Review of Xiaomi Mi8 - an advanced flagship! What is wrong with the new smartphone Xiaomi Mi8 The newest xiaomi mi 8.

On May 31, the presentation of the new flagship Mi 8 from Xiaomi took place. The device received a lot of changes compared to last year's model. Simultaneously with Mi 8, the anniversary edition of Mi 8 Explorer Edition was presented, which surprised the public with a transparent back panel. The company also showed a stripped-down SE version of the device. Live photos of new products can already be seen.

Until recently, no one could guess what the gadget looks like, many of its features were kept secret.

Mi 8 received a 6.21-inch AMOLED display. The screen has large viewing angles, which allows you to see graphic information no color distortion at maximum deviation. The resolution is 2248×1080, which is quite normal for getting a high-quality image on such a screen. A feature was the "eyebrow" above the screen, which conceals the maximum number of sensors, for example, a proprietary 3D face recognition system. It is unique in that it has an infrared sensor that allows you to recognize the owner even in the dark. There was also a place for a 20 megapixel front camera, but we'll talk about it a little later.

The display has a brightness of 600 cd/m2 and occupies 88.5% of the front panel area. The whole body is covered with glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Front and rear glass are connected by a frame made of 7000 series aluminum, from which aircraft are made. The thickness of the device was only 7 mm, and the weight - 175 grams. Mi 8 will have 4 body colors: white, blue, gold and black.

The fingerprint sensor of Xiaomi Mi 8 is located on the rear panel. The under-screen fingerprint scanner, which was talked about a lot before the presentation, we can see in Explorer versions edition. A feature of Mi 8 is an additional button on the case, it allows you to quickly launch a personal assistant.

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Mi 8 is the most productive smartphone

Mi 8 is equipped with an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. Adreno 630 is responsible for the graphics. The amount of “RAM” in this device is 6 GB. There are three options for permanent memory: 64, 128 or 256 GB. By the way, the Explorer Edition has 8 gigs of RAM and 128 GB of storage. In AnTuTu, Mi 8 gave the figure 301,472. Today, this is the best result among flagships.

Camera overview

Mi 8, like most modern premium phones, has a dual camera. Both lenses received a resolution of 12 megapixels. The first module has an aperture of f / 1.8, the second - f / 2.4. The secondary sensor comes into play when shooting with the x2 optical zoom. It also processes information about the depth of field, so that the blurring of the background when shooting bokeh is of high quality. The device boasts fast phase detection autofocus and 4-axis optical image stabilization. In addition, the application "Camera" uses artificial intelligence in its work. He analyzes the scenes and helps to choose optimal settings to take a specific picture.

The front camera, as already noted, has a resolution of 20 megapixels and f / 2.0 aperture. It supports the so-called beautification mode. You can change the proportions of the face, the size of its individual parts, remove skin defects, etc. The developer has added the application "Camera" own version of animated Animoji emoticons.

Other information about the smartphone

Battery capacity 3300 mAh. Supported wireless charger using Quick Charge 4.0+ technology with a power of 18 watts.

Mi 8, as befits a flagship, is equipped with an NFC module. We can also observe a dual-band GPS module and Bluetooth 5 version.

All characteristics of Mi 8 from Xiaomi:

• Screen: 6.21″, AMOLED, 2280x1080 pixels, aspect ratio 19:9;
• CPU: Snapdragon 845, 8 cores - 4x2.8 GHz, 4x1.8 GHz, 10nm;
• Graphics accelerator: Adreno 630;
• RAM: 6GB;
• ROM: 64/128/256 Gb;
• Main camera: 12 Mp (1.4 µm, f/1.8) + 12 Mp (1.0 µm, f/2.4), optical stabilization, ISO up to 51200;
• Front-camera: 20 MP (1.8 µm, f/2.0);
• Battery: 3300 mAh, function fast charging;
• Modules: NFC, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4 and 5 GHz);
• Safety: fingerprint scanner + 3D face scanning system;
• Navigation: dual-frequency GPS module with positioning accuracy up to 30 cm;
• Operating system: Android 8.1 Oreo + MIUI 10;
• Dimensions and weight: 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6 mm, 175 grams.

Mi 8 Explorer Edition

The special enhanced version of the flagship has an under-display fingerprint scanner, a translucent back panel, and an improved 3D Face ID unlocking feature. The RAM here is 8 GB, and the permanent memory is 128.

Today, Xiaomi held an anniversary presentation, which showed the long-awaited Mi 8 flagship. What can I say, the device turned out to be noble. Let's figure out what's good and new in the flagship.

Features of Xiaomi Mi 8:

• Display: 6.21 inches at 2248 x 1080 resolution and 60,000 to 1 contrast ratio
• Camera: 12 + 12 MP - main, 20 MP - selfie
• CPU: Snapdragon 845 (304,472 points in AnTuTu)
• Sensors: dual-band GPS, 3D scanner, NFC
• Memory: 8 + 128 GB

Xiaomi Mi8, as the insiders assured, received a full-fledged 3D face scanner. The cutout on the screen appeared for a reason.

And, where without an analogue of animoji. They are here too:

A feature of the flagship was the possibility of 3D analysis of the finished photo. Basically, you can have plastic surgery on your photo after the shoot is over. Xiaomi has done everything possible to make people look as beautiful as possible on the received selfies.

On the one hand, it's great. On the other hand, you will have to beware of guys and girls who have Mi 8.

Since Mi8 is a flagship, the company could not do without an NFC sensor. Unlike the iPhone, which only needs to get advanced proximity sensor functionality, with Mi 8 from the day of release, you can use the module to interact with smart devices like locks and terminals.

