The expected releases for 2017 promise to surprise. Xiaomi smartphone models have been in great demand for several years now, and now, when new additions to their army appear on the market, the popularity of the devices should increase significantly. At the moment, Xiaomi is the most popular manufacturer of equipment from China in the Russian Federation. Its smartphones occupy leading positions in sales in the country. But 2017 is in full swing, and, most likely, some new product from Xiaomi will shake the market with its amazing characteristics, but at an affordable price.
So it’s time for users to rejoice at the excellent combination of price and quality that only such a manufacturer can create. Of course, not every Xiaomi flagship can boast of ideal parameters. But the company is trying to make new models even better than the previous ones, and users are satisfied with the quality that they can see. All that remains is to read the announcement of the equipment that will mark the summer season. But first, let’s look at those devices that have already become established on the market.
Xiaomi Mi 5C is the most popular smartphone
One of the latest new products that customers have already fallen in love with is Mi 5C. This device has a ridiculous price for such characteristics - in Russia it is sold for only 18,400 rubles, although prices may vary slightly depending on which store the purchase was made at. For example, if you buy new Xiaomi Mi on AliExpress, then this item will cost you only some 12.7 thousand rubles, taking into account that delivery to Russia will be free.
In Russia, this Xiaomi is new for 2017. It appeared in March, but is already in considerable demand, given that the flagship is a relative newcomer and simply did not have time to gain a sufficient number of reviews to increase its rating. But buyers trust the Xiaomi company, so they buy smartphones, despite the fact that they have not yet had time to be well promoted.
Here are the characteristics this model came out with:
- The screen size is 5.15 inches and the picture resolution is 1920x1080;
- The new smartphone uses the Android 6.0 operating system;
- The device has 64 GB of internal memory, and 3 GB of RAM is also available;
- The memory card is not supported, but given the considerable supply of your own, this is not a problem;
- These new Xiaomi products support two SIM cards;
- Camera characteristics: main camera: 12 megapixels with autofocus and LED flash, in addition, it has increased light sensitivity, but the front camera works at 8 megapixels;
- Battery capacity 2860 mAh. holds the charge for a long time even under high system load;
- In addition, this device has an 8-core processor of its own production.
Give gifts
Smartphones expected to be released in 2017
Xiaomi devices of 2017 promise to become real pearls from the collection of leading flagships. One has only to look at the announcements of these devices. They decided to develop not only the direction of junior smartphones, but also cool flagships, the release of which every user awaits with special trepidation, especially knowing that it will take place in the near future.
The company is preparing to release especially cool devices, the benefits of which customers have already appreciated using slightly simplified versions, so they are anxiously awaiting the release of models with expanded functionality. Here are some of the most interesting new products, the release of which is expected literally any day:
- The honorary title of the most anticipated among Xiaomi smartphones of 2017 goes to the Mi7 project. If you believe the information that the review shows, it should be cooler even than such world market leaders as Samsung and Apple. It’s impossible to say anything for sure yet, but the prerequisites are very good;
- Advanced Xiaomi Mi 6 phones are also being prepared for release. This flagship should also become popular for people who need not only visual appeal from a smartphone, but also excellent filling;
- In addition, news often appears that the world will soon see the updated flagship device Redmi Note 5.
Review of Xiaomi Mi6 and Mi7
The Xiaomi company is promoting its products with all its might, trying in every possible way to improve, refine, make them cooler and cheaper than those of other manufacturers. This tactic has yielded results - new Xiaomi smartphones are selling out faster than hot cakes. According to the information demonstrated by the review of the model range, the new flagship Xiaomi Mi6S will be able to break all records of the entire previous analogue in the series.
But in terms of functional characteristics, it is very similar to the Mi7, and in some areas even better than it. For example, the device’s smooth operation is ensured by the powerful and ergonomic modular SnapDragon processor. The rest of the characteristics are similar to the Xiaomi Mi5S, but this is a feature of the Xiaomi company - it is often repeated, even if it does not lose quality.
But in the case of the Mi7, the makers seem to have pulled out a winning ticket because the device promises to be truly amazing. And thanks to the skillful combination of resources and performance, its price was significantly reduced compared to analogues from other companies. Therefore, the coolest flagship will cost the same as an average smartphone of not the highest quality. How can you miss such a chance?
