After Mi Notebook Air, Xiaomi gunning for the lightest notebook with magnesium-lithium chassis

Mid-way last year, Xiaomi had a surprising announcement to make after a number of rumours and leaks. The Chinese smartphone maker launched its very own Microsoft Windows-powered laptop called the Mi Notebook Air challenging Apple's now-ageing MacBook Air.It was announced in two variants a 13.3-inch variant and a 12.5-inch variant, both with latest hardware really slim and modern designs. While the features were impressive and the 13-inch model did weigh in at 1.28kg, Xiaomi for some reason does not seem too happy with this.According to report from Taiwan's Digitimes, the Chinese internet company is now working on a new laptop that should literally help it break a record. Xiaomi is expected to launch a new notebook in 2017 featuring a chassis made of magnesium-lithium alloy.The chassis that is made of this exotic material will exclusively be produced by a China-based joint-venture established by Taiwan-based thermal management solution provider TaiSol Electronics and Japan-based ShinSho. Inventec will produce the laptop according to sources in the supply chain.What makes magnesium-lithium alloy so special? Well it weighs less and is also very sturdy compared to current offerings. A chassis made using magnesium-lithium alloy is 75 percent lighter in weight compared to aluminium which is currently used in laptops these days. Magnesium-lithium alloy is also 50 percent lighter than a magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis.Digitimes claims that the only drawback with magnesium-lithium alloy is its price which should make it an expensive affair for Xiaomi. Whatever Xiaomi is up to, it better keep the new Fujitsu LifeBook U937/P in mind. The recently announced laptop weighs in at just 799 grams and is 15.5mm thick with a new Kaby Lake chip inside.