Not spared in Xiaomi and the GPS module. The company's engineers thought about how to ensure uninterrupted communication with satellites during navigation. Mi 8 has a dual-frequency GPS module L1 + L2.

In addition to a more stable reception, its feature also lies in the ability to determine at what height you are passing. This is especially true for road junctions. That is, Mi 8 understands where you are: on the bridge or under it.

In fact, Mi 8 has the most accurate GPS module on the market right now. As proof of the accuracy of the GPS, Xiaomi showed a video of "blind" driving. In the car, the windows were tightly painted over and offered to drive along the route, focusing solely on GPS data. The result is successful.

Mi 8 has three unlock technologies at once. Through the face - using a 3D scanner, manually and ... Yes, the smartphone does have the long-awaited fingerprint scanner under the screen!

And, perhaps most importantly, the price. 3,700 yuan, 580 dollars or almost 37,000 rubles for the version with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory.

Another Xiaomi novelty is the model Mi 8 SE. The one whose pictures were leaked to the network a few hours before the release.

The characteristics of the device are somewhat more modest.

The cost of Xiaomi Mi 8 is $282 or 18,000 rubles.

In total, Xiaomi showed three new smartphones at once. In fact, these are Mi 8 modifications:

• Xiaomi Mi 8
• Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition with transparent case back
• Xiaomi Mi 8 SE with a 5.88-inch screen and a Snapdragon 710 processor

And the result of the whole presentation looks like this:

On May 31 this year, the long-awaited big presentation of Xiaomi took place, at which the company presented the audience with a lot of quite interesting new products. However, perhaps the most intriguing part of the presentation was the moment when Xiaomi finally showed their new flagship smartphone Xiaomi Mi 8.

Last year's flagship Xiaomi Mi 6 was in many ways a very successful smartphone and sold quite well. Therefore, fans of the company, and certainly the management itself, expect the new product to at least repeat its success. The phone seemed quite promising to us, but at the same time there are many nuances that do not allow you to fall in love with a smartphone at first sight, and which we will talk about later.

By the way, if it seemed strange to you that Mi 8 immediately follows after Mi 6, and the number 7 is lost somewhere, then this was done for a reason. The fact is that this year Xiaomi turns eight years old, and it was decided to time the release of the new flagship to this date. We offer you our xiaomi review Mi 8, let's talk about its price, see the main characteristics, and at the end of the article we will draw some conclusions about the pros and cons of this smartphone. Happy reading.

Xiaomi Mi 8 is supplied, like most modern smartphones of the company, in a small rectangular cardboard box. This time it is done in black with a bright white number eight on top. The packaging material is quite dense and in case of unforeseen circumstances during transportation it will be able to protect the phone from minor mechanical damage.

The very same equipment Xiaomi Mi 8, given the flagship status of the device, is pretty mediocre. Do not expect to see special frills, surprises or, say, a branded headset inside. In addition to the smartphone itself, we also managed to find inside the box:

1. Charger with Quick Charge 3.0 support.
2. A paperclip to remove the SIM card tray.
3. Adapter from USB Type-C to 3.5 mm connector.
4. Silicone bumper to protect the back of the device.
5. User manual and other accompanying documentation

Design

Appearance ... How many versions of the design of the smartphone were shown in various forums even before the official presentation of the device. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, most of the “leaks” turned out to be true, and the Xiaomi Mi 8 smartphone really turned out to be as similar as possible to the iPhone 10.

Of course, we understand that it is Apple that sets the trends in the modern phone industry. However, I would still like other companies to go their own way more, and not try to follow Apple's trends as much as possible, especially since some of them turn out to be frankly controversial. Now, instead of talking about the design features of the Mi 8 as an individual device, it will have to be compared with the iPhone 10, and this is inevitable.

New Xiaomi is made in a widescreen, full-screen design. In front, a rather large “monobrow” immediately catches your eye, on which a variety of sensors, cameras and a conversational speaker are placed. In size, this element is much larger than that of the iPhone, since it can also be hidden by filling the status bar with black, however, in this case, visually “eats off” a little more screen space than the “eyebrow” physically takes up. The dimensions of Xiaomi Mi 8 are also much larger than those of the American "colleague". Xiaomi Mi 8 turned out to be a rather big device and corresponds to the parameters of 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6 mm, while the flagship of Apple corresponds to the dimensions of 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm.

Xiaomi designers also rewarded their new product with a massive lower “chin”, while the iPhone 10 is practically absent. The fact is that Apple's solution requires much more financial costs for the compact placement of ports and other functional elements on the bottom end. Xiaomi, on the other hand, decided not to make their device more expensive and place functional elements and ports according to a more standard scheme.

The colors of Xiaomi Mi 8 turned out to be very juicy and attractive. So, you can buy a new flagship in four color options, including black, white, blue and gold. The body of the novelty, just like the previous flagship Mi 6, is made of tempered glass. From the side, the device looks great, however, despite the presence of an oleophobic coating, over time, prints on its surface still accumulate. We did not check the resistance of the smartphone to scuffs and scratches, but given our experience with the Mi 6, we can expect that the new device will be able to remain without damage for quite a long time.

The corners and edges of the rear surface of the device are elegantly rounded. This not only adds a plus to the appearance of the smartphone, but also allows it to lie very confidently and comfortably in the palm of your hand, as well as fit comfortably in narrow pockets. According to the functional elements on the back surface, we have an inverted and slightly protruding double camera on the left side, which again refers us to the design latest iPhone. And also a round fingerprint scanner, which Xiaomi did not forget to add, despite the presence of a face recognition system.

