Xiaomi Mi A3 review

31 July 2019


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  • q}c
  • 04 Aug 2019

Strange that no one is commenting on the HD display on A3 is a downgrade from A2s Full HD display. An unconventional and stupid move by Xiaomi. With Bumped up camera specs and with 4k recording videos you have a 720 pixel screen to display it all. A dissapointing major for me.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • Ng5
    • 03 Aug 2019

    morningstar, 03 Aug 2019This phone is a clear example, that Xiaomi is still trying ... more"why not the CC9, tho? Why?"
    That's because cc9 price starts from 260$ in china while mi a3's price is 250$ outside of china. Clearly they won't sell the same phone in countrues with more taxes and using android one instead of miui(phone brands makes money from custom ui this is why big brands like samsung huawei xiaomi oppo... use them instead of stock android) for cheaper price.

      This phone is a clear example, that Xiaomi is still trying to fill-in that gap between their MIUI phones and the "Stock Android" fandom, no offense.

      From here, they took the CC9e and flashed it with Android One, why not the CC9, tho? Why? Global ROMS increases the price of the phone, especially this Android One program, Xiaomi's doing great with their MIUI Phones, this phone is just a preview of "What a Xiaomi phone would look like if it runs on stock Android." Which is not so good. That's just my opinion tho. Also, 720p, yeah, right.

        Motorola One Vision seems better than this

          • N
          • Not A Good Phone
          • tZj
          • 03 Aug 2019

          I tried my fren A3 and let me tell you its not worth usd216 they are selling in Malaysia. There is a noticeable delay compare to 9T. If you can't wait for 9T Pro get the 9T not A3. Atm it's low end base model of 9T on sale for usd264. Do not get this phone at its current pricing. This phone should by right sell for usd155. I am atm hesitate getting 9T due to hearing some ppl complain about possible heat issues. 9T Pro should fix this issue with double heatsink inside.

            Ivan, 02 Aug 2019I would tend to disagree. I prefer the screen of the Note 7... moreThe RN7 Pro is now supported by official LineageOS and other roms. You will stay updated with clean stock android for a good 2-3 yrs. And the Mi 9T doesn't support external storage, but to each his own I guess.

              ZolaIII, 01 Aug 2019Which efficiency? The advertised one, get serious. The nomi... moreSorry meant the GPU is 20% more efficient as per the article.

                • I
                • Ivan
                • pux
                • 02 Aug 2019

                Anonym, 02 Aug 2019"Business-like" instead of business, as in the phone indivi... moreIt's a 200 and change € phone. Android One or not, its target audience is vastly different from that of the Pixels. Basic security concerns are covered by "watch what you click on" policy, when someone is concerned whether he will be among the first ones to receive a security update, we're talking about an above average security conscious person.

                I'm not currently that much in the loop, but when Mi A1 was launched, I was active in MIUI forums so I saw their marketing for it and it was aimed at younger people (primarily in India, which is one of Xiaomi's biggest markets and the first country where it went on sale) as a fun device. This one too looks like a fun device: the screen is great for watching videos and gaming, the gaming performance is great, the camera makes really nice pictures and video, there's no throttling over prolonged use and battery life is great.

                  • A
                  • Anonym
                  • Jyb
                  • 02 Aug 2019

                  Ivan, 02 Aug 2019I could be wrong, but I don't think that the A series is pr... more"Business-like" instead of business, as in the phone individuals will use for work (but also snap some pictures with on their time off). Similarly, it's not "strong cybersecurity concerns", just the basic security concerns (such has having the latest patch level that fixes known vulnerabilities in device drivers/kernel) for which most Android manufacturers have a shockingly disregard.

                  I don't have any data specifically about the Mi Ax series, but Google has some hints about devices running vanilla Android (from Pixels to any other Android One). None of those hints indicate a preference by gamers, but features such as Android for Work seem to have higher usage in these devices (Pixels and other vanilla Android). Remind me again why optimizing for gamers, at the detriment of features that matter to these users, is just as valid of a point?

                    • m
                    • martino
                    • p{w
                    • 02 Aug 2019

                    "editing number or rows and columns"

                    I have the MI A3, there is no way to edit the number of rows and columns.
                    It is always 5 columns and the icons themselves just get bigger or smaller.
                    Fonts are also horrible, at default setting even the text "Facebook" get's cut off because the icons are so close to each other.

                      • I
                      • Ivan
                      • pux
                      • 02 Aug 2019

                      Anonym, 02 Aug 2019"You would prefer a 1080p screen. Someone else would compla... moreI could be wrong, but I don't think that the A series is primarily aimed at business people with strong cybersecurity (or any other) concerns. I'd say that it's more meant for the regular folks who want something "cheap and cheerful", with the camera being the standout feature on the A1 and probably now again on the A3 (not just with the main 48Mpx sensor, but also the decent wide-angle and the new selfie module).