So, let's talk more about the latest smartphone Mi7, which will be released soon:
- Four gigabytes of built-in RAM, and if some find it not enough, they will make an addition to the upcoming model range by releasing a device with twice as much RAM;
- According to good tradition, the smartphone will have a Snapdragon processor. Moreover, this processor belongs to the latest generation, that is, it includes 8 basic cores that parallelize the work. If the equipment does not need such power, then the basic cores can be disabled to save battery power;
- Descriptions of cameras require special attention. The main camera can take pictures of the highest quality, because according to the instructions, it is 25 megapixel. In addition, improved lenses were used. And the front camera has less modest parameters, in particular, it is eight megapixel.
It seems that after the release of the latest new product, point-and-shoot cameras will have a hard time, as they will be forced out of the market by more advanced products. After all, carrying a camera separately is not very convenient, while on your phone you can take pictures faster and with better quality. Although, even if the described devices are not satisfactory, by opening the company’s catalog, you are guaranteed to find something suitable.
The wide range and quality of products in the field of smartphones have allowed Xiaomi to take a leading position in the market. The manufacturer offers gadgets for almost every taste and budget. From budget dialers to frameless flagships with a screen that occupies almost 100% of the front panel. Fans of stylish design and high-quality photos will also not be left out.
Xiaomi Mi7 - flagship of the year
There is no doubt that the flagship version will receive all the most advanced and modern. First of all, it is worth mentioning the processor, because it is fundamental to every smartphone. There is little doubt that the phone will have the advanced Snapdragon 845 processor, which will also appear this year. According to official information, it will receive eight powerful 3rd generation Kryo cores. It will be complemented by 6 and 8 GB of RAM. The choice of configuration will depend on the amount of built-in storage: 64/128/256 GB.
The very large 5.65" display will have an aspect ratio of 9:18 with a resolution of 1080x1920 FullHD. Thin frames around the perimeter of the screen will allow you to classify the device as “frameless”.
Of the most significant features, it is worth mentioning a dual camera with optical stabilization and Bokeh effect. It is likely that there will be user facial recognition and wireless charging.
According to the latest data, the release date of Xiaomi Mi 7 is scheduled for 03.18. Of course, no one gives guarantees, since there have been cases of postponement of the announcement of flagships.
Mi Mix 3 - continuation of the line of frameless phablets
The Mix line of frameless smartphones has made a splash in the market. However, not everyone was happy with the latest model released. What to expect from the 3rd generation, bug fixes or a brand new device?!
The 6-inch OLED matrix with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 Full HD+ plans to cover 97% of the front of the device. It will also have a 16MP dual camera that allows you to take stunning photos with a blurry background effect. The body will be made according to modern trends: glass and metal.
The most interesting innovation may be the fingerprint scanner located under the display. Technology is no longer a myth. It’s too early to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the method, but one thing can be said - the function deserves attention.
Mi Max 3
The Max series is known for its use of the largest screens possible. The entire line had displays larger than 6 inches. The 3rd version is unlikely to be an exception; a 6.99” matrix by 2160x1080 pixels is expected. This will not increase the dimensions; most likely, the increase will occur due to the reduction of the frames around the perimeter.
Based on the insider photos that have appeared, we can talk about an aluminum body, 12 MP dual optics with Bokeh effect and a standard fingerprint scanner on the back side.
While not a flagship, the smartphone will have an average-performance Snapdragon 660 processor. A nice feature may be a battery with a capacity of 5500 mAh.
The release date of Mi Max 3 has not yet been determined, most likely the announcement will take place in the spring of this year.
Redmi Note 5 is an inexpensive smartphone with solid potential
The company quite often updates budget models, equipping them with not the latest features. The fifth model in the line, like a number of others, will receive a 5.99” LCD with 2160 x 1080 pixels Full HD+. The modern trend has become the presence of two cameras, Note 5 is no exception.
It is planned to release two modifications: Snapdragon 630 with 3GB of RAM and Snapdragon 636 with 4GB of memory, respectively. A 4000 mAh battery will be enough to power the hardware. The volume of built-in storage will be 32 and 64GB.
The presentation of the device is expected at the end of February this year.
Redmi 6 is a revolutionary and affordable smartphone
Inexpensive Xiaomi smartphones are far from being “dialers”, but functional and advanced phones. What can we expect from the sixth generation?
