Xiaomi Book Air: A Potential MacBook Air Rival on the Horizon

Xiaomi is reportedly developing a new lightweight laptop, dubbed the Book Air, aiming to compete directly with Apple’s MacBook Air in terms of portability and performance. The device, inspired by the MacBook Air’s design philosophy, is expected to weigh around 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds), significantly lighter than many comparable laptops currently on the market.

Design and Weight: Prioritizing Portability

The Xiaomi Book Air is positioned as a flagship laptop, emphasizing a blend of high-end specifications and a remarkably lightweight build. Most laptops in this category typically weigh between 1.2 and 1.4 kilograms, while the 13-inch MacBook Air weighs 1.24 kg. Xiaomi’s target of approximately 1 kilogram would make the Book Air one of the lightest laptops in its class.

Performance and Specifications

Despite its lightweight design, the Xiaomi Book Air is expected to deliver robust performance. The laptop is rumored to be powered by Intel’s Panther Lake series processors, specifically the Core Ultra 5 325 and Ultra X7 358H chips. The Ultra X7 358H is a particularly powerful processor, catering to users with demanding workloads.

The Book Air is too anticipated to feature 24 or 32 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, exceeding the standard memory configurations often found in laptops. Storage will likely be a 1 TB SSD, offered as standard across all versions, foregoing smaller 256 GB or 512 GB options.

Connectivity and Features

While specific details regarding ports and other features remain scarce, the focus on a premium build suggests a high-quality display and a stylish design. The inclusion of advanced features to complement the powerful processor and ample memory is also expected.

Pricing and Availability

The pricing for the Xiaomi Book Air is currently unknown, but given its premium specifications, it is expected to fall within the range of 8,000 to 12,000 yuan (approximately 30,000 to 44,000 crowns). The release date has not yet been announced.

Xiaomi’s Continued Inspiration from Apple

This move aligns with Xiaomi’s recent trend of drawing inspiration from Apple’s product design and naming conventions. The company notably skipped the “16” designation in its Xiaomi 17 series to align with the iPhone 17 series, demonstrating a clear intention to position its products alongside Apple’s offerings.

As of February 24, 2026, Xiaomi is expected to unveil the Book Air, alongside the Xiaomi 17 series, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, which runs from March 2 to March 5.