Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Xiaomi India has announced a permanent price cut of ₹1,000 on the Xiaomi Mi A1, which brings down the cost of the device to ₹13,999 from the original ₹14,999. At this price tag, this an all-rounder smartphone with promised Android updates from Google and an excellent build quality with best-in-class dual camera setup.

Like always, the smartphone is not perfect. As we are already in 2018 (20 days left). The bezels and the resolution are not on par with the competition. In fact, the chunkier bezels and the old-school 16:9 aspect ratio display looks a bit outdated. Except this, the smartphone is a true champion for the most aspects.

If we look at the advantages of the Xiaomi Mi A1 over the competition. We would like to begin with the software experience. Though the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 is not a top of the tier processor, the chipset is known to offer the perfect balance between the performance and thermal efficiency. Thie efficient processor is paired with 4 GB LPDDR3 RAM and 64 GB onboard flash storage, which should get the job done at any given point in time. As of now, the device runs on Android Nougat 7.0 and expected to receive Android Oreo in next few weeks with promised to Android P upgrade as well. If you are impatient, then sign up for Oreo beta testing programme to experience the Android Oreo operating system.

The next big thing about the device is the camera. In fact, this is the first and the cheapest smartphone that offers a dual-camera solution with a premium implementation. The dual 12 MP RGB shooters offer X2 optical zoom and portrait mode. In fact, this device nails the portrait mode, compared to the other mid-tier smartphones costing up to ₹25,000 or lesser.

The sound output via 3.5 mm headphone jack is very impressive due to a dedicated DAC, which can drive even high-fidelity headphones. Even the mono loudspeaker on the bottom of the smartphone is almost the top three loudest sound producing speakers that we have tested. If you are into music and sound and want to experience premium sound, then Xiaomi Mi A1 is the best option for the audiophiles.

The design and the build quality does resemble the Apple iPhone 7 Plus with a premium metal unibody design with a fleshed antenna bands. All three color shades (Rose Gold, Gold, and Black) looks premium and the smudge resistance coating will help you to give smudge proof body.

The smartphone is backed by a 3030 mAh Li-ion sealed battery with normal charging capability via USB type C port. Though we condemn the lack of fast charging, the smartphone does completely charge from 0 to 100 percent within 150 minutes (if you use a dedicated charger).

Though the device has its shortcomings, overall, this is a nice package with an interesting set of features. Finally, at the price tag that the device is being offered, we have no complaints what so ever. The smartphone is available on Mi.com, Mi Home, Flipkart, and Mi preferred partner stores.

By Vivek

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