Improving a “state employee” is a difficult and thankless task. The final cost of the product imposes restrictions on the choice of components and functions. The sixth series will inherit the previous IPS matrix of 1440 x 720 pixels.
The smartphone will be powered by a mid-range Snapdragon 630 processor with a frequency of 2.2 GHz. The gadget will be equipped with two memory options: 16 and 32 GB and 3 GB of RAM.
The appearance of a dual main camera module is quite possible. Its parameters, as well as the frontal one, remain unknown. The fingerprint scanner will also be located on the back of the case.
Redmi 6 is planned to be released in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Company Xiaomi began to expand its activities in the production of smartphones back in 2010, and now the news says that the manufacturer occupies the title of sales leader in the most populous country - China. If you follow company news, Xiaomi smartphones have already earned positive feedback from end consumers, this is evidenced by various reviews on Xiaomi smartphones, which demonstrate the operation of the entire range of gadgets.
The company's motto is to create inexpensive devices on modern hardware, i.e., in addition to low cost, xiomi smartphones They also have excellent quality. The manufacturer also managed to distinguish itself by creating its proprietary shell, called MiUI, the key to the success of which was low power consumption and excellent optimization. In video reviews on Xiomi you can watch how the devices of this company outperform their competitors in tests, despite the fact that their filling is identical.
The founder of this powerful corporation is billionaire Lei Jun, who in 2010 lured many qualified engineers from such well-known companies as Google, Kingsoft, Microsoft, Motorola, Yahoo. Having capital and a good idea, the Chinese entrepreneur gained unprecedented popularity in a matter of years and won the hearts of his compatriots with Xiomi smartphones. Now in the Middle Kingdom, during the presentation of new products, millions of batches are sold out in a matter of minutes.
Xiaomi historical tree
If you take a look at the historical tree and remember which models brought the first fruits, then you won’t have to strain, since we all remember the Mi-2 line. Inspired by Apple products, Xiaomi released a model with a screen size of 4.3" with HD resolution and a processor from Qualcomm; the gadget was quite compact and very powerful, which distinguished it from competitors with sizes of 5" and above. But still, the market does not stand still and display sizes are becoming larger and larger; even if the Cupertino team increased the screen size, then Xiaomi should have done this even earlier, as it did.
Nowadays, the manufacturer is not limited to just making smartphones; its collection already includes a TV, not counting the router, power banks and headsets.
Xiomi are not going to limit themselves only to the Chinese market; they are now officially open in countries such as Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, India and Indonesia. I don’t think that the CIS countries are just around the corner, because our population is not that small.
Xiaomi is the most popular Chinese technology manufacturer in Russia. This is evidenced by both search query statistics (the query “Xiaomi” is typed 3.4 million times in Yandex per month, the query “” - 2.6 million, the query “” - 1.5 million), and sales results: in the top -The 10 most popular Android smartphones in Russia at the end of 2016 included 4 Xiaomi models (this is how the brand name is pronounced in Chinese in Chinese; such fruits of Russian folk art as Xiaomi, Xiaomi, Xiomi or Shaomi are incorrect ), while models from other Chinese manufacturers failed to even get into the top ten. If you look at the statistics of sales of Android smartphones around the world, then there are 5 Xiaomi models in the top 10, and the first place in sales both in Russia and in the world is also a smartphone from Xiaomi. What is the secret of this manufacturer’s colossal success? In an excellent combination of price and quality: Xiaomi offers models with very good characteristics for little money.
The catalog of Xiaomi models is updated almost every month, so even fans of this brand can find it difficult to figure out whether it’s worth replacing their last year’s device with a new one or waiting for the next new product, and for those who are thinking about buying a smartphone from this manufacturer for the first time, it’s doubly difficult to figure it out in a sea of different models. To complete our acquaintance with this brand, we have collected all the best and current models from Xiaomi as of December 2017 in one rating, which takes into account the price-quality ratio, owner reviews and technical characteristics.
Xiaomi Redmi 4A 16Gb is the most inexpensive phone in the Xiaomi catalog
The average price in Russia is 6,700 rubles. You can buy Redmi 4A 16Gb on AliExpress for 5.8 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). The cheapest model in the Xiaomi catalogue, which appeared in November 2016, today scored 71% of fives in reviews in Yandex Market and received 91% of recommendations for purchase.
