Xiaomi phones have never failed to impress me, and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 left me in awe. During its official arrival at the Blackbird in Makati just this Tuesday, we had the amazing opportunity to get up close and personal with sample units handed out in the event. There’s so much to discuss about the Mix 3, so let’s get started!
Design and Construction
One of the key features that sets the Mi Mix 3 apart from other phones (and the same reason it gained attention from the art community), was its ceramic back panel that’s both stylish and durable. This alone showcases Xiaomi’s flair for innovation and their boldness to set new trends. Since the ceramic back panel is already sturdy on its own, there is no need for an additional glass panel for protection. At 218g, it’s already pretty heavy which can be a turn-off for some, depending on your preference, but for me, the weight is just one small setback and not really a deal-breaker. The famous manual magnetic slider also brings back a little bit of nostalgia because it reminds me of old sliding phones I used to have as a teen. What’s more interesting is that the Mix 3’s slider is accompanied by a customizable sound effect, which can vary from a sword slash to futuristic beeps that adds to the phone’s charm.
Display
Xiaomi holds the crown for being the first to debut full screen display phones, and it seems that they have almost perfected this feature with the Mi Mix 3. The absence of a notch means you can thoroughly enjoy its 6.39-inch display without any snags or distracting notches obscuring part of the view while playing games or watching videos. The Super AMOLED touchscreen also means you can play and watch to your heart’s content without worrying about eyestrain. The 403ppi pixel density makes images and text appear sharp and crystal clear.
Camera
At the back sits a 12MP+12MP dual rear camera while the 24MP+2MP front camera sits on the slider. True to its word, the Mix 3 can really capture stunning photos. To reiterate, the device has already achieved a whopping DxOMark photo score of 108. The AI enhancements help balance out the colors to avoid oversaturating or overexposing the image. With the front camera, you can take amazing selfies especially with the portrait mode that has a live AI bokeh effect function. However, much like other phones that do a faux bokeh effect, the AI creates a mask around the subject and blurs out the background. This method isn’t effective all the time, as the AI can still make small errors in masking parts for the bokeh: especially intricate parts like the edges of the hair or other tiny details around the subject’s edges.
I was only able to test the Mix 3 for a brief moment, so I don’t have much to say yet about its performance and battery life. But overall, I was truly captivated by this phone and what it can offer given its price. There is so much more to explore about the Mi Mix 3, and I can’t wait until we finally get to do a review on it.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 will soon be available for purchase locally, and no official Philippine prices have been announced yet. It is however, already out at Chinese distributors online in four variants: the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant will retail for CNY 3,299 (Php 25,500), the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage for CNY 3,599 (Php 27,800), the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage for CNY 3,999 (Php 30,900), and the 10GB RAM + 256GB storage Palace Museum Edition for CNY 4,999 (Php 38,700).
Also read:
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 Arrives in Manila
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro is Where Art Meets Technology
Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite: Now in the Philippines!