POCO Pad C1: A Redmi Pad 2 Rebrand With a Clear Price Play
The POCO Pad C1 has been officially unveiled as a budget Android tablet, and it is essentially a rebranded Redmi Pad 2 9.7 positioned at an aggressive entry price. The Wi‑Fi‑only slate comes in two configurations: 4GB RAM with 64GB storage at USD 139 (approx. RM650) and 6GB RAM with 128GB storage at USD 179 (approx. RM840). This budget tablet at USD 139 is clearly tuned to appeal to students, casual streamers, and first‑time tablet buyers looking for an affordable Android tablet without cutting too many corners on the screen and software. By leveraging existing Redmi hardware under the POCO branding, Xiaomi can shorten development cycles and reuse proven designs while tailoring marketing towards performance‑ and value‑oriented audiences. The Pad C1 quietly appearing on Xiaomi’s global website underscores a strategy of soft launches and regional positioning rather than big‑bang flagship reveals.
POCO Pad C1 Specs: 120Hz Display Tablet Meets Snapdragon 6s
On paper, the POCO Pad C1 offers one of the stronger spec sheets in its price tier. The tablet features a 9.7‑inch IPS panel with 2K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 180Hz touch sampling, putting it firmly in 120Hz display tablet territory. Typical brightness reaches 500 nits with an outdoor mode up to 600 nits, and the screen carries TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue light, flicker‑free performance, and circadian‑friendly tuning. Powering this Snapdragon 6s tablet is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 chipset built on a 4nm process, paired with up to 6GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage. A microSD slot allows expansion up to 2TB, giving ample room for media and apps. While the Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 is not a gaming powerhouse, it should comfortably handle browsing, streaming, and productivity tasks for the target audience.
Battery, Cameras, and Everyday Experience on a Budget Tablet
Battery life is a core part of the POCO Pad C1’s value proposition. The tablet houses a 7,600mAh cell with support for 18W wired charging, although the in‑box adapter is rated at 15W. Xiaomi claims the capacity is enough for long video sessions and roughly a day and a half of mixed use, which aligns with its role as an entertainment and study companion. The camera setup is intentionally basic: an 8MP rear sensor and a 5MP front camera, both capable of 1080p and 720p video at 30fps. These are tuned for video calls and casual captures rather than serious photography. Dual speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Wi‑Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, and support for common audio codecs round out the core experience, reinforcing the Pad C1 as an everyday, affordable Android tablet rather than an aspiring laptop replacement.
HyperOS 3, AIoT Hooks, and POCO’s Global Tablet Strategy
POCO ships the Pad C1 with HyperOS 3 based on the latest Android foundation, bringing a modern software layer to the budget segment. HyperOS 3 adds ecosystem‑centric features such as call sync across devices and Circle to Search, and is clearly designed to tie phones, tablets, and other AIoT gear into a unified experience. By reusing the Redmi Pad 2 9.7 hardware and rebranding it as the POCO Pad C1, Xiaomi can target different user personas while expanding its tablet footprint globally. The pricing and specifications place it squarely against other budget Android tablets that often compromise on display quality or storage. Instead, POCO emphasizes a high‑refresh screen, large battery, and expandable storage as key differentiators. This strategy suggests POCO sees tablets not just as standalone products, but as gateways into a broader AIoT ecosystem built around HyperOS and Snapdragon‑powered devices.