Questions before purchase - Xiaomi Mi MIX Questions & Answers

Hi,
I want to buy something with a 6"+ diagonal with a 16:9-ish AR to replace my dying Zenfone 2. Since nowadays every new phone is released with an 18:9 AR, which is no upgrade from my current 5.5" phone, I have to look at older models. Currently I've almost decided on a Mi Mix.
There is a Mi Mix review on GSMArena, it has some negative points that I'd like to hear a second opinion about before I make my decision.
* IPS LCD: apparently quite bad outside. I can barely see my Zenfone 2 IPS screen in rather cloudy conditions, at max luminosity. Is the Mi Mix screen that bad outside? (I've seen an S8+ under direct sunlight and it was bright as if inside, right next to my Zenfone 2's litterally black screen, but well, amoled is amoled )
* No MicroSD slot: The USB 2 on my Zenfone 2 is very slow, and every time I want to load a few gigs of video of flac files I remove the MicroSD and use an USB3 adapter on my PC, it is way faster this way. Is the Mi Mix Type-C port USB 3 ot two?
* "Our review unit acquired a few scratches on top of its display in the first three days even though we were extra careful in handling it". Ew. Is it really that bad? I've used screen protectors on my older phones but you always see there is one and it is quite distracting. I've had my Zenfone 2 without a protector film in my pant pockets with loose change and keys, and the Gorilla Glass is spotless after 3 years of that. I was intending to do the same with the Mi Mix, but if it won't last a week at a 400-500€ price, I'll look elsewhere.
Thanks.

Neofit26 said:
Hi,
I want to buy something with a 6"+ diagonal with a 16:9-ish AR to replace my dying Zenfone 2. Since nowadays every new phone is released with an 18:9 AR, which is no upgrade from my current 5.5" phone, I have to look at older models. Currently I've almost decided on a Mi Mix.
There is a Mi Mix review on GSMArena, it has some negative points that I'd like to hear a second opinion about before I make my decision.
* IPS LCD: apparently quite bad outside. I can barely see my Zenfone 2 IPS screen in rather cloudy conditions, at max luminosity. Is the Mi Mix screen that bad outside? (I've seen an S8+ under direct sunlight and it was bright as if inside, right next to my Zenfone 2's litterally black screen, but well, amoled is amoled )
* No MicroSD slot: The USB 2 on my Zenfone 2 is very slow, and every time I want to load a few gigs of video of flac files I remove the MicroSD and use an USB3 adapter on my PC, it is way faster this way. Is the Mi Mix Type-C port USB 3 ot two?
* "Our review unit acquired a few scratches on top of its display in the first three days even though we were extra careful in handling it". Ew. Is it really that bad? I've used screen protectors on my older phones but you always see there is one and it is quite distracting. I've had my Zenfone 2 without a protector film in my pant pockets with loose change and keys, and the Gorilla Glass is spotless after 3 years of that. I was intending to do the same with the Mi Mix, but if it won't last a week at a 400-500€ price, I'll look elsewhere.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't comment on most of you're concerns, as for the screen it's fine with outdoor viewing, I never had a screen protector with a year of abuse in my pocket 1 tiny scratch is all I can see.

james1089 said:
Can't comment on most of you're concerns, as for the screen it's fine with outdoor viewing, I never had a screen protector with a year of abuse in my pocket 1 tiny scratch is all I can see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that's already 2 concerns out of 3, so thanks!

Hi, according this:
https://www.devicespecifications.com/es/model/9dda3f3d
The USB port is 3.0 in the Mi Mix. I have the 256G version and so neved missed the SD card slot.
As for the display visibility outside there is a thread in this forum about this. My personal experience is that the visibility is not so good when facing the sun directly, but I have a glass screen protector that may be worsening it.

Sounds good, thanks guys. One last thing: since it transmits sound by vibrating the top part of the screen, do other people really hear your conversations? I am reading conflicting opinions on the subject. I suppose that it may be the case in a small and quiet room, but I guess that in the street, in the subway or the train, there is enough ambient noise to counter this?

I'll sale you my mi mix

BigM69 said:
I'll sale you my mi mix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not looking for a used one, but thanks.

No problem, I got it a month ago. I'm probably gonna return it and go grab the note 8!!!

BigM69 said:
No problem, I got it a month ago. I'm probably gonna return it and go grab the note 8!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which Mi do you have (6MB, 256) and how much...Is condition mint and rooted?

vvette said:
Which Mi do you have (6MB, 256) and how much...Is condition mint and rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the 128gb version

One more thing. It's probably a stupid question, but here goes. One reviewer said that since the Mi Mix' screen is not a standard 16:9 resolution, it will display "standard" content with black bars. Fair enough, I see no way around this anyway. But then he added that native content shot with the Mi Mix will make full usage of the near bezel-less screen. This got me thinking... I suppose the camera does have native and standard 16:9/4:3 modes, doesn't it? I don't want to have to process all my photos and videos every time so they fit onto 16:9 screens without black borders.
Also, if the stock camera app can do that, what of the one that comes with Lineage OS?

Camera app has 4:3 and 16:9, no worries.

Hi
By coincidence I've recently replaced my aging Zenfone 2 ZE551ML with a Mi Mix 6/256: rest assured you won't be regretting the ZF2
The missing SD card is a non-issue, considering the 'minimum' configuration of the Mix provides you with 128GB of storage..
Screen visibility in full daylight is more than adequate for me, and anyway much better than the ZF2 screen. I find the Mix has a better, clearer display somehow.
Can't vouch for the Mix screen resistance, but I've put a cheap glass screen protector on it. Sure it's a tad smaller than the Mix screen - for some reason they don't seem to make properly sized screen glass - but good enough for the time being.
I think you'll appreciate the difference between the two devices, as I did.
PS: have a better look to the ZF2 screen: you'll find lots of small scratches - mine had them, to be sure.
Neofit26 said:
Hi,
I want to buy something with a 6"+ diagonal with a 16:9-ish AR to replace my dying Zenfone 2. Since nowadays every new phone is released with an 18:9 AR, which is no upgrade from my current 5.5" phone, I have to look at older models. Currently I've almost decided on a Mi Mix. (...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

A quick mini-review for people who might stumble upon this thread with the same concerns that I had. I got the 6/256G variant.
* IPS LCD: way more luminous that the IPS on the old Zenfone 2, so no problem with this. Also, even though the MiMix is larger with the same resolution as the ZF2, it looks sharper.
* No MicroSD slot: while USBTreeView does not show "SS" (super-speed, allegedly USB3) but only "H" (High speed, allegedly USB2), the transfer speed is definitely USB3.
* Scratches: I don't know what the GSMArena reviewers were doing to the phone, or maybe their model had a different screen coating, but after a week in my pants pocket together with some loose change, the screen does not have a single scratch.
* Phone sound: The handset produces a clearly worse sound quality, but this screen vibration does not let other people hear your conversation.
* The stock camera app is kind of garbage-y. No stabilisation. You can change "Camera Frame" from 16:9 to 4:3, and "Picture Quality" between High/Standard/Low, but nowhere did I find figures like "4608x2592 (16:9, 11.93MP)" that free apps like "Open Camera" will show you.
Extra stuff:
* If you are planning to flash the phone right away, be ready to waste 3 days of your life being unable to install and config your phone. The Mi Mix has a locked bootloader, you have to ask Xiaomi for the permission to unlock the device that belongs to you. This part is done quickly though, but then you will have wait 72 hours upon receipt of the permission e-mail until their flashing software allows you to do the actual unlocking.
* It comes with MIUI 8 (Android 6), and no apt-x. If you have good headphones like the Sennheiser Momentum M2, the difference will be huge.
* I was intending to install Lineage OS for the apt-x support. After flashing I figured it did not have the official Google Play app (big duh! moment ). Not willing to risk using an ersatz then fight with compatibility issues (I have quite a few official paid apps), I flashed MIUI 9 Global beta (Android 7.1.2). Even though by itself MIUI 8 and 9 are rather rubbish (if I didn't want an app drawer I'd have bought an iphone ), with the Nova Launcher it works fine. And it has apt-x too.
Overall I am quite happy with the purchase so far.

