Xiaomi said to be working on laptop to compete in the PC market

Xiaomi may be only about 5 years old, but it is certainly no amateur in the tech industry. The Chinese startup has managed to take its home country’s top spot by making great devices, undercutting its competitors’ prices and taking advantage of social media to enforce their brand. These guys are also no strangers to spreading their influence; they make smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, wearables, power banks, headphones and even air purifiers.

If the latest reports are to hold true, their next endeavor may involve a laptop. “People with direct knowledge of the matter” state Xiaomi is considering its first portable PC, and likely introducing it early in 2016. The sources go on to mention the startup has been in talks with Samsung, which could possibly partner up with them to supply memory chips. Furthermore, this relation could extend to display distribution later on.

Aside from being the #1 Chinese smartphone maker, Xiaomi happens to be the 4th largest mobile vendor in the world. This could pose a great business opportunity for the Galaxy maker. Especially considering Xiaomi’s ongoing success in the market. The company sells out their inventories wherever it goes, so there is some good cash to be made here.

That’s all internal business talk for now, though. What’s more intriguing (and very uncertain) is what Xiaomi’s computer influence in the market could pose for large competitors like Apple, Google and Microsoft (as well as all applicable partners). Xiaomi is no small contender, and if this laptop is to become a reality, we are sure it will be packed with great hardware, a stunning design and a price point that will be hard for anyone to beat.

Sure, Xiaomi doesn’t yet have the name to take these guys down quickly (at least outside of China), but they are known for their patience, and they might get there eventually. What matters here is that they would be stepping into the PC market with both feet in.

Also, which operating system would they use? I doubt it will be Android, but there is always a chance. If I was to place a bet, I would probably say they are likely to work with Windows or Linux.

Would you buy a Xiaomi laptop?

We can sit here and talk about the possibilities all we want, but the real question is whether you would buy this rumored laptop or not (given that it meets your needs). I say they have a good chance at taking my money, at the very least.

Knowing Xiaomi, they will likely release something similar to Apple’s notebooks, but with a much, much lower price. On the other hand, we have Google’s Chrome OS devices. These are affordable too, but Chrome OS still has limitations that keep many of us from adopting the web-based OS as a daily driver. Windows laptops would probably have a better chance at competing, but I still think Xiaomi can make something that is truly hard to put down.

Only time will tell. Until then, I will just keep my credit card ready. Will you?