Acer ES Series 4 Select vs Xiaomi 4 Pro - Mid-Range Commuter Showdown or Just Two Safe Bets?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The Xiaomi 4 Pro edges out as the better overall scooter for most riders, mainly thanks to its more refined chassis, stronger real-world range, better tyres and a more mature ownership ecosystem. It feels like the more polished, thought-through product, even if it doesn't chase crazy performance.

The Acer ES Series 4 Select fights back with front suspension, turn signals as standard and a friendlier price, making it a decent choice if comfort on rougher city streets and safety features matter more than brand heritage or app slickness.

Choose the Xiaomi if you want a solid "buy once, ride for years" commuter; pick the Acer if you're budget-sensitive, ride slower, and like the idea of suspension plus a big-name PC brand behind you. Now let's dig into how they actually feel on the road.

Keep reading - the devil, and your future commute, are in the details.

Electric scooters have grown up. What used to be flimsy toys are now serious commuter tools, and both the Acer ES Series 4 Select and Xiaomi 4 Pro sit right in that "I actually need this to work every day" category. On paper they look similar: mid-range price, grown-up looks, sensible speeds, decent range. In practice, they take very different routes to the same office car park.

The Acer comes across as the diligent commuter: decent power, real suspension, strong brakes, and turn signals that scream "I'm trying to be a responsible adult here." The Xiaomi plays the smooth operator: better battery, self-sealing tyres, more polished design, and the kind of refinement you only get after several generations of trial and error.

I've put kilometres on both in typical European city abuse: bike lanes, cobblestones, wet paint, surprise potholes and the odd enthusiastic sprint away from traffic lights. They're both competent, neither is perfect, and which one you should buy depends heavily on how - and where - you ride. Let's unpack it.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

Both scooters live in that crowded mid-range commuter segment: fast enough for daily use, not wild enough to terrify your insurer, and still light enough that you can just about carry them without needing a gym membership.

The Acer ES Series 4 Select targets riders who want something safer and a bit more comfortable than the entry-level rental-style scooters. Think office workers and students who value turn signals, suspension and a familiar tech brand more than they care about hitting max speed everywhere.

The Xiaomi 4 Pro is aimed at the more serious commuter who expects to do longer distances regularly and cares about things like tyre tech, app quality, and long-term parts availability. It's for the rider who's moved past "trying e-scooters" and is now in the "this replaces my bus pass" stage.

They compete because, for many buyers, the choice is literally: "Do I spend a bit less on the Acer with suspension and signals, or a bit more on the Xiaomi with the better range and refinement?" Same basic job, different personalities.

Design & Build Quality

Pick them up and you immediately feel the difference in design maturity. The Acer looks pleasantly understated: matte black, clean cable routing, nothing shouty. It feels solid enough, like a well-built appliance. The welds are neat, the stem is reassuringly sturdy, and there's nothing obviously cheap or flimsy. But it still has a faint whiff of "first serious scooter from a PC company" about it - competent, not particularly inspiring.

The Xiaomi 4 Pro, on the other hand, feels like the result of a long line of prototypes that have lived, died and been iterated on. The frame is stiffer, the tolerances tighter, and there's less of that micro-play you sometimes feel when you rock cheaper scooters back and forth on the brakes. It comes across more like a single, cohesive product than a collection of components.

Both hide their cables reasonably well; the Acer actually does a tidy job there, which helps its professional look. But Xiaomi's details - the magnetic charging port, the refined latch, the clean dashboard integration - make everyday interaction feel smoother. The Acer's folding system is fine and secure, but feels more "good engineering," whereas the Xiaomi's feels "good engineering plus a lot of user testing."

In hand, the Xiaomi wins on material feel and overall polish. The Acer is good enough, but the 4 Pro feels like the scooter that will age more gracefully after a couple of winters of wet, salty roads.