Great thread.. i just bought one and waiting for it to arrive. i live in canada. where do you guys who own one live ?? im asking because i also read something about the 4G LTE bands missing or slow ?? do you guys have issues with data speeds ?
also, i am probably gonna root the phone. how did you contact Xioami to get the unlock codes for bootloader ?
confused also to flash global rom or go with a custom or the difference between LiniageOS or the other options.. my head hurts just thinking about it.. LOL..
again, i'm from canada.. does one version work "better" ?
thanks for any feedback.. can't wait to get the phone

obtuce said:
Great thread.. i just bought one and waiting for it to arrive. i live in canada. where do you guys who own one live ?? im asking because i also read something about the 4G LTE bands missing or slow ?? do you guys have issues with data speeds ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I live in the other side of the world (Israel) and I have no problem with data speeds and I get 4G LTE almost everywhere with good reception, But I dont know about North America (In Israel there are no problems with 4G LTE bands and data speed on chinese phones).

good to know.. thanks for that..

Related

First impressions compared to Mix 1

Here are some initial thoughts after using it for 24 hours:
Overall look and feel is quite different. Build quality is still excellent but rounded sides and corners give it a more mainstream look. Gone is the futuristic black slab - it is now more of a generic 2017 phone shape. The rounded sides and smaller size to make it more comfortable in the hand over long period though. The joint between ceramic back and metal sides is tight and smooth.
I am slightly disappointed by the size of the side bezels. I knew the top bezel would be larger due to the loudspeaker but the thicker side ones feel like a step backwards. I know we are talking fractions of a mm but it does again detract from the futuristic look.
Smaller screen is definitely noticeable compared to Mix 1 but for me this might be the ideal size (I don't play games).
The camera now protrudes a bit, again removing from the black slab look. I find the gold ring looks smart though.
Phone feels very snappy and responsive running stable Chinese rom. Will migrate to EU rom when I can unlock bootloader and then hopefully lineage at some point.
Fingerprint sensor is incredibly fast - fastest I have used in any phone. And sensor location is perfect and well marked - so refreshing after using S8+ for a while.
Bottom loudspeaker is fine - I would say similar to Mix 1. Earpiece is clearer as you would expect but again it has lost the crazy futuristic feel.
Not had enough time yet to properly evaluate battery and camera.
So as expected it is not a major leap forward. Indeed some on here have called it a downgrade. I feel it is more like a different phone model. Perhaps the futuristic Mix 1 was a one off that will not be replicated until there is the next major breakthrough.
I got mine last friday.
Battery take 1h20 to charge from 15% to 100%
With a full charge, I lasted 1 day and 3h, 6h of sot (1h of gaming (Clash Royale, DH5); lot of chrome, a bit of youtube). Not as good as the Mi Mix, but should last a good day.
For those who are interested by benchmarks, Antutu: 178k, Geekbench: 6700
And annoying issue, Gear app (for samsung smartwatchs) always crash, so can't pair my Gear S2...
What do you guys think about the camera? Espacially pictures in low light?
Im not sure if I should buy mi mix 2, wait for pixel xl 2 or huawei mate 10 pro maybe ..
Where did you guys buy from?
There's various options, check the threads in this subforum.
My impressions are positive but keep in mind I spent the last 3 &1/2 years with the OPO.
It should have been "fatter", to make the camera flush with the body and accommodate a bigger battery. It feels so thin, even with the case on. Cameras have gotten a lot better since the last time I was in the market for a new phone, SoC's too, no lag or stuttering. Battery life seems great initially, I can only imagine what the original mix was like. Enough space in the chin bezel to incorporate capacitive buttons, maybe it will happen for the mix 3. The other 3 bezels are definitely there, the rounded corners aren't helping but I'm not bothered at all. Speaker is quite loud, not as shrill as I'm used to hearing from phone speakers.
Excellent fit & finish. It is a good phone, with minimal changes it could have been a great one. If Xiaomi makes it easier buy the phones internationally, opens up stock android options and doesn't go mainstream but rather have the mainstream follow their concepts, they can skyrocket their market share. Especially with current pricing, they can go from "a alternative flagship" to "the flagship to buy".
Any random restarts? My Mix 1 was plagued by random restarts and I read on some other forums that other Mix 1 owners were having the same problem.
kcc1982 said:
Any random restarts? My Mix 1 was plagued by random restarts and I read on some other forums that other Mix 1 owners were having the same problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a single one. Not a single fc even. 5th day running xiaomi.eu rom.
Skickat från min MIX 2 via Tapatalk
kcc1982 said:
Any random restarts? My Mix 1 was plagued by random restarts and I read on some other forums that other Mix 1 owners were having the same problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None for me. I've never had a MIUI device before but very impressed by how smooth this thing is
That's good to hear. I was very hesitant to order the Mix 2 after my experience with the Mix 1 but in the end decided to give the Mix 2 a shot. Looking forward to when my cases get hear so I can start using it.
Promising first impressions so far!
I've been using G5, Moto Z and ZUK2 for a year now. Moto z had the best experience I've ever had on an Android performance and stand by drain wise but it just died to bootloop. G5 has amazing camera but it's very sluggish and battery life is mediocre.
ZUK2 is a great device but the camera is FUBAR.
I'M considering giving mix 2 a chance. The 2 major points for me is the snappiness (alt tabbing between apps) and battery efficiency.
Seems like Mix 2 is going to be a safe choice. I'm just not sure how the miui handles, never used a Mi phone before.
Hi, can anyone test if the latest Google Camera HDR+ port works on mix2?
https://www.xda-developers.com/google-camera-hdr-customization-raw-support/
Is the HDR+, RAW, photo sphere mode working?
hdr+ and photo sphere works, raw doesnt work in gcam but works in 3rd party camera apps
superior8888 said:
Not a single one. Not a single fc even. 5th day running xiaomi.eu rom.
Skickat från min MIX 2 via Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With the eu Rom, can you get the wallpaper carousel working? (Do you have a selection of themes in the lower half of the screen, not just "Offline" wallpapers?) Thanks Chris
S...ucks compare to mix
I liked my mi mix's much larger screen. It is only 0.5" (or so), but it did make a world of difference. I find the mi mix 2 (and 2s for that matter) screen size too small. It is not as dramatic as when I went from my Samsung Mega to a Samsung Note 4 (the days of the phablet, when people mocked us...) but still...
I never understood why Xiaomi downsized the screen.
Now, what I hated about the mi mix is it's fragility (I admit it, I broke the screen 3x, and this last time I won't repair it given the sweet deal I got on the mi mix 2), the screen that is at it's edge along with the ceramic sides makes for zero margin of forgiveness when this phone hits the floor.
I am gathering that the shape and design of the mi mix 2, along with the new case that I ordered, will give me more longevity in terms of screen protection.
Oh, and the mi mix 2 wins hands down in terms of Data and LTE connectivity. The mi mix was on many occasions, lost in space as an app would spin and whirr while waiting for signal to open up (Waze, mobile parking apps, in general LTE use) whereas my Mi mix 2 hits all the following bands from my carrier...
Band 4 (1700/2100 MHz)
Band 7 (2600 MHz) and/or
Band 17 (700 MHz)
Cheers,
LormaD

Is the Xiamoi Mi Mix 256gb / 6 GB RAM still worth it in 2018?