Technical characteristics: 5-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720, Android 6.0 operating system, 16 GB of internal and 2 GB of RAM, there is a memory card slot up to 128 GB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card). The main camera is 13 megapixels with LED flash, autofocus and optical stabilization. Front camera 5 MP. Battery capacity 3120 mAh. Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 MSM8917 processor. No fingerprint scanner. Plastic case.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A 16GB
Average price in Russia - 8,000 rubles. Buy Redmi Note 5A 16Gb on AliExpress possible for 6.4 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). The model, released in August 2017, scored 65% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. The number of recommendations in Yandex Market is 91%.
Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720, Android 7.1 operating system, 16 GB of internal and 2 GB of RAM, a memory card slot up to 128 GB, support for two SIM cards. Main camera 13 MP with LED flash and autofocus. Front camera 5 MP. Battery capacity 3080 mAh. Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor. No fingerprint scanner. Metal body.
Xiaomi Redmi 4X 32Gb
Average price in Russia - 10,000 rubles. Buy Redmi 4X 32Gb on AliExpress possible for 8.6 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). This product, which appeared in February 2017, scored 70% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market and received 91% of recommendations for purchase.
Technical characteristics: 5-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720, Android 6.0 operating system, 32 GB of internal and 3 GB of RAM, there is a memory card slot up to 128 GB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card). Main camera 13 MP with LED flash and autofocus. Front camera 5 MP. Battery capacity 4100 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 MSM8940 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner. Metal body.
This model is the best choice for those who need a budget smartphone with a powerful battery. There are many such people, this explains the great popularity of Redmi 4X.
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 64GB - Xiaomi smartphone with the largest screen and most powerful battery
The average price in Russia is 14,000 rubles. Buy Mi Max 2 64GB on AliExpress possible for 12.4 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free).
This tablet phone, which appeared on May 25, 2017, scored 87% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market and received 97% of recommendations for purchase.
Technical characteristics: 6.44-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, Android 7.0 operating system, 64 GB of internal and 4 GB of RAM, there is a slot for a memory card up to 128 GB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card), 12 megapixel main camera with autofocus, front 5 megapixel. Battery capacity 5300 mAh. The battery life in talk mode is 57 hours. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner. This model is recommended for those who need a powerful battery and a large screen. In the Xiaomi catalog, it is Mi Max 2 that holds the lead in both indicators.
6th place.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X 32Gb
Average price in Russia -9,850 rubles. You can buy Redmi Note 4X on Aliexpress for 8.7 thousand rubles(delivery to Russia is free). Introduced at the end of January 2017, the flagship of the mega-popular Redmi Note family scored 72% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market(cm. ). The number of recommendations in Yandex Market is 91%.
Technical characteristics of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X: 5.5-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 6.0 operating system, 32 GB of permanent memory and 3 GB of RAM, there is a slot for a memory card up to 128 GB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card ). Main camera 13 MP, front camera 5 MP. Battery capacity 4100 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 processor, 2000 MHz. Adreno 506 video processor. There is a fingerprint scanner. Metal case with plastic inserts on the top and bottom of the back panel.
If we compare this model with last year’s flagships of the family (winter Redmi Note 3 Pro and summer Redmi Note 4), then thanks to the new processor and graphics chip, Redmi Note 4X has increased autonomy and performance, and thanks to the new Sony IMX258 camera module, the quality of shooting has noticeably improved.
Xiaomi Mi A1 64GB
The average price in Russia is 13,400 rubles. Buy Mi A1 on AliExpress possible for 10.9 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free).
At the beginning of September 2017, Xiaomi and Google jointly announced the new A1 smartphone. This is part of the Android One program, in which Google helps create high-quality inexpensive devices in exchange for them being sold with the latest version of Android without add-ons and unnecessary pre-installed applications. As of today, Mi A1 has scored 60% of fives in reviews on Yandex Market and received 89% of recommendations for purchase.
Due to pure Android, the phone will be unusual for those who switch to it from another Xiaomi model. But when purchasing, you won’t have to worry about whether the Chinese firmware is waiting after you activate the phone. Mi A1 has an international version of Android 7.1 with Russian language out of the box. An update to Android 8.0 has been announced.
Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM, there is a slot for a memory card up to 128 GB (combined with a slot for a second SIM card). Battery capacity 3080 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner. Metal body.
