They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and apparently that adage even translates to the tech world.

Chinese company Xiaomi has never been shy about its ‘homages’, either, regularly acknowledging Apple as the benchmark and comparing its products to those of the Cupertino company.

Like Apple, the company puts emphasis on design and already has a line of smartphones called the Mi Phone – seriously.

Xiaomi has now taken the cloning to the next level, though, announcing its first ever laptop, a MacBook Air-like device that’s called… hang on… the Mi Notebook Air.

The ultra-thin laptop comes in two sizes, with the 13.3-inch version weighing 2.8 pounds and the smaller12.5-inch model clocking in at 2.3 pounds. Xiaomi claims the larger laptop’s battery will last 9.5 hours on a single charge, and it charges to 50% in half an hour.

As the photos show, the silver or gold laptops, with no branded marking on the monitor exterior, are very, very similar to Apple’s. If it weren’t for the device’s keys, which match the overall body colour, the two would be almost identical.

Xiaomi also decided not to follow Apple in limiting ports – the Mi Notebook Air holds a type-C USB for charging, as well as two USB 3.0 ports, a 3.5mm audio port and HDMI adaptability.

Another thing potential buyers will be happy about is that the company’s intro into the laptop game doesn’t share Apple’s pricetags. The cheaper, smaller Mi Notebook Air costs £400, while the bigger model will set you back around £575.