                        • A
                        • Anonym
                        • Jyb
                        • 02 Aug 2019

                        Ivan, 02 Aug 2019There is no perfect. Something may be perfect for you, but ... more"You would prefer a 1080p screen. Someone else would complain that that both brings the price up and halves the framerate in games, and those would be perfectly valid points."

                        That's why every brand has more than just a single model, so they can cater to the specific needs of each type of customer. The point being, I see no indication from Google that vanilla devices are used more by gamers than other kinds of users. In fact, what I can infer from empirical evidence, is that business-like users who do not care for gaming but want timely security updates for their work phone are the ones purchasing this kinds of devices.

                        So the question becomes, is it really a valid point to compromise on a feature that matters to most of your buyers, just for the sake of improving performance in a use-case which isn't why people are buying your phone? I think not.

                          • I
                          • Ivan
                          • pux
                          • 02 Aug 2019

                          Anonymous, 02 Aug 2019This phone is the perfect example of how manufacturers inte... moreThere is no perfect. Something may be perfect for you, but not others. For example, I would like NFC and a dedicated microSD slot. An IR blaster, on the other hand, I consider at most a "nice to have". You would prefer a 1080p screen. Someone else would complain that that both brings the price up and halves the framerate in games, and those would be perfectly valid points.

                          So there is no perfect phone, but Xiaomi has made one that performs well without heating up or throttling, takes pretty good photos (back and front), has a decent amount of extras (IR, 3.5mm, microSD, freaking radio), looks nice, is well made (GG5 all round), has great battery life and is still relatively cheap. And the only standout compromise is that it has a screen with "only" around 300ppi.

                            • I
                            • Ivan
                            • pux
                            • 02 Aug 2019

                            Ivan, 02 Aug 2019Xiaomi has pulled an interesting trick with the A3. The scr... moreAdding one (to me) important detail to the comparison with the Mi 9SE: the 9SE has NFC!

                              • I
                              • Ivan
                              • pux
                              • 02 Aug 2019

                              Marco M, 02 Aug 2019In my opinion even the non-pro Note 7 is a better option. T... moreI would tend to disagree. I prefer the screen of the Note 7, but other than that, the performance will be the same or worse (especially in games - the higher res screen is nicer to look at, but demanding when you need to draw to it) and the camera setup is weaker, with a worse front camera and no ultrawide lens at the back. Also, subjectively, the RN7 is physically on the large side of what I can comfortably use in one hand.

                              The RN7 Pro is a bit of an upgrade, but it's costly, at least where I am the 6/128 Pro is over 50% more expensive than the 4/128 "regular" version and fairly close to the Mi 9T territory, which is a much better device.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • XNE
                                • 02 Aug 2019

                                I would have forgiven the low res screen if it at least had 675 but with ancient A73 based 665, I would only buy this if they launch if for what Mi A2 is currently selling for. Also, wtf is wrong with Xiaomi designers and excessively rounded corners? I’m surprised that the reviews never mention that.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • vxw
                                  • 02 Aug 2019

                                  This phone is the perfect example of how manufacturers intentionally do NOT come up with the perfect phone. They could have easily done so with a 1080 screen but this will take away the sales of their other models.

                                  The CC9 is close to being a perfect phone but then again it's only for sale in China. The 9T is the most perfect phone out there but I need an IR blaster.

                                    • I
                                    • Ivan
                                    • JFj
                                    • 02 Aug 2019

                                    Xiaomi has pulled an interesting trick with the A3. The screen res and the raw SoC performance wouldn't make you think that this was an upgrade to the A2, yet it most certainly is. In battery life, photo quality and gaming framerate, it blows the old model out of the water. Also, the design and build are much more up to modern standards and it has an OLED display. The screen resolution is a compromise, but it was probably key to hitting the price to performance ratio and very close to 300ppi is actually not horrible.

                                    Also, comparing it to the Mi 9SE, apart from the slightly lower price, the A3 has a 3.5mm jack, a microSD card option (although useless to me, because I need dual SIM) and way better battery life on its side. Pure Android may also be considered a plus by some as MIUI has perhaps a slightly more aggressive memory and background process management and Android One might mean more regular and longer support through software updates (although MIUI devices usually fare fairly well in this respect too). The Mi 9SE does have its own trumps, though, with more RAM, better performance, sharper screen and (despite the obvious similarity) a slightly sleeker design.

                                      Helbram, 02 Aug 2019This phone is the reason why they didn't release the RN7 Pr... moreIn my opinion even the non-pro Note 7 is a better option. Too bad for those wanting vanilla android. Luckily I'm not one of them as I prefer MIUI :-)

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                                        • :)
                                        • a4U
                                        • 02 Aug 2019

                                        Anonymous, 01 Aug 2019Yes it's possibleCan anyone please recommend which app can be installed to make the screen less bright?
                                        Thanks!

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