Xiaomi Mi 9, Mi Mix 3 5G and some bulbs at MWC 2019

The Xiaomi Mi 9 went official first in China, and then its European launch followed at MWC 2019 in Barcelona. Also at the unveiling, the company’s Mi Mix 3 5G was unleashed taking advantage of the upcoming superfast network.

Considering the Mi 9’s impressive spec sheet which includes the Snapdragon 855, triple cameras, a gorgeous design, faster wireless charging, and at least 6GB of RAM, the €449 asking price seems hard to believe. That even undercuts the OnePlus 6T by €50.

Xiaomi Mi 9

Mi 9 is Xiaomi’s first flagship with an AI triple camera. The primary snapper utilises the latest 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 1/2-inch sensor meaning you can choose to shoot high-resolution 48-megapixel images or when in low-light conditions, take clearer and brighter photos as Mi 9 will combine four pixels to one resulting in very sensitive 1.6?m large pixels.

The AI triple camera combination consisting of the main camera, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera helped the Mi 9 score 107 on the authoritative DxOMark website. That score landed it second place in the overall smartphone rankings. Additionally, a video score of 99 puts it at number one on DxOMark for video capture.

Design-wise the Mi 9 has a curved back cover design, allowing it to fit comfortably in hand. An advanced back cover colour process gives Mi 9 a stylish holographic rainbow spectrum which is a nice touch.

The all-curved design is inspired by the works of famed architect Antoni Gaudi and has been certified by The Gaudi Academia of Knowledge.

Around the front of the new phone is a 6.39-inch 19.5:9 Samsung AMOLED Dot Drop display. Under this display is a new and improved in-screen fingerprint sensor that unlocks the phone up to 25% faster than the previous generation.

Charging forwards

The Mi 9 also boasts a massive 3300mAh battery, featuring both wired and wireless fast charging. Furthermore, the charging tech has received accreditation from renowned German institution TUV Rheinland.

The 27W wired charging supports Qualcomm’s QC4+ standard, and enables Mi 9 to safely charge to 70% in just 30 minutes, and fully charge in 60 mins. When used with the new 20W version of Mi Wireless Charging Pad, Mi 9 can fully charge in just 90 min, as fast as some wired solutions.

Xiaomi Mi 9 price

Mi 9 will be available in Europe from 28 February, retailing from €449 for the 6GB+64GB version, and from €499 for the 6GB+128GB. It is available in Piano Black, Ocean Blue, and Lavender Violet.

Mi Mix 3 5G

Alongside that announcement, Xiaomi also used its MWC event to launch its first 5G-capable smartphone. The new Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 went official back in October of last year, but the company is reviving that design to add on 5G.

New chips

The new Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G ships with an updated Snapdragon 855 chipset and Qualcomm’s X50 5G modem alongside all of the same specs and design of the original phone. Xiaomi will be launching the Mi Mix 3 5G this May for €599 in blue and black colour variants. Currently, it’s unclear if this device will be headed to other markets anytime soon.

Integrating the Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modem, Mi MIX 3 5G can connect to a sub-6GHz signal that has gigabit-class download speed, which is tens of times faster than a 4G network. The phone is also one of the earliest adopters of the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC. The new System on Chip sustains a long, stable peak performance thanks to a newly designed hybrid cooling system.

The Qualcomm Kryo 485 CPU incorporates eight cores for a great balance between performance and power efficiency. Single core performance is up to 45% faster, a significant leap from the previous generation. The Qualcomm Adreno 640 GPU sees increased performance by 20% compared to the previous generation, and the fourth-generation Qualcomm AI Engine provides up to three times faster AI performance.

Keeping cool

To prevent things getting hot when gaming, Xiaomi has developed a highly-advanced hybrid cooling system for Mi MIX 3 5G. The Rogers HeatSORB thermal material implements a phase change effect, capturing heat while also delaying temperature increases. Then, a passive heat pipe composed of six layers of graphite disperses heat at three times faster than a typical dual graphite sheet.

Mi MIX 3 5G inherits the same 12MP AI dual camera from Mi MIX 3. It also benefits from the original’s features including 960 fps slow-motion video capabilities. For selfies, Mi MIX 3 5G offers a 24MP + 2MP dual camera setup using Sony’s IMX576 sensor. The camera is managed by the Qualcomm Spectra 380 ISP for speedy and power efficient camera experience.

Mi MIX 3 5G uses Xiaomi’s patented magnetic slider, offering a tremendous tactile experience and a wide array of custom options. Users can set the slide to perform functions such as answering calls or starting up the camera app. Thanks to the slider design, the bezels are extremely thin, achieving an extreme screen-to-body ratio. The screen is a 6.39-inch 2340 x 1080 FHD+ Samsung AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9.

Mi MIX 3 5G will be available in May, with a starting price of €599, in Onyx Black and Sapphire Blue.

Mi LED Smart Bulb

Xiaomi also announced Mi LED Smart Bulb during its product launch. Featuring 16 million stunning colours and adjustable colour temperature and brightness, it’s controlled remotely with Mi Home app. Furthermore, the bulb is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Apple Home Kit support arrives in Q2 2019.

Mi LED Smart Bulb is currently available in Europe for €19.99.