Xiaomi assured that the dual camera Mi A1 (uses two OmniVision OV12A10 color sensors with a resolution of 12 megapixels each and a pixel size of 1–1.25 microns. One lens has a focal length of 26 mm with an aperture of f/2.2, the other - 50 mm and f/2.6) is comparable to the iPhone 7 Plus. Specialists from the resource hi-tech.mail.ru conducted a comparative test of the cameras of both phones and found that in daylight, photos from the Mi A1 actually look brighter and more contrasting than photos from its famous competitor. Optical zoom works the same, camera changes are quick, but the iPhone 7 Plus produces more detail. However, the front camera does not shine with resolution (only 5 megapixels with the size of a separate photosensitive element being 1.12 microns), lacks autofocus and is not suitable for shooting in low light conditions. But overall, a very good result for a Xiaomi phone, which costs 3 times less than an iPhone.
Xiaomi Mi6 6/64GB
Average price in Russia - 26,570 rubles. Buy Mi 6 64Gb on AliExpress possible for 21.8 thousand rubles(delivery to Russia is free). The official start of sales of the Xiaomi flagship took place on July 4, 2017. For today Mi 6 64Gb on received 66% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market(cm. ) . The number of recommendations in Yandex Market is 89%.
Technical characteristics: 5.15-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 7.1 operating system, 64 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards. There is no support for external memory cards, although 64 GB is more than enough for the average smartphone user. Battery capacity 3350 mAh. Battery life in video viewing mode is 9.7 hours, in gaming mode - 7 hours. In terms of autonomy, Mi 6 is approximately one and a half times superior to such flagships as the iPhone 7 Plus or Huawei P10. The 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 MSM8998 processor, together with the already mentioned 6 GB of RAM, provides excellent performance: Mi 6 is the eighth most powerful Android smartphone in the world (and the fourth most powerful Chinese smartphone). There is a fingerprint scanner. There is protection against water.
Xiaomi smartphones have always had excellent technical characteristics, but could not boast of an ideal camera. The camera of the new flagship from Xiaomi is positioned as a real alternative to the iPhone 7 Plus. The main camera of the Mi 6 is equipped with two lenses, a wide-angle and a telephoto lens, both with a resolution of 12 megapixels, as well as a 4-axis optical stabilization system. Working in pairs, these cameras allow you to take beautiful and clear pictures in any conditions. Portrait mode allows you to take clear, high-quality photos. Mi 6 has a portrait lens with a focal length of 52 mm. The 2x optical zoom camera captures stunning landscape shots, while the 10x digital zoom captures even fine details from a distance. Mi 6 with 4-axis optical image stabilization technology takes clear photos while capturing even the smallest vibrations. The built-in accelerometer and gyroscope allow you to stabilize the tilt and movements of the smartphone while shooting.
The front camera received 8 megapixels and new firmware. Beautify 3.0's beautiful filter technology reacts differently to men and women - it changes the appearance of men a little less. For women, their cheeks are reduced, their skin is smoothed and their eyes are slightly enlarged.
In the June 2017 comparison of flagship cameras, the portal hi-tech.mail.ru gave the Xiaomi flagship camera the same score as the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. At the same time, Mi 6 was able to bypass the flagship of ASUS - ZenFone 3 Zoom, which is positioned as a camera phone.
So, the new Xiaomi flagship has a good camera and battery life, as well as excellent performance. All this at a price half the price of the flagships of Samsung or Apple. At the same time, this model is not suitable for lovers of large screens - the display diagonal is only 5.15 inches.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 64GB
The average price in Russia is 29,400 rubles. Buy Mi Mix 2 on AliExpress possible for 22.9 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). For today this smartphone is ongot 64% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. The number of recommendations in Yandex Market is 86%.
If earlier Chinese manufacturers often copied the discoveries of Apple, Samsung and other top manufacturers, then in recent years the situation has begun to change exactly the opposite. For example, the now familiar dual main camera has become a trend thanks to Huawei, which since the beginning of 2015 has consistently equipped its flagship models with them. In the fall of 2016, a dual camera appeared on the iPhone 7, and in the fall of 2017, Samsung also used this technology for the first time. Chinese manufacturer LeEco abandoned the standard headphone jack for the first time in the Le Max 2 model in April 2016. Six months later, this function appeared in the 7th iPhone and was continued in subsequent models. In 2017, a new trend for frameless screens emerged. In the spring, it was used in their flagships Samsung and LG, and in the fall the frameless iPhone X was released. However, the title of the first frameless smartphone belongs to Xiaomi Mi Mix, which appeared in October 2016, six months before the LG G6 and Galaxy S8 and a year before the 10th iPhone . The first pancake then turned out to be lumpy, for example, the function of the conversational speaker (which Xiaomi engineers did not find where to attach) was performed by the screen, so that it was not too convenient. However, this experience showed other manufacturers that it is worth moving in this direction. A year later, Xiaomi released Mi Mix 2, which took into account the mistakes of its predecessor.