As for the rest of the case functional elements, here everything is standard to one degree or another. On the right side there is a volume rocker and a power button, on the left is a hidden SIM card tray. The upper end is almost empty, there is not even a traditional one for Xiaomi infrared port to control equipment, there is only an additional microphone. At the bottom end there are speaker grilles and USB Type-C, a 3.5 mm headphone jack was once again “not delivered”.

In general, the design of Xiaomi Mi 8 turned out to be controversial, but quite attractive, and we are sure that it is very a large number The company's customers will love it. On the other hand, the phone has now become not very small, especially considering that Xiaomi flagships of past generations have always been distinguished by their compactness, and this resonated with many fans.

Display

The display of the new flagship turned out to be very unusual in many ways. First, its unusual aspect ratio, namely 18.7:9, with a diagonal of 6.21 inches immediately catches the eye. Secondly, the screen resolution of the novelty is Full HD + (2248x1080 pixels), which is not so common on the market now, the pixel density was 402 ppi. And, thirdly, now instead of the IPS screen familiar to all Xiaomi lovers, we have a brand new Super AMOLED matrix.

As befits AMOLED screens, the colors on the new flagship are now saturated and bright, which somewhat contradicts the naturalness of the colors. However, this aspect is a matter of taste for everyone, but with the help of the settings we can regulate the color temperature quite finely, changing the colors from cold to warm. Another difference between these screens is the highest quality of black, so that the contrast of the image is always on top. Even at fairly large angles, the image does not invert, fade or lose contrast, which makes it very readable. But with white, everything is less smooth, at large angles it ceases to be “true” white and slightly fades into other shades.

Also, AMOLED screens boast higher energy efficiency. With the help of this feature, Xiaomi engineers finally managed to implement the “always on display” function on their devices. Now smartphone owners can put, for example, a clock on the screen and always be able to see the time even when the display is off.

Xiaomi Mi 8 boasts the highest level of maximum display brightness, which amounted to as much as 600 cd / m 2. Of all the smartphones that we were able to test, this is an absolute record. It would be a little superfluous to even say that with this level of brightness, the smartphone feels very confident even in the sunniest weather. The level of the minimum brightness of the screen is also very, very good, fans of reading with a smartphone before going to bed will certainly be very satisfied. The screen backlight is even and does not flicker even at very low brightness settings. Taking into account all of the above, it is worth noting that according to these parameters, the screen of Xiaomi Mi 8 really turned out to be top-end.

cameras

If we were asked to describe the cameras of Xiaomi Mi 8 in just one word, it would be the word "super". Since ancient times, Xiaomi smartphones have not differed too much in the quality of their cameras, but recently they have surprisingly managed not only to catch up with the market, but also to somehow become better than their competitors.

The main camera of the Mi 8 consists of two modules of 12 megapixels each. The first Sony IMX363 module, it is a wide-format camera that does the lion's share of all video and photography work, it has an aperture of f / 1.8 and a pixel size of 1.4 microns. The second module is the Samsung S5K3M3, which has an f/2.4 aperture and primarily plays the role of a telephoto lens.

As for the quality of photographs, compared to the capabilities of the Mi 6, there is a very serious step forward. The clarity, detailing of the camera is simply at the highest level, the camera focuses very quickly and accurately, you don’t even think about the focus here, which is great. We did not like the color correction too much, nevertheless the colors turn out a little brighter than they should be, but, on the other hand, the white balance is matched almost perfectly, and the dynamic range did not let us down. Separately, I would like to say a few words about shooting in low light conditions. Thanks to fast optics, even night shots are now clear and rich in detail, here Xiaomi engineers really want to praise a lot. Noise is also almost imperceptible in the frame, and only with a strong increase in the finished shots, you can notice the noise in the background.

Promotes high quality not least the built-in AI (artificial intelligence), which was touted for a very long time by Xiaomi at their presentation. It is configured in such a way as to select the optimal settings for each individual scene based on lighting conditions and other factors. It turns out really quite well, now, in fact, there is no need to select the camera settings yourself, all the pictures will be quite high quality from the first time.

It has a Mi 8 camera and a double zoom without quality loss. It is for these purposes that the second module primarily serves. The luminosity of this camera is much smaller and this is noticeable, but the resolution is about the same, so it’s really a stretch to say that the quality is not lost. To some extent shooting through the telephoto lens is not as great as with the main camera, but nevertheless it is much better than just soft zoom on many other smartphones. Portrait photography hasn't gone away either. Background blur errors still happen, but now they are much more rare than on the same Mi 6.

As for video shooting, Xiaomi Mi 8 can offer 4K recording at 30 frames per second. This is a little strange, since many flagships from other companies have already learned how to write in this resolution at 60 frames per second. Nevertheless, there are no complaints about the quality of the video, everything is clear, and in general the quality is no worse than in the same photos. The work of optical 4-axis stabilization is noticeable, even with strong hand trembling, the frame does not vibrate. Moreover, we even tried to specially shake the camera, but even in this mode, the stabilization coped quite well. But we didn't like the sound quality. Although Xiaomi has been working a lot on this problem lately, they have not been able to fully solve it. The sound is flat, sonorous and it is heard (such an impression) from somewhere far away, although the phone was right in front of you all the time. I just want to say: Xiaomi, try better.