Ride Comfort & Handling

This is where the Acer strikes first. It actually has front fork suspension, and combined with its air-filled tyres, it takes the edge off bad urban surfaces quite nicely. Roll it over brick pavements or those hateful cracked side streets and you feel a clear difference compared with rigid scooters. After several kilometres on varied surfaces, your hands and knees are still on speaking terms. It's not motorcycle-level plush, but it's decidedly better than the old "solid front end, pray for your joints" brigade.

The Xiaomi 4 Pro goes the opposite route: no suspension at all, just big tubeless tyres doing the heavy lifting. On decent tarmac and city bike lanes, it's actually lovely - a sort of gliding, planted feel that makes longer rides easy. But the moment you hit rough cobbles or broken concrete, there's no sugar-coating it: you feel the hits. You can soften things a bit with tyre pressure and bent knees, but the frame itself is unapologetically stiff.

Handling wise, the Xiaomi feels more grown up. The wider deck and taller, broader handlebars give you a confident stance, especially if you're taller. It tracks straight at speed and doesn't get twitchy when you glance over your shoulder or dodge a stray pedestrian. The Acer is stable enough, with a sensibly low centre of gravity thanks to the deck battery, but the cockpit doesn't feel quite as expansive or planted. The suspension helps it keep its composure on messy surfaces, though, where the Xiaomi starts to feel nervous if the road gets truly awful.

If your daily ride includes a lot of nasty surfaces, the Acer's front suspension gives it a practical comfort edge. On decent city infrastructure, the Xiaomi feels more refined and confidence-inspiring overall, just less forgiving when your council forgets what road maintenance is.

Performance

On paper, both live in the same power neighbourhood. In practice, they deliver that power with very different personalities.

The Acer pushes from the rear. Its motor has enough grunt that you don't feel like an extra on a rental scooter advert; starts are reasonably brisk, and it hangs with city bike traffic just fine. It will get you up to its top legal speeds without drama, and on mild hills it keeps chugging along decently. On steeper stuff it starts to feel a little out of its depth, especially with heavier riders - you'll get up, but you're not exactly overtaking anyone. Throttle mapping is sensibly smooth; nothing snappy enough to throw you off balance.

The Xiaomi pulls from the front and feels more eager from a standstill, especially in its highest mode. It's not aggressive in the "hold on for dear life" sense, but it does step off more decisively than the Acer. Up hills, the Xiaomi clearly has the upper hand: it holds speed better and feels less like it's pleading with gravity for mercy. Importantly, its power delivery stays more consistent as the battery drains; where some scooters become sluggish below half charge, the 4 Pro still feels energetic deep into the pack.

Top speed is governed by local rules for both, so don't expect a massive difference there in Europe. The difference is how quickly and confidently they reach and maintain that speed. The Xiaomi feels more composed close to its maximum, both in chassis stability and motor authority. The Acer is perfectly serviceable, but it's more "this is fine" than "this feels strong."

Braking performance also leans in Xiaomi's favour. Acer's front disc and rear electronic brake combo is actually very good in its class - there's strong, controllable stopping power, and the rear e-brake helps keep things stable in panic stops. The Xiaomi's larger rear disc and more mature dual-brake tuning, though, give slightly more bite and modulation, especially when you're scrubbing speed repeatedly in busy traffic.

Battery & Range

Range claims in scooter marketing are like Tinder profiles: assume optimism. Both these scooters promise very generous distances if you ride like a saint on a pan-flat test track.

In real city use, the Acer's battery comfortably covers typical short-to-medium commutes, but you do start thinking about the charger earlier than on the Xiaomi if you ride fast and hard. Run it mostly in the sportiest mode, mix in hills, and you're in the "home and back, plus a bit" category rather than "wander around all day without thinking." It's fine for most users, but there isn't a huge surplus if you're heavy-throttled by nature.

The Xiaomi simply stretches a day further. Its larger battery and efficient controller let you ride at full legal speed for quite a while before range anxiety kicks in. For a typical urban commuter distance, you can comfortably skip charging at the office if you want. Ride gentler modes and it becomes almost boringly dependable: you forget about range and just get on with your life.

