Xiaomi Released Redmi Pad 2 With Legacy CPU Cores
The new tablet pairs a 120-Hz display with a processor architecture dating back to 2012.
Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in Consumer Electronics
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Xiaomi has released the Redmi Pad 2 9.7, a new tablet featuring a 120-Hz display. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 chipset, which utilizes legacy CPU architectures.
Why it matters
The release highlights the trend of repurposing established, cost-effective silicon architectures into modern manufacturing processes to power budget-tier consumer electronics.
The tablet uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2, which combines 2016 Cortex-A73 performance cores and 2012 Cortex-A53 efficiency cores. This architecture is fabricated on a 6-nanometer process node.
The players
Xiaomi
A consumer electronics manufacturer known for its portfolio of smartphones, tablets, and internet-of-things devices.
Qualcomm
A global semiconductor firm that designs and supplies wireless telecommunications and mobile processor systems.
The details
The Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 chipset leverages a hybrid approach by taking older central processing unit (CPU) designs—the primary component that executes computer instructions—and porting them to a modern 6-nanometer process, a method of printing transistors on silicon. The 2016 Cortex-A73 architecture handles performance tasks, while the 2012 Cortex-A53 cores manage power-efficient operations. These older designs are paired with a 9.7-inch display featuring a 120-Hz refresh rate.
Timeline
2012: The Cortex-A53 architecture was introduced.
2016: The Cortex-A73 architecture was introduced.
Late 2025: The Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 chipset was released to the market.
The Tech Race
The use of the Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 positions the Redmi Pad 2 as a budget-conscious entry in the competitive tablet market. This strategy follows a established trend of extending the lifecycle of proven CPU architectures to minimize development costs for mid-tier mobile hardware.
Users can expect a 120-Hz display experience, which provides smoother visual transitions and scrolling compared to standard 60-Hz tablets. However, the use of legacy processor architecture means performance in intensive applications may be limited compared to devices using current-generation silicon.
The takeaway
This tablet demonstrates that visual fluidity is now achievable in low-cost hardware through high-refresh-rate displays, even when paired with aging internal processing cores. Watch for future benchmarks comparing these 14-year-old architecture variants against modern entry-level mobile chips.
Further reading
For more on industry hardware developments, visit the Consumer Electronics section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Notebookcheck.
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