2016 is nearing its end, but that does not mean that smartphone manufacturers are sitting idly by. Quite the contrary, two of the more affordable companies have released their best offerings so close to the new year. These are the Xiaomi Mi Mi and the OnePlus 3T, which are great devices in any tier.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix, as noted by C|Net, has an incredible design that just might have paved the way for all future handsets. Its 6.4-inch screen covers almost the entire face of the device and the physical buttons have been moved directly onto the display. Despite this, the unit has a ceramic back that still gives it a premium look.
The bezel-less design of the Xiaomi Mi Mix is really what sets it apart. As one of the first, if not the first, of its kind, it offers an entirely new experience to the user. Amazingly, the edge-to-edge display does not make it harder to control. Despite touching all aspects of the display, the publication says that there are hardly any accidental presses made.
The 6.4-inch screen has a 2080 x 1080 pixel resolution and the entire device only weighs 209 grams. Technically, the Mi Mix runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but it is customized by Xiaomi and has some features of iOS. It does not have an app drawer, so everything is within access from the home screen.
The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and runs smoothly on its 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It also sports a 16-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. Oddly enough, however, the front camera of the Xiaomi Mi Mix is found at the bottom of the device. The unit is priced at around US$510.
On the other hand, there is the OnePlus 3T is a lot more controversial. The unit was formally announced on November 15, just a few ones after the OnePlus 3. Various reports have surfaced criticizing the Chinese company from releasing an upgrade so quickly. OnePlus argued that they would not wait to make developments that were already available, but also promised they would not do so again.
Aesthetically, nothing has changed in the OnePlus 3T from its predecessor, except a new coat of paint. As Phone Arena reports, the device is 6.01 x 2.94 x 0.29 inches all around and weighs 158 grams. It sports a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 401 pixels per inch, which is not the most defined screen in the market but is nothing to complain about.
The 3T does, however, share the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and 4GB of RAM. The base model of the device comes with 64GB of RAM, but there is a 128GB option as well. However, there is no SD card slot that can expand this.
The OnePlus 3T sports a 3400 mAh battery which should be more than enough to last the day. Its rear camera and front camera are an amazing 16 megapixels, which work even better than the OnePlus 3 cameras. The base model of the unit will cost about US$439.
