Xiaomi unveils new laptop targeting Apple's MacBook Pro

Xiaomi's Mi Notebook Pro is targeting Apple's MacBook Pro.Facebook/ xiaomiglobal

While Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi is probably best known for its affordable smartphones, the company has also been making cheap laptops targeting users of Apple's famous MacBook line. Last year, the company released the Mi Notebook Air, which took a shot at Apple's MacBook Air in both name and design. This year, Xiaomi is setting its sights on the MacBook Pro with the announcement of the Mi Notebook Pro.

The Mi Notebook Pro was revealed during Xiaomi's recent product showcase. The laptop runs Windows 10 and has a 15.6-inch screen with 1920 x1080 display resolution and narrow bezels. It has Intel's latest quad-core i7 processor and can be fitted with up to 16 GB of memory, 1 TB of solid state drive storage, and Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics.

With that much power under its hood, Xiaomi had to be creative when it came to the laptop's cooling system to make sure it will not overheat. The company designed a special cooling system for the laptop, with extra-large heat pipes and symmetrically positioned dual fans to remove heat from the unit.

The laptop's precision trackpad has a built-in fingerprint sensor, and its keyboard can be backlit. The Mi Notebook Pro has a larger keyboard compared to the MacBook Pro, making room for more function keys. It also has specially designed concave key caps to give a better typing experience.

For connectivity, it features a 3-in-1 card reader, two USB-C ports, two regular USB ports, and an HDMI port.

The physical design of the laptop looks very similar to the MacBook's minimalist philosophy. During the new laptop's unveiling, the company introduced its features in comparison with those of the MacBook Pro.

The new Mi Notebook Pro is priced at 6,399 Chinese Yuan, which is around $980. It is not clear yet when the laptop will be made available outside China.