The Xiaomi launch is over and as predicted, and leaked the star of the show was the all new Xiaomi Mi4 flagship phone. So let’s take a look at what the Mi4 has to offer.
If you had already seen the Xioami Mi4 specifications then you will have already seen that there are few (if any) surprises, and that the leaks were pretty much spot on. As tipsters had been telling us for the past few weeks, the Xiaomi Mi4 has a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 display, 2.5Ghz Snapdragon 801 processor, 16-64GB memory, and a 13 mega-pixel rear camera. If you think those specs sound familiar well you would be right as they are almost identical to the Xiaomi Mi3 other than the upgrade to 3GB RAM, 8 mega-pixel front camera and the 3080mAh battery which supports fast charging. LTE is also in there to, but it would have to be to compete with rival phone makers.
Rather than going for killer specifications, Xiaomi instead have decided to concentrate on design and build quality this time around. We can say that without doubt the Mi4 is the best looking Xiaomi phone to date, and it features better materials too. But, it isn’t the best looking phone on the market and certainly not as good-looking as the OnePlus One, Vivo Xshot, or what we hope the Meizu MX4 will look like.
The body is mostly plastic with a stainless steel band around the center. This band is similar to the iPhone 5S, and Huawei P7, and is where you will find the tray of a single SIM , 3.5mm headphone jack and micro SIM. Xiaomi are really proud of the stainless steel construction of the Mi4 and went in to great lengths explaining the process and even giving show attendees an Mi4 chassis as a free gift.
Gizchina News of the week
While we are speaking about the body, it seems old dogs can learn new tricks, and Xiaomi have learned something from one of the tech industries youngest, OnePlus. Just as the OPO gets optional rear panels in wood, baby skin and sandstone, the Xiaomi Mi4 will also get a similar treatment with wooden, denim and other rear panels.
What about the price? Well there is no surprise there! The 16GB Xiaoim Mi4 will cost just 1999 Yuan while the 64GB version costs 2499 Yuan.
So what do you think of the Xiaomi Mi4? Personally on the one hand I am happy to see a phone maker who realises they don’t need to squeeze in 4GB RAM, Snapdragon 810 CPU and 2K display to draw in the crowds and rather work on design and build. On the other hand, if I were in the market for a Xiaomi, I think it is probably a great time to pick up an Mi3.
I quite like it. Even though I’m somewhat lamenting the iPhone stylings, the rear now looks like the M2A and RedMi range, for a more consistent look across their devices. I liked that the Mi3 was a distinct design from other manufacturers but it really wasn’t a style for me. The biggest thing, to me, is the camera. The Mi3 camera was a let down for anyone with the 32GB Mi2S, and the shooter on the RedMi 1S is a pretty good performer. The f/1.8 sensor (I believe the same as seen in the OnePlus One) is the improvement I’d been looking for. The MX3 really nailed the software and hardware package with their camera, despite some people moaning about it only being 8MP, and I felt XiaoMi had neglected that particular aspect of their devices lately. Glad to see a change.
Just to clarify, there was no mention of an S version of the Mi3, that was rumoured to go alongside the unveiling of the Mi4 ?
With this prices, for international markets, is cheaper to get a one plus
Just one problem unless your on a super secret list you can’t get a one plus. Unless you want to pay twice as much from seconds.
this last week lots of people are receiving invites and giving them away when they cant purchase. i got 2 invites, purchased the phone and gave the other in the forums
“Lots” of people is a paltry number compared to the millions still waiting. I for one would spit on an invite at this point. I refuse to give such a shady company my hard earned money.
the millions still waiting are not doing any effort to actually claim an invite… if you want this device more than any other smartphone, you should spend more time on the forums being contributive so people gift it to you, simply as that.. but i have to admit, if you want an invite it’s very easier to get it now than ever
You shouldn’t have to go through all that to buy a phone you like. Some people don’t have all day to sit on forums. That’s the most ridiculous answer I’ve ever heard defending the shady business practice of OPO.
then this phone is not made for you
Wow, glad I’m not a MI fan. Talk about disappointing. OIS ?
Really Like the backs though, perhaps it’ll help the design. Where to buy a MI TV2 though?
Not too disappointed to be honest. Just a bit because there’s no external SD card slot. Aside from that, I’m fairly pleased.
As far as I can tell it’s just a metal band and plastic back. Design average but maybe the changeable back plan was to fix this. So spec is average and things missing. So it really doesn’t excel in any area in particular at all.
Not what you expect from mi. Buy an mi3.
I agree with the author in that purchasing an Mi3 is still a great buy, especially if you will be able to put MIUI V6 on in August (which I presume you will).
OPO was hardly the originator of optional rear pannels. Motorola and Nokia were both doing it before OPO even existed. Moto even had wood and denim.
When you over-hype a product (OPO) because,”I want to see them suceed” you don’t let the facts get in the way.
Was that aimed at me? You obviously have no idea how I feel about OP do you…
…had a recent change of heart? ..but I digress
20 K INR for such specs is justified,hope flipkart brings it to India and sells it at same levels,maybe 21K at max…all now depends on camera samples,if they are crisp and vivid in colour,i am game for this.Also any idea on expandable storage and MHL?
Apparently there will be quite a few variants of the Mi4 and:
The FD-LTE variant, which is compatible with international LTE bands, does not yet have a release date, which will likely disappoint the many, many Mi Fans around the world.
So i’ve heard……..
