Xiaomi Mi 9
When people think of high-end smartphones, two brand names come to mind: Samsung and Apple. You can now add Xiaomi to that list, thanks to the Xiaomi Mi 9. A high-end smartphone that can rival, if not surpass, some of the best smartphones currently available on the market.
Design
As with any smartphone, the first thing you will notice is its design – your jaw will drop when you see the Xiaomi Mi 9. The manufacturers from China have taken an unconventional approach to design by adopting a curved back. The result is a smartphone that not only looks sleek but fits quite comfortably into the palm of your hand. However, what really caught our attention was the colour scheme.
Smartphone manufacturers have been trying to trying new colour schemes on their most recent smartphones like prismatic colours. Xiaomi is no different in this regard but delivers jaw-dropping results. Using nanometer level coating finish, the Xiaomi Mi 9 manages to reflect light from every angle adopting a multi-coloured scheme that almost resembles a rainbow. We were impressed with this unique colour scheme because it lends a sleek, elegant look to the smartphone.
However, Mi9 is more than just a stylish phone, it’s also quite practical. It uses Corning Gorilla Glass 6 and sapphire glass protection to protect the phone from damage. This means the Xiaomi Mi 9 manages to maintain its style without compromising durability and protection. However, we should warn you that the Xiaomi Mi 9 is not waterproof, it is the one flaw in what is an otherwise excellent design.
Camera
The camera delivers some of the most visually stunning images we have ever seen from a smartphone thanks to the 48MP camera, triple camera system, and fantastic full-screen display capable of 6000:1 contrast ratio.
We took a few images in our trial run and we were blown away by how much detail was packed into the image. Even the closeup images delivered stunning detail, without even a hint of blur. The ultra wide lens goes up to 117 degrees, which means you can capture entire landscapes in a single shot. Ever tried to take images at night? It can be a pain. Xiaomi accounted for this with a night mode, which allows you to capture some detailed images in darkness.
We tried it out ourselves and were impressed with the results. Overall, the camera is very impressive – we felt like award-winning photographers when using the Mi9 and we are confident you will feel the same once you use it.
Specification
One other talking point is the powerful specifications that make up the new Xiaomi flagship phone. The Xiaomi Mi 9 features the Snapdragon™ 855, a processor said to be 45% faster in CPU performance, 300% faster in AI performance and a 20% improvement in gaming. However, the new processor is not the only feature powering the Xiaomi Mi 9, There is also a host of technologies like Deep system optimization, Game Turbo acceleration, and 6GB RAM to help with processing demanding tasks.
The end result is a fast smartphone capable of rendering detailed graphics while maintaining a buttery smooth framerate. To test the smartphone’s capability, we played at least 2 hours of Fortnite to see how the phone would hold up. The Mi9 managed to maintain a smooth performance throughout the 2-hour test period without seeing any lag or stuttering.
What about the battery? Most smartphones that come with powerful processors require frequent charging. Xiaomi is aware of this and has beefed up their battery with 20W charging power. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer promises that the battery can charge up to 37% faster than other smartphones, and reach full capacity within 90 minutes.
The wireless charging is also a bonus because we don’t have to fiddle with cables, simply place it on the charging dock, and it starts charging at once. It’s a huge improvement over previous Xiaomi designs and we appreciate the 20W charge capability because it means less time spent on charging and more time gaming, watching movies and anything else we desire.
Key takeaways
The Xiaomi Mi 9 is a powerhouse of a smartphone packing the best camera, the fastest processor all wrapped up in a stylish design. Xiaomi’s new flagship smartphone is sure to be a contender for the Samsung Galaxy S10 and other flagship smartphones from other brands. The only question to consider is: are you going to get one?
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