Xiaomi Mi 6 review: Social climber

26 May 2017
Seven years in the making. That’s what Xiaomi says and you can feel the pride of a job well done. Is it arrogance? Maybe. And it may be surprising but not completely unfounded. A five-inch screen in a hot, curved metal-and-glass body. A dual camera with 2x optical zoom. A Snapdragon 835. The Xiaomi Mi 6 has many virtues and well… modesty isn’t one of them.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • p7c
  • 29 May 2017

AnonD-510098, 26 May 2017No headphone jack and no SD card slot. Hold this L Xiao... moreBy Xiaomi max. It has al those features you hope for! And it is Also cheap too!

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • p7c
    • 29 May 2017

    AnonD-263867, 29 May 2017Xiaomi pleaseee. just so that your batteries last longer, y... moreHmm... I like small phones. The Xiaomi mi6+ is for those who need big phones or if you need reall big go for Xiaomi mi mix!
    It is good that not all flagship phones Are not ridigilously Large...

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • mTn
      • 29 May 2017

      "...you'll be lucky to get it for less than $600...."
      in EU that means more like +700 euro with import taxes and VAT. Naah, IMHO a Honor 8 (the old non pro model) or an Oneplus 3T still looks better value for money to me.

      I just can't justify spending over 500 euro on a phone anymore. Various incomes taxes in Europe are killing budgets way to fast for regular people. The last time I spend (slightly) about 500 euro on a phone was with the Nokia 808pureview. The Galaxy S5 that I bought later was heavily discounted when I bought it as the S6 was at that time released.

      And recently I bought the Honor 8 for less than 400 euro. I predict that my future spending on phones will unfortunately be less than 400 euro :-(

      Good times are over over here. :-(

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • mTn
        • 29 May 2017

        Nice.

        Pity they ditched the 3.5mm jack as I (and many others) need it to connect the phone to my car's stereo. And, NO, bluetooth is NO option quality-wise and for convenience. The USB-C to audio plug is nice but useless if you use your phone, hooked up to the car's stereo, as combined satnav-device/MP3-player, particularly for onger trips.

        The FHD-resolution is perfect for the size. Especially since LCD's have a standard RGB-matrix and are, thus, sharper then their AMOled nephews.

        In fact it almost ticked all the bells that I'd want. Perhaps GSMArena can put the LTE-bands in the article too or at least tell us in which region the reviewed phones are usable. As the previous Mi5 was useless EU with regards to 4G.

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          • AnonD-668131
          • nxi
          • 29 May 2017

          Is this phone available at this price with warranty in EU or USA? No ... So 90-95% of people in those places will not pay attention/interest to buying Xiaomi.

            • H
            • Harwey
            • JbV
            • 29 May 2017

            Ascorth, 29 May 2017Yes2 their accurate color lolz.. Dude they are accurate j... morecheers mate i'm with you,can' t actually understand why this guys want to post their idiotic commentaries about colors,calibrations,RGB,and so on.If they'll ever lay their hands on a proper DSLR mirrorless beast like,say,Fuji X-pro 2(my wet dream lately but about 5000$ short for a complete kit),they'll throw their smartphone whichever it is into a garbage,

              • D
              • AnonD-664988
              • thv
              • 29 May 2017

              Aspros, 29 May 2017You ve lost your temper man, you lost it. You must be asham... moreAt least he replied you with some facts, yet you replied him with some normative b*llsh*t. And dont forget this is internet, people normally use swear words because some people failed too understand simple logic (like you) and then begin attacking personally without bringing another counter-argument. Don't wish people would believe you had S7 Edge and smart rich bla.. bla.. bla.. just because you said so. You are Cringy AF.

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                • AnonD-664988
                • thv
                • 29 May 2017

                Smartphones Fan, 29 May 2017Front is copy of Huawei P10 and back is copy of iPhone 7 plusHow???? I think they come up first with Mi Note design which is announced in January 2015, and their design just became rounder after Mi 5. And that 2 xiaomi phones came earlier before ip 7 or huawei p10. U are definitive a Troll.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • yMm
                  • 29 May 2017

                  Smartphones Fan, 29 May 2017Front is copy of Huawei P10 and back is copy of iPhone 7 plusip7 plus has glass back? didn't Know that plus I didn't know it has flush lens assembly

                    Qwerty2017, 29 May 2017Like I said before, TYPICAL UNREASONABLE & DIE-HARD SAM... moreYou ve lost your temper man, you lost it. You must be ashamed of your self, I am sorry for you. I am sorry for your parents too, who have failed to educate you. I am not a Sammy fanboy, before the S7 edge, the last Samsung I had was the omnia 2. I am not a fanboy, you are, because you make it personal, you call me idiot and troll, whilst all i did, was express my opinion on this phone, not you. Are you the maker of this phone, I doubt, your intelligence wouldn't allow you considering your English (mind you, English is my 3rd language too) and your inability ta carry an argument without insulting. We have different opinions, you don't have to convince me, but you are not allowed to insult me though. I can hardly understand your points because of your pathetic English, but I did not insult you and tried to reason with you. But it appears that reason is beyond you... You are fanatic, chances are that you cannot afford a S8 and you want to convince your self and others that your compromises are superior, to the flagships you cannot own. This is why you took it personally​ and feel insulted. I forgive you if this is the case, it could be worse, it could be just because you have a miserable soul and poor manners...

                      • S
                      • Smartphones Fan
                      • mxx
                      • 29 May 2017

                      Front is copy of Huawei P10 and back is copy of iPhone 7 plus

                        • d
                        • dladz
                        • 32B
                        • 29 May 2017

                        They haven't copied off HTC at all have they :/

                          • Q
                          • Qwerty2017
                          • wrb
                          • 29 May 2017

                          Aspros, 28 May 2017If you can't see that mi series has copied the edge series,... moreLike I said before, TYPICAL UNREASONABLE & DIE-HARD SAMBOY who spread the "anti-Chinese brand" BS...

                          -) No one (except u & other Samboy) CARES about "A copied B" shit anymore. Almost ALL smartphone makers, at one point, make "similar" design, since 99.9 percent smartphone produced are in full touchscreen candybar phone.

                          -) NO SMARTPHONE ARE MADE PERFECT, TROLL. Why? because, once one of those manufacturers made a "perfect" one, it WILL DEFINITELY DESTROY they current & upcoming sales! This, is also the reason WHY APPLE ONLY ADD FEW FEATURES IN THEIR NEWEST PRODUCTS, cuz they need to milked people of their money CONTINUOUSLY!

                          -) I, a Xiaomi fan? ofc not, TROLL. I'm Chinese brand fan. I love ALL Chinese brand who made cheap yet high product, such as Hisense, Alcatel, Acer, Xiaomi, OnePlus, ZUK, LeEco, and so on. I'm one of those people who think little of "brand power" and think highly of "mouth to mouth recommendation", as well as my own "scoring", which ALWAYS spot-on since I'd following Android smartphone since 2009, when most people, including my dad, still busy with Symbian.

                          -) Xiaomi Mi6 "recommended" initial price (6GB RAM, 64 GB ROM) is BELOW US$400 ($360 exactly). That 550 euros is, like I said, GRAY importer price. U pay the A LOT not for the phone, but for THEIR SERVICE!
                          Again, like I said before, NEVER buy Xiaomi flagship phone before AT LEAST 3 months later, when the hype has cooled down therefore the price will significantly dropped (that's MY first-hand experience when bought it from Aliexpress, as Aliexpress is, unlike Europe warehouse, don't charge like mad for a phone which hype was already over)

