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Back in October of 2016, Xiaomi looked to shake up the smartphone market by releasing a new “concept phone”. The device got rid of the biggest gripe that many of us have with smartphones, the bezel.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX features an ultra-slim bezel, giving users 92% screen real estate without compromising on all of the things that we’ve come to know and love. Now at CES 2017, the Phandroid team was able to get their hands on the all new White variant and are here to report their findings.
The Design
The Mi MIX is gorgeous, plain and simple. Sure, the new ceramic body is a haven for fingerprints and smudges, but the White model seemingly cures at least some of that. Looking at the front of the device we see the same bezel-less design from the Black model, including the oddly placed selfie camera in the bottom right-hand corner.
Considering this is a “concept phone” it only made sense for Xiaomi to include the USB Type-C charging port, along with the fingerprint scanner on the back. What is a little curious is why Xiaomi wasn’t “brave” enough to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack (/s).
Regardless, the Mi MIX is a device that you could just look at for hours and not ever get tired of.
Fingerprint Scanner
Speaking of the fingerprint scanner, with the new design that doesn’t leave much room on the front of the device, Xiaomi placed the fingerprint sensor below the camera on the rear of the device. We expected the sensor to be lightning fast and it definitely did the job, providing a quick and easy way to unlock your device and keep rolling.
Vibrant Display
Obviously, the display is the focal point of the Mi MIX, considering that it takes up more than 90% of the front of your device. The display measures in at 2040 x 1080 with an aspect ratio of 17:9. The ratio may seem a bit odd, but once you factor the on-screen navigation buttons, the ratio “shrinks” to a normal 16:9.
Some may hoot and holler about the fact that this isn’t a 4K display, but Full HD still does the job and then some. The Mi MIX also has a pixel resolution of 362ppi, which is more than what is offered by others on the market, including the iPhone.
Camera
The main shooter is not the focal point here, but it’s nothing to snub your nose at either. Measuring in at 16MP, the Mi MIX should be just fine for any pictures you want to snap, and you can record video up to 4K.
The front-facing camera is the biggest question mark considering the placement. Again, due to the large display, Xiaomi had to make a change and opted to move the camera into the bottom right-hand corner. If you love taking selfies, this may take some time to get used to.
Flagship Specs
You would think there would be some type of compromise when Xiaomi announced this device, but you would be wrong. The Mi MIX features a spec-sheet that lines up, or surpasses, many others in the flagship smartphone category.
Xiaomi included Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 processor and coupled the device with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM. Add on the 128GB of base storage (or 256GB of you’re feeling frisky), and you’ve got a home run.
Xiaomi Mi MIX Specs:
- Display: 6.4-inch 2040 x 1080 (17:9 screen ratio)
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
- RAM: 4GB/6GB
- Storage: 128GB/256GB
- Front Camera: 5MP
- Rear Camera: 16MP
- Battery: 4,400mAh w/ Quick Charge 3.0
- Fingerprint Sensor
Battery life
Now, since this is just a hands-on with the Mi MIX, we weren’t able to fully test the battery life, but there are a few things to consider. Xiaomi packed a 4,400mAh battery into the Mi MIX which is more than others can say with a display this large.
Plus, with the Snapdragon 821 powering the device, the Mi MIX also includes Quick Charge 3.0. This will make it easy for you to get through the day and quickly charge up the Mi MIX if you’re heading out for a night on the town.
Finally, considering the Mi MIX “only” includes a 1080p display, that means there are less pixels to power, which should translate into better battery life. Of course, nothing beats “real world” usage, so we’ll have to report back with our findings.
Conclusion
All in all, the Xiaomi Mi MIX is a smartphone that is still turning heads, but there’s one small problem – it’s not available in the US. We were expecting Xiaomi to make some type of announcement considering this was the first time the company made an appearance at CES, but that wasn’t the case.
We’ll have to keep holding our breath to see what’s in the cards and if we’ll be able to get our hands on this gorgeous device.
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