Charging is where Acer quietly hits back. It refills in notably less time, which makes quick daytime top-ups more realistic. The Xiaomi is more of an "overnight or all-day at work" charger - not disastrous, but if you routinely empty the pack, you'll be planning around that slower refill. So: Xiaomi offers more distance per charge, Acer recovers faster once you've killed it.

Portability & Practicality

Neither of these is what I'd call "throw-over-your-shoulder and jog up four flights" portable, but there is a difference.

The Acer is the heavier of the two and you feel it the moment you lift it. Carrying it up a couple of flights of stairs is fine; doing that every morning and evening becomes a lifestyle choice. The folding mechanism is straightforward and secure, and once folded it fits under a desk or into a car boot reasonably well, but it isn't especially compact for its weight.

The Xiaomi 4 Pro isn't exactly light either, but it shaves off a noticeable chunk compared with the Acer. The redesigned folding latch is quick and reassuring, and the way it locks into the rear mudguard for carrying is well sorted. Folded, it's still a big scooter, but that slightly lower weight and better balance make short carries less of a chore. If your commute includes stairs, train platforms and a bit of wrestling through doors, the Xiaomi is the lesser evil.

Day-to-day practicality tilts further Xiaomi's way thanks to the self-sealing tyres. Flats are the bane of commuters; Xiaomi's DuraGel tech massively reduces the odds of your Monday morning starting with tyre levers and swearing. With the Acer, you get proper tubeless tyres, which are already better than tubes for puncture resistance, but you're still more likely to be dealing with the occasional roadside repair over years of ownership.

Safety

Both brands talk a big game about safety, and to be fair, both deliver more than a bare minimum.

The Acer takes a very "feature checklist" approach: front disc plus rear electronic braking, turn signals, bright lights, big tubeless tyres, and decent water resistance. The indicators are a huge plus in busy traffic; not having to take a hand off the bars to signal feels far safer, especially for newer riders. The combination of front mechanical brake and rear e-brake gives strong stopping power without the classic "grabby front, over-you-go" sensation if you pull too hard.

The Xiaomi's safety credentials are more about refinement. Its braking system - regenerative at the front, decent-sized disc at the rear - is tuned so that you can lean on it hard and predictably. The headlight projects a proper beam instead of a vague glow, and the rear light plus optional turn signals (depending on version) make you nicely visible. The bigger, self-healing tyres aren't just convenience; they're a safety feature because they reduce the chance of a sudden loss of pressure mid-ride.

In the wet, both feel reasonably sure-footed at legal speeds, with their 10-inch tyres offering a good contact patch. Acer's slightly higher water resistance rating is comforting if you regularly get caught in showers. Xiaomi's IP is fine for typical drizzle and puddles, but I wouldn't make a hobby of riding either through deep standing water.

Overall, Acer wins on out-of-the-box signalling and weather rating, Xiaomi on braking feel, tyre tech and general composure. Safety-minded city riders will appreciate aspects of both, but I'd still trust the Xiaomi slightly more when doing repeated hard braking in messy real-world traffic.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

The Acer undercuts the Xiaomi quite significantly. For less money, you're getting front suspension, a stronger-than-entry-level motor, turn signals and a big-name brand logo. In a world full of anonymous white-label scooters at similar prices, that's not nothing. Value-wise, it lands in that "sensible purchase if you're going to use it daily, not just on weekends" zone.

The Xiaomi asks for a noticeable premium and absolutely doesn't win the spec-sheet pissing contest on paper. You can find similarly priced scooters with dual suspension and more aggressive performance. But what you're buying here is the overall package: better range, better refinement, fewer punctures, stronger ecosystem, higher resale value. For commuters who want their scooter to just work for years, that premium can easily pay itself back in saved hassle and repairs.