                          -) Do u think OLED or AMOLED is BETTER than IPS LCD overall? DEAD WRONG.
                          AMOLED use Pentile Diamond matrix which is WORSE than LCD which use RGB matrix when set to sRGB mode.
                          U said Mi5 display color looked washed out? IDIOT. U can't say that ALL Mi5 will have the same result, as Xiaomi have several supplier who stocked the display. Also, it's all PURE OPINION if u said "washed out", as my Mi5 pime display is good enough when I compared it with G5 display. The last, Samsung AMOLED characteristics from the OLD DAYS is ALWAYS have PUNCHY color reproduction, BUT this doesn't mean their display is the best, because PUNCHY colors strained eyes faster than "washed out" LCD, moreover Samsung's PUNCHY colors don't last long (I have Samsung 32' LED TV & 22' LED display, after a year of use, they look as "washed out" as any other LCD TV & display).
                          AMOLED also has burn-in effect, which means u need to change the display if u want to keep using ur phone for a long time, while LCD NEVER had those problem (pretty much like plasma TV vs. LCD TV pros and cons in the old days).
                          In short, it's all PURE FANBOY OPINION when "AMOLED is better than IPS LCD" BS involved.
                          BTW, IPS LCD panel used by Xiaomi flagship phone made by JDI/Sharp. It's by no means not cheap, but, compared to Samsung's AMOLED used by OnePlus, Apple, Meizu, and Samsung itself, it's still cheaper. For me, I still prefer IPS LCD over AMOLED/OLED used in Redmi Pro.

                          -) Yeah, u r one of those "Chinese = big bezels phone manufacturers" stereotype person.
                          U said Mi6 bezels are big? IDIOT TROLLS. FYI, phone with thin bezels are FRAGILE, and this is why MANY people, who used to say "hail thin bezels phone", is decreasing day by day, as one or two mm more bezels are cheap price if that means more sturdy phone which can take a drop and not broken to pieces!

                          -) "I expect xiaomi to copy the small bezel design next year, it is considered a premium feature and it does needs superior technology to happen. This is the reason cheap Chinese phones can't make one, ever", the #4 MOST IDIOTIC STATEMENTS
                          Did u live in MARS LAST YEAR? Did u NEVER, EVER heard about Mi Mix?
                          For me, and some others, the OST IMPORTANT problem is not "small bezels" BS, but sturdy chassis & backcover which can take a drop & severe scratch without problem.

                          -) "AMOLED does matter for the battery and contrast, it is superior and this is why apple is adopting it and cheap Chinese phones can't have it." #5 MORONIC STATEMENTS.
                          AMOLED DOES NOT MAKE A PHONE MORE BATTERY-SAVING THAN IPS LCD, MOREOVER IF U COMPARE AMOLED WITH LTPS IPS LCD, AMOLED IS MORE BATTERY-HUNGER, TROLL!
                          GET UR FACTS RIGHT! XIAOMI HAS PROVED IT WITH THEIR REDMI PRO, WHICH USE OLED DISPLAY, YET DOESN'T GET MORE SCREEN ON TIME BETTER THAN ANY REDMI NOTE EVER RELEASED!

                          -) "The Mi6 though is not cheap, it's a flagship!!"
                          Like I said, U ARE TROLL. those over 500 euro price tag is a price for GRAY importer which sold & have their warehouse in Europe. Buy it 3 months later, from Aliexpress, and u can see that u'r get ur ass ripped off by those Europe gray reseller because u can't wait a mere three-four months to get new smartphone, since the "recommended" price of Mi6 64GB version is below US$400!

                            Anonymous, 29 May 2017OLEDs are the most accurate screens in both miobiles: http:... moreYes2 their accurate color lolz..
                            Dude they are accurate just for months after you open the box.. And later will got color tint, see your self about red tint on Samsung S8 lol

                            I'm Photographer, I review photo from IPS display camera, I calibrate my IPS screen macbook, Im calibrate with EIZO IPS screen from big print machine, calibrate with my beautiful IPS Dell monitor.
                            You talk about color accuracy but you never know what color accuracy about.


                            And one thing.. If you compare mi6 with S8, you are definitely need a cup of coffee.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • pVM
                              • 29 May 2017

                              Ascorth, 29 May 2017Dude, you are Oled fanboy.. Go ahead with your yellowish di... moreOLEDs are the most accurate screens in both miobiles: http://www.displaymate.com/Galaxy_S8_ShootOut_01.htm

                              And TVs: https://www.digitaltrends.com/tv-reviews/lg-signature-oled65w7p-w7-series-oled-tv-review/

                              Really there is no other choice. They're merely hard to be made well, but that's different than saying that IPS is anywhere close.

