Xiaomi’s Hugo Barra has just wrapped up the Xiaomi Mi4i launch in New Dehli, which gives us some time to reflect on the new device and the Xiaomi Mi4i full specifications.
Originally believed to be an India only exclusive, Xiaomi have revealed that other current Xiaomi markets can also expect the Xiaomi Mi4i to go on sale later this year. This means China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore as well as India can all look forward to an official Mi4i release, but the rest of us will have to go through resellers as usual.
The Xiaomi Mi4i is basically a budget version of the Mi4, with a brightly coloured polycarbonate body, and slightly lower specifications and a more affordable price too. The plastic unibody looks like a mini version of the Mi Pad from the rear, and comes in yellow, pink, blue, white and black. Being a unibody design has meant a SIM card tray is used to access the dual SIM slot and the 3120mAh battery is a non user removable item.
Speaking of the battery, it is a Sony/Samsung cell with quick charge feature, that Xiaomi say will give you a useable battery life of 1.5days on a single charge.
As the Mi4i is basically a budge Mi4, it is not a surprise to see a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 JDI display on the front. The OGS panel features Corning Gorilla glass for protection and a new Sunlight Display technology for better viewing on bright sunny days (especially useful for India).
Xiaomi have long stopped using Mediatek chips, and so have gone for a Snapdragon 615 chipset. This is the 2nd generation version of the Snapdragon 615 with faster and more powerful cores and should be seen as a more suitable rival to the Mediatek MT6752 chipset which has dominated the mid-range phone market. 2GB RAM and 16GB memory come as standard, but unfortunately no SD memory expansion.
With a 64bit processor it makes sense to see Xiaomi finally officially launch a devie with MIUI version 6 based on Android Lollipop. Xiaomi claim that the faster SoC and Lollipop based MIUI allow the Mi4i to reach 40,256 points in Antutu.
Camera specifications include a rear 13 mega-pixel Sony/Samsung sensor with 5 element lens, F2.0 aperture and dual LED flash. The front camera is a 5 mega-pixel, F1.8 sensor with 80 degree wide angle lens and beautification mode.
As mentioned above the Xiaomi Mi4i is a dual SIM phone, both SIMs offering 4G LTE. According to the Xiaomi India website supported bands include FDD-LTE B3/B7, TD-LTE B38 / B39 / B40 / B41, TD-SCDMA 1900 / 2000MHz, WCDMA 850 / 1900 / 2100MHz and GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz. The phone also boasts Bluetooth 4.1, Bluetooth HD, Dual band WIFI 2.4/5Ghz, WIFI Direct, WIFI display, GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou.
Final details of the phone include the size which is 138.1 x 69.6 x 7.9mm, and a anti-grease coating on the body to stop smudges and fingerprints.
Pricing for the Xiaomi Mi4i in India is 12,999 INR which equals about $205. Other markets can expect a similar USD price, while those of us waiting for resellers to offer the phone should expect prices of around $250+.
Keep your eyes peeled for our first hands on impressions of the Xiaomi Mi4i which will hopefully be posted today.
[ Mi.com ]
WHY no micro SD card slot ??
this is budget smartphone ?? u should have sd card slot or give 32 GB storage !
Eggxactly. Can’t expect using this phone as a major device because you will always have to uninstall other apps to be able to instal new ones. Especially given the fact that Google services, Facebook and chrome can clock up to 100mb plus just under 10 days of usage. You will have less than 9gb to cater for pics, vids and music. Useless. Rather go for the other offerings from Elephone, Iocean, Jiayu and Ulephone.
Yes this phone is totally useless, I never go out without my 2TB SD Cards. :p
Come on, do you genuinely think everyone who uses a smartphones carries 40-50GBs of Music/Video/Photo with them?
I have that much in photo/video with my Mi4 16GB. I use cloud storage which I find much better than an SD card. I have never been somewhere that I couldn’t access the cloud, I don’t pay anything for it and I never have to worry about losing or damaging a card.
While I don’t need much storage I kinda understand the point of people asking for a SD card slot.
Data is still very pricey in some countries, you might want use the phone on a plane, cruise or in the woods while camping or hiking.
But it’s not a everyday need so you can always get the 64Gb version of the phone or simply get a micro USB flash drive
Thanks for your foresight. Atleast we still have few individuals who aren’t narrow minded.
I understand your concern. Even I too would have loved a SD card slot but one good thing is that it supports USB otg so using a pendrive especially the Sandisk one which has both usb and micro usb slot on the same would be good alternative option.
I am also concerned about the SD 615! Honestly speaking I have a lot of doubt whether it could handle a Full HD display The first generation of 615 was really a bummer! Honestly speaking a MT6732 was at pae with it!
Even the image processor of 615 is not powerful enough too. I don’t think it would be able to use the IMX214 with f2.0 sensor to it’s full potential. Rather a MT6572 would have been a better option. What do you think?
Totally true. Wrong choice. Yet again the Qualcomm lovers won’t mind going for a low-powered more expensive chip. Maybe the sd620 will redeem Qualcomm.
The Oppo R5 uses the 615 with Sony IMX 214 and takes good pictures.
