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Xiaomi Mi4i unboxing and first impressions

AndiMay 27, 2015

Today we get to grips with Xioami’s latest device, the Xiaomi Mi4i smartphone in a unboxing and first impressions.

The Xiaomi Mi4i recently launched, but rather than going on sale in China first the device actually launched in India and went on sale there ahead of the mainland. In fact the Xiaomi Mi4i remains (unofficially) available in China, creating a strage reverse demanding which has seen people outside of China sell the Mi4i to mainland Chinese fans!

Many have simply labeled the Mi4i as a cut down, budget version of the Xiaomi Mi4, but there are some changes which I feel make the Mi4i a slightly better buy over the Mi4. For example the camera on the Mi4i is way better than the Mi4. Where as the Mi4 produced quite dark images, the Mi4i is not far off the quality offered by the Xiaomi Mi Note (i.e very very good). The Mi4i is also thinner than the Mi4, and I also find it more attractive. MIUI V6 comes on the Mi4i just as it does with the Mi4 but this time based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. And last but not least the battery in the Mi4i is 3120mAh where as the battery in the Xiaomi Mi4 is 3080mAh.

So there are some rather important updates on the Mi4i which might be worth looking at if you are considering this of the Mi4. There are drawbacks too, for example the storage is only 16GB and there is no space for a micro SD card.

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In the hand the Xiaomi Mi4i is a really pleasing device to hold. With a narrow body, baby skin style rear finish and compact 5-inch display it really is a joy to hold. It’s also nice to have a phone that sits in your pocket unnoticed after using larger 5.5-inch+ phones.

Xiaomi Mi4i Unboxing and first impressions

So far I have enjoyed the Mi4i. I love the size and feel of the phone. I’m impressed with the camera and the performance is on par with any Snapdragon 801 phone I have used recently (that’s a real-world assessment not based on benchmarks).

If you like to load up with video, music and games the lack of storage is really the only feature that kills the Mi4i. The only other worrying details is the additional heat coming from the phone. I have updated to a newer OTA which apparently fixes the heating issue, but users have reported that it brings more issues with it.

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I’ll have the full Xiaomi Mi4i review up next week, and also plan to perform a camera shootout against the Xiaomi Mi Note and Meizu m1 note too, so keep a look out for that too.

Thanks to Honorbuy.com for the Xiaomi Mi4i review phone who are shipping the device from their EU warehouse with phones available now. Update: HonorBuy are offering free delivery on the Mi4i until 30th June.

Disclaimer: We may be compensated by some of the companies whose products we talk about, but our articles and reviews are always our honest opinions. For more details, you can check out our editorial guidelines and learn about how we use affiliate links.

About the author
Andi

Mrinal
May 27, 2015
Why would one decide to create a phone which is set on 16GB with no way of expanding the memory? Is there not even a 32GB model? (al least that would be understandable as a form or pricing). 16GB has been too little for most average users since a couple of years ago, what is Xiaomi trying to pull here?
- MaxPower
  May 27, 2015
  They sell cloud storage.
  At least they have a reason to do that. The problem is that 16gb with no SD card slot is getting pretty common even with other companies that don’t sell cloud storage.
- balcobomber25
  May 27, 2015
  Like Max said they are hoping you will use their Mi Cloud service. I actually use it for my pictures, they give you 5 GB for free which isn’t bad.
  - MaxPower
    May 27, 2015
    I think it’s 10GB by default.
    I have 11GB for some reason without purchasing any extra space
    - balcobomber25
      May 28, 2015
      I could have sworn I only got 5, but I only use about 2GB of it for Photos the rest are one Google Drive which gives you 15GB.
    - balcobomber25
      May 28, 2015
      I could have sworn I only got 5, but I only use about 2GB of it for Photos the rest are one Google Drive which gives you 15GB.
  - MaxPower
    May 27, 2015
    I think it’s 10GB by default.
    I have 11GB for some reason without purchasing any extra space

Matt
May 27, 2015
Damn this phone looks so amazing but I doubt that I will buy it because of the hype around it. Resellers understood this well and they will sell the Xiaomi MI4I around $285 without shipping costs. I mean I do understand that they have to make money but honestly I can’t afford to pay $300+ for a phone that is less powerful comparing the original MI4.
I am willing to pay extra money for the MI4I but $300+ including shipping costs is too exaggerated for me. There are other cheaper alternatives.
I know as well that resellers do not care about my point of view, they prefer to have huge stocks and sell a few phones every week.
Anyway, I will pass my turn on this one.
- trolleyfan
  May 27, 2015
  Hong Kong Goldway on aliexpress sells it for $252 incl. shipping. But still this price is too high, I’d rather wait 1-2 months.
  - Matt
    May 27, 2015
    True but this seller didn’t inspired me. The problem is that there are other phones coming to the market and maybe if each traditional chinese reseller will be able to stock the MI4I we could see a price decline maybe in one month.
    - balcobomber25
      May 27, 2015
      The phone is still too new and not even offered in Xiaomi’s biggest market: China. Wait a few months and reseller prices will be around the $250 range.
  - Bogdan Botezatu
    May 28, 2015
trolleyfan
May 27, 2015
A reviewer on one of Russian websites says this phone lasts 1.5 hours when gaming and 6 hours when watching video. Sounds like a huge fail. I wonder if firmware updates will make battery life any better.
- balcobomber25
  May 27, 2015
  Their have been reports that the most recent OTA to solve the heating issues causes major problems for battery life, which is one of the reasons Xiaomi pulled the OTA. Before the OTA most were saying battery life was comparable to the regular Mi4, which is good but not great.
- balcobomber25
  May 27, 2015
  Their have been reports that the most recent OTA to solve the heating issues causes major problems for battery life, which is one of the reasons Xiaomi pulled the OTA. Before the OTA most were saying battery life was comparable to the regular Mi4, which is good but not great.

Thang C P
May 27, 2015
I’m from Singapore and I’ve bought the Mi4i at SGD279 which is about USD206 from Xiaomi Singapore website with free delivery to my home. I didn’t notice any problem with the phone at the moment.
Thang C P
May 27, 2015
I’m from Singapore and I’ve bought the Mi4i at SGD279 which is about USD206 from Xiaomi Singapore website with free delivery to my home. I didn’t notice any problem with the phone at the moment.

Daniel Gallo
May 31, 2015
Hello Andi and people of gizchina. Would you recommend this phone over the samsung galaxy A5? I’m not a gamer but I really want a good camera phone without having do pay too much. In Brazil both of them will be the same price at the end. The A5 has the advantage of local warranty. Thanks for your opinions.

TheEvilPenguinGamer .
May 31, 2015
Anyone who pays over $250 for this is nuts considering the price of mi4. Official price in HK is $205, resellers are taking the piss, especially Honorbuy who are selling it for $290 and also charge a ridiculous 40$ for EU shipping. What a rip off.
Bility
June 11, 2015
Hi, I bought one of the Mi4i, but does anyone know how I can get around the location settings because I live in UK and the options available for location are India, Singapore, Brazil, Hong Kong and Indonesia, I think.
Pulkit Taneja
March 1, 2016
The Mi4i comes with a 13 MP auto-focus camera which supports smile detection, face detection, touch focus, HDR and panorama and can record full HD videos. It is accompanied by a 5 MP front camera for capturing the best quality selfies and video calls even under low light conditions. This phone responds well and doesn’t gives a feel of a low priced smartphone. The price of Xiaomi Mi4i, totally proves that it is an excellent value for money.