The body size of Mi Mix 2 is approximately the same as the standard model with a screen diagonal of 5.5 inches, even slightly smaller. For example, if we compare it with the iPhone 8 Plus, the Xiaomi flagship is 0.26 cm smaller in width and 0.66 cm shorter in length. At the same time, the diagonal of the IPS screen is half an inch larger, namely 6 inches with a resolution of 2160x1080. In terms of front panel design, Mi Mix 2 can be easily distinguished from both the 10th iPhone with its “monobrow” and the Galaxy Note 8, where the non-screen space occupies the same distance both at the top and bottom. Mi Mix 2 left only a practically invisible strip at the top with the earpiece, and found the necessary space at the bottom, where it placed the front camera. Now, to take a selfie, you need to turn the phone over. However, you can quickly get used to it.
With cameras, Mi Mix 2 also made an unexpected decision in that it removed the dual main camera module, which was in the spring flagship Xiaomi Mi 6. But it improved the aperture ratio from ƒ/2.0 to ƒ/1.8 (it plays a role when shooting in conditions insufficient lighting).Moreover, the sensor is the same as that on the wide-angle camera Mi6 (Sony IMX386, 12 megapixels, pixel size – 1.25 microns). The capabilities of the front camera are not too unimpressive: a 5 megapixel sensor without autofocus. However, cameras have never been a strong quality of Xiaomi products, which cannot be said about performance: at the moment, Mi Mix 2 is the most powerful Xiaomi smartphone, third among all Chinese models and sixth among all Android models. This is facilitated by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and from 6 (in our case) to 8 GB (in the older version) gigabytes of RAM. Unfortunately, the phone does not support a memory card (you can only insert a second SIM card into the slot), and those who do not have enough 64 GB of memory can take a closer look at the Mi Mix 2 models with 128 and 256 GB of memory.
The battery capacity is very average for Xiaomi - 3400 mAh, for example, Xiaomi Mi Max 2 has an impressive 5300 mAh battery.
The fingerprint scanner is located as usual: under the camera on the rear panel. By the way, the back panel is ceramic, which gives the smartphone a premium look.
Xiaomi Mi Note 3 64Gb
Average price in Russia - 19,980 rubles. Buy Mi Note 3 64Gb on AliExpress possible for 19 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free). The phone, introduced in September 2017, has currently scored 79% of five reviews in Yandex Market and received 93% of recommendations for purchase.
Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, 64 GB of internal memory and 6 GB of RAM, 2 SIM cards. Battery capacity 3500 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner. Metal body.
The main thing you need to pay attention to in this model is the cameras. Mi Note 3 has 3 cameras: dual main and front. The main cameras produce a 12-megapixel image. One of them is wide-angle with a focal length of 27 mm, f/1.8 aperture and optical stabilization. The second has a focal length of 52 mm, an aperture of f/2.6 and does not have optical stabilization. The second main camera is used for dual optical zoom. The cameras are accompanied by a two-tone flash, allowing for more natural color reproduction when shooting indoors. The front camera has a 16-megapixel sensor from Samsung, so we can safely say that Mi Note 3 is an excellent choice for selfie lovers.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus 64GB is the most popular smartphone in the Xiaomi catalog
Average price in Russia - 12,500 rubles. Buy Redmi 5 Plus 64GB on AliExpress possible for 10.1 thousand rubles (delivery to Russia is free).
The model from Xiaomi, presented in December 2017 and went on sale in Russia in January 2018, has currently scored 81% of five reviews in Yandex Market and received 95% of recommendations for purchase there. This delight of buyers is easily explained: while leading smartphone manufacturers are trying to conquer the market of frameless models, focusing on the flagship segment, Xiaomi follows this trend in the budget segment (although it is worth noting that in the flagship segment, Xiaomi has a decent frameless model Mi Mix 2), namely in the new Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus. We chose the older model for rating mainly because of its better display.
