The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 might be the biggest 2021 Android surprise. It’s one of the first smartphones to feature an under-display selfie camera coupled with its super-fast processor while offering at a surprisingly low price. Undoubtedly, the Xiaomi Mi Mix series is a trailblazer of the flagship, sleek design, and lots of power in one device.
It’s been almost 3 years since the launch of the last Mi Mix 3 but Xiaomi is once again ready to upgrade with the Mi Mix 4. Perhaps one of the most interesting features of the Mi Mix 4 is the introduction of a 20-MP under-display selfie camera which is Xiaomi’s first product with that technology. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 was launched alongside the Mi Pad 5 at an event in China so we’d be expecting a global debut soonest.
The Mi Mix 4 is Xiaomi’s improved attempt to create an all-display smartphone which they tagged as third-generation technology whereby the device doesn’t have a cutout for the selfie camera. While the former Mi Mix 3 had a pop-up segment for the selfie camera, the Mi Mix 4 does something different.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi is departing from the usual glass back but instead switching to a ceramic rear. While the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 seems to be the latest premium smartphone with many top specs, it also has some middling specs you’ll find out on this our review.
Table of Contents
Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 Key Specifications
- Display: 6.67-inches AMOLED, 1B colours, 120Hz
- Resolution: 1080×2400 pixels
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ 5G
- Front Camera: 20-megapixel
- Rear Camera: 108-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 13-megapixel
- RAM: 8GB /12GB
- Storage: 128GB /256GB /512GB
- Battery Capacity: 4500mAh
- OS: Android 11, MIUI 12.5
Design and Display
One of the selling points of the Mi Mix 4 is its “CUP” (Camera Under Panel) technology that allows light to pass through the selfie camera. CUP is a $77 million investment iterated through three major generations. In 2020, Xiaomi revealed they’ll start a mass smartphone production with the under-display technology and that can be seen on the Mi Mix 4. Similar to ZTE, Oppo, and Samsung latest efforts, Xiaomi seems to be entering into all display races with the Mi Mix 4.
Fortunately, the phone is available in Ceramic White, Ceramic Black, and Ceramic Gray colour options. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best smartphone designs we’ve ever seen. There’s an in-display fingerprint scanner that further brings out its flagship nature. Of course, it has an official IP53 rating that makes it dust and splash resistant.
On the rear panel is a square camera bump that’s similar to that of the Mi 11 and Mi 11 Ultra. However, this is quite noticeable as it sticks out a lot although it covers a small area of the rear panel. Amazingly, the body is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus which is one of the best versions of glass protection. This looks really premium with a fantastic design which bumps up its price.
There’s a USB-C port and speaker grille at the bottom edge but no 3.5mm headphone jack which is no longer a surprise on flagship phones. The power button and volume rockers are perfectly positioned on the top right corner of the phone.
The large 6.67-inch AMOLED screen is nothing new in the smartphone world rather what marvels us is the support of up to 1B colours, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+. Fortunately, there’s a 1080×2400 pixels resolution which is Full HD+ and good for viewing photos, streaming movies, or playing high-end games.
Also, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 has a screen that curves at the edge which added to its beauty. However, it’s not as sloppy as the ones on Samsung Edge, Motorola Edge, or Huawei Mate phones. Overall, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 display is one of the best you can find on a smartphone currently.
Cameras
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 has a hidden 20-MP front-facing camera shooter. However, the camera performance centres around the 108-MP primary shooter. This is a Samsung HMX sensor, so we’re expecting a similar camera performance to that of Mi 11. Other camera sensors include a 13-MP ultrawide sensor and an 8-MP telephoto lens. The telephoto lens is capable of reaching 50x digital zoom as advertised.
As the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 is not yet available as of the time of this writing, we couldn’t get hold of its camera performance. However, we’re expecting a similar or better performance than that of the Mi 11 as they spot similar camera specs.
