuver the box with their hands.
The Xiaomi Book Air 13 measures 296.5 x 205.5 mm, with a thickness of approximately 12 mm and weighing 1.2 kg. The machine is lightweight and easy to handle, yet due to the thin layer of soft rubber coating (though very thin), coupled with its tendency to attract dirt, the gripping sensation is not entirely comfortable. The 360-degree hinge of the machine is somewhat stiff, requiring both hands to open the screen rather than being able to do so single-handedly. In my opinion, this is a drawback of the product. The underside of the product is quite sealed and compact, thanks to the large vapor chamber cooling system.
In pursuit of the necessary thinness, Xiaomi sacrifices ports that take up too much space, such as HDMI or USB Type A. The Book Air 13 model is only equipped with a 3.5 mm audio jack and 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports, accompanied by a USB Type A adapter cable. If there is a need to use multiple peripheral devices, users need to purchase an additional Thunderbolt Hub accessory. The main power button is located on the right side (when viewed from the front), slightly protruding above the surface but integrating a fingerprint reader, while on the left side, there is a magnetic charging position for the touch pen. Note that the pen is not included with the device and must be purchased separately.
If thin and light are the highlights of the Xiaomi Book Air 13, then the machine's screen is equally outstanding. Xiaomi boldly equips the product with a 13.3-inch screen, featuring an OLED E4 panel with a resolution of 2880 x 1800, pixel density of 255 ppi, refresh rate of 60 Hz, and maximum brightness of 600 nits. Not only does it have high brightness meeting VESA DisplayHDR 500 standards, but this screen also offers wide viewing angles and good color accuracy. The Xiaomi Book Air 13 covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, with a color deviation of ~ 0.33 Delta E, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 tempered glass, with an anti-fingerprint coating. My experience with this screen is excellent brightness, vibrant colors, but the anti-fingerprint layer does not function as intended. As it is a touchscreen mirror display, it can be somewhat difficult to view content in brightly lit environments.
Flexibility is noteworthy on the Xiaomi Book Air 13. Thanks to the 360-degree hinge design and touchscreen OLED display, the machine can transform quite well, offering various usage positions. Xiaomi lists 5 usage modes including regular laptop mode, top-view mode (opening the hinge 180 degrees and placing it flat on the table, viewing from above), tent mode, tablet mode, and stand mode. Overall, with customizable viewing angles, users can comfortably use the Xiaomi Book Air 13 to meet various needs.
When in laptop mode, the keyboard and touchpad are the two most frequently used components for users. The machine features a chiclet keyboard with large key surface area, 1.3 mm key travel providing a relatively comfortable typing experience, with good bounce and feedback. For dim environments, there is a white LED backlight under the keyboard, allowing for easier operation. The large glass touchpad is a clickpad type with diamond-cut metal edges, using Microsoft's Precision Touchpad technology for precise cursor control, while also supporting multi-touch gestures. At the two bottom corners of the C surface, Xiaomi has designed two small rubber feet to support the screen when users fold the machine, avoiding impact on the glass part. In addition, the bottom edge of the screen also houses the light sensor, microphones (on both sides of the Xiaomi logo), and an 8 MP resolution webcam (on the left corner).
The Xiaomi Book Air 13 featured in this article is configured with an Intel Core i7-1250U processor, 16 GB LPDDR5-5200 memory, and a 512 GB PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD. The Core i7-1250U is Intel's 12th generation 'Alder Lake' processor, featuring 10 cores (2 Performance cores and 8 Efficient cores), 12 threads, a base clock of 1.1 GHz, boost up to 4.7 GHz, 12 MB Intel Smart Cache, a 9 W Processor Base Power (PBP), and a Maximum Turbo Power (MTP) of 29 W. It is speculated that the LPDDR5 RAM is soldered directly onto the mainboard, configured in dual-channel mode, as CPU-Z software displays 8 empty RAM slots. Therefore, users of the Xiaomi Book Air 13 can replace and upgrade the SSD, but not the RAM. The device's graphics capabilities are sufficient for office tasks and light entertainment, integrated with Iris Xe GPU.
I quickly tested some benchmark software: CPU-Z scored 2329.3 in multi-core and 363.1 in single-core; BAPCo CrossMark achieved a total score of 1251, with 1259 in Productivity, 1256 in Creativity, and 1215 in Responsiveness; UL Procyon yielded 3827 points in Office Productivity, while PCMark 10 scored a total of 3574 points. I didn't have enough time to test the battery, but according to the manufacturer, the Xiaomi Book Air 13 is equipped with a 58.3 Whr battery and 65 W fast charging via the Type-C port. Xiaomi claims that in internal testing, with the screen brightness set to 150 nits, volume at 50%, keyboard backlight off, no adapter used, and Wi-Fi turned off, the device can play 1080p video for 12 hours and 20 minutes. Of course, real-world battery life will be less, but Intel Evo certification will provide peace of mind for users.
Overall, the Xiaomi Book Air 13 is a sleek and lightweight laptop, perfect for users to carry around and use for work anywhere. The device boasts a modern, elegant design, flexible hinge, and beautiful screen, catering to entertainment needs or light graphics tasks. With passive cooling using vapor chamber technology, using the device in poorly ventilated environments may cause some discomfort if placed on the lap, as well as the wrist rest. Personally, areas where the Xiaomi Book Air 13 could improve include the ability to lift the screen with one hand, removing the soft fabric coating, and including a stylus as an added bonus.
