The latest model of Xiaomi's Mi Mix series is a concentration of innovative technology, but there are above all three features that make it revolutionary.
It finally arrived, confirming all the expectations and proving that yes, Xiaomi has the right to apply for the first step of the world podium of smartphone manufacturers. We are talking about Mi Mix 4, the latest model of the Mi Mix series of Xiaomi, the one with which the Chinese manufacturer shows the world what it is capable of doing.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 is extraordinary in many ways, all concentrated in a smartphone that is not a concept but a real product, that can be used every day and that can change the way we use the smartphone every day. The base, and it's only the base, is that of a "normal" top of the range 2021: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ processor (slightly more powerful version of the already powerful Snapdragon 888), flanked by 8 or 12 GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM and 128, 256 or 512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage memory, the highest performance currently available. Up to here nothing strange, other top of the range devices do the same or will do it soon. What's not so surprising is not even the excellent rear photo compartment: 108 MP main sensor with optical stabilization, 13 MP wide-angle secondary sensor, 8 MP 5X periscopic zoom (50X with digital) also with optical stabilization. To really surprise are three features of this smartphone that, already taken alone, change the way you use a cell phone.
1) Xiaomi Mi Mix 4: the camera under the screen
This was the most anticipated and undoubtedly the most striking: Mi Mix 4 has a camera under the screen, so there is no notch and the display (a curved AMOLED 6.67 inches with 2400×1080 resolution, HDR + compatible and with 120 Hz refresh rate) is totally smooth and clean.
Other smartphones, particularly those from ZTE, have the "USC" (Under screen Camera), but the Mi Mix 4's is an impressive 20 MP. The area of the screen that hides the camera, then, has an incredible pixel density: 400 dots per inch, a very high value that makes the area of the selfie cam indistinguishable from the rest of the display.
2) Xiaomi Mi Mix 4: UWB technology
UWB is a technology that is becoming more important every day: it means "Ultra Wide Band" and is a type of 500 MHz radio connection. We've already seen it on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12, which use it to accurately track small AirTag GPS trackers.
Xiaomi wants to use it to do a lot more: enable fast connection with smart home devices compatible with this technology. Considering the fact that Xiaomi already produces, under various brands of the group, dozens of products for the Internet of Things, the presentation of a smartphone equipped with UWB means only one thing: the Chinese manufacturer is creating its own connected ecosystem, which has the smartphone at the center.
3) Xiaomi Mi Mix 4: charging
Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 has a 4500 mAh battery, which is not a lot for a device so powerful and so accessorized that, consequently, will have high consumption. However, the Chinese giant has chosen to focus not so much on the battery, as on charging.
That will be very fast: 120 Watts in wired mode, with the classic USB cable and a high-powered charger, and 50 Watts in wireless mode. And those 50 watts could be even more: Xiaomi had to adapt to the recent safety regulations issued by the Chinese government, which set the maximum power of wireless chargers at 50 watts.
According to the data provided by Xiaomi, the Mi Mix 4 recharges 100% using wired charging in just 15 minutes, rising to 28 with wireless charging.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 4: price and availability
To these three features, which make Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 revolutionary, a fourth should be added: the price. To the very high-level technical card of this smartphone, in fact, does not correspond an astronomical price.
In China, the price of Mi Mix 4 varies, depending on the memory configuration, between 657 and 829 euros (at current exchange rates). It is not known if this innovative device will ever leave the Chinese market to arrive in Europe and Italy. If it will, the price will certainly be higher due to shipping costs and taxes, but it will certainly remain at the price levels of many competitors who, however, offer much less.