Hello,
I'm actually really in love with this phone... it has a huge 6.4" screen, it's nearly bezel-less, it looks great, the display looks awesome, it has 6 GB of ram.
If I think about it, actually there's nothing wrong with it.
But if I think longer about it, I have my concerns.
I'm from the EU, to be more specific - germany. And I know this phone doesn't support band 20 iirc, but that's not a huge problem for me.
I'm just not sure how it performs in the EU in other aspects.
For example, I've seen a review about the phone in the US in which the guy said that it has problems with google services like Gmail and the Google voice assistant not working properly.
On the other side, the video was from december 2016 - how much has changed until now in terms of software and compatibility to EU countries?
I know the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is already available and the 2S will be soon, but somehow I feel like those are "downgrades" and not really upgrades.
Of course, the hardware is better in Mi Mix 2 and 2S but the Design, Display etc. looks more like a downgrade.
What do you think?
Honestly one of the best phones I have ever had.
I have gone through 4 ?. I also had note 8 and iPhone X and I can promise you the phone is amazing. The one down side is the camera. It's not that bad but it's not up on par with what's out there today. But the screen size and battery is the best.
I have had them since day one that was launched and broke 2. Gave one to wife and kept 4th for me. Fixed one of the broken ones and have it as a backup.
addicTix said:
Hello,
I'm actually really in love with this phone... it has a huge 6.4" screen, it's nearly bezel-less, it looks great, the display looks awesome, it has 6 GB of ram.
If I think about it, actually there's nothing wrong with it.
But if I think longer about it, I have my concerns.
I'm from the EU, to be more specific - germany. And I know this phone doesn't support band 20 iirc, but that's not a huge problem for me.
I'm just not sure how it performs in the EU in other aspects.
For example, I've seen a review about the phone in the US in which the guy said that it has problems with google services like Gmail and the Google voice assistant not working properly.
On the other side, the video was from december 2016 - how much has changed until now in terms of software and compatibility to EU countries?
I know the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is already available and the 2S will be soon, but somehow I feel like those are "downgrades" and not really upgrades.
Of course, the hardware is better in Mi Mix 2 and 2S but the Design, Display etc. looks more like a downgrade.
What do you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything works as it should, ok Google from a screen off doesn't work as it doesn't have the hardware for that, for everything else ok Google works like any other phone. Nearly 2 years later they are still worth over 50% of what I paid.
fatouraee said:
Honestly one of the best phones I have ever had.
I have gone through 4 . I also had note 8 and iPhone X and I can promise you the phone is amazing. The one down side is the camera. It's not that bad but it's not up on par with what's out there today. But the screen size and battery is the best.
I have had them since day one that was launched and broke 2. Gave one to wife and kept 4th for me. Fixed one of the broken ones and have it as a backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But you broke them in a physical way right? Like, you dropped them?
I'm a bit afraid of buying the mi mix and having a faulty phone like dead pixels on the screen or something like this.
james1089 said:
Everything works as it should, ok Google from a screen off doesn't work as it doesn't have the hardware for that, for everything else ok Google works like any other phone. Nearly 2 years later they are still worth over 50% of what I paid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds good! Thanks
addicTix said:
But you broke them in a physical way right? Like, you dropped them?
I'm a bit afraid of buying the mi mix and having a faulty phone like dead pixels on the screen or something like this.
That sounds good! Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you drop it, it's really easy to fix, 50 Euros for a new screen from AliExpress and they really are good quality, bought a s8+ but I am going to sell it, prefer the mix 18 months later.
james1089 said:
If you drop it, it's really easy to fix, 50 Euros for a new screen from AliExpress and they really are good quality, bought a s8+ but I am going to sell it, prefer the mix 18 months later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But is the screen from AliExpress the same as the one they use in the Mi Mix?
addicTix said:
But is the screen from AliExpress the same as the one they use in the Mi Mix?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Made by same manufacturers, just buy 1, especially if you are a developer:laugh:
If you use a good case you don't need to worry about it getting damaged. I broke 2 cuz I didn't have a case on them. but they were repairable. At the time I broke them, there were no parts, but now you can find all the parts and they are relatively cheap.
Alright, thanks!
And if I buy the chinese version of this phone, is it the same as the global version only with a chinese rom?
And can I flash the official global rom without any problems from here http://en.miui.com/download-317.html#471 ?
Yes. I have both and no difference between them.
fatouraee said:
Yes. I have both and no difference between them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you!
james1089 said:
bought a s8+ but I am going to sell it, prefer the mix 18 months later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's the reason for you, that you prefer the Mi Mix over the S8+?
In terms of hardware, the S8+ should be the superior phone afaik - so I assume this is not the reason
addicTix said:
Thank you!
What's the reason for you, that you prefer the Mi Mix over the S8+?
In terms of hardware, the S8+ should be the superior phone afaik - so I assume this is not the reason
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't really answer that, even my wife says the mix is easier to use, might just be the wider screen.
But in the end, it's still a reliable phone?
It's just that head thing which makes me struggling. I would actually buy a 1 year 3 months old phone for ~450€. And there's already a Mi Mix 2... and soon a Mi Mix 2S
Currently I have a LG G2.
In terms of camera, is the Mi Mix better than my G2 from 2013 or ~same or even better? I heard that the camera is not really good, but that makes me thinking - maybe it's just not on pair with high end phones like S8+ / Note 8 so people know there's something better.
What I want to say is, maybe the Mi Mix's camera isn't that bad, just worse than S8 and co but still superior to older phones like mine.
addicTix said:
But in the end, it's still a reliable phone?
It's just that head thing which makes me struggling. I would actually buy a 1 year 3 months old phone for ~450€. And there's already a Mi Mix 2... and soon a Mi Mix 2S
Currently I have a LG G2.
In terms of camera, is the Mi Mix better than my G2 from 2013 or ~same or even better? I heard that the camera is not really good, but that makes me thinking - maybe it's just not on pair with high end phones like S8+ / Note 8 so people know there's something better.
What I want to say is, maybe the Mi Mix's camera isn't that bad, just worse than S8 and co but still superior to older phones like mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If camera is your thing look elsewhere, it's improved with gcam but not the best.
So what you are telling me is, the camera has improved quality when I download the google camera app and take pictures with that?
I mean, I'm not a big camera guy. Of course, the one from S8 etc. makes great photos but that's not why I'm buying a smartphone.
If the cam is at least on the same level as the one in my G2 or a bit better, that's totally fine for me.
Also btw, do you know a good Etui for the Mi Mix + silicon bumper?
I bought a silicon bumper to protect it a bit when I'm using it (of course it doesn't make the phone drop-proofed, obviously), but I'm also not a huge fan of screen-protectors on phones.
That's why I need an etui where I can slide the phone it and put it in my pockets, so the screen is safe.
I found a few for the xiaomi mi mix, but the dimensions of them suggested that it would fit perfectly without bumper, but with one which adds ~1.1mm it could get really tight.
So I would need something with more space
addicTix said:
So what you are telling me is, the camera has improved quality when I download the google camera app and take pictures with that?
I mean, I'm not a big camera guy. Of course, the one from S8 etc. makes great photos but that's not why I'm buying a smartphone.
If the cam is at least on the same level as the one in my G2 or a bit better, that's totally fine for me.
Also btw, do you know a good Etui for the Mi Mix + silicon bumper?
I bought a silicon bumper to protect it a bit when I'm using it (of course it doesn't make the phone drop-proofed, obviously), but I'm also not a huge fan of screen-protectors on phones.
That's why I need an etui where I can slide the phone it and put it in my pockets, so the screen is safe.
I found a few for the xiaomi mi mix, but the dimensions of them suggested that it would fit perfectly without bumper, but with one which adds ~1.1mm it could get really tight.
So I would need something with more space
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The transparent cases work well, took it off for 1 day got drunk and broke the screen, they def protect the screen and stop it slipping out of hands. I got a scratch resistant one and it still looks like new.
I am a bit of a serial phone buyer and tend to change devices fairly often, but I have had the Mi Mix as my main device since last summer and can't see another device on the market that would be better for my needs.
The Good
- Official lineage support
- Huge screen with a 17:9 aspect ratio (better than 18:9 IMHO)
- Minimal bezels
- NFC for Android Pay (needs Magisk in Lineage)
- Great battery life
- Beautiful design
The Bad
- Camera quality (can be mitigated by installing the Google Pixel camera)
- No Band 20 (not an issue with my network)
I'm looking forward to the Mi Max 3 which should be announced in the late spring / early summer, but there isn't too much on the horizon which would make me want to swap out my Mi Mix 1.
I received my Mi Mix 1 today and I really like it.
But there's one negative aspect I noticed and I wanted to know if other users noticed it as well.
The screen is a bit blurry in motion imo compared to my G2.
For example on the homescreen when I slide the screen from left to right, the font of apps are getting somewhat blurry, so does the icon.
It's a bit like ghosting, like when the screen's response time is not that great.
Can anyone confirm this?
It's not extremely blurry and I probably can live with it, don't think it would be worth the hassle with gearbest especially if I don't know if it's just how the screen is.
Another thing, and that's pretty much personal preference, the screen is a bit yellowish on natural with read mode disabled.
Warm and natural are too yellowish for my taste, cold is way too bluish.
I couldn't find any option to adjust RGB myself.
Is there a way to do this?
addicTix said:
So what you are telling me is, the camera has improved quality when I download the google camera app and take pictures with that?
I mean, I'm not a big camera guy. Of course, the one from S8 etc. makes great photos but that's not why I'm buying a smartphone.
If the cam is at least on the same level as the one in my G2 or a bit better, that's totally fine for me.
Also btw, do you know a good Etui for the Mi Mix + silicon bumper?
I bought a silicon bumper to protect it a bit when I'm using it (of course it doesn't make the phone drop-proofed, obviously), but I'm also not a huge fan of screen-protectors on phones.
That's why I need an etui where I can slide the phone it and put it in my pockets, so the screen is safe.
I found a few for the xiaomi mi mix, but the dimensions of them suggested that it would fit perfectly without bumper, but with one which adds ~1.1mm it could get really tight.
So I would need something with more space
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Live my mi mix. Bought this case for it: http://s.aliexpress.com/y2miEjqM?fromSns=Clipboard
Sent from my Xiaomi Mi Mix using XDA Labs
I also was a guy that bought a new phone every 8 to 9 months. Until the mi mix that is. Honestly i now can't see myself buying another phone for another year or two. I stopped browsing the new phone news/specs loooong ago.
Would love a similar phone with sdcard and more bands. That is all.

