When you look at the traditional laptop market, the most common problem faced by an average Indian consumer is affordability. Over the years, laptops have gotten better but the cost of owning these machines is too high for many Indians. The added cost of laptops alongside high tuition fees, especially during the pandemic when online classes are the only solution, could drain your savings. For someone who is not financially strong but wants the best possible entry-level laptop, the Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition presents itself as a good option. This variant of the Mi Notebook 14, which is primarily designed for students, is affordable and costs only Rs 36,999. I have been using this notebook every day for almost a week, and I haven’t thought of going back to my Surface Pro. For most people though, it does the job and it’s worth every penny.
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition review: What’s new?
The Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition is a showcase of how to make an entry-level laptop that genuinely feels premium. The laptop has an all-metal body with an anodised sandblasted coating as opposed to a plastic shell used by the competition on budget notebooks. My review unit was in silver, and it had no logos or Mi branding on the display lid. I wouldn’t say the Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition is an ultrabook of sorts, but is much lighter and more compact than most laptops in this price range. In fact, at around 1.5kg and 17.95mm thick, it is certainly lightweight and slim. I found the Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition great for travelling and long commutes. It’s not just eye-catching, but also ideal for both work and travel, and fits easily to backpacks. As for ports, the notebook has two USB 3.1 ports, one USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm audio port. It lacks an SD card leader, though.
It’s not just eye-catching, but also ideal for both work and travel, and fits easily to backpacks. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition review: What’s good?
On the inside is a 14-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The 14-inch display is spacious, ideal for browsing the web, watching movies, or working on presentations. The display is bright even at 50 per cent, something I was not expecting from a laptop as affordable as this. The anti-glare coating does a good job of keeping reflections under check. The screen has narrow bezels on three sides, but the bottom bezel is still relatively thick. On the plus side, Xiaomi finally figured out how to add a webcam in the top screen bezel. Its 720p webcam isn’t quite impressive in low light, but otherwise, it’s perfectly fine for attending online classes or video calls. Audio quality from the notebook’s stereo speakers is excellent. They get really loud and deliver a balanced sound than you’d expect for entry-level machines.
The display is bright even at 50 per cent, something I was not expecting from a laptop as affordable as this. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition’s keyboard is exceptionally comfortable, and I enjoyed typing on it. The keys are larger and key travel is decent, though it’s not backlit. The trackpad is smooth and accurate, but it could have been slightly wider.
The notebook is powered by Intel’s 10th generation Core i3 processor coupled with 8GB RAM and 256GB solid-state drive. For the most part, Xiaomi’s budget laptop is more than adequate for my most basic deals. It’s exactly the machine I wanted — affordable yet powerful. My requirements are fairly basic. Whether I want to watch a YouTube video, browse the internet, write an email, or edit a story on Google Docs, I have found the Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition powerful for that.
The keys are larger and key travel is decent, though it’s not backlit. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
I used this laptop, every single day and spent hours on it. On a typical workday, I open the following apps: WhatsApp Web, Apple Music, and a window open with 15 to 16 Chrome taps. The performance didn’t slow down, and the laptop never froze or stuttered. Ideally, if you are using the Mi Notebook 14 for everyday tasks like attending online classes, editing photos or videos, web browsing, or writing assignments, you will find this notebook very responsive. But if you want a laptop for playing AAA games and editing professional videos, then in that case you might want to look elsewhere.
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The Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition has a decent-sized 46 watt-hour battery. Xiaomi claims the laptop should get 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. In our tests, however, it lasted close to 7 hours, based on the tasks I have mentioned above. With standard usage, I think you’ll likely be able to get an hour more of battery life than I did.
I wouldn’t say the Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition is an ultrabook of sorts, but is much lighter and more compact than most laptops in this price range. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition review: What’s bad?
The laptop ticks all boxes and does not have any major disadvantages given the price point.
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition review: Should you buy it?
Absolutely. The Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition is compact and light, its 1080p is bright and colourful, it’s fast, and even has an excellent keyboard and trackpad. And somehow, the laptop is affordable and accessible at Rs 36,999. After using the laptop for a week, I am happy with the Mi Notebook 14’s performance. If you are buying a laptop for your kid and cost is important for you, the Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition can be a great option. It is a good value for money, provided the machine is designed to deliver basic laptop needs.
6 min read
It’s not just eye-catching, but also ideal for both work and travel, and fits easily to backpacks. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The display is bright even at 50 per cent, something I was not expecting from a laptop as affordable as this. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/
The keys are larger and key travel is decent, though it’s not backlit. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
I wouldn’t say the Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition is an ultrabook of sorts, but is much lighter and more compact than most laptops in this price range. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