Tangible progress has been made in terms of the front camera. Now we will be pleased with the 20-megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture. The times when the “front camera” was installed just to be, are gradually passing, and this is very pleasing. Thanks to high resolution now we get sharpness and detail comparable to the main cameras of some cheaper smartphones. Traditionally, there are beautification modes, and from the unusual, we now have a portrait mode with a bokeh effect and video recording in 1080p format.

At the presentation, a lot of time was also devoted to the fact that Xiaomi Mi 8 cameras were tested in the authoritative organization DxOMark. This laboratory has been testing the cameras of top smartphones for a long time, and was able to accumulate a lot of statistical data. A high place in their ranking is very important, as this will undoubtedly be taken into account by buyers who choose a smartphone in the first place for the camera. Xiaomi Mi 8 managed to score 105 points for photo capabilities and 88 points for video, which determined its average score of 99. This result was able to help Xiaomi climb to the fifth place in the ranking and take a place right behind the Huawei P20 Pro. Needless to say, Xiaomi is proud of this result.

And finally, let's say a few words about face recognition technology. For these purposes, the Mi 8 has a special small camera, as well as an infrared sensor. Thanks to this combination, face recognition is fast and in 99% of cases. Moreover, this process now does not depend on the illumination in any way, even in complete darkness the phone easily determines its owner and immediately unlocks. Undoubtedly, in terms of this technology, Xiaomi stepped far ahead and were able to bypass even the founder of this trend, Apple.

Examples of photos from the Xiaomi Mi 8 phone:

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Connection

Xiaomi Mi 8 supports all the most popular LTE networks, including band 20, which is common in Russia and other countries. The new smartphone will support Bluetooth 5.0 and modern Wi-Fi standards. The speed of work in wireless networks the smartphone showed a very high one, we did not expect anything else from the new flagship, but this fact still turned out to be pleasant.

The main feature of the flagship was the presence of a dual GPS module. If we're not mistaken, this is the world's first mass-market smartphone to feature a dual navigation module. This feature should help the smartphone more accurately determine its location. At the presentation on May 31, a lot of attention was paid to this, for example, a video was shown of how, with the help of navigation, they drive a car with sealed windows, orienting only with a smartphone. However, it seems to us that for car enthusiasts and modern definition accuracy is quite enough, and the new dual module is more likely to be useful for orientation in narrow lanes or in large shopping centers.

Xiaomi Mi 8 also has NFC. This time, the engineers did not skimp on this module. wireless communication which will surely please many buyers. The smartphone is already compatible with the system Android Pay, and in the future, Xiaomi promises only to expand the list of supported services. Moreover, do not forget that NFC module can be used not only for wireless payment, but also, for example, for fast sync devices to each other.

Performance

If you thought that Xiaomi will surprise you this year in terms of choosing a single-chip system, then this did not happen. Once again, we have the top and most powerful processor on the market, this time in the face of the Snapdragon 845. Apparently, the cooperation between Xiaomi and Qualcomm is pretty well established, and every time the top-end smartphone of the company gets the most powerful hardware.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is an octa-core Big/Little processor that includes two clusters. The first high performance Kryo 385 Gold cluster powered by clock frequency 2.8 GHz, and a second power efficient Kryo 385 Silver cluster running at 1.8 GHz. Each cluster consists of four slightly redesigned Cortex A-75 cores in the first case and Cortex A-55 in the second. A new high-performance video accelerator called Adreno 630 is responsible for the graphics. Although, at first glance, the scheme is quite common for top-end Snapdragons, in fact, Qualcomm made a very big step with this processor. The fact is that now the top 845 has at its disposal a third-level cache, and more specifically, two megabytes of such a cache. Previously, we could see a third-level cache only in Apple processors, and this is undoubtedly progress both for Qualcomm and for the entire Android smartphone industry. Although the Snapdragon 845 ended up with only 3.5 MB of total cache versus 3 MB for the Snapdragon 835, the performance gain is much higher than it might seem at first glance.

Options Xiaomi performance Mi 8 are impressive. This is clearly demonstrated by the smartphone test in the AnTuTu benchmark, where it was able to overcome the mark of 270 thousand points. I was able to gain more only game Smartphone Black Shark. It would be superfluous to say that in everyday applications or in Internet surfing the phone does not experience the slightest problem, everything goes smoothly and very quickly. The industry has yet to catch up with last year's flagship Snapdragon 835, and what's more, even the Snapdragon 821 still feels pretty fresh and up to date. So, buying Xiaomi Mi 8, you can be sure that its performance will be enough for at least a few more years to come.

Battery

Xiaomi Mi 8 is equipped with a 3400 milliamp hours battery. This is quite a normal value for most modern smartphones. However, do not forget that in our case we are dealing with a device whose screen diagonal is as much as 6.21 inches. Despite the fact that an AMOLED screen is installed here, which is considered more economical than IPS, this size still makes itself felt. The phone fully survives from morning to evening with a typical load, but it was not possible to stretch the pleasure for two days, even switching to a sparing mode. So, for fans of watching videos or playing on the road, we would still recommend taking a closer look at a good power bank, otherwise the charge may completely disappear even before you check into a hotel.

The smartphone supports fast charging version 4.0, however, unfortunately, only the charger version 3.0 is supplied in the kit. If you want to experience all the delights of the new version of fast charging for yourself, then you will have to purchase a special Charger separately. Apparently, by copying the design from Apple, Xiaomi inadvertently copied the policy of distributing accessories. We hope that in future, more recent batches, it will still be the fourth version of the charger that will be added, otherwise it turns out simply ugly - there is a possibility, but the tools were not delivered. As for the charging speed, it is about the same as other smartphones with Quick Charge 3.0. The phone dials the first 50% in just over half an hour, and from the red zone to one hundred percent, the Mi 8 was charged in less than two hours.

