“The camera slider makes the phone an all screen, no notch beauty”
Following a series of leaks and reveals dating as far as August, Xiaomi on Thursday finally revealed the much awaited, Mi MIX 3. The phone sports a bezeless, no notch design with a stunning 93.4% screen to body ratio with the help of a camera slider. This is not a new technology, but the implementation on it is. The slider is a manual one and is claimed to last around 3000 cycles.
The device is next in line after the launch of Mi MIX in 2016, the phone that is credited to have started this all-screen trend. The Mi MIX 2 was launched last year with it getting an incremental update with the MIX 2S earlier this year. The Mi MIX 3 carries on the trend of going crazy with technology and pushing the boundaries by offering an impressive screen to body ratio. The phone not only looks amazing, but also has the specs matching them looks. Boasting a 6.3-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, the Mi Mix 3 also packs a powerful 2.8GHz Snapdragon 845 processor into its unique frame, along with the option of 6GB, 8GB or a whopping 10GB of RAM. On its rear, the Mi Mix 3 will also carry a 12MP + 12MP dual camera arrangement. One great thing is that the phone comes with MIUI 10 running on Android 9 Pie, out of the box.
Those after the 10GB model will have to track down the ‘Forbidden City’ limited edition, which sports traditional Chinese styling, a 10W wireless Qi charger and a collectible statue. This is not the first 10GB RAM phone from Xiaomi though, with the Black Shark 2 being the first.
The camera slider arrangement is a unique proposition. Unlike its Chinese friends, Xiaomi has opted to go this time with a manual slider which pushes the whole screen down and reveals the sensors. The highlight will be the 24MP camera with a 2MP depth sensor paired along with it. “Mi MIX 3’s patented slider incorporates neodymium magnets that have been carefully calibrated,” stated Xiaomi in its announcement. “Once the screen is pushed down, the magnetic mechanism immediately kicks in and finishes the opening in a snap with just the right amount of force.”
How well the slider holds up in regular use is yet to be seen, but a manual slider is obviously better and more energy efficient than its mechanical counterparts. Speaking of energy efficiency, the Mi MIX 3 is powered by a measly 3,200 mAh battery but with support for Quick charge 4.0+ and wireless charging.
The Mi Mix 3 will be out on November 1st in China, starting at 3,299 yuan (Rs 34,777) for a model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage; that’s the same base price that the 64GB Mi 2S launched at. 3,999 yuan (Rs 42,156) gets you 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The 10GB model is a “Forbidden City Palace Museum” special edition variant that comes with 256GB of storage and costs 4,999 yuan (Rs 52,698). Pricing for India and other markets should be announced soon.
The phone looks great in pictures and packs a punch as far as specifications are concerned. How the slider holds up in the real world, with drops and dents is yet to be seen.