Not sure if I should get Xiaomi or Nokia

I am considering either getting A2 or Nokia 7 Plus.
The A2 has the same hardware platform but is considerably cheaper but there are a few things/questions that I am considering:
1. the updates on A1, if I read comments or on the A1 forum seem to be late and buggy. This is one of the major drawbacks for me as I want a stable device and I am afraid the same thing will happen with A2
2. on Nokia there seem a way to enable gcam without doing root on the device, on A2 I saw that root is needed... this would be a drawback as gcam seems to improve picture taking on many devices
3. How does the device feel in hand? Is it slippery? Is the camera bump annoying?
4. Any software/hardware issues reported so far? I read something about proximity sensor but other than that not much.
The reviews for the device aren't stellar. Most complain about nfc, jack and sd card. None of this are important to me, I care about updates and camera.
So, should I get the Nokia (better build, bigger battery, stable and fast updates, probably a bit better camera, gcam working, better screen, no PWM for brightness)
I'd like to hear your advices. Thank you for your time.
It'll be better if you buy the Nokia 7 plus Android One version! You'll get most the things needed in a flagship phone (not all) and it's better than Mi A2 in most of the time except the camera!
You should also bear in mind that Nokia phones have no official way of unlocking bootloader for now, so there won't be lot of custom development for their devices until HMD decide to provide way to unlock bootloader. And according to HMDs head twitter, they won't do it because of security (proof: https://twitter.com/sarvikas/status/910421837661790208)
There certainly are a ** lot ** of things to consider when buying a phone now-a-days.
One of the very first things I look at is appearance, and weight. So right off the bat, 2 knocks on the 7plus; it's gaudy looking with the faux gold trim, and it's 183 grams (and I thought 165 gram phones were heavy!).
I'm shocked you would say an issue with the Mi A2 would be build quality? I don't have mine yet, but the unibody construction of these devices, like the Huawei Mate SE, are as good as it gets. Could not feel more solid. There's a marked difference to how a device with a unibody and 2.5D raised glass feels compared to how a device (like the 7plus) that has a 'flat' band all around it, holding the top and the bottom panels together.
I much much prefer the rounded unibody, way more comfortable in the hand, less likely to slip. And the metal body of them isn't slippery.
Yes, the A1 has had some issues with updates / bugs. But the A2 already has the ota security patch / bug fixes for August available. Someone mentioned they seem to be doing better with the A2 and it may well be because it's Project Treble.
As someone else mentioned; Is the bootloader unlockable? That's right near the top of the list for me, if not the top. If the Nok is locked down (as said), it's off my list. At some point, and you might keep the phone that long, updates will stop. If you can't unlock it, then the phone is basically done.
As far as reviews go, actually the ones i've read, are stellar. Yes, the lack of nfc, expansion, no jack, are mentioned. They all mention it. I guess they have to or it won't be considered a decent review. But to me, I can live without them, not that much of a big. What is a big, and it's mentioned a lot in the reviews I've read, are the cameras. The f1.75 cams on the back will let in a ** lot ** of light. All reviews indicate they do well in low light (as you would expect), some even say the great cameras make up for the loss of the other items.
So what's important to you? I"m going with Android One is big, good cameras is really big, unlockable bootloader is huge, not too heavy helps to keep me from constantly pulling my pants up, available in black... I like black (not gaudy pls).
We all have our criteria don't we...
Build quality of the A2 is amazing. Feels like a flagship device. I was afraid how it would compare to my light Nexus 5x but man was I wrong. I loved it from the start
Custom roms were my main deciding factor compared to Nokia or bq even if there is no NFC or RGB notification LED. So I am ready to use the hardware until it breaks.
Headphone jack I don't care too much, get a fiio btr Bluetooth headphone amp and you are smartphone independent and can use your cable headphones which I won't change to anything purely bluetooth based unless Sennheiser comes out with some usb-c based ie80s.
SD card? You really need more than 64GB or 128Gb even? I am happy with the 64GB but depends a lot on what you are planning to do.
Oh I forgot the amazing camera. You can find some of my pics in the gcam thread. Guess I will upload a little camera showcase soon.
Thank you all for your thoughts.
@AsItLies I did not say there's an issue with build quality on A2. As you say, I am kind of convinced that it will fell better in hand as it is rounded, and that matters on big phones a lot. What I have noticed is that the camera bump is really big and that could make it wobble on the table.
So to set the list of pros and cons
A2
+ good feel in hand
- no way to use gcam without root and bootloader unlock which is something I don't want to do.
- no double tap to wake
+/- the software remains to be seen... A1 wasn't really great in that department
7Plus
+ double tape to wake
+ better screen quality
+ stable software with quick updates
+ google camera works without root
- like 25% more expensive
- not sure the looks in live preview with the copper accent.
- finger print scanner seems a bit too high, but A2 kind of looks at the same spot
- no notification led and glance uses battery since it has LCD
- bulkier and heavier
To be honest, I don't care for rooting the device. In 2 years, after no more updates, I am sure there will be other cheap alternatives to get.
Looks like you're not power user, doesn't need rooted device or custom ROM, etc. Based on this I recommend the 7 Plus, I think it's better than A2 for general usage. A2 to me strong in the community support and development since it has better value for budget phone.
7 Plus wins in many aspects, but A2 is slightly better at camera department based on some reviews I read. 7 Plus prices is very high compared to other mid range devices, I think if you have the money and can add few bucks more, you can buy flagship phone with Snapdragon 8XX instead of 7 Plus.
I care about:
1. updates - I have my concerns on updates given the previous history with A1.
2. camera - some say nokia is better, some say a2 is better. Probably nokia with gcam is better
3.handling- a2 seems to be more rounded, slimmer but has that huge camera bump what probably makes it wobble on table. Together with no double touch to wake makes it no so ergonomic.
Nokia kind of ticks most of the boxes really, however, a2 is 25% cheaper and may have life after 2 years with the community. At the price of 7plus, I could get a used pixel 2 for instance and that has better camera and updates.
Tough choice to make.
alinescoo said:
I care about:
1. updates - I have my concerns on updates given the previous history with A1.
2. camera - some say nokia is better, some say a2 is better. Probably nokia with gcam is better
3.handling- a2 seems to be more rounded, slimmer but has that huge camera bump what probably makes it wobble on table. Together with no double touch to wake makes it no so ergonomic.
Nokia kind of ticks most of the boxes really, however, a2 is 25% cheaper and may have life after 2 years with the community. At the price of 7plus, I could get a used pixel 2 for instance and that has better camera and updates.
Tough choice to make.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well hopefully you won't mind my version of your concerns, but always remember, these things are evolving and changing, due to experience. It's only natural with complicated things like this.
1. updates - While the A1 did run into a few issues, I'd say remember, this is a new thing for them. They'll probably get it right soon, evidenced by the August patch available now... and it's August! That's almost unheard of in itself.
2. Camera - I certainly like the Zeiss optics on the Nok, but Sony is no slouch either. Keep in mind the aperture of the 2 rear cameras on the A2 are f1.75. The Nok are f1.8 and f2.6 (for the optical zoom one). I don't know exactly, but the diff between the 1.75 and 2.6 is a Full Stop, if not more. That means, if u don't know, that the 1.75 will let in TWICE the amount of light. That's a huge difference, resulting in much better pictures.
The other thing re the GCam. I have a port on my LG G6 now. It's very good. Except it doesn't have all the features the OEM app has. For instance; taking a selfie in portrait mode, there is no timer. Also note the GCam ports won't use both lenses, as the pixel phones only have one lens. Some OEM apps use info from both lenses to create bokeh effects etc.
3. Handling - it is an individual thing for sure. My take on the camera bump is - I'd prefer it didn't have it, but I just don't set the phone down on the back (unless it's in a case). If I set it down I'll set it on the front. It's usually just in my pocket.
All cameras (except the G6!) have a bump, the A2 is just a bit bigger. Oh well. As far as double tap, for me... I've never used it, even once. Just use the finger print scanner.
Again! not knocking your concerns, they are valid for you, that's all that matters. Just giving a different perspective on them. Tomorrow, I may think differently! Haha, phones, they've become so complicated it's more and more time consuming to evaluate them. I've bought and sold so many lately, I never thought I would do that! I think I have a new addiction