                                Aspros, 28 May 2017If you can't see that mi series has copied the edge series,... moreDude, you are Oled fanboy.. Go ahead with your yellowish display after 1 years.
                                I still prefer IPS.. That's the only reason I stay away from Samsung, has bad experience with S3 to Note4

                                Expecting cheap flagship to be perfect is just Unreasonable
                                MicroSD slot on MI will never happen. If you don't like, you can buy your samsung.

                                I have big micro SD 128gigs, when I buy mi5 I know I can't use it.. Thats drawback for getting Sd820 performance and ideal footprint for cheap price.

                                Good Low light camera coming with good lens..(I bet you don't know about this, that's why you expecting good Low light from xiaomi) and good lens come expensive, that's why there's 100 usd lens to 50000 Usd lens for DSLR.

                                I'm not become haters to bash xiaomi for that!
                                If you expecting cheap flagship to be perfect,.. Go make it by yourself.

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-263867
                                  • PEZ
                                  • 29 May 2017

                                  Xiaomi pleaseee. just so that your batteries last longer, you are sacrificing screen size ration and pixels?? Minimum screen size edge to edge should be atleast 5.5 inch for smartphone of this price along with 4000 mah battery... losing the 3.5mm headjack would lose customers rapidly too, plus no card slot , i cannot digest all these shortcomings from a flagship device.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • XQQ
                                    • 29 May 2017

                                    Aspros, 28 May 2017If you can't see that mi series has copied the edge series,... more1 mi note series has oled screens. Which was the only valid point you made. IMO the mi 6 plus may have it. If not mi note 3 is gonna have that for sure. Also a humble request see the 650-750 phones lacking oled. Even Huaweis own p10 doesn't have amoled same for oppo and Vivo flagship right now. Notwithstanding xplay series since I'd buy a s7e at that price
                                    Same goes for lg HTC and sony. I don't think they're cheap Chinese brands. Oh and that ibrand still hasn't moved to oled. Wait for their 1000$ oled bearing phone will you?
                                    2 they don't care as long as their target market purchases their phones. Hint :-you aren't in their target market
                                    3 the guy whom you replied actually gave a rational reply

                                      • L
                                      • Lolol
                                      • IVD
                                      • 29 May 2017

                                      Anonymous, 28 May 2017Only now has it become apparent that the traditional phone ... moreYea i have mimax

                                        • Q
                                        • Qwerty2017
                                        • KiQ
                                        • 29 May 2017

                                        Anonymous, 28 May 2017Only now has it become apparent that the traditional phone ... moreWhen the trend of smartphone since 2009 moved from numeric hard button to full touchscreen with only several buttons for call, end call, & home (the earlier Android phone indeed had answer & end call button for certain brand which adopt Android OS in its earlier days), the need for bigger & bigger screen is unavoidable, because with small screen (e.g 3 inch), many people can hardly use it for texting, especially people with big fingers. My dad, for example, frustrated & annoyed A LOT in 2010 when 5 inch smartphones are still "flagship" feature, cuz he always accidentally opened wrong apps A LOT & done typing a simple message after 3mins which only takes 30s with the old, numeric keypad smartphones.

                                        In short, the "value" of "smaller is better" or "bigger is better" is different from person to person. When u has big fingers, like my dad, there's no way u could say "5 inch display is big", as for this type, 5.5" is the minimum (my dad now use Mi5s which had 5.7", before that Mi Max which had 6.44"), BUT for Asian, especially people with small hand & thin fingers, 5" display is indeed big. For them, 4.7" display is the maximum they could handle with one hand, therefore this type OFTEN accused manufacturers for making big smartphone as a means to increase their profits and so on, while in fact, the demand for bigger and bigger display smartphone are growing day by day (the reason why Xiaomi keep producing Mi Max series and possibly Mi Mix 2, because there is high demand for real estate display)

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