MIUI 10 shell

Xiaomi Mi 8 should be the first smartphone to officially receive the new MIUI 10 skin after its release. However, the first smartphones still use MIUI 9.5 with some dozens of graphic elements. The release of the global version of the shell is scheduled for approximately the second half of June, and we are sure that updates to Mi 8 will arrive on time and without any problems.

MIUI 10 is based on Android 8.1 and focuses on new system developers are doing on the speed and stability of the work. At first glance, they succeeded quite well, although when the official global version comes out, everything should become even better. They will lead you to new firmware and artificial intelligence, which will be designed to monitor the addictions of the owner of the smartphone and speed up the launch of some applications and programs. There was also news that at the end of this year, Xiaomi Mi 8 could switch from the G8 to the new Android P.

Specifications

We present to your attention brief technical Xiaomi specifications Mi 8:

• CPU: The processor is an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4 Kryo Gold 2.8 GHz cores, 4 Kryo Silver 1.9 GHz cores). Graphics accelerator - Adreno 630, 270,000 points in AnTuTu;
• Display: 6.21 inches, Super AMOLED matrix, Full HD + (2248x1080), pixel density 402 PPI;
• Operating system: Android 8.1 plus proprietary MIUI 10.0 shell;
• Memory: Operational - 6 gigabytes. Main - 64 or 128, or 256 gigabytes;
• Wireless interfaces: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, NFC;
• Cameras: Main - 12 megapixels (Sony IMX363, f / 1.8, pixel size 1.4 microns) plus a 12 megapixel camera with a telephoto lens (Samsung S5K3M3, f / 2.4). Front - 20 megapixels, f / 2.0;
• Navigation: Dual GPS module;
• Moisture protection: Absent;
• Accumulator battery: 3400 milliamp hours;
• Dimensions: Dimensions - 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6 mm. Weight - 175 grams.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

1. Top processor from Qualcomm.
2. Large, bright display.
3. Excellent cameras.
4. Support for all popular frequency bands.
5. NFC module and dual GPS.
6. MIUI 10 and Android 8.1.
7. Face recognition technology.

Flaws:

1. Pretty low autonomy.
2. Lack of water protection.
3. Inability to use memory cards.
4. No 3.5mm jack.

Outcome

This year, Xiaomi still managed to please us with an excellent flagship. Yes, some points in it remained quite controversial, for example, the similarity with the iPhone 10 or rather large sizes. However, in the end, for quite moderate money, we get top-end hardware, which will be relevant for quite a long time, a large and bright AMOLED screen, excellent cameras, and much more that we have already listed throughout the article.

If you love Xiaomi products and their branded shell, then this smartphone will definitely be a good buy for you. If you're just looking for yourself new smartphone and are looking at something new, then we would still recommend waiting a bit until the first hype passes and the stable global MIUI 10 firmware is released.

• 6+64 GB = $421;
• 6+128 GB = $468;
• 6+256 GB = $515;

Currently, the cost of smartphones on Ali Express is slightly higher than recommended, but it is likely that prices will gradually decrease as soon as the first wave of hype passes. In Russia, the cost of Xiaomi Mi 8 is expected to be around 30-35 thousand rubles. However, already now, you can order Xiaomi Mi 8 with delivery to Russia in some online stores and in them the price varies from 29 thousand rubles. up to 50 thousand rubles

While everyone is experiencing the shock of the appearance of the new Xiaomi smartphone, I decided to look critically: what happened?

Yes, I love Xiaomi products for their balance. This time it's time to criticize. Do you think that the Chinese have presented a real iPhone competitor X or OnePlus 6 with a bunch of killer features. In fact, we have just been fooled.

Or maybe the Mi8 will really become the best smartphone 2018? Let's try to figure it out.

Why does Xiaomi need 3 flagships at once?

The Chinese promised to announce the flagship: so cool that they had to jump over the ordinal number 7. Instead of Mi7, the anniversary Mi8. Promised? But they did it somehow in a peculiar way, “in xiaomi style”.

Instead of one smartphone, three at once, and all are different ( full specifications- ). And all - not such, as promised. And with unpleasant surprises.

Flagship super smartphone Mi 8 Explorer Edition should have been the coolest not only “xiaomi phone”: a scanner under the screen, a 3D camera for face recognition, an incredible DxO rating (105 for a photo - cooler than the iPhone X and its own Mix 2s) and a transparent case. Ground meat! For 577 bucks.


Expensive. And the main problem is that the Explorer Edition is a myth. No sales start date has been announced, so the company can delay it anytime (hello Apple and fans - whatever you like!).

The basic version is $150 cheaper, already acceptable 421. It doesn't seem like the kind of money worth paying extra for an under-screen scanner and a 3D camera hidden in the eyebrow. Moreover, not everything is going smoothly with the cameras (read below).

The scanner under the screen is really cool and convenient. But if it costs so much, why is it necessary? Xiaomi is still a budget brand in the minds. They made the bottom frame a little thicker, and would hide it there (full-screen smartphones with an under-screen touch button are not uncommon). Or on the edge of a smartphone, like Meizu's - wildly convenient.

Vivo has smartphones with a scanner under the surface of the screen. How many of them are sold in Russia? Alas, these very cool devices are unreasonably expensive and remain in flight.


And there, and here you need to be like the iPhone. Therefore, Xiaomi has to get out and hide the main unlock tool under the screen. But apparently there is no production and licenses of its own. Buy from Vivo at exorbitant prices? I think yes.