About the handling, if you don't use a case with Mi A2, it is a bit slippery for me. The device is actually round but it is also thin. The metal at the back is very smooth and could be slippery for some.
And I think the cameras between two are not so different, depends on your taste. But the sensor with Nokia 7 Plus is larger so it should produce better images in low light.
@AsItLies thank you for your detailed info. I am very glad to receive info from an owner.
@Marciano09 thank you. To be honest, my comfort zone ends around the sizes of pixel 2, but the trend now is to have phones bigger and bigger so I guess I need to get used to it. So, bigger and slippery is not something that sounds comfortable. Nokia seems to have some ceramic back cover which probably improves handling but has rougher edges.
I saw some comparison videos on camera samples, sometimes I liked A2 ones, sometimes the Nokia ones. Nokia with gcam has some really nice photos where on xiaomi I depend on the OEM camera.
Really tough choice to make.
alinescoo said:
I care about:
1. updates - I have my concerns on updates given the previous history with A1.
2. camera - some say nokia is better, some say a2 is better. Probably nokia with gcam is better
3.handling- a2 seems to be more rounded, slimmer but has that huge camera bump what probably makes it wobble on table. Together with no double touch to wake makes it no so ergonomic.
Nokia kind of ticks most of the boxes really, however, a2 is 25% cheaper and may have life after 2 years with the community. At the price of 7plus, I could get a used pixel 2 for instance and that has better camera and updates.
Tough choice to make.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. they're both android one devices, sure, the nokia may not have as much dev support but it will get the same 2y official treatment because of android one.
2. both good cameras yep, the a2 will probably take some better nighttime pics, the nokia might be better at portrait mode.
3. forget about the double tap to wake... it's so much nicer to use the fingerprint to wake up instead! and yes, the a2 isn't stable on a flat table. even with the tpu case it still wobbles. the case helps, but it's still not standing nicely.
if you care about the price difference, go for the a2. but be aware that the a2 will drop in price over the next few months. this is the most expensive it will ever be. the nokia may have started to drop in price already.
the features that may point you to the nokia:
- nfc
- bigger battery
- 3.5 jack
- sd card support
- sturdier
a2:
- slimmer, lighter
- maybe better dev support (on the long long run however it's probably irrelevant since both phones are android one supported) - see LE
- maybe better night shots (it's still a phone however, and anything but the highest end flagships pale in comparison to real cameras - if you ask me never pick a phone based on cameras)
- cheaper (however expect the price to drop over the next months! this is the launch price)
did you consider/looked at the redmi note 5 pro (whyred)?
- already has some good custom roms (lineage)
- better battery
- 636 is a 660 running at a lower clock speed (even better use of battery)
- way cheaper
L.E.
- yes, the proximity sensor on the a2 seems a bit wonky, but not as bad as some reviews describe it
- updates are always a bit weird at first, android one is the fix for that (on both phones), only difference is the nokia had the time it needed to fix some already
- without a case yes, the a2 is slippery. use the included case from the moment you unbox it.
- yes, i own an A2, i love it and dont regret getting one, i recommend it to anyone looking to buy one.
- dev support...
*yes, it's very possible the a2 will get better unofficial support. however, and i don't know how i'm gonna say this without getting the full wrath of the forum thrown at me... that's irrelevant.
*you get a android one so you don't have to worry about the official support! you get one of these to be able to stay on the stock rom.
*either way you look at it, and in all honesty i really appreciate the work all the devs pull of unofficially for devices, thank you all and keep up the good work!
*however you cannot expect a handful of devs to be able to compete with google or big oem's. - again, this may seem like i am ungrateful, that's not the case. (only exception is when those oem-s choose to drop support). with android one they cannot do that even if they wanted to.
*both phones will get security patches and android updates for a minimum of 2 years. by then, regardless which one you buy you'll want a newer one that supports 6g or vr over lte or 5 cameras or a bendable screen. or whatever else gimmick they pull out of the hat by then. (if anything, i would be sorry for having to dump the nokia more)
I personally was debating between this or the 6.1 plus. I don't recall off hand what the deciding factor for me was. But I went with the a2 and it will be here Tuesday.
Nickdroid86 said:
I personally was debating between this or the 6.1 plus. I don't recall off hand what the deciding factor for me was. But I went with the a2 and it will be here Tuesday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
now that's a better comparison!
picked the a2 for the large screen and better cameras?
enjoy the new a2! and piece of advice... dont switch away from the standard android one for as long as you can. unlike the other xiaomi-s with miui, it's actually not a bad idea to stick to stock.
if you find the time share your opinions about it after a few days
Doing a little research and found on gsmarena u can not only compare phones, but also photo comparisons;
There are 3 categories it compares them in: Lowest ISO, Good Light, Low Light. There's some explanation of how they got their results, but they seem a bit vague (but at least they have SOME control they're doing).
An issue that comes up when comparing Cameras is some think it has to be an apples to apples comparison; Same ISO, Same Aperture, Same exposure time. They think that's the only way to have a true comparison.
But here's the thing; A comparison really should be 'take the best picture possible' for ea camera under the exact conditions and exact subject matter. That way, if one camera has pixel binning, it can use that. Or another camera has a wider aperture it can use that, etc.
But this does give 'some' idea of how the 2 phone cameras compare, it's pretty cool to fool around with, click in the design on the left to change what's focused on. Also note, the pictures do seem to indicate when a lense has a wider angle than another, noted by what's captured in the 'viewing box'.
https://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=5&idPhone1=9140&idPhone2=9058
I think the build quality of A2 is very good but the metal back is really slippery. I have to use the TPU cover provided. After using the cover, the camera bump is not a big issue. The bump becomes much smaller.
I also considered Nokia 7 Plus but I think it's too bulky and heavy for me. As I don't need NFC and SD card because it's not my main phone, I can live with it.
The screen is vibrant and crisp. I really didn't expect that in such a low price phone.
Thank you all for your valuable informations. The price of Nokia 7 plus is around the same as a Pixel 2 (the smaller one) and I think I'll keep an eye on the market for a good deal. Pixel is more compact, has great camera and another 2 years of software updates.
Thank all again you for your time.
laviniu_c said:
now that's a better comparison!
picked the a2 for the large screen and better cameras?
enjoy the new a2! and piece of advice... dont switch away from the standard android one for as long as you can. unlike the other xiaomi-s with miui, it's actually not a bad idea to stick to stock.
if you find the time share your opinions about it after a few days
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will for sure. I love Android One software. I had it with my regular Nokia 6.1
Comparing 7 plus and a2 is like comparing apples to oranges (both are phones). In terms of price there is a stellar difference, if you can afford the 7 plus, better go for a pixel 1 (you said you wanted updates and camera), i personally bought a2 because it's cheap as hell and even if i'd be the richest person on the planet i would not pay more than 300 dollars for a phone.
Android is made for SD8XX, nomatter what these cheapsters hide under the lid (SD6XX) they will always hang, lag, overheat and die fast.
Component wise the a2 feels like a joke (sorry, copying the iphone x in this manner it's way beyond shame) and a toy for kids with the ir blaster (come on it's 2018) and the lack of nfc (if you're european you'll understand).
If you have the money buy the pixel 1, if you're a cheapster like the a2, go for it. I don't se the reason to buy the 7 plus.
strapabiro said:
Comparing 7 plus and a2 is like comparing apples to oranges (both are phones). In terms of price there is a stellar difference, if you can afford the 7 plus, better go for a pixel 1 (you said you wanted updates and camera), i personally bought a2 because it's cheap as hell and even if i'd be the richest person on the planet i would not pay more than 300 dollars for a phone.
Android is made for SD8XX, nomatter what these cheapsters hide under the lid (SD6XX) they will always hang, lag, overheat and die fast.
Component wise the a2 feels like a joke (sorry, copying the iphone x in this manner it's way beyond shame) and a toy for kids with the ir blaster (come on it's 2018) and the lack of nfc (if you're european you'll understand).
If you have the money buy the pixel 1, if you're a cheapster like the a2, go for it. I don't se the reason to buy the 7 plus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android is made for SD8XX? Each phone is optimized for it's precessor, among other hardware. Some better than others. The sd660 in my mi a2 is hanging in there up against my sd845 in my s9+ and the sd835 in my pixel 2 xl..