If I plan on being on a plane, in the country, camping or in a place where wifi isn’t available or data is expensive I simply transfer whatever files I need to the phone storage.
Hope they launch 64 gb model soon
We still pay up to $30 for 6gb. That’s on the cheap.
Honestly, cloud isn’t cheap where I live. But, if I wanted a phone with
SD Card slot I would just choose to buy a phone which provides it.
But at this price point do we have a choice? I cannot afford a Mi4 right now, so if I keep on saying, “Why no SD card slot” I don’t think Xiaomi will put a slot just for me. I would just have to accept the fact that life isn’t fair.
Will there be a 64GB version of Mi4i? 😀
Nah. There can’t be such. Its not a flagship so Xiaomi won’t.
No idea,ask Hugo Barra
I dont thinks so. If it did it would cost as much as the Mi4 (16 GB version) so no one will buy the Mi4. 16 GB. I myself is irritated by the fact of the storage but using an OTG flash drive might solve the problem of carrying videos and movies. i heard the video playback from otg was fast. No lags.
It was released in India where a large percent of the population commutes in jam-packed buses and trains and it is very easy to lose a flash drive in such places. So, what you are saying would make sense if everyone owned a private car, but sadly India was probably not the right place to release such a phone.
No need for sarcasm. If you ain’t a power user my comments doesn’t concern you.
Power users dont need 50gb in pocket, but they know how to use 16gb as 50gb. 😛
SD 615 is not built for the power users! So question doesn’t arise!
Can anyone kindly explain what is a Sony/Samsung Camera Sensor?
True.
Aman I never knew u were so intelligent. Well done. Go drink one bobo for mama caro shop.
I didnt expect you knew me. Expected one should not boast about himself as “power user”. Power user must know how to utilize the resources not how to waste 16gb.
It has nothing to do with boasting. Its simply a fact. Please keep utilizing your 16gb device and leave the 50gb wasting maniacs alone. Smh….”utilizing resources”. Well done.
I doubt proclaimed “power user” are happy even with 50gb. Power means 50gb? LOL!
Its all about having the last say and last laugh ain’t it pokenoser? Very well then. I will honor you with the privilege of having last say. Keep commenting Aman.
I think the super sayan solved the issue back then when he said sd615 wasn’t meant for power users. So my comments were basically wasted in the wrong post.
but we need atleast 16gb after os and backup
Yes I do! I have 128GB of music/video/photos on my microSD card always with me. What makes you think that people don’t carry this much data on their phone? Where do you come from? Mars?!
That is a very narrow way to look at the world, I don’t always assume that the person next to me will be exactly like me, which is why I am assuming anyone who is considering buying this phone doesn’t need an SD Card slot.
If you are carrying 128 GB worth of music/video/photos, then you should also be able to afford the Mi4 or any other smartphones with SD card slot. There is no point whining about it after they have started manufacturing the device. BTW did you not notice that this phone doesn’t have a large enough battery for you to run you 128GB worth of music/videos, or do you carry 128 Power Banks with you?
When in the history of smartphones did any manufacturer change the design of their already produced device just because a bunch of people doesn’t like the options/features?
Hehehe.
I m a graphic designer, i have 32 gig card with over 11gb of video and audio, Apps goes well over 2 gigs. And I m currently using Yureka.. majority of people would any day prefer sd card slot for convenience.. instead of 10gb useable space. this phone would have been perfect if xiaomi would have opted for 8gband sdcard slot… or Swappable Sdcard/2nd sim slot.
I too would prefer a phones with SD card and SD615 processor.
Can you kindly point me to a trusted site which sells any of the following phones for $205 or less: Vivo X5 Max, HTC Desire 820, Samsung Galaxy A7?
Again, am I missing something? Why is everyone trying to get more by paying less?
ur comparing Mi4i quality Vivo X5 max, Htc and samsung? not very bright, its better to compare to the likes of alcatel Idol X+, Lenovo A7000, zenfone 2, micromax canvas nitro, Yu Yureka, xiaomi own red note, meizu m1/note, Jiayu S3, Umi Zero and soon to be launched elephone 7000
I should have been more clear. I was saying that I am more than happy to get a phone using SD615 for $205. I would have purchased any of the other phones I mentioned, if they would have decreased their price. 🙂
Tell them please. Their narrow mindedness is appalling.
You’re narrow mindedness is just appalling. You feel to see that not every who buys a smartphone has a use for SD cards. This would be the perfect work phone for me, I never use more than 3 GB of space on my work phones. It would be a great phone for my wife or parents who don’t use the space.
Balcobomer25. If u have read b4 replying to a comment that wasn’t referring to you, you would have found out that I maintain a stand that there are folks who never use up to 8gb space on their phone and then their are guys who you 128gb SD card and its not enough. When I say narrow mindedness I am referring to those who feel everyone in the world is like them who don’t use SD card. Please read and understand before replying.
My apologies.
No SD card slot, no removable battery, probably no LTE band 20 – nice phone, but not for me
I thought this was gonna my wife’s next phone. But based on the spec price ratio not anymore. Will get her the nubia z9 mini now instead. Much better value.
