Quick Specs
Snapdragon 636 SOC ( Octa-core Processor) / Adreno 509 GPU
4/6 GB RAM
5.99’ 18: 9 Full HD+ LCD screen
64 GB internal storage
Dual SIM nano ( Hybrid Micro SD card support)
Rear Dual Camera 12+ 5 megapixels
Front Camera 20 megapixels ( SONY IMX376 sensor)
4000 mAh battery
Fingerprint Scanner
Pros:
Build Quality: No issues regarding the build quality. The in-hand feel of the phone is quite premium.
Styling: Looks very premium from the front due to the new 18: 9 screen aspect ratio. From the back it resembles the iPhone X.
Sensors: It has all the necessary sensors including gyroscope sensor and physical LED notification light ( only white colour) .
Speakers: It has a single bottom firing speaker. It is adequately loud.
Cellular Call Quality: The earpiece is loud and clear. Cellular reception is also very good. In areas with low network reception also it works very well.
RAM Management: Till now I haven’t faced any issues regarding RAM Management. I have the 4 GB RAM variant and I think it is more than enough for regular usage.
Processor: It has the new SD636 SOC and Adreno 509 GPU. I haven’t noticed any lag or performance issues as of now. It also handles heavy games fine. ( Becomes a little bit warm after very heavy gaming)
Battery Life: Sporting a 4000 mAh battery, it serves me for over a day even after heavy use. For casual users, it may last for about one and a half day. ( Was getting 6-7 hours of Screen On Time)
Gaming: It’s good for gaming also. Even with very heavy games like the Asphalt 8, it played fine.
( Had some temporary software issue with Modern Combat 5)
- Camera: Camera performance is very good. In natural lighting conditions it performs very well. Colour accuracy is also very good. It also has the 20MP front facing camera and it is best in class. It also supports portrait mode on the front facing camera.
Cons:
Video Recording: Xiaomi has restricted the video quality only upto 1080p ( no 4K video recording) . But even in 1080p the quality of the video is not so good and it also struggles a bit in focusing.
Charging: Xiaomi should have bundled an official fast charger with the device as it supports fast charging. But with some fast chargers, it charges at regular rate, while with some others, it charges very fast.
Android version: We are still getting Android Nougat instead of Oreo out of the box.
Pricing: Both the 4 GB and 6 GB RAM variants come with 64 GB of internal storage and are priced at Rs. 14K and Rs. 17K respectively. The 4 GB one makes more sense. Xiaomi has actually priced the 6 GB one on a higher price.
Conclusion: Overall, at the price point of Rs 14, 000 ( 4 GB RAM variant) , it is a great device with very good performance, excellent cellular call quality and best in class front facing camera ( rear camera is also one of the best) .