Xiaomi gave a surprise by presenting the RedmiBook 15 as its first laptop in the Indonesian market. Carrying the same formula as various products from other categories, RedmiBook 15 is offered with quite attractive specifications but is still sold at pocket-friendly prices.
Minimalist design, wide dimensions
In terms of design, the RedmiBook 15 looks quite minimalist. There is no special accent that can characterize it compared to other laptops. You could say, the exterior tends to be plain with only the Redmi logo and the words Power Your Creativity, which are not large in size.
The dimensions of the RedmiBook 15 are quite wide. Naturally, this is a laptop with a 15.6-inch screen. The bezel around the screen is also quite large. In the closed position, the thickness of the RedmiBook 15 is about 19.9mm. It weighs 1.8 kilograms. Not heavy, but also not included in the line of light laptops.
For traveling, you need a bag with a special laptop compartment which is quite spacious, because the dimensions of the RedmiBook 15 are indeed wide. The charger itself can’t be said to be compact, but it’s still fairly reasonable for its price class.
RedmiBook 15 is dominated by plastic material wrapped in a calm Charcoal Gray color. The impression given is ordinary. It’s not premium, but it doesn’t look cheap either. The body of this laptop is a bit of a fingerprint magnet, although at first glance it is not very visible because of the dark color.
The chiclet-style keyboard of the RedmiBook 15 in my opinion is quite comfortable for everyday typing. The distance between the keys is just right, and the travel distance is still pretty cool, 1.5mm. Unfortunately this keyboard is not backlit supported. Under the keyboard, still in the middle there is a touchpad with large dimensions.
Regarding port availability, as many people talk about, the RedmiBook 15 does not have a USB-C port. Yes, it must be admitted that it is quite unfortunate. Even so, you’ll find a USB-A 2.0 port, card reader, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio, and Kensington Lock on the right, as well as two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, HDMI, and a charging port on the left.
15.6 inch Full HD screen
On paper, the RedmiBook 15 has a 15.6-inch screen with Full HD 60Hz resolution and anti-glare. At first glance it looks quite tempting, but after I tried it, the panels used tend to be less than satisfactory. The brightness level is a bit mediocre so it is not ideal for use outdoors, for example when you want to work in a cafe with a semi-outdoor concept.
One thing that is quite annoying for me is the narrow viewing angle of the screen. To be able to enjoy it optimally, your eyes must look at it parallel to the position of the screen. Otherwise, the distortion in the image will be immediately visible. The color dish is less lively.
During testing, we felt that the RedmiBook 15 screen was still okay to support light work, browsing, and watching movies. But for needs such as serious photo editing that requires good color accuracy, of course this laptop is not the answer.
One of the WFH and SFH activities that are currently often carried out is conference calls, online meetings or webinars. RedmiBook 15 has an HD 720p camera to support these activities. In addition, there are also dual microphones and 2W + 2W DTS Audio which are capable of presenting sound quite well.
The performance is quite attractive in its class
In its price class, the processor embedded in the RedmiBook 15 is among the most tempting. Yes, especially if it’s not Intel Core i3 11th gen (10nm), aka the newest generation. This processor runs at speeds up to 4.1 GHz. While the GPU is Intel UHD Graphics.
In addition, this laptop is equipped with storage in the form of a 256GB M.2 SATA SSD and 8GB DDR4 3200MHz single-channel RAM. For jobs that require less computing power, such as doing schoolwork, making presentations, or online meetings, the combination above is more than enough. Light photo or video editing is still possible, although in terms of the screen, it’s certainly not ideal.
Unfortunately the RAM on the Redmibook 15 uses an on-board system . This means that you don’t have the option of upgrading RAM in the future, nor changing it to dual-channel for maximum performance. The storage is also only one slot. If you want to upgrade, you have to replace the default SSD.
How about for gaming? To be honest, this laptop is not for you gamers. But if you only run light games like Counter Strike: Global Offensive, with low settings and 720p resolution, you can still play them comfortably at 60-80 fps.
As for power matters, the battery on the RedmiBook 15 is fairly ordinary. The staying power can reach around 8-9 hours with our wearing style. Meanwhile, when charging, it takes approximately 2 hours to be fully charged.
Affordable laptops for online school
RedmiBook 15 is a very attractive option if you are looking for a cheap laptop for purposes such as online school, or work that does not require other heavy computing. The price is competitive, and the specifications are okay.
Not a perfect product, but it will look tempting if you are lucky to be able to buy it at a promotional price of Rp. 5,999,000. If you have to pay the normal price, Rp. 6,999,000, I think the offer looks normal. Please note that this laptop has immediately adopted Windows 10 Home, but there is no Office yet.
For those who are interested, the RedmiBook 15 is available offline at the Authorized Mi Store and online at Mi.com and the official Xiaomi Indonesia store. Consumers can also order the RedmiBook 15 through the Mi Store and Mi Shop From Home.
RedmiBook 15 is suitable for:
- Students/Students: To support online learning activities, RedmiBook 15 can be an ideal device. The performance is agile, the screen is wide, and the price is pocket-friendly.
- Employees on WFH: If you are an office worker who uses a laptop to complete daily work at home, the RedmiBook 15 is worth considering. For online meeting needs, it’s quite okay.
- Users who are always mobile: The dimensions are quite slim, the weight is not too heavy, and the battery is quite good, making the RedmiBook 15 still ideal for carrying outside the home. Provided, do not use in the sun because the screen is not bright enough.
Pros of RedmiBook 15:
- The latest generation of processors, one of the fastest in its price class
- RAM is 8 GB DDR4
- Widescreen, Full HD resolution
- Comfortable keyboard for fast typing
- Availability of ports is quite complete
- The speaker is supported by DTS Audio
- Pocket friendly price
Disadvantages of RedmiBook 15:
- The body becomes a fingerprint magnet
- Screen brightness level is not high enough
- The screen display decreases when viewed from different angles
- Keyboard without backlit
- There is no option to upgrade RAM or make it dual-channel
- The default storage is still a SATA SSD, it will be more tempting if it’s NVMe
- It would be more interesting if it had a USB-C port
| Specification | RedmiBook 15 |
| Screen | 15.6 inch Full HD 60Hz |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 11th gen (10nm) |
| Graphics Card | Intel UHD Graphics |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD SATA |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Connectivity | WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Port | HDMI 1.4, USB 3.2 Gen1 x 2, USB 2.0, Kunci Kensington, Ethernet RJ45, Output Audio Digital Optik, Jack headphone 3.5 mm, slot SD card |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| Color | Charcoal Gray |