The Z9 mini has the SoC, display resolution, same RAM/ROM size, a smaller battery. It also costs more money. Where exactly is the much better value? The fact that has an SD card slot? Have you ever used a Nubia phone vs a Xiaomi phone? Most people often overlook one of the most important specs: The UI. Nubia OS is one of the worst versions of Android I have ever used. MIUI on the other hand is one of the best.
Z9 have a 16mpx and 8mpx camera, sd card slot. you can install cyanogenmod too. i will buy z9 mini because mi4i hasn’t a micro sd slot.
Ahh a higher MP number obviously means a better camera right? Until both cameras are tested we have no clue which is better.
Z9 mini does has a larger camera sensor (on the back). There are of course several other factors that affects the outcome.
In (bright) sunlight, I don’t think we are going to see much differences. Only in midnight, we might see some differences there.
I read somewhere else that Xiaomi said this will have the same camera as the Mi4/Note which is a very good camera. Nubia usually does have good cameras but until it is tested, especially with the Nubia software we really can’t say one way or another.
The question is though, you will never know what kind of camera module you are going to get when you buy this phone: Samsung or Sony camera module.
I believe Xiaomi has used Sony IMX214 13MP camera modules in their Mi4 and/or Note phones. If the same camera module is inside this phone, then it is really a great camera. But still, you don’t know what camera module you are going to get.
Some reviews could say the camera on this Xioami Mi4i is very good (for example due to Sony camera module inside), but other reviews say is only average (for example due to Samsung camera module inside).
Ohh the over smart guy spotted. Lol. Its not like as u get and try to mis-convince others. Its sony rear samsung front camera module. Aka SONY/SAMSUNG = REAR/FRONT.
Yes, I am a smart guy and I am proud of it, thanks for the mention.
Xiaomi then has to make it more clearly on their official site. It stated as follows:
Mi 4i produces images with professional clarity using a 13MP Sony/Samsung camera with f/2.0 aperture and 5-element lens.
If it really was a Sony rear camera, then it should have stated 13MP Sony camera only and not 13MP Sony/Samsung camera with f2.0. So seriously, they are using Samsung and Sony rear camera modules unless stated otherwise.
over smart != smart..see the difference:P
Who cares, but at least I am right. Where does it mention that it only uses a Sony 13MP rear camera module, just prove it to me then
So you are asking for my help to clear your doubts? Would not your “smartness” get hurt? LOL. Go push your horn into a wall.
Hugo Barra said it uses the same camera on the Mi Note which is Sony.
SD 615 doesn’t have that good a image processor to handle the high specced Xiaomi Mi4i camera. It can never match the camera quality of the original Mi4 despite having the same camera module!
The OPPO R5 has both the 615 and the IMX 214 with 2.0 aperture. It has no problems.
Yup apparently when you look at it itz seems all okay and good. But when you place the Mi4 beside it with the same camerda module but SD801 then you could figure out the diff!
yes you are right mp number is not means better camera but nubia phone have some good tricks pro mode etc.
Nubia usually does have very good cameras and this one will probably be the same but simply comparing MP’s won’t tell you which is better. According to Hugo Barra this phone uses the same camera sensor as the Mi Note, which is a very good camera.
If you think that you can install CM on nubia you will have bad time…
Why nubia z7 mini has cyanogenmod 12. I hope z9 mini will be support cyanogenmod 12.
Definitely it will be ported to the z9. Just a matter of time.
Have owned and used both ZTE/Nubia and Xiaomi phones in the past. Found Nubia to be just as good from a software standpoint. In my opinion (without seeing a review yet) the camera on the Z9 mini (+front facing), the SD card, make it the better choices. The price for the Z9 is approx 290USD with resellers, I approximate that to be 40/50 USD more than the mi4i, plus the design appear to be better to me, again from online images and no review for either phone.
The major factor in decision here is also the fact that the Z9 mini is available right now….and Hugo B mentioned that mi4i being available outside of india at some stage in future (but not right away) – paraphrasing here before someone get’s all pedantic about it!! 😉
I owned the Nubia Z7 and traded it on for the Mi4 because of how bad the software was. Nubia OS is one of the most unstable OS’s I have ever used. Your honestly one of the first people I have ever read or heard say the software was just as good as MIUI (or any others). Just about every person I now who has a phone from ZTE, and every review I read says the same thing: great hardware, good built quality all let down by bad software.
Same problem bro. I think its a general ZTE problem. My ZTE Grand S2 had same issues, I replaced it with a Nubia Z7 Max, but it was even worst. Been flashing one ROM after another just so I could enjoy a stress free OS. Currently running a not so perfect but all the same manageable CM12.1 port.
The Nubia Z7 was the first and probably last ZTE phone I ever owned. I tried multiple ROM’s on the Z7 but eventually just have up as none of them worked perfectly. I ended up selling it to a friend and bought a Mi4, I have never regretted it. The Mi4 is probably the 3rd best phone I have ever used (first is the Nexus 4, the second was the THL Monkey King).
You found the monkey king better than the mi4?