Does FDD-LTE in and of itself imply compatibility with nearly all international LTE bands ?
I believe so yes.
Phones for the Chinese market are always released first; it has always been that way for Xiaomi
Crap spec solely because it doesn’t have extendable and there are already lots of better alternative than this. Couple with mt6595 phone looming in closely this is even more disappointing than stab-happy Mi3.
Hi, what’s your point of view about the THL 5000? Do they build quality phones?
I’ve had 3 THLs all were awesome.
they screwed this one the metal band its not good will get scratched and decolored just like blackberrys and new samsung galaxy.
the huge bezel wont help neither the price i guess they should have called mi3s instead and release a proper mi4
All the shapes have been taken. You get this …Back is S5/note front is S2/iphone . There is missing xiaomi design .
But What is there to not like . Sad Where iphone announces 60million pre built iphones , availability of awesome products from xiaomi ,opo left uncertain.
And that’s all? That’s the “superb design”, I’m sorry but to me it’s something run of the mill. While the rear looks like latest Huawei devices, Honor 3C or rather Honor 3X, the front reminds me the Jiayu G4. They could have worked in upper and lower edges, which are still massive. That would be a great improvement on Chinese devices design. It’s disappointing to see how despite the fact that people are crying out for a dual sim flagship, nobody does anything about it, and Xiaomi had all the time in the world to do so. It’s also upsetting to see how Xiaomi don’t take into account their customers’ opinion, especially when it comes to adding a micro sd slot. Why do they still produce smartphones without such important feature? Finally, I would like to know why on earth, nowadays smartphones are designed with a non removable battery.
I must say that when I started to read the specifications, they all sounded very promising. A “small” 5 inch display and full hd resolution, no signs of extra large 5’5 2k displays, but then they started to screw up.
Xiaomi, this phone you have just introduced, was going to be the replacement of my Mi 2A, and I say “was going to be” because it no longer is going to happen. I will sit down waiting for someone to develop a new flagship with dual sim support at a reasonable price.
Don’t cry here instead go search for specifications you need and will get a lot of phone with the unnecessary 2k display and humongous display, this is a phone and will be like a phone, need phablet or something there are lot of options, and for a dual sim flagship Alcatel Idol X+ Is there don’t crib here.
https://www.gizchina.com/2014/01/06/alcatel-onetouch-idol-x-hands-video-ces/
Nubia Z7’s have dual SIM too
The only one supporting NFC, according to nubia website, is the one with 2k screen and 5.5 inches display. And my comment was focused on Xiaomi. Anyway thanks for the contribution.
Hi Andi, would you suggest me to buy the THL 5000 which is on sale now? It doesn’t have 4G and even 3G 900MHz for france but considering its specs with its huge battery I don’t see any competitors in the market right now. I am a bit scared about the ROM and am not sure if there are continuous updates provided by THL. I am a new in Android. Thanks. Paul.
Fella, if you don’t understand a language you better shut up. Or maybe it’s a misunderstanding because you didn’t pay attention. If so, my advise for you is to read my comment again.
Anyway, if you stand your ground, I would ask you to use your wide knowledge of the subject to find a device 5 inc max, full hd, LTE, NFC, around 3000 mAh of battery, micro sd slot and dual sim, and last but no least, at a reasonable price.
Thank you for taking the time to read my comment and write a reply, next time don’t forget to add something useful 😉
Only THL 5000 comes to mind.
Oh wait, there’s also Honor 6. And Z7 max if you don’t mind 5.5″.
According to their respective manufacturer’s website, none of them supports NFC. It’s a crying shame because the Huawei is really nice. Thanks for the help mate!
I think the “high” version of Honor 6 has NFC but it’s not out yet. And I think THL 5000 do have it too.
I haven’t found any use for NFC myself so it’s nothing important for me but I understand that some do need it, hope you find your perfect phone.
Hi Andi, would you suggest me to buy the THL 5000 which is on sale now?
It doesn’t have 4G and even 3G 900MHz for france but considering its
specs with its huge battery I don’t see any competitors in the market
right now. I am a bit scared about the ROM and am not sure if there are
continuous updates provided by THL. I am a new in Android. Thanks. Paul.
I’m not exactly Andi but I don’t think you have anything to worry about regarding ROM.
Sorry mate, I did a copy paste of a message I already posted here but forgot to modify the name. It is been a while that I am looking for a phone and am hesitating a lot. I wanted to buy the Redmi 1s first and was hoping that Xiaomi will release a mid range mobile pretty close to MI2S but apparently it is not the case. I really like the Huawei Honor 6 and the THL 5000 which has an 8 core cpu @ 2ghz and a huge battery. I am waiting for the tests in order to make a choice. The Nubia Z7 Mini attracts me a lot too even if it has 2300mah battery. The technology used for the screen use less battery comparing to other screens. Damn it is so difficult to make a choice. Hope some reviews will be posted soon.
My bad. You are absolutely right. Double check at THL website and there it was, NFC logo. I will wait until the highest Honor 6 version is released to make a final decision.
Thanks a lot mate, you have been very helpful.
NFC on Honor 6 is on the advanced version. Would be released in a month or two.
The dual sim with 32GB version supports NFC it is in their site.
Sorry Pepe that I got you wrong and I am also looking for the similar specification as you but I don’t need LTE and checking for sub 5 inch if you find anything good please reply to this, as per my knowledge you can try Allview V1Viper S, