The Xiaomi smartphone brand is known, loved, and appreciated for its high-end specs and affordable price. And when it comes to futuristic smartphone designs, one could say that Xiaomi is one of the leading companies to live up with this approach. However, despite its high praises, the Xiaomi's Mi Mix smartphone, it still has its flaws.
The Design's Good Side
According to the video source, the Xiaomi Mi Mix features a glossy body design and massive display gleams that when one holds it out in public, it is sure to catch an eye or two. One thing notable for its front design is that even though 2017 smartphones will most likely feature an "almost bezel-less" display, the Xiaomi Mi Mix was already featuring it when it even though it was just released last November. And for its back design, users will notice that the rear camera and fingerprint scanner are perfectly proportioned and well-positioned that using it will give no problems at all when unlocking the smartphone by feel.
The Design's Bad Side
If you've bought the Xiaomi Mi Mix, you know that it comes with an extra casing cover and there is a reason for it. The Xiaomi Mi Mix is surprisingly slippery. So when holding the phone without its extra casing, users may have to grip it securely, because it can literally slip out of your hand which is not very pleasing once you see your smartphone dropping and banging on the floor. Another thing that makes the extra casing important is that just like the iPhone 7 Plus, it scratches easily and can be hard to look at when your smartphone is covered in scratches.
Sound Performance
Its loudspeaker and overall sound is loud - which is great, right? Yeah, but it's kind of complicated with Xiaomi Mi Mix. The reason is because when answering phone calls without headphones, the Xiaomi Mi Mix projects sound by vibrating the device's frame to make noise which makes it sound raspy and omni-dimensional. So be mindful when answering calls around people, because the sound it makes can surely let them hear what you and the caller are saying. Unless of course if "privacy" is not one of your treasured rights.
Software Performance
Yes, it was released in 2016 of November and almost every notable high-end smartphone released in 2016 runs on Android Marshmallow. However, most high-end smartphones of 2016 are getting an OS upgrade from Marshmallow to Nougat. So it is kind of a deal-breaker that the Xiaomi Mi Mix which showcases a futuristic approach doesn't have an OS update.
The next part is kind of understandable, given that it was made for Chinese consumers. But for people using it outside of China, they will find that the Xiaomi Mi Mix only works on some local 4G bands, specifically in Western countries. Its Google features also don't work as much that often and could be both frustrating and funny at times.
Camera Performance
In terms of overall camera performance, one could say that the Xiaomi Mi Mix camera specs are average at best. It features a 16 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front camera. As for its performance, though it takes good photos in day or surroundings with a lot of light, it fails in low-light conditions, especially when compared to the shots taken by the Google Pixel and iPhone Plus smartphones. And for its video which shoots in 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30fps, and 720p@120fps, it is just the same as the pictures it takes.