The monkey king for it’s time (2013) was an incredible phone: dual 13mp cameras (both were very good), 2GB RAM, 8.6mm thick, performance that matched the Galaxy S3, and pretty good UI. It’s the phone that made me fall in love with Chinese phones. I had used a few before that and it was a mixed bag, some were decent others were crap. The Monkey King was the first phone I used that seriously challenged the phones from Apple, Samsung and Sony.
Everything is fine but….no sd?? What the hell!!! 🙁
Think of it is a cheaper Mi 4 alternative. To think of it, if I were eyeing the Mi 4 and if the Mi 4i was available, I would go for the latter.
FDD-LTE B3/B7 only??? LOL…i am going to buy Zenfone 2/Acer/Elephone…whatever thinks about european customers 🙂
If you look at my previous comments on the initial reveal and price speculations you’ll see that I pointed out a minimum of 250$ after resellers. That NO SD card slot is so much bollocks!
PS. ANDY can you give me an email so that I can contact Jiayu? I know they send you samples, I just can`t get an answer from them if they’ll ever release kitkat for my Jiayu S1.
i hate Reseller prices 🙁
what about glass protection ?
It has Corning glass with OGS, but it isn’t Gorilla Glass (at least they didn’t mention that). From that I’m guessing it’ll be the same Concore glass as used on the Mi 4.
luckily Gigabyte just released http://www.gigabytecm.com/en/goodscontent.php?id=308&type=1 it is more expensive, but comes with 2yrs warranty, 32GB ROM, SD card support, stock android and MORE LTE band especially 800Hz which is most used one here. I can live with smaller capacity battery…
Just 2300mAh? no, thanks. A pity you don’t have band 7, the one most used in our part of Europe.
F the 4g, in my place there’s wifi everywhere and this device also support dual band wifi.
Looks like another LTE phone not suited to Europe with no band 20 (800mhz) support I’m waiting for the $159.99 elephone p7000 or Jiayu S4 or both.
If it was called Redmi 2 ,had a microSD slot and priced at 799CNY, it would be great and what we used to expect from the old Xiaomi.
Almost 2 years ago when the Redimi was introduced, 720p meant something and was above the average phone sold in China. Today it’s shifting to bellow average but Xiaomi is failing to keep up with the market and the Redmi line shifted from a nice midranger to borderline low end.
The Redmi 2 is still available for anyone who wants it and it costs 799 and has a micro SD card. It is great and its from the same old Xiaomi. On a 4.7 inch display 1080p is just wasted money, 720p is more than enough. Every review of the Redmi 2 says the display looks excellent.
The Mi4i is a product for a completely different market segment. It’s meant more as an alternative for those who want a Mi4 but can’t afford it.
It’s a Redmi disguised under Mi brand.
If you say so. Except the Redmi’s are meant to be budget phones which is why they use the Snapdragon 410 and Leadcore SoC’s. This is meant to be a midrange phone…
You are trying to ignore Redmi Note. It released with MT6592 in March 2014. It was pretty respectable at the time.
Also you are saying this is a midrange phone. Xiaomi says it’s a flagship.
Redmi brand covers up to midrange anyway.
I am not ignoring anything. The Redmi Note is a phone for people who want a budget phablet, this Mi4i is not they have nothing to do with each other. Xiaomi is still planning to release a Redmi Note 2. Xiaomi can call it whatever they want but its a midrange phone highlighted by the fact that it uses a midrange SoC (400 series is budget, 800 is flagship) and costs around $200.
Yeah, it’s a midranger. Mi line wasn’t midranger, Redmi line was.
This belongs to Redmi line with spec wise. Xiaomi branded it as a Mi because they tagged it with higher price for a Redmi.
This isn’t a flagship, but they called it flagship, because that way it’s easier to justify higher price.
Except it doesn’t belong to the Redmi series, it belongs to the Mi series. You know how we know that? Because its called the Mi4i and not the Redmi4i. Maybe Xiaomi considers this the flagship of midrange phones.
I said Mi line WASn’t midrangers, Redmi line WAS. This is a midranger. Period.
I didn’t know you were the authority for deciding what phone qualifies as what category.
Who said that? “This is meant to be a midrange phone…”
Anybody with common sense can figure that out based on the fact that it has the midrange Qualcomm SoC and sells for a midrange price. Regardless of what Xioami calls it, I call it or the all knowing Guaire calls it. It’s specs/price place it in the midrange category.
When you say that it’s a midranger is OK, but I can’t say that. Right?
You can say whatever you want. That’s the beauty of the internet.
You really like playing with kids don’t you? 🙂
I cant help myself sometimes…
Redmi 4 would fit better. You are too harsh toward it. It’s worth to 999 yuan IMO.
WHY no micro SD card slot ??
this is budget smartphone ?? u should have sd card slot or give 32 GB storage !
Eggxactly. Can’t expect using this phone as a major device because you will always have to uninstall other apps to be able to instal new ones. Especially given the fact that Google services, Facebook and chrome can clock up to 100mb plus just under 10 days of usage. You will have less than 9gb to cater for pics, vids and music. Useless. Rather go for the other offerings from Elephone, Iocean, Jiayu and Ulephone.