The first thing you need to notice about the Redmi 5 Plus is the huge 5.99-inch IPS screen. A couple of years ago, a phone with such a screen would have been a shovel for a narrow circle of connoisseurs of such models, but in the era of frameless smartphones, an increase in screen size had virtually no effect on the increase in body size. If we compare the 6-inch Redmi 5 Plus with the standard 5.5-inch Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X, we will see that the Redmi 5 Plus is half a millimeter smaller in width and thickness, only the length has changed, it is 7.5 mm longer, but this means that the Redmi 5 Plus, just like the standard models, will easily fit in your pocket or hand. The resolution is also impressive at 2160x1080, while budget smartphones tend to offer a maximum resolution of 1920x1080.
Other characteristics: Android 7.1 OS with MIUI 9.1 proprietary shell. 64 GB of permanent memory and 4 GB of RAM, there is a slot for a memory card (combined with a slot for a second SIM card). Powerful battery with a capacity of 4000 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner. Metal body. Main camera 12 MP, front camera 5 MP.
While everyone is experiencing the shock of the appearance of the new Xiaomi smartphone, I decided to take a critical look: what happened?
Yes, I love Xiaomi products for their balance. This time it's time to criticize. Do you think that the Chinese have presented a real competitor to the iPhone X or OnePlus 6 with a bunch of killer features. In fact, we have just been fooled.
Or maybe Mi8 will really become the best smartphone of 2018? Let's try to figure it out.
Why does Xiaomi need 3 flagships at once?
The Chinese promised to announce a flagship: so cool that they had to jump over the serial number 7. Instead of the Mi7, the anniversary Mi8. Did you promise? But they did it in a unique way, “in the Xiaomi way.”
Instead of one smartphone, there are three at once, and all are different (full specifications -). And everything is not as promised. And with unpleasant surprises.
Flagship super smartphone Mi 8 Explorer Edition should have been the coolest not only Xiaomi phone: an under-screen scanner, a 3D camera for facial recognition, an incredible DxO score (105 for photos - cooler than the iPhone X and its own Mix 2s) and a transparent body. Ground meat! For 577 bucks.
Expensive. The main problem is that the Explorer Edition is a myth. The start date for sales has not been announced, so the company can delay it for any period of time (hello, Apple and fans - just as you like!).
The basic version is $150 cheaper, already acceptable 421. It seems that this is not the money that is worth paying extra for an under-screen scanner and a 3D camera hidden in the eyebrow. Moreover, not everything is smooth with the cameras (read below).
The under-screen scanner is really cool and convenient. But if it costs so much, why is it needed? Xiaomi is still a budget brand in our heads. They made the bottom frame a little thicker and hid it there (full-screen smartphones with an under-screen touch button are not uncommon). Or on the edge of a smartphone, like Meizu - wildly convenient.
Vivo has smartphones with an under-screen scanner. Are there many of them sold in Russia? Alas, these very cool devices are unreasonably expensive and remain in flight. 
Both there and here you need to be like the iPhone. Therefore, Xiaomi has to get out and hide the main unlocking tool under the screen. But, apparently, there is no production or licenses. Are they buying from Vivo at exorbitant prices? I think yes.
The same reason explains the appearance of the younger Xiaomi Mi 8 SE with a smaller diagonal, simplified cameras (apparently, the dual main one was borrowed from the budget Xiaomi S2 for $150 at retail) and processor Snapdragon 710. It would be a cool middling product, but the similarity with the popular Apple gadget raises the price to $281.
This means that in retail we will see it at 330-350. Meanwhile, Xiaomi has the Mi6X with a metal body, a cool camera and a good processor with the same performance (but a generation older). With a similar price. 
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s is similar to the old Sharp, but cooler than Mi8
In fact, Xiaomi released one “original” (we’ll get to this later) Mi8 and standard Chinese clone of iPhone X without features.
But they know how to make cool gadgets without regard to other developers (for example, and). This is why they love Xiaomi.
To be honest, the “eight” turned out to be strange: all “normal Xiaomi” without an “eyebrow”, with thick frames and convenient dimensions. It was clearly created with Apple in mind - that’s why I like the previous Mix 2s more (by the way, there will be a review soon - an incredibly cool smartphone).