The same reason explains the appearance of the younger Xiaomi Mi 8 SE with a smaller diagonal, simplified cameras (apparently, the dual main one is borrowed from the budget Xiaomi S2 for $ 150 in retail) and a processor Snapdragon 710. There would be a cool middle peasant, but the similarity with popular gadget Apple raises the price to $281.

So, in retail we will see it at 330-350. Meanwhile, Xiaomi has Mi6X with metal case, cool camera and good processor with the same performance (but a generation older). With the same price.


Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s is similar to the old Sharp, but cooler than Mi8

In fact, Xiaomi released one "original" (we'll get back to this) Mi8 and standard Chinese clone iPhone X without features.

But they know how to make cool gadgets without regard to other developers (for example, and). For them, "xiaomi" and love.

To be honest, the “eight” turned out to be strange: all “normal xiaomi” without “eyebrows”, with thick frames and convenient dimensions. Created clearly with an eye on Apple - that's why I like the previous Mix 2s more (by the way, there will be a review soon - an unrealistically cool smartphone).

Nothing can replace normal appearance. And the “eyebrow”, that is, face unlocking, raises many questions.

Infrared camera versus 3D scanning: who wins and why?

If you turn to Vivo's materials on scanners, it turns out that the under-screen fingerprint sensor costs nothing, so the notorious price difference between the Mi 8 Explorer Edition and the regular version is for a 3D camera for face scanning. Why is she needed?

After all, the base Mi8 also has a difficult front camera: an infrared camera and a backlight are added to the regular camera, with which the smartphone will take pictures of the user's face in the dark for accurate recognition.

I am familiar with MIUI algorithms for face recognition (- sad, but there is hope). They work quite accurately - better than Samsung or OnePlus. Assuming that they pulled up the software in the 10th version branded shell, the need to build a three-dimensional model of the face to unlock the smartphone becomes doubtful.


Unlock front camera will work in a regular Mi8, with a regular camera. And on any other Xiaomi smartphone. Let me remind you:

Together with Mix 2S, Xiaomi presented the XiaAI artificial intelligence system, with the help of which voice commands are processed and Face ID is unlocked.
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Unless you're a full-time makeup actor, professional boxer, or make-up model. Will a 3D face scan work? Is not a fact. And the iPhone X can't handle it.

Please note that the Mi8 EE does not indicate the presence of an infrared camera. Question - how will the face recognition module work in the dark? Good question, let's test it.

Hype on the iPhone X. The Chinese love this smartphone.

Too many competitors and nothing of their own

If you forget about 2 unsuccessful options, and deal with Xiaomi Mi8, it becomes even sadder.

Instead of a solid, cheap smartphone with a personal development ideology, Xiaomi for the first time released an exact clone of the modern market. The same that other Chinese manufacturers produce.

So. Under the hood is the Quallcomm Snapdragon 845, the traditional flagship of 2018. It comes with 6 GB random access memory which have also become the norm. They don't put in less.

At first glance, the AMOLED matrix with a diagonal of 6.21 inches with a resolution of Full HD + 2248 × 1080 pixels attracts attention: support for the DCI-P3 color space, brightness of 600 nits, contrast ratio of 60000: 1. Incredibly cool!

But why AMOLED? Traditional for Xiaomi flagships The IPS-matrix has the same parameters, but does not fade over time and is much cheaper.


Important point: Xiaomi released a smartphone with an AMOLED screen only once. It was cool, but not for long - and Redmi Pro () was released only for Chinese market. That is, they have no experience with the type of matrices. And there are no specific functions in the system.

It will take time for them to work properly. Buyers will again work as beta testers.

The last hope remains: the incredibly cool Mi8 camera, which received a whopping 105 points from DxO for a photo. Here are 2 top-end modules from Sony and Samsung, 4-axis optical stabilization, RAW support and even “feng shui” sensors with huge pixels to eliminate noise in the photo at night!

Exactly the same is installed in Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s with a normal design. Engineers received an additional 3 points by tweaking the firmware.


It turns out that the Mi8 is functionally not so cool. Analogues darkness: from its own Mi Mix 2s, ending with fashionable OnePlus 6 or Huawei P20 Pro. Moreover, one uses pure Android (and therefore it is already very good), and the second overtakes Xiaomi in terms of the quality of photographs (it cannot be otherwise).

Only new network modules and a fresh operating system with deep support for artificial intelligence for creating photos, animoji and a voice assistant can save the Chinese novelty.

Is Bluetooth 5.0 critical for you? Don't think. While there is nothing to connect with, there are practically no suitable accessories.


This is how it works new module GPS: red - its track (real), green - received from a regular smartphone

Do you need dual and very accurate new generation GPS? There are questions - will it be able to work as accurately as stated, because existing restrictions The accuracy of satellite navigation is supervised by special services. They can also prohibit both sales and use. And not only in Russia.

Smart voice assistant already exists in Russia. Alice and the Yandex team are great fellows. Therefore, Xiaomi designed an assistant for the Chinese domestic market, and we can forget about its existence.


I don’t even want to talk about “animoji”. I frankly do not understand them, I do not use emoticons. A normal Russian person has a lot of ways to express his mood and thoughts in writing. Can not? Call. Can't express emotions? Worth learning, you're not 5 years old.

June 14, 2018

So, we waited! On the last day of spring, Xiaomi introduced its new flagship called Mi 8. That is, the rumors that the company will skip the Mi 7 model and immediately “roll out” the eight turned out to be true. Firstly, it is dedicated to the birthday of Xiaomi - this year the brand turns 8 years old. And secondly, the management felt that such a step would mark the difference between the Mi 6 and the new flagship in the best possible way. Allegedly, the company took two steps forward at once, and not one, and Mi 8 is almost a new milestone in the history of the Chinese giant. Well, let's meet the new recruit.