Yes this phone is totally useless, I never go out without my 2TB SD Cards. :p
Come on, do you genuinely think everyone who uses a smartphones carries 40-50GBs of Music/Video/Photo with them?
I have that much in photo/video with my Mi4 16GB. I use cloud storage which I find much better than an SD card. I have never been somewhere that I couldn’t access the cloud, I don’t pay anything for it and I never have to worry about losing or damaging a card.
While I don’t need much storage I kinda understand the point of people asking for a SD card slot.
Data is still very pricey in some countries, you might want use the phone on a plane, cruise or in the woods while camping or hiking.
But it’s not a everyday need so you can always get the 64Gb version of the phone or simply get a micro USB flash drive
No need for sarcasm. If you ain’t a power user my comments doesn’t concern you.
Thanks for your foresight. Atleast we still have few individuals who aren’t narrow minded.
but we need atleast 16gb after os and backup
If I plan on being on a plane, in the country, camping or in a place where wifi isn’t available or data is expensive I simply transfer whatever files I need to the phone storage.
We still pay up to $30 for 6gb. That’s on the cheap.
Power users dont need 50gb in pocket, but they know how to use 16gb as 50gb. 😛
I understand your concern. Even I too would have loved a SD card slot but one good thing is that it supports USB otg so using a pendrive especially the Sandisk one which has both usb and micro usb slot on the same would be good alternative option.
I am also concerned about the SD 615! Honestly speaking I have a lot of doubt whether it could handle a Full HD display The first generation of 615 was really a bummer! Honestly speaking a MT6732 was at pae with it!
Even the image processor of 615 is not powerful enough too. I don’t think it would be able to use the IMX214 with f2.0 sensor to it’s full potential. Rather a MT6572 would have been a better option. What do you think?
SD 615 is not built for the power users! So question doesn’t arise!
Aman I never knew u were so intelligent. Well done. Go drink one bobo for mama caro shop.
Honestly, cloud isn’t cheap where I live. But, if I wanted a phone with
SD Card slot I would just choose to buy a phone which provides it.
But at this price point do we have a choice? I cannot afford a Mi4 right now, so if I keep on saying, “Why no SD card slot” I don’t think Xiaomi will put a slot just for me. I would just have to accept the fact that life isn’t fair.
Hope they launch 64 gb model soon
Can anyone kindly explain what is a Sony/Samsung Camera Sensor?
Yes I do! I have 128GB of music/video/photos on my microSD card always with me. What makes you think that people don’t carry this much data on their phone? Where do you come from? Mars?!
I m a graphic designer, i have 32 gig card with over 11gb of video and audio, Apps goes well over 2 gigs. And I m currently using Yureka.. majority of people would any day prefer sd card slot for convenience.. instead of 10gb useable space. this phone would have been perfect if xiaomi would have opted for 8gband sdcard slot… or Swappable Sdcard/2nd sim slot.
That is a very narrow way to look at the world, I don’t always assume that the person next to me will be exactly like me, which is why I am assuming anyone who is considering buying this phone doesn’t need an SD Card slot.
If you are carrying 128 GB worth of music/video/photos, then you should also be able to afford the Mi4 or any other smartphones with SD card slot. There is no point whining about it after they have started manufacturing the device. BTW did you not notice that this phone doesn’t have a large enough battery for you to run you 128GB worth of music/videos, or do you carry 128 Power Banks with you?
When in the history of smartphones did any manufacturer change the design of their already produced device just because a bunch of people doesn’t like the options/features?
I too would prefer a phones with SD card and SD615 processor.
Can you kindly point me to a trusted site which sells any of the following phones for $205 or less: Vivo X5 Max, HTC Desire 820, Samsung Galaxy A7?
Again, am I missing something? Why is everyone trying to get more by paying less?
I didnt expect you knew me. Expected one should not boast about himself as “power user”. Power user must know how to utilize the resources not how to waste 16gb.
Will there be a 64GB version of Mi4i? 😀
It has nothing to do with boasting. Its simply a fact. Please keep utilizing your 16gb device and leave the 50gb wasting maniacs alone. Smh….”utilizing resources”. Well done.
I think the super sayan solved the issue back then when he said sd615 wasn’t meant for power users. So my comments were basically wasted in the wrong post.
Hehehe.
Nah. There can’t be such. Its not a flagship so Xiaomi won’t.
Totally true. Wrong choice. Yet again the Qualcomm lovers won’t mind going for a low-powered more expensive chip. Maybe the sd620 will redeem Qualcomm.
Tell them please. Their narrow mindedness is appalling.
True.
I doubt proclaimed “power user” are happy even with 50gb. Power means 50gb? LOL!
Its all about having the last say and last laugh ain’t it pokenoser? Very well then. I will honor you with the privilege of having last say. Keep commenting Aman.
No idea,ask Hugo Barra
The Oppo R5 uses the 615 with Sony IMX 214 and takes good pictures.
You’re narrow mindedness is just appalling. You feel to see that not every who buys a smartphone has a use for SD cards. This would be the perfect work phone for me, I never use more than 3 GB of space on my work phones. It would be a great phone for my wife or parents who don’t use the space.