7 things I wish I knew before buying the K20 Pro

This isn't a rant, just things which I've noticed of considerable concern.
Hi, just a full disclosure. I bought a K20 Pro Chinese rom from Aliexpress, waited 3 months and watched a lot of reviews. I'm english speaking, so none of these issues were brought up in the video's I watched.
1) The speaker at the bottom is too easy to cover, as a right hand user. I cannot comfortably watch videos in portrait mode without accidentally concealing it.
2) The camera reflects its own infrared on closeup images of shiny objects.
https://imgur.com/9iCMfut
3) The display is not sharp. This clarity is comparable to the Galaxy S3, you can see the pixels individually and quite vividly. This makes icon edges appear blurry. I'll put this down to the low resolution, as compared to my 2k display of the Galaxy Note 5.
https://imgur.com/rExaM1Z
4) The display is very thin. Having come from the Galaxy Note 5, I'm used to a wider phone. But this is much to small to consume media in vertical form.
5) The battery life isn't great. It lasts a day, and only a day with medium use.
6) Gestures in Android 9 are broken. Specifically the 'recents gesture' and the 'go back'. I only had about a 10% success rate with the 'recents gesture', it just didn't want to work. Whereas the 'go back' gesture works a bit too well and I was constantly going back accidentally as you can swipe from either side.
7) MIUI is not good. I personally do not find it enjoyable to use.
Three months is a long time. I was getting impatient and got it after 30 days. I'll say I agree with the speaker being easy to cover, that being said you can just turn the phone upside down.
1) just turn device upside down.
2) weird thing indeed
3) pretty okay for the price, not best display ever, but not uncomfortable to me..
4)there's a choice here, if you make it too wide, you make it hard to use with a single hand...
5) pretty great here, I don't know what you call "medium use", but here I'm getting all day long (lasting around 25% in the end of it) with 7 hours of screen on... I consider it as hard use. It is not great compared to what, exactly?
6)never used it, can't opine...
7)I used to be a vanilla guy, miui stock is just awful for me. But, xiaomi.eu rom is pretty great, I believe you could give it a try. It is just what miui should be...
Cheers
I wasn't pleased too when i went from Galaxy s8 to one plus 5t about the display but you will get used to it believe me , it's a good display you will not notice any pixel after some time , almost every phone nowadays comes in FHD+ except high end Samsung , besides it's 6'4 inch it's really big
---------- Post added at 09:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 PM ----------
And you're completely wrong about the battery life maybe you have a faulty unit because the battery is amazing I'm getting 7 to 9 SOT
In my opinion:
1) Agree with you, but although I always (almost) use headphones it doesnt bother me. But, you can flip the phone to avoid this scenario...
2) Never noticed.
3) It is really not an ultra sharp display, but it is far from S3, which was ~300ppi, K20 is ~400ppi. Amoled pentile will hardly give an sharp display on FHD+ displays.
4) You are a long time whitout upgrading, thin phones are a trend since 2018. Last decent 16:9 phone was Huawei Mate 10.
5) Luckily you didnt buy other phones as this one have a great battery life on today standards.
6) It is necessary some time to get used and increase accuracy on gestures.
7) Having had mainly Samsungs, LGs, Motos, Huaweis and Xiaomis, I think MIUI is on par with EMUI (Huawei) and better than Samsung/LG/Moto.
Edit: Item 5. According to GSMArena, battery on K20 stands ~45% longer than Note5 for video playback. ~15% more for talking time, and ~25% more for browsing.
I don't know if the K20 Pro is different from the Mi 9T Pro but i can't agree on the unsharp display. Maybe with a magnifying glass but it is as sharp as any other phone i had before including my P30. Same for the battery life, i can easily hit 10 hours SOT in a day without having to charge it. Tried gestures, works well for me. The thin display isn't as good for videos, yes but overall it's quite nice to use/ handle. Also i'm okay with MIUI. It looks pretty nice and got some good customization options and it's certainly better than EMUI. But i can agree on it being a bit weird to use if you're used to stock Android.
Thanks for your positive feedback.
Someone suggested that I just rotate the phone 180 degrees to avoid covering the speaker, how does one enable this rotation in miui?
A suggestion was made about miui.eu, I plan to flash this when the 7 day unlock period expires.
Regarding the battery, it's just not revolutionary. Sitting around the 1 day mark. Has anyone had any positive battery life improvements using a custom kernel?
Turbine1991 said:
This isn't a rant, just things which I've noticed of considerable concern.
Hi, just a full disclosure. I bought a K20 Pro Chinese rom from Aliexpress, waited 3 months and watched a lot of reviews. I'm english speaking, so none of these issues were brought up in the video's I watched.
1) The speaker at the bottom is too easy to cover, as a right hand user. I cannot comfortably watch videos in portrait mode without accidentally concealing it.
2) The camera reflects its own infrared on closeup images of shiny objects.
https://imgur.com/9iCMfut
3) The display is not sharp. This clarity is comparable to the Galaxy S3, you can see the pixels individually and quite vividly. This makes icon edges appear blurry. I'll put this down to the low resolution, as compared to my 2k display of the Galaxy Note 5.
https://imgur.com/rExaM1Z
4) The display is very thin. Having come from the Galaxy Note 5, I'm used to a wider phone. But this is much to small to consume media in vertical form.
5) The battery life isn't great. It lasts a day, and only a day with medium use.
6) Gestures in Android 9 are broken. Specifically the 'recents gesture' and the 'go back'. I only had about a 10% success rate with the 'recents gesture', it just didn't want to work. Whereas the 'go back' gesture works a bit too well and I was constantly going back accidentally as you can swipe from either side.
7) MIUI is not good. I personally do not find it enjoyable to use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmm no way its comparable , fyi i still have mine retired S3 , a sammy user since galaxy S , size wise k20 pro its pretty standard , note series i is always consider a bigger size phone , similar one perhaps might be mi max ? battery seem good so far , sorry but older sammy phones model, battery life always fail me , gestures , never use , maybe i am old school , miui does take a while to get used to , just throw in a poco launcher ,never like miui messy home screen , and the price you paid for a sd855 , not sure what country you are from , a samsung comes with exynos chipset most of the time , cant expect top quality hardware in all aspect ?
1. This issue isn't exactly exclusive to the K20 Pro, many devices have bottom firing speakers, not really and issue for me. I am also right handed and I rarely cover the speaker when using it in landscape.
2. You can avoid the infrared reflection issue by switching to manual focus.
3. Imo the display is fine. You are just coming from a phone with a QHD display (you should have done your research before buying)
4. The display is supposed to be taller and the fact that its taller make its naturally narrower for its size (6.39") The aspect ratio (18:9) on the K20 Pro is is used on all modern flagships now as it is better suited to the portrait content that is consumed on a smartphone. and as for "This clarity is comparable to the Galaxy S3" either your device is faulty or you're just talking crap. The galaxy S3 has a pixel density of 306 ppi and the K20 Pro's display has a pixel density of 403 ppi which is more than a noticeable difference
5. Most people have reported great battery life. I have gotten 2 days on a single charge before and in some cases getting over 10 hours of screen on time unless you game then of course it wont last as long.
6. I haven't had any issues with MIUI gestures, they work perfectly fine for me.
7. I love MIUI, this is my first Xiaomi device. When I first ordered the device I didn't think I'd like MIUI and thought I would end up switching to a custom rom like Pixel Experience or Lineage but I learned to love it. MIUI has the best gestures, it looks awesome, it is well optimised and performs great with great battery life.
I did a considerable amount of research before buying. Some of the issue you have stated were mentioned like the bottom firing speaker, the display being FHD+, the infrared reflection wasn't an issue on your note 5 because the note 5 doesn't have laser autofocus (which can be disabled) this isnt really an issue its just an extra feature on the K20 Pro which you don't have to use.
