These MacBook Pro imitators are cheap as chips

We told you earlier in the week about the rumoured arrival of the RedmiBook Pro which has a certain Apple vibe to it. Now the range is official, with the RedmiBook Pro costing between $728 / £517 / $AU918 and $976 / £693 / $AU1,231. That is a truly remarkable price for what is a reasonably well-specced machine. 

There are two sizes, as the model numbers suggest. The RedmiBook Pro 14 has a 14-inch 2.5k resolution display and the 15-inch model has a 3.2k resolution panel. All the models have 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. It’s interesting to note that the 14-inch model’s display is locked to 60hz while the 15-inch version has a variable refresh rate between 60 and 90hz. 

Originally there were rumours that AMD processors would be available too. This doesn’t seem to be the case now, which makes some sense as one of the major selling points here is the Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. This tech is very often tied to Intel processors, although it’s entirely possible for AMD to support it at some point. 

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There’s also the choice of GPU which can either be Intel’s Iris Xe or Nvidia’s MX 450. The difference in price is about $80, depending on the machine, and opting for Nvidia’s solution will give you improved GPU performance. Which model you pick will depend a lot on what you’re using the machine for. It won’t be ideal for gaming, but video editors might prefer the dedicated GPU from Nvidia. 

However, with Thunderbolt 4 you do also get the option of using a full-size GPU in an external case for when you’re docked at your desk. This gives a powerful option to have a great on-the-go machine that has a decent amount of horsepower for games. Don’t expect desktop performance, but the option might be attractive for some. 

The big question, of course, is about availability outside China. The UK store, for example, does not currently sell laptops. You could obtain one from a site like AliExpress if you were feeling brave, but that would also require you pay import duties and wait a decent amount of time for it to make its way over on a boat. Perhaps if interest was strong enough Xiaomi would consider selling these machines here. You can always find something to suit your wallet though, check out our best laptops under £500 guide for more info. 

The 14-inch RedmiBook Pro goes on sale on March 4, the RedmiBook 15 Pro on March 15. 

Source: Notebookcheck