Hardware Performance and Software
doesn’t get tired of surprising its fans with premium features. The Mi Mix 4 features the highest Android processor of Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus. It’s currently the first Xiaomi phone to be announced with this speed-bumped chipset and works at a clock speed of 3GHz. Meanwhile, the processor is paired with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM variants and 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage.
Undoubtedly, Xiaomi spent a lot of time working on the Mi Mix 4’s cooling systems. This makes it stay a few degrees centigrade cooler especially after long hours of use, when charging, or playing intensive games. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 is comfortable and suitable for all kinds of games including PUGB, Call of Duty, Asphalt 9, etc.
As usual with other Xiaomi phones, the Mi Mix 4 runs on the latest Android 11 on top of MIUI 12.5 UI. Meanwhile, it’s among the listed phones to get the Android 12 and MIUI 13 updates respectively.
While the MIUI is pretty buggy, its customisation options are more than enough to make up for that. Other notable features include an IR blaster, NFC, shutdown prevention functionality, a SIM lock feature, etc.
- Check out the Xiaomi phones that’ll receive MIUI 14
Battery Capacity
The 4,500mAh battery cell on the Mi Mix 4 is a fair size. You should know that the battery performance of a phone doesn’t depend on its size rather on software optimization. Fortunately, it features a 120W wired fast charge and 50W wireless fast charging support. Amazingly, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 can charge from zero to full battery in 21-minute via wired charging and 45-minute through wireless charging.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi revealed there would be a Boost Mode which offers wired and wireless charging times of 15 minutes and 28 minutes respectively. However, this fast charging mode might downgrade the battery life over time. It’s more advisable to use the default fast charging support rather than the optional Boost Mode.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 4: Price in Nigeria and Availability
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 officially debuted in China on August 10, 2021, and we’re expecting global release any time from now. As expected of a premium smartphone, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 price is currently around ₦329,000 (roughly $800) for the 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage variant.
Meanwhile, the other version with the same RAM but 256GB storage will cost roughly ₦350,000 (about $850) while a super-specced variant with 12GB of RAM and 512GB storage will be on sale for ₦411,000 (approximately $1,000).
Meanwhile, the prices tend to be higher depending on your region, but we already know it’s not going to launch in the UK and US where Xiaomi doesn’t release its products at all. However, one thing that wasn’t mentioned during the China event was the official release date but we’re anticipating it later this year.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 Full Specifications
General
- Brand: Xiaomi
- Model: Mi Mix 4
- Release Date: August 10, 2021
- Operating System: Android 11, M1UI 12.5
- Weight: 225g
- Colours: Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, Shadow Gray
- Touchscreen: YES
- Type: AMOLED, 1B colours, 120Hz
- Display Size: 6.67-inch
- Screen Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels
- Dimensions: 162.6 x 75.4 x 8 mm (6.40 x 2.97 x 0.31 in)
- Facelock Support: YES
- In-display fingerprint scanner: Yes
- Sensors: Fingerprint (under-display)
Platform
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm)
- CPU: Octa-core (1×2.99 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680)
- GPU: Adreno 660
- IP Rating: IP53, dust and water-resistant
Memory
- RAM: 8GB /12GB
- Inbuilt Storage: 128GB /256GB /512GB
- SD Card slot: No
Camera
- Rear Flash: LED Flashlight
- Rear Camera: 108-MP, f/1.9 (wide), 13-MP, f/4.1 (periscope telephoto), 2-MP, f/2.2 (ultra-wide)
- Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/480fps
- Front Camera: Under-display 20-MP (wide)
- Front Flash: —
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi: YES
- Bluetooth: 5.2
- USB: USB Type-C 2.0
- GPS: YES
- WLAN: YES
Network
- SIM: Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
- Technology: GSM | HSPA | LTE
- 3G Support: Yes
- 4G/ LTE Support: Yes
- 5G Support: Yes
Battery
- Capacity: Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable
- Fast Charge: 120W (Wired) 50W (Wireless)
Price
- Price in Nigeria: ₦329,000
- Price in Dollar: $800
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