Balcobomer25. If u have read b4 replying to a comment that wasn’t referring to you, you would have found out that I maintain a stand that there are folks who never use up to 8gb space on their phone and then their are guys who you 128gb SD card and its not enough. When I say narrow mindedness I am referring to those who feel everyone in the world is like them who don’t use SD card. Please read and understand before replying.
My apologies.
ur comparing Mi4i quality Vivo X5 max, Htc and samsung? not very bright, its better to compare to the likes of alcatel Idol X+, Lenovo A7000, zenfone 2, micromax canvas nitro, Yu Yureka, xiaomi own red note, meizu m1/note, Jiayu S3, Umi Zero and soon to be launched elephone 7000
I should have been more clear. I was saying that I am more than happy to get a phone using SD615 for $205. I would have purchased any of the other phones I mentioned, if they would have decreased their price. 🙂
I dont thinks so. If it did it would cost as much as the Mi4 (16 GB version) so no one will buy the Mi4. 16 GB. I myself is irritated by the fact of the storage but using an OTG flash drive might solve the problem of carrying videos and movies. i heard the video playback from otg was fast. No lags.
It was released in India where a large percent of the population commutes in jam-packed buses and trains and it is very easy to lose a flash drive in such places. So, what you are saying would make sense if everyone owned a private car, but sadly India was probably not the right place to release such a phone.
No SD card slot, no removable battery, probably no LTE band 20 – nice phone, but not for me
I thought this was gonna my wife’s next phone. But based on the spec price ratio not anymore. Will get her the nubia z9 mini now instead. Much better value.
The Z9 mini has the SoC, display resolution, same RAM/ROM size, a smaller battery. It also costs more money. Where exactly is the much better value? The fact that has an SD card slot? Have you ever used a Nubia phone vs a Xiaomi phone? Most people often overlook one of the most important specs: The UI. Nubia OS is one of the worst versions of Android I have ever used. MIUI on the other hand is one of the best.
Z9 have a 16mpx and 8mpx camera, sd card slot. you can install cyanogenmod too. i will buy z9 mini because mi4i hasn’t a micro sd slot.
Ahh a higher MP number obviously means a better camera right? Until both cameras are tested we have no clue which is better.
Z9 mini does has a larger camera sensor (on the back). There are of course several other factors that affects the outcome.
In (bright) sunlight, I don’t think we are going to see much differences. Only in midnight, we might see some differences there.
I read somewhere else that Xiaomi said this will have the same camera as the Mi4/Note which is a very good camera. Nubia usually does have good cameras but until it is tested, especially with the Nubia software we really can’t say one way or another.
The question is though, you will never know what kind of camera module you are going to get when you buy this phone: Samsung or Sony camera module.
I believe Xiaomi has used Sony IMX214 13MP camera modules in their Mi4 and/or Note phones. If the same camera module is inside this phone, then it is really a great camera. But still, you don’t know what camera module you are going to get.
Some reviews could say the camera on this Xioami Mi4i is very good (for example due to Sony camera module inside), but other reviews say is only average (for example due to Samsung camera module inside).
If you think that you can install CM on nubia you will have bad time…
Ohh the over smart guy spotted. Lol. Its not like as u get and try to mis-convince others. Its sony rear samsung front camera module. Aka SONY/SAMSUNG = REAR/FRONT.
Yes, I am a smart guy and I am proud of it, thanks for the mention.
Xiaomi then has to make it more clearly on their official site. It stated as follows:
Mi 4i produces images with professional clarity using a 13MP Sony/Samsung camera with f/2.0 aperture and 5-element lens.
If it really was a Sony rear camera, then it should have stated 13MP Sony camera only and not 13MP Sony/Samsung camera with f2.0. So seriously, they are using Samsung and Sony rear camera modules unless stated otherwise.
over smart != smart..see the difference:P
Who cares, but at least I am right. Where does it mention that it only uses a Sony 13MP rear camera module, just prove it to me then
SD 615 doesn’t have that good a image processor to handle the high specced Xiaomi Mi4i camera. It can never match the camera quality of the original Mi4 despite having the same camera module!
So you are asking for my help to clear your doubts? Would not your “smartness” get hurt? LOL. Go push your horn into a wall.
Have owned and used both ZTE/Nubia and Xiaomi phones in the past. Found Nubia to be just as good from a software standpoint. In my opinion (without seeing a review yet) the camera on the Z9 mini (+front facing), the SD card, make it the better choices. The price for the Z9 is approx 290USD with resellers, I approximate that to be 40/50 USD more than the mi4i, plus the design appear to be better to me, again from online images and no review for either phone.
The major factor in decision here is also the fact that the Z9 mini is available right now….and Hugo B mentioned that mi4i being available outside of india at some stage in future (but not right away) – paraphrasing here before someone get’s all pedantic about it!! 😉
I owned the Nubia Z7 and traded it on for the Mi4 because of how bad the software was. Nubia OS is one of the most unstable OS’s I have ever used. Your honestly one of the first people I have ever read or heard say the software was just as good as MIUI (or any others). Just about every person I now who has a phone from ZTE, and every review I read says the same thing: great hardware, good built quality all let down by bad software.