Contents of delivery

The device is packed in a small compact black box. A huge number “8” flaunts on top of it, and inside we find: a key for opening the SIM tray, a transparent silicone clip case, a charger, a cable, a warranty card and instructions. And in the box is a small adapter from the Type-C connector to 3.5 mm. Yes, the classic headset port was abandoned in the new flagship.

Design, ergonomics, layout of elements

The appearance of the novelty cannot be called unambiguously successful or a failure. We will not give value judgments, but simply talk about the design from a neutral point of view. After all, the taste and color ... Mi 8 is a phablet with a screen diagonal of 6.21 inches, a body height of 154.9 mm, a width of 74.8 mm and a thickness of 7.6 mm. The side frames are quite narrow, they do not hurt the eyes. The device weighs 175 grams. The device turned out to be weighty, as befits a modern flagship. Nevertheless, it lies well in the palm of your hand, it can hardly be called a bulky “brick” or “shovel”, because the ergonomics of the device have been carefully thought out and tested in different usage scenarios. Both front and back panel made of glass. The latter, alas, willingly collects fingerprints - every now and then it will catch your eye if you have a model in a black case. Another disadvantage is that the phone is actively trying to slip out of the palm of your hand, so the bundled case will come in handy. Fortunately, the clip case does not thicken the body of Mi 8 too much.

The shape of the phone is characterized by its smooth curves, angles and transitions. I especially liked the “back” of the case smoothly rounded to the side ends. The display occupies 83.8% of the area on the front panel. Under the upper edge of the screen, there is a trendy now “bangs”, and quite wide. But there is an explanation for this. There are five elements at once: a front camera eye, a proximity sensor, a speaker, and an infrared scanner for the face unlock system (it consists of two components - a lens and a backlight). The “visor” cannot be removed from the smartphone, however, it can be made much less noticeable. This is achieved programmatically: from under the upper edge of the display we “pull out” a black plate, which becomes strictly on the same level with the “bangs”. Yes, the screen in this case will be a little lower, but on the other hand, the annoying “mono-brow” that irritates many will leave the field of view. In general, the decision is very controversial. At least because a huge number of users did not like it in other flagship models of this year (the design is far from new). Yes and top corners nothing but standard icons and icons (indicating a network signal, charge level, etc.) can occupy such a display. And videos, photos and pages in landscape orientation, like toys, will be “cropped”. But a trend is a trend, and the company has made great sacrifices for it. Below the bottom of the display is a fairly noticeable bezel. There are no elements on it - the touch buttons are placed higher, on the display itself. For many, the question has long been ripe for this: why not abandon it in favor of even greater framelessness? After all, this area is still empty! In Xiaomi, probably, they themselves were glad to get rid of this platform, if not for the cost similar work. Under the plate are Type-C port, speaker and microphone. That is, by removing the lower frame, engineers will have to significantly change the layout of the elements in the lower part of the smartphone case. This procedure is worth big money and, apparently, is considered inappropriate, and not only in the Xiaomi leadership. The location of the rest of the elements is pretty predictable:

• symmetrically arranged grilles (under which the microphone and speaker are hidden) and a Type-C port on the bottom;
• hole for the second microphone on the upper end;
• mechanical power and volume buttons on the right side;
• slot for Nano SIM-cards on the left side;
• on the back - a double “vertical” traffic light camera, previously used by Xiaomi, a fingerprint sensor and a catchy “MI” logo. The camera module protrudes slightly from the surface of the case.

The frame of the Mi 8 is aluminum.

The flagship is available in four colors: black, blue, white and gold. In all cases, the front panel is painted black.

Screen

The Mi 8 uses a Super AMOLED matrix. This is another bold move for Xiaomi - we don't often see screens of this type in the company's smartphones. A definite plus: thanks to this solution, the device supports the useful, and, in addition, very economical battery-friendly Always On Display function.

The locked display shows the current date and time. The screen resolution is Full HD + (1080 x 2248) and the density is 402 ppi. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass and boasts a flawless oleophobic coating. On this point, Xiaomi has no complaints - everything is done at the highest level. The screen has a good margin of brightness, juicy, saturated colors, high detail, wide viewing angles and a non-standard, but practical aspect ratio: 18.7 to 9.

Software part

Out of the box, Mi 8 runs on Android based 8.1 Oreo. Of course, it can be updated to the latest version of the operating system. Mi 8 is the first Xiaomi device for which it will be available a new version corporate launcher. The jubilee, tenth version was presented along with the flagship, but did not flash with any revolutionary changes. But about the innovations, nevertheless, it is necessary to say:

• Pumped gesture control. Users, obviously, are trying to “accustom” to the contactless method of working with the device, in which touch buttons are not needed at all (although, of course, they have not been removed anywhere). The firmware interface is increasingly sharpened for gesture control;
• The speed and performance of MIUI has become even better;
• Updated the appearance of the notification panel and multitasking mode;
• Updated notification tone and keystroke sounds;
• Added a lot of extras. services and new voice assistant. True, whether they will go beyond China is unknown.

Technical part

Under the hood of the new flagship is the 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. Which is quite expected: this is the flagship chipset, which is the coolest on the market right now. The processor includes 4 Kryo 385 Gold cores with a frequency of up to 2.8 GHz, and 4 more Kryo 385 Silver cores with a frequency of up to 1.8 GHz. The Adreno 630 video adapter is actively working with graphics. Mi 8 has 6 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and several ROM options: 64, 128 and 256 GB (UFS standard). The only fly in the ointment in this barrel of honey is the lack of a memory card slot.