Nothing can replace looking normal. And “eyebrow”, that is, face unlocking, raises many questions.
Infrared camera versus 3D scanning: who wins and why?
If you look at Vivo's materials on scanners, it turns out that the in-display fingerprint sensor costs nothing, so the notorious price difference between the Mi 8 Explorer Edition and the regular version is for the 3D camera for face scanning. Why is it needed?
After all, the basic Mi8 also has a complex front camera: an infrared camera and illumination are added to the regular camera, with the help of which the smartphone will photograph the user’s face in the dark for accurate recognition.
I am familiar with MIUI algorithms for facial recognition (sad, but there is hope). They work quite accurately - better than Samsung or OnePlus. If we assume that they have improved the software in the 10th version of the proprietary shell, the need to build a three-dimensional model of the face to unlock the smartphone becomes doubtful. 
Unlocking with the front camera will work in the regular Mi8, with a regular camera. And on any other Xiaomi smartphone. Let me remind you:
Together with Mix 2S, Xiaomi presented the XiaAI artificial intelligence system, which processes voice commands and operates Face ID face unlocking.
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Unless you're a constantly putting on make-up actor, a professional boxer, or a make-up artist model. Will 3D facial scanning work? Is not a fact. And the iPhone X may not cope.
Please note that the Mi8 EE does not indicate the presence of an infrared camera. Question: How will the facial recognition module work in the dark? Good question, we'll test it.
Hype on iPhone X. The Chinese love this smartphone.
Too many competitors and nothing of our own
If you forget about 2 unsuccessful options and deal with Xiaomi Mi8, it becomes even sadder.
Instead of a high-quality, cheap smartphone with a personal development ideology, Xiaomi for the first time released an exact clone of the modern market. The same as what other Chinese manufacturers produce.
So. Under the hood is the Quallcomm Snapdragon 845 - the traditional flagship of 2018. It comes with 6GB of RAM, which has also become the norm. They don't charge less anymore.
At first glance, the AMOLED matrix with a diagonal of 6.21 inches with a Full HD+ resolution of 2248×1080 pixels attracts attention: support for the DCI-P3 color space, brightness of 600 nits, contrast ratio of 60,000:1. Incredibly cool!
But why AMOLED? The IPS matrix, traditional for Xiaomi flagships, has the same parameters, but does not fade over time and is much cheaper. 
Important point: Xiaomi has released a smartphone with an AMOLED screen only once. It was cool, but not for long - and Redmi Pro () was released only for the Chinese market. That is, they have no experience with the type of matrices. And there are no specific functions in the system.
It will take time for them to work properly. Buyers will again work as beta testers.
The last hope remains: the incredibly cool Mi8 camera, which received a whopping 105 points for photos from DxO. There are 2 top modules from Sony and Samsung, 4-axis optical stabilization, RAW support and even “feng shui” sensors with huge pixels to eliminate noise in photos in the dark!
The exact same one is installed in Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s with a normal design. The engineers received an additional 3 points by tweaking the firmware. 
It turns out that Mi8 is functionally not so cool. There are a lot of analogues: starting from our own Mi Mix 2s, ending with the fashionable OnePlus 6 or Huawei P20 Pro. Moreover, one uses pure Android (and is therefore very good), and the second is ahead of Xiaomi in terms of photo quality (it cannot be otherwise).
The Chinese novelty can only be saved by new network modules and a fresh operating system with deep support for artificial intelligence for creating photos, animoji and a voice assistant.
Is Bluetooth 5.0 critical for you? Don't think. While there is nothing to connect with, suitable accessories are practically not produced. 
This is how the new GPS module works: red - its track (real), green - received from a regular smartphone
Do you need dual and highly accurate new generation GPS? There are questions about whether it will be able to work as accurately as stated, because the existing limitations on the accuracy of satellite navigation are supervised by the intelligence services. They may prohibit both sales and use. And not only in Russia.
A smart voice assistant already exists in Russia. “Alice” and the “Yandex” team are great. Therefore, Xiaomi designed the assistant for the Chinese domestic market, and we can forget about its existence. 
I don’t even want to talk about “animoji”. I frankly don’t understand them, I don’t use emoticons. A normal Russian person has a lot of ways to express his mood and thoughts in writing. Can not? Call. Don't know how to express emotions? It's worth learning, you're not 5 years old.