Hugo Barra said it uses the same camera on the Mi Note which is Sony.
yes you are right mp number is not means better camera but nubia phone have some good tricks pro mode etc.
Nubia usually does have very good cameras and this one will probably be the same but simply comparing MP’s won’t tell you which is better. According to Hugo Barra this phone uses the same camera sensor as the Mi Note, which is a very good camera.
Why nubia z7 mini has cyanogenmod 12. I hope z9 mini will be support cyanogenmod 12.
Same problem bro. I think its a general ZTE problem. My ZTE Grand S2 had same issues, I replaced it with a Nubia Z7 Max, but it was even worst. Been flashing one ROM after another just so I could enjoy a stress free OS. Currently running a not so perfect but all the same manageable CM12.1 port.
Definitely it will be ported to the z9. Just a matter of time.
The OPPO R5 has both the 615 and the IMX 214 with 2.0 aperture. It has no problems.
The Nubia Z7 was the first and probably last ZTE phone I ever owned. I tried multiple ROM’s on the Z7 but eventually just have up as none of them worked perfectly. I ended up selling it to a friend and bought a Mi4, I have never regretted it. The Mi4 is probably the 3rd best phone I have ever used (first is the Nexus 4, the second was the THL Monkey King).
You found the monkey king better than the mi4?
The monkey king for it’s time (2013) was an incredible phone: dual 13mp cameras (both were very good), 2GB RAM, 8.6mm thick, performance that matched the Galaxy S3, and pretty good UI. It’s the phone that made me fall in love with Chinese phones. I had used a few before that and it was a mixed bag, some were decent others were crap. The Monkey King was the first phone I used that seriously challenged the phones from Apple, Samsung and Sony.
Yup apparently when you look at it itz seems all okay and good. But when you place the Mi4 beside it with the same camerda module but SD801 then you could figure out the diff!
Everything is fine but….no sd?? What the hell!!! 🙁
Think of it is a cheaper Mi 4 alternative. To think of it, if I were eyeing the Mi 4 and if the Mi 4i was available, I would go for the latter.
$80 too expensive
Still better to buy the 64GB version of the Xiaomi Mi3…
Or better get the 64GB version of Oneplus One.
Well, the One+ One 64GB is out of this $200 price range….. at least the Mi3 64GB is only $50 more than this one.
Unless you want a good looking phone….
FDD-LTE B3/B7 only??? LOL…i am going to buy Zenfone 2/Acer/Elephone…whatever thinks about european customers 🙂
If you look at my previous comments on the initial reveal and price speculations you’ll see that I pointed out a minimum of 250$ after resellers. That NO SD card slot is so much bollocks!
PS. ANDY can you give me an email so that I can contact Jiayu? I know they send you samples, I just can`t get an answer from them if they’ll ever release kitkat for my Jiayu S1.
i hate Reseller prices 🙁
Sell this for 200 Euro, including VAT, in Europe and watch them fly off the (virtual) shelf!
if you want, i can buy here in india for u at 205 + 20 shipping cost
what about glass protection ?
It has Corning glass with OGS, but it isn’t Gorilla Glass (at least they didn’t mention that). From that I’m guessing it’ll be the same Concore glass as used on the Mi 4.
Haven’t ever used SD card on a phone with 8GB+ ROM. So it’s not an issue for me. Looks like this could be my wife’s next phone! I just hope that samsung doesn’t refer to the rear camera.
The world is versatile. They definitely won’t produce such if there was no market for these devices. Definitely there has to be someone out there or some people who don’t stock much in their smartphones and for those who do, bigger memory and sdcard will appeal to them. Its a nice phone no doubt and I think u will love it.
Hugo Barra has said its the same camera in the Mi Note (Sony).
luckily Gigabyte just released http://www.gigabytecm.com/en/goodscontent.php?id=308&type=1 it is more expensive, but comes with 2yrs warranty, 32GB ROM, SD card support, stock android and MORE LTE band especially 800Hz which is most used one here. I can live with smaller capacity battery…
Just 2300mAh? no, thanks. A pity you don’t have band 7, the one most used in our part of Europe.
F the 4g, in my place there’s wifi everywhere and this device also support dual band wifi.
Looks like another LTE phone not suited to Europe with no band 20 (800mhz) support I’m waiting for the $159.99 elephone p7000 or Jiayu S4 or both.
If it was called Redmi 2 ,had a microSD slot and priced at 799CNY, it would be great and what we used to expect from the old Xiaomi.
Almost 2 years ago when the Redimi was introduced, 720p meant something and was above the average phone sold in China. Today it’s shifting to bellow average but Xiaomi is failing to keep up with the market and the Redmi line shifted from a nice midranger to borderline low end.
The Redmi 2 is still available for anyone who wants it and it costs 799 and has a micro SD card. It is great and its from the same old Xiaomi. On a 4.7 inch display 1080p is just wasted money, 720p is more than enough. Every review of the Redmi 2 says the display looks excellent.
The Mi4i is a product for a completely different market segment. It’s meant more as an alternative for those who want a Mi4 but can’t afford it.
It’s a Redmi disguised under Mi brand.