The K20 Pro is far cheaper than any other current flagship out there, so you cant expect it to have all the same flagship features. They obviously had to save money in some areas, for example the display is FHD+ unlike some Samsung, LG, Sony and OnePlus devices which have QHD Displays, Gorilla Glass 5 instead of 6, no wireless charging, the type-c port is only USB 2.0, no IP rating when this devices has been proven to be considerably water resistant
lordkiller347 said:
1. This issue isn't exactly exclusive to the K20 Pro, many devices have bottom firing speakers, not really and issue for me. I am also right handed and I rarely cover the speaker when using it in landscape.
2. You can avoid the infrared reflection issue by switching to manual focus.
3. Imo the display is fine. You are just coming from a phone with a QHD display (you should have done your research before buying)
4. The display is supposed to be taller and the fact that its taller make its naturally narrower for its size (6.39") The aspect ratio (18:9) on the K20 Pro is is used on all modern flagships now as it is better suited to the portrait content that is consumed on a smartphone. and as for "This clarity is comparable to the Galaxy S3" either your device is faulty or you're just talking crap. The galaxy S3 has a pixel density of 306 ppi and the K20 Pro's display has a pixel density of 403 ppi which is more than a noticeable difference
5. Most people have reported great battery life. I have gotten 2 days on a single charge before and in some cases getting over 10 hours of screen on time unless you game then of course it wont last as long.
6. I haven't had any issues with MIUI gestures, they work perfectly fine for me.
7. I love MIUI, this is my first Xiaomi device. When I first ordered the device I didn't think I'd like MIUI and thought I would end up switching to a custom rom like Pixel Experience or Lineage but I learned to love it. MIUI has the best gestures, it looks awesome, it is well optimised and performs great with great battery life.
I did a considerable amount of research before buying. Some of the issue you have stated were mentioned like the bottom firing speaker, the display being FHD+, the infrared reflection wasn't an issue on your note 5 because the note 5 doesn't have laser autofocus (which can be disabled) this isnt really an issue its just an extra feature on the K20 Pro which you don't have to use.
The K20 Pro is far cheaper than any other current flagship out there, so you cant expect it to have all the same flagship features. They obviously had to save money in some areas, for example the display is FHD+ unlike some Samsung, LG, Sony and OnePlus devices which have QHD Displays, Gorilla Glass 5 instead of 6, no wireless charging, the type-c port is only USB 2.0, no IP rating when this devices has been proven to be considerably water resistant
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 to all of this except 7.
MIUI does have some plus points, but for me, nowhere near enough to compensate for it's bad points. The only thing I miss is MIUI gestures.
I bought the phone knowing I'd be going to custom ROMs as soon as the bootloader could be unlocked.
With a good custom ROM, I cannot fault the phone for it's price point.
I gotta say that I think the battery life is absolutely insane (I came from a jailbroken iPhone X, but had tons of Xiaomis etc before). I charge it every evening but sometimes I just dont, because I got 60+ % and it jsut doesnt feel right.
I use the MIUI 11 ROM from xiaomi.eu, and I really loved MIUI since MIUI 6/7. I enjoyed some extra features(really great dark mode, always on display, dual apps, ...) and the visual look of it. As far as I know there are already quite a lot of roms with stock android for the phone.
Robbo.5000 said:
+1 to all of this except 7.
MIUI does have some plus points, but for me, nowhere near enough to compensate for it's bad points. The only thing I miss is MIUI gestures.
I bought the phone knowing I'd be going to custom ROMs as soon as the bootloader could be unlocked.
With a good custom ROM, I cannot fault the phone for it's price point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You say it doesn't compensate for its bad point. If you're gonna say something like that then maybe you should enlighten us on what those bad points are.
lordkiller347 said:
You say it doesn't compensate for its bad point. If you're gonna say something like that then maybe you should enlighten us on what those bad points are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My main issues are
Data Harvesting - on a worse scale than Google
Ads - which are convoluted to turn off, though it's supposed to be easier in MIUI 11
Bloatware - There is an immense amount of bloat, most of which cannot be removed. Compare the running services of a freshly booted phone running MIUI with, say, an AOSP ROM and see the vast increase MIUI is running, the majority if which you have no idea what or why.
It was developed to be, and still is to some degree, an iOS clone.
There were others and if I were to revert back to MIUI I'd remember what they were.
Turbine1991 said:
Thanks for your positive feedback.
Someone suggested that I just rotate the phone 180 degrees to avoid covering the speaker, how does one enable this rotation in miui?
A suggestion was made about miui.eu, I plan to flash this when the 7 day unlock period expires.
Regarding the battery, it's just not revolutionary. Sitting around the 1 day mark. Has anyone had any positive battery life improvements using a custom kernel?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you own the indian variant or chinese? Apparently the indian has a lower quality display, that could explain why some people aren't finding that themselves, because I own the chinese and its pretty damn clear; Even comparing it to friends S9/S10's and latest iPhones.
The screen doesn't seem pixelated to me. Perhaps you're used to higher resolution displays. I've upgraded from the OnePlus 5 and haven't seen a reduction in image quality.
Gestures work fine for me. I didn't need an adjustment period, they were pretty intuitive and back works pretty much every time (with no accidental back swipes), while recents works like 9/10 times.
I don't have a problem with covering the speaker. When watching YouTube I grip the phone by the middle section with one hand, I don't hold it with both hands like when you play games.
Battery life isn't extraordinary, but it's decent compared to my OnePlus 5.
You can debloat most MIUI ROMs using the Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot tool.
Looking forward to trying miui 11. It's not officially available yet to Chinese rom users outside China.
Turbine1991 said:
Looking forward to trying miui 11. It's not officially available yet to Chinese rom users outside China.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
xiaomi.eu is the way to go
Okay, real talk
point 5 is straight up trolling?
I have to charge mine like once in 2 days and you're talking about not great battery life - what the hell
A full charge gets me like 11 sometimes even 12 hours SoT with medium/normal usage (youtube, spotify, browsing, mails etc. - basically everything except games).
Do you game all day long or what?
what battery life do you expect anyway? Theres not many devices which can even last that long as the K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro does (with somewhat similar pefomance obviously)
NZ Razer said:
Do you own the indian variant or chinese? Apparently the indian has a lower quality display, that could explain why some people aren't finding that themselves, because I own the chinese and its pretty damn clear; Even comparing it to friends S9/S10's and latest iPhones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OP must have a defective unit (battery, display). There is no way the display is 'poor' quality, compared to my 6T its much sharper and vivid. Battery life is also one of the best I have seen (less than 2% discharge overnight) I have been playing games on Dolphin, PPSSPP, etc and a full charge can easily last 4+ hours, and that's using emulators which are extreme battery hogs. Xiaomi have been pretty transparent about how and when they collect our data by giving us optout options nearly everywhere, which is something I cant say about other shady companies out there who are in the same line of business. Besides, data harvesting and adds can easily be tackled by debloating/flashing EU rom, where the 1st done doesn't even need root.
Finally coming from OOS the MIUI can be a pain to use but now I am beginning to like the features that it offers, for example, full-screen mode and gestures which I never thought would make my life so much easier. All in all this phone has been a wonderful upgrade for me and I couldn't be any happier.
Turbine1991 said:
Looking forward to trying miui 11. It's not officially available yet to Chinese rom users outside China.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whats weird is many of mine country already gotten android 10 update , i didnt received any