AnTuTu test

Interestingly, at the presentation we were shown the crazy result of the premium modification Mi 8 Explorer Edition: a device with 8 GB of RAM is gaining more than 300 thousand points in AnTuTu! If this is true (and it would be foolish to deceive the audience with exact numbers), then this version- the most powerful device on the Snapdragon 845 chipset. And maybe the most powerful in the world right now. The regular version with 6 GB of RAM has a slightly more modest result: 270 thousand points in AnTuTu V.7.0.9. But it's also very cool. It turns out that in terms of performance, Mi 8 is a direct competitor for the gaming Xiaomi Black Shark, which scored 272 thousand points in the same test.

cameras

For the capabilities of its dual camera, Xiaomi Mi 8 received 105 points from the authoritative portal DXO Mark. This is a very high rating - better than some well-known flagships. And it seems that the rookie received such an assessment not in vain. The module consists of two 12-megapixel sensors. The first is Sony's IMX363 with f/1.8 aperture, 1.4µm pixel size and advanced Dual Pixel phase detection autofocus system. The second sensor is Samsung's S5K3M3 with f/2.4 aperture and 1 micrometer pixel size.

The camera is equipped with a lot of useful features: here are 4-axis optical frame stabilization, and double optical zoom, and face recognition, and double two-color LED flash, and auxiliary AI algorithms (more than 200 scenes and plot compositions have been prepared in Mi 8 - artificial intelligence will select the appropriate plot for almost any frame). The digital zoom is also pleasing: even with an eightfold approximation, small details remain readable. Not every one of today's top camera phones can boast of this. The camera also works great in the dark. According to the results of dozens of shots, the Mi 8 camera can be safely praised for the correct color reproduction, moderate saturation and lack of noise. There are also plenty of shooting modes: there is HDR, and panorama, and macro, and portrait, and Time-Lapse with Slow-Motion (the latter works at 240 fps). The regular Mi 8 video can shoot in 4K at 60 fps and in 1080p at 240 fps. The videos are good, the only complaint is the sound recording. We hope that this will be corrected later in one of the firmware updates. A 20-megapixel front camera (sensor from Samsung) is installed above the flagship screen. The pixel size is 1.8 microns and the lens aperture is f/2.0. Artificial intelligence also helps this camera, but in this case, the functionality is sharpened for a kind of advanced beauty mode: in post-processing, you can correct any part of the face as you like. Frontalka video writes in 1080p.

Battery

A battery with a capacity of 3400 mAh was installed in the device, which may not seem enough, given at least the dimensions of the smartphone. In fact, the device adequately withstands 1.5 days without recharging. It is curious that Mi 8 supports the Quick Charge 4.0+ fast charging function, however, in order to use this option, you need to purchase the appropriate charger separately. The included charger only supports fast charging 3.0.

Other

Mi 8 supports 4G, and work in LTE networks should be trouble-free on the territory of the Russian Federation: there is a band 20. The Wi-Fi module is normal here, but the Bluetooth version is 5.0, fast data transfer is ensured. And the novelty is able to work with two GPS ranges simultaneously. And this is the first device in the world with such a feature on board. The presentation convinced that this innovation will increase the accuracy of navigation by 10 times. The option is especially relevant for densely populated cities, but indulging in it unnecessarily is harmful - not for health, but for battery life. In general, Mi 8 supports 5 navigation systems. We are only interested in two of them - GPS and GLONASS. There is no radio receiver in the phone, no infrared port either. But there is an NFC module for making contactless payments. And, of course, a few words about the infrared scanner to unlock the device in the face. Let's make a reservation right away that this is not the analogue of Apple's Face ID, which was talked about so much on the eve of the release. Only the premium version of the phone - Explorer Edition got such a 3D scanner. But in basic version also installed a cool system that provides increased security data. And it also works at the hardware level, and not at the expense of the front camera. You can’t deceive her with a mask or a photo of the owner - only the living face of the owner of the smartphone is considered. And even in total darkness. The IR scanner works at lightning speed: in just 1.5 seconds, and you have access to the phone. Out of 20-30 unlock attempts, a failure can happen in a maximum of one case. Do not forget, by the way, that you can unlock Mi 8 with the help of the good old fingerprint scanner. Fast, error-free, convenient.

Outcome

Like it or not, Xiaomi turned out to be a very solid, powerful and advanced flagship. This is a future bestseller, which is confirmed by the results of the first day of sales of the phone: the debut batch was snapped up in 97 seconds! Let's finally go through the strengths and weaknesses of the novelty. Let's start with the disadvantages:

• not the most best battery, as for the flagship of 2018;
• easily soiled and slippery body;
• it is known from whom the borrowed design;
• lack of a slot for a memory card;
• no 3.5mm jack. Although this is, in fact, a step forward towards the inevitable;
• sound when recording video;
• lack of moisture and dust protection

Almost all the cons, as you can see, are insignificant. And now we list the advantages of the flagship Mi 8:

• large and juicy sAMOLED display with Always On function;
• powerful, advanced stuffing;
• a lot of operational and permanent memory;
• the coolest opportunities for recording photos and videos;
• NFC module, Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band GPS;
• flawless face recognition system via IR sensor;
• support for fast charging Quick Charge 4.0+.

How do you like the new flagship from Xiaomi? Share your opinion in the comments. And pre-order Mi 8 now