If every euro counts and you mostly do short, relatively gentle rides, the Acer gives decent bang for the buck. If you're thinking longer-term ownership, daily use in all seasons and minimal faff, the Xiaomi makes a stronger case for itself despite its higher sticker price.

Service & Parts Availability

Acer is a giant in computing, but a relative newcomer in scooters. That means authorised service networks exist, but they're not as deeply embedded in the e-mobility world. You're likely going through general electronics service partners rather than specialist scooter shops. Parts availability is okay today, but long-term, it's a bit of an unknown compared with brands that have been doing scooters for longer.

Xiaomi, by contrast, is practically the ecosystem standard. Independent repair shops know their layouts by heart, YouTube is full of tutorials, and every second online spare-parts shop has an aisle that might as well be labelled "Xiaomi stuff." For a commuter who doesn't want to be stuck waiting weeks for a rare part, that matters. Warranty in Europe generally runs through big-name retailers, which also simplifies the boring but important admin when something fails early.

Both offer apps; Acer's is functional but sometimes a tad flaky on the Bluetooth side. Xiaomi's feels more like a flagship phone companion app - frequent updates, clear controls, and, crucially, stable pairing most of the time.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

Both scooters are solid mid-range commuters; neither is a disaster, neither is a revelation. But they cater to slightly different priorities, and that's where the decision really lies.

If your commute is relatively short, your roads are rough, and you're price-sensitive, the Acer ES Series 4 Select is a reasonable, safety-conscious choice. The front suspension and turn signals make daily riding more pleasant and less stressful in busy traffic. You sacrifice some range and refinement, and you haul a bit more weight up the stairs, but for many riders doing modest distances, that's an acceptable trade-off.

If, however, you expect to rack up serious kilometres, ride in all seasons, and you want a scooter that feels like it's been through several design generations, the Xiaomi 4 Pro is the stronger overall package. The extra real-world range, better hill performance, self-sealing tyres and superb ecosystem support mean fewer headaches over the long term. You do need to accept a stiff, non-suspended ride on bad roads and a higher price tag, but the day-to-day experience is simply more sorted.

In my view, the Xiaomi 4 Pro is the safer recommendation for most people: it's the more complete, future-proof commuter. The Acer ES Series 4 Select makes sense if you specifically value suspension and signals at a lower price and you know your rides will stay within its comfort envelope.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics look at how efficiently each scooter uses your money, weight and energy. Price-per-Wh and price-per-km show what you pay for stored and usable energy. Weight-related metrics show how much mass you haul per unit of range, speed or power. Wh per km reflects electrical efficiency, while power-to-speed and weight-to-power hint at how "strong" the scooter feels relative to its limits. Charging speed simply indicates how quickly you can refill the battery. Taken together, they quantify value and efficiency but don't capture comfort, build quality or ecosystem - that's where the next section comes in.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the ACER ES Series 4 Select scores 6 points against the XIAOMI 4 Pro's 4. In the Author's Category Battle, the ACER ES Series 4 Select gets 10 ✅ versus 29 ✅ for XIAOMI 4 Pro.

Totals: ACER ES Series 4 Select scores 16, XIAOMI 4 Pro scores 33.

Based on the scoring, the XIAOMI 4 Pro is our overall winner. Between these two, the Xiaomi 4 Pro simply feels like the more complete partner for everyday life: calmer on longer rides, better supported when something eventually breaks, and just that bit more satisfying to step onto each morning. The Acer ES Series 4 Select does a respectable job and makes some smart choices with suspension and safety, but it never quite shakes the feeling of being a competent understudy rather than the lead. If you want a scooter you'll stop thinking about and just rely on, the Xiaomi is the one that will quietly earn your trust over time. The Acer is fine if you're watching your budget and your expectations, but the 4 Pro is the one that feels like it's truly built for the grind of daily commuting.

That's our verdict when we try to stay objective – but hey, riding is mostly about emotions anyway, so pick the one that will make you look forward to your commute every single day.