is it still worth to buy in Sept./Oct. 2020?

I am looking for new phone from past 4 days and I am not able to find better option than this K20 Pro, due to sd855 present in it. For the price it's available right now I couldn't find another. My main priorities are:-
1) it should handle game fluently
2)good rear cameras (not for printing photos but uploading on instagram)
3)have a good community for custom rom development (this phone have that)
4)have decent battery backup as i am not going to game whole day but yeah approx. 2hrs game session
5)last but very important for me a HEADPHONE jack is a must thing.
I wanna ask is that, is it worth to buy this phone even when its 1year old. Also, I wanna know if there is an alternative to this phone or should I go with it without having any thought.
Earlier I considered realme x3 pro(due to sd855+ but there was no headphone jack, no custom roms) and ONeplus nord( i think it's overpriced and without headphone jack).
I am gonna use new phone for atleast 2yrs, so what are your thought about this phone? is it worth to buy or to wait to for another flagship killer(which is very hard to see in near future)?
prakharayush31 said:
I am looking for new phone from past 4 days and I am not able to find better option than this K20 Pro, due to sd855 present in it. For the price it's available right now I couldn't find another. My main priorities are:-
1) it should handle game fluently
2)good rear cameras (not for printing photos but uploading on instagram)
3)have a good community for custom rom development (this phone have that)
4)have decent battery backup as i am not going to game whole day but yeah approx. 2hrs game session
5)last but very important for me a HEADPHONE jack is a must thing.
I wanna ask is that, is it worth to buy this phone even when its 1year old. Also, I wanna know if there is an alternative to this phone or should I go with it without having any thought.
Earlier I considered realme x3 pro(due to sd855+ but there was no headphone jack, no custom roms) and ONeplus nord( i think it's overpriced and without headphone jack).
I am gonna use new phone for atleast 2yrs, so what are your thought about this phone? is it worth to buy or to wait to for another flagship killer(which is very hard to see in near future)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't think too much now, go for it. I had similar questions before buy it, but for me they were: no notch, fm radio, jack, custom roms, a fair battery (4000 is the minimum). I didn't care too much about the cpu but this one is a beast. The cameras are just fine since I'm not a photographer. The only con for me is not having an external sd card. The biggest pro for me is not having to look at a f#cking hole or notch. We already have an aosp 11 rom if you need it & we'll probably have some more android os versions. This phone is worth to buy & if you ask, I would bought it again without think twice.
I kind of regret it. There's noting really wrong with the phone, it just leaves a lot to be desired.
-The screen is very small and narrow & the bezel is quite large for a modern phone.
-Battery life is pretty good, but not great.
-The screen quality/resolution is not good. I find it quite distracting, although you get used to it somewhat.
-The back camera is not good compared to other devices.
-There might be no more support for Xiaomi. Meaning we may never get Android 11 for the device. As we've technically had our 2 updates. Which is pretty bs.
The screen size of the Pocofone F2 or the Mi 10 Ultra is where I'd probably put my money.
Turbine1991 said:
I kind of regret it. There's noting really wrong with the phone, it just leaves a lot to be desired.
-The screen is very small and narrow & the bezel is quite large for a modern phone.
-Battery life is pretty good, but not great.
-The screen quality/resolution is not good. I find it quite distracting, although you get used to it somewhat.
-The back camera is not good compared to other devices.
-There might be no more support for Xiaomi. Meaning we may never get Android 11 for the device. As we've technically had our 2 updates. Which is pretty bs.
The screen size of the Pocofone F2 or the Mi 10 Ultra is where I'd probably put my money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First time I've heard of a 6.4" screen described as too small???
The aspect ratio is identical to almost all current phones, so it's certainly not narrow compared to anything else. The resolution of FHD+ is absolutely fine. The human eye cannot distinguish higher resolutions, at typical reading distances. This is why going to QHD is pointless and a waste of money.
Currently almost all phones with the SD865 and SD865+ have jumped in price by quite a margin over the previous SD855 phones. So this phone still represents very good value for money. It's certainly better value than the current SD7xx midrange phones, that are similar in price.
However the K30 Pro/POCO F2 Pro came with only a reasonably small increase in price, so is not much more expensive and is probably the best value SD865 phone currently available. This would be my choice if I was buying a 'budget flagship' today. If this is stretching the budget too much, then this (K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro) phone is definitely still worth buying.
Turbine1991 said:
I kind of regret it. There's noting really wrong with the phone, it just leaves a lot to be desired.
-The screen is very small and narrow & the bezel is quite large for a modern phone.
-Battery life is pretty good, but not great.
-The screen quality/resolution is not good. I find it quite distracting, although you get used to it somewhat.
-The back camera is not good compared to other devices.
-There might be no more support for Xiaomi. Meaning we may never get Android 11 for the device. As we've technically had our 2 updates. Which is pretty bs.
The screen size of the Pocofone F2 or the Mi 10 Ultra is where I'd probably put my money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to sound rude, but what the f*** are you talking about?? small screen??? quality not good??? Bro its 6.4" 1080p Super AMOLED panel! And android 11 is confirmed for this phone and we got 1 update to android 10 not 2. Do you even know what you are talking about??
I would absolutely recommend buying this phone.
bilal.fanatic said:
Sorry to sound rude, but what the f*** are you talking about?? small screen??? quality not good??? Bro its 6.4" 1080p Super AMOLED panel! And android 11 is confirmed for this phone and we got 1 update to android 10 not 2. Do you even know what you are talking about??
I would absolutely recommend buying this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
++
Robbo.5000 said:
First time I've heard of a 6.4" screen described as too small???
The aspect ratio is identical to almost all current phones, so it's certainly not narrow compared to anything else. The resolution of FHD+ is absolutely fine. The human eye cannot distinguish higher resolutions, at typical reading distances. This is why going to QHD is pointless and a waste of money.
Currently almost all phones with the SD865 and SD865+ have jumped in price by quite a margin over the previous SD855 phones. So this phone still represents very good value for money. It's certainly better value than the current SD7xx midrange phones, that are similar in price.
However the K30 Pro/POCO F2 Pro came with only a reasonably small increase in price, so is not much more expensive and is probably the best value SD865 phone currently available. This would be my choice if I was buying a 'budget flagship' today. If this is stretching the budget too much, then this (K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro) phone is definitely still worth buying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes dude I agree with you K30 Pro came with reasonably small price increase, but it's not available in India. If it was launched here I would definitely go for K30 Pro, that is why I was considering this K20 Pro. Well thanks for the help bro I got my answer. Going to get this phone on upcoming sales with exchange and bank offers.
bilal.fanatic said:
Sorry to sound rude, but what the f*** are you talking about?? small screen??? quality not good??? Bro its 6.4" 1080p Super AMOLED panel! And android 11 is confirmed for this phone and we got 1 update to android 10 not 2. Do you even know what you are talking about??
I would absolutely recommend buying this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah 6.4 is sufficient for me, and now I have decided, I am gonna buy this phone in exchange of my very old Moto G turbo. Thanks a lot bro for giving advice about this device
Turbine1991 said:
I kind of regret it. There's noting really wrong with the phone, it just leaves a lot to be desired.
-The screen is very small and narrow & the bezel is quite large for a modern phone.
-Battery life is pretty good, but not great.
-The screen quality/resolution is not good. I find it quite distracting, although you get used to it somewhat.
-The back camera is not good compared to other devices.
-There might be no more support for Xiaomi. Meaning we may never get Android 11 for the device. As we've technically had our 2 updates. Which is pretty bs.
The screen size of the Pocofone F2 or the Mi 10 Ultra is where I'd probably put my money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
worth considering you points bro that you told, but I think it's gonna a huge upgrade for me as I will be switching from my Samsung Galaxy S7. May be screen quality will not be that good compared to samsung, but I currently I use my device on 720p to reduce battery drain.:good:
bro can you tell how are the pictures captured with google camera mod is? (compared to stock camera)
mauam said:
Don't think too much now, go for it. I had similar questions before buy it, but for me they were: no notch, fm radio, jack, custom roms, a fair battery (4000 is the minimum). I didn't care too much about the cpu but this one is a beast. The cameras are just fine since I'm not a photographer. The only con for me is not having an external sd card. The biggest pro for me is not having to look at a f#cking hole or notch. We already have an aosp 11 rom if you need it & we'll probably have some more android os versions. This phone is worth to buy & if you ask, I would bought it again without think twice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the help bro.
Turbine1991 said:
I kind of regret it. There's noting really wrong with the phone, it just leaves a lot to be desired.
-The screen is very small and narrow & the bezel is quite large for a modern phone.
-Battery life is pretty good, but not great.
-The screen quality/resolution is not good. I find it quite distracting, although you get used to it somewhat.
-The back camera is not good compared to other devices.
-There might be no more support for Xiaomi. Meaning we may never get Android 11 for the device. As we've technically had our 2 updates. Which is pretty bs.
The screen size of the Pocofone F2 or the Mi 10 Ultra is where I'd probably put my money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you are talking about are phones from 2025. The K20P/Mi 9T Pro is an amazing phone. The screen is actually quite large, but not oversized (the phone's dimensions are about as equal to the OnePlus 3). The bezels are thin enough to not be annoying, but not too thin for you to accidentally press the screen while holding it (looking at you, Samsung phones with edge display. Even though there's a rejection algorithm in place to solve this).
The battery life is decent with 4Ah, but we already see that the next-gen phones have a capacity of 4.5Ah to 5Ah. 4Ah is still enough to last a day, the problem I face with MIUI is that idle drain is a lot.
The 1080x2340 screen is pretty good, especially in terms of PPI (I mean, you shouldn't complain if you compare this to your desktop monitor, laptop, or television). Color space is also pretty good with D3 color space when you use the "warm" preset.
The main rear camera is superior (IMX586) and gcam modders are busy with unlocking the full potential of the sensor by modifying the driver.
The only thing you are correct about is the support from Xiaomi (or should I say, Xiaomeme), with not only lack of updates, but lack of security updates. The latest MIUI 12 EEA v12.0.2.0 rom came with a 1-month outdated security patch. It's a shame to see that they simply don't care about their flagship phones, or they have too many devices and rom variants to maintain, so they rather focus on the China beta roms and push completed changes over to stable Global, EEA, CN, RU and IN.
If you have no issues with MIUI (MIUI 12 is actually pretty good, I prefer it over stock android, because of the split notifications), I'd suggest staying on it till Xiaomi decides to end the support and then switch to a custom rom.
Go for it, good phone overall no notch and cheap.

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