Emerging from the crazy hoverboard trend comes a two-wheeler on a league of its own. Ninebot easily wow-ed us all with their smooth riding duo: Ninebot Mini (also called the Xiaomi Mini in China) & Ninebot Mini Pro (international version).

Priced at $899 (Mini) and $1199 (Mini Pro), the most common question we encounter would be “What is the difference between the two?”, “Why would I pay $300 more for the Pro version?”

Here’s why:

SPEED & RANGE

The Ninebot Mini (Xiaomi) gives a respectable speed of 16km/h and a distance of about 20km (almost as far as an average electric scooter). For a self-balancing two-wheeler, that’s pretty impressive. As for the Ninebot Mini Pro, you are getting a speed of 18km/h and almost 10km more in range. Though 2km/h faster does not sound significant, we could actually feel quite a difference when riding. If you plan on just using the two-wheeler around your neighbourhood area, you can stick to the Mini (Xiaomi) version. However, if you are a tad more adventurous and would like go exploring with your new ride, the extra 10km definitely comes in handy. Another advantage of a bigger battery capacity would be not having to charge as often.

PORTABILITY & STABILITY

One of the main features of the Ninebot Mini & Mini Pro is the steering bar in the middle. To maneuver left and right, the rider simply needs to lean his knee against the steering rod.

Compared to a standard hoverboard (aka. Deux Cruiser/ Segway with no handlebars), which turns according to the tilting of one’s feet, the Ninebot Minis feel a lot more stable and less prone to any sudden movements.

The Ninebot Mini (Xiaomi) has a steering bar with a fixed height. Therefore if you are taller then the average asian (around 1.7m/5.57ft), turning may feel less natural with the bar below knee level. Whereas for the Pro version, the steering bar’s height can easily be adjusted to optimise one’s comfort.

Weighing almost 13kg, having to carry these two-wheelers around can be a pretty daunting task. This is where the convenience of the Ninebot Mini Pro’s trolley function comes in. The ability to extend the trolley handle all the way to near-waist level makes the Ninebot Mini Pro easy to manoeuvre around even when you are not riding it.

WARRANTY

At the moment, the Ninebot Mini Pro comes with a 1 year factory covered warranty. The Ninebot Mini (Xiaomi) has an in-house 6 months warranty from the Singapore distributor FALCON PEV. Both warranties cover all electrical faults but not consumable parts.

SO, IS THE UPGRADE WORTH THE EXTRA $300?

Well if you ask us, we think the convenience of the trolley bar is definitely tempting. That plus the 10km extra I get in range, slight boost in top speed, and extended warranty, I would say “YES! Go for the Ninebot Mini Pro!” However, if you are little tight on your budget or just don’t want to spend too much on your new personal transport, the Ninebot Mini (Xiaomi) is already a premium ride on its own.