Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 was recently launched in China, in fact, the device was launched 24 hours before the Apple iPhone X. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is a great smartphone with premium ceramic design, edge to edge bezel-less display and powerful flagship class internals, but it’s not the best smartphone in the market unlike the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2.
Why are we not impressed with the Mi MIX 2?
The original Mi MIX launched last year was a true path creator for the smartphones, in fact, that was the first mass-produced phone, which showcased how can a smartphone have just display with no bezels. The phone came with a slightly bulkier form factor, with a 6.4-inch FHD+ screen and a 4400 mAh battery. The device was not the lightest smartphone to use to single-handedly, but, we didn’t complain about that, as it was something new like a pearl in an Ocean with no protection. This time around, we had higher expectations from the OEM, considering the fact that, they already had the technology and only needed to improvise it.
The magic ingredient that is missing from the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2:
Yes, it’s a great phone, with selfie camera located on the bottom right corner, but it does have its own shortcomings. The display resolution remains at FHD+ (1080x2160p) whereas the market is moving towards the QHD+. Xiaomi still using IPS LCD instead of OLED, with a decrease in the battery capacity (3400 vs 4400) as well as the big 5.99-inch screen is expected to harvest the battery within hours of continues usage. In fact, few Indian OEM’s like Micromax and LG offers premium 18:9 aspect ratio screen for under INR 15,000 price tag.
No IP rating (water and dust resistance) still, no headphone jack. There is a reason to remove headphone jack, first, to attain something which is more important than that of the removed feature, second, to get a more finished product with overall improved aesthetics. Vomiting the 3.5 mm headphone jack feels unnecessary and this might be a deal breaker for those, as it is a basic necessity.
Wireless charging is a thing now, and the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 misses out on that as well. One may tell that the ceramic will not allow the induction waves to pass through it. But the fact is, a company like Apple has known the importance of wireless charging and sooner one can expect to see wireless charging pads everywhere.
Camera capability, a smartphone with a mediocre camera is not a smartphone, this is the exact case with the Xiaomi Mi MIX. The important update that is expected over the original Mi MIX was to have a dual rear-camera setup. It’s not that, the Xiaomi don’t have that technology, in fact, their Xiaomi Mi 6 and Xiaomi Mi Note 3 has one of the best camera implementation in the history of smartphones. Xiaomi Mi MIX with the exact cameras from MI 6 would have been a great add-on.
Yes, I do accept that the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Octa-core SoC, 6 GB or 8 GB RAM with 64 GB or 128 GB onboard flash storage, which is on par with the other flagship smartphone. But, there is no uniqueness that is just found on the Xiaomi Mi MIX, in fact, the similarly designed Essential phone offers similar features with Titanium and ceramic unibody design, making it more sturdy and different from the crowd.
The device is expected to launch in India within this month. If the device is priced at INR 30,000 to INR 35,000 for the affordable model, there are chances of becoming a huge hit. However, if the price tag goes above INR 35,000 it’s really difficult to sell the device in a larger number. So, the device is likely to go against OnePlus 5, and Nokia 8 with the similar internals with a powerful camera compared to the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2.
Conclusion: Xiaomi MI MIX 2 is a great phone all alone but compared with the original Xiaomi MI MIX, it’s not the true heir. So, at this price tag, it’s better to go with the conventional smartphones like Galaxy Note 8, LG V30, which offers a similar bezel-less design with additional add-ons. Xiaomi has to really step up from their next iteration of MIX to dominate smartphone industry. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 might be a good show off the device, that lacks the punch of a premium flagship smartphone.