Redmi 4 would fit better. You are too harsh toward it. It’s worth to 999 yuan IMO.
If you say so. Except the Redmi’s are meant to be budget phones which is why they use the Snapdragon 410 and Leadcore SoC’s. This is meant to be a midrange phone…
You are trying to ignore Redmi Note. It released with MT6592 in March 2014. It was pretty respectable at the time.
Also you are saying this is a midrange phone. Xiaomi says it’s a flagship.
Redmi brand covers up to midrange anyway.
I am not ignoring anything. The Redmi Note is a phone for people who want a budget phablet, this Mi4i is not they have nothing to do with each other. Xiaomi is still planning to release a Redmi Note 2. Xiaomi can call it whatever they want but its a midrange phone highlighted by the fact that it uses a midrange SoC (400 series is budget, 800 is flagship) and costs around $200.
Yeah, it’s a midranger. Mi line wasn’t midranger, Redmi line was.
This belongs to Redmi line with spec wise. Xiaomi branded it as a Mi because they tagged it with higher price for a Redmi.
This isn’t a flagship, but they called it flagship, because that way it’s easier to justify higher price.
You really like playing with kids don’t you? 🙂
Except it doesn’t belong to the Redmi series, it belongs to the Mi series. You know how we know that? Because its called the Mi4i and not the Redmi4i. Maybe Xiaomi considers this the flagship of midrange phones.
I cant help myself sometimes…
I said Mi line WASn’t midrangers, Redmi line WAS. This is a midranger. Period.
I didn’t know you were the authority for deciding what phone qualifies as what category.
Who said that? “This is meant to be a midrange phone…”
Anybody with common sense can figure that out based on the fact that it has the midrange Qualcomm SoC and sells for a midrange price. Regardless of what Xioami calls it, I call it or the all knowing Guaire calls it. It’s specs/price place it in the midrange category.
When you say that it’s a midranger is OK, but I can’t say that. Right?
You can say whatever you want. That’s the beauty of the internet.
I don’t need SD! Nice phone nice price! Thanks Xiaomi!
$80 too expensive
the early end of these device even before it start because of “on sd card expansion”
Still better to buy the 64GB version of the Xiaomi Mi3…
Or better get the 64GB version of Oneplus One.
Unless you want a good looking phone….
Well, the One+ One 64GB is out of this $200 price range….. at least the Mi3 64GB is only $50 more than this one.
Sell this for 200 Euro, including VAT, in Europe and watch them fly off the (virtual) shelf!
if you want, i can buy here in india for u at 205 + 20 shipping cost
Haven’t ever used SD card on a phone with 8GB+ ROM. So it’s not an issue for me. Looks like this could be my wife’s next phone! I just hope that samsung doesn’t refer to the rear camera.
The world is versatile. They definitely won’t produce such if there was no market for these devices. Definitely there has to be someone out there or some people who don’t stock much in their smartphones and for those who do, bigger memory and sdcard will appeal to them. Its a nice phone no doubt and I think u will love it.
Hugo Barra has said its the same camera in the Mi Note (Sony).
Why not WCDMA 900MHz? Without WCDMA 900MHz it’s useless in Europe…
I agree with you, maybe H+ might be enough with WCDMA 850MHz frequency. Xiaomi is definitely for ASIA, I mean that they really don’t care about Europe.
Concerning the price of the MI4i, I am pretty sure that it will sold between $235 and $260 through resellers. Add $23 for shipping with DHL (if you live outside China), considering low EURO against US Dollar (1€ ~ 1$), you have a phone with a final price around 260€ which is expensive. It is possible to find the Xperia Z2 brand new at 285€ or even the Z3 around at 350€ brand new (for the Z3 its price will drop soon because Z4 has been released in Japan).
I was really tempted to get a Xiaomi phone but once again I will pass my turn. There are other better choices out there.
Why would they care about Europe? They have no official presence there and sales in Europe are minor compared to those of Asia.
I agree with you, just trying to explain the same thing to Fiolek.
Not useless for all of Europe as several countries in Europe operate on 2100.
I don’t need SD! Nice phone nice price! Thanks Xiaomi!
the early end of these device even before it start because of “on sd card expansion”
Why not WCDMA 900MHz? Without WCDMA 900MHz it’s useless in Europe…
I agree with you, maybe H+ might be enough with WCDMA 850MHz frequency. Xiaomi is definitely for ASIA, I mean that they really don’t care about Europe.
Concerning the price of the MI4i, I am pretty sure that it will sold between $235 and $260 through resellers. Add $23 for shipping with DHL (if you live outside China), considering low EURO against US Dollar (1€ ~ 1$), you have a phone with a final price around 260€ which is expensive. It is possible to find the Xperia Z2 brand new at 285€ or even the Z3 around at 350€ brand new (for the Z3 its price will drop soon because Z4 has been released in Japan).
I was really tempted to get a Xiaomi phone but once again I will pass my turn. There are other better choices out there.
Not useless for all of Europe as several countries in Europe operate on 2100.
Why would they care about Europe? They have no official presence there and sales in Europe are minor compared to those of Asia.
I agree with you, just trying to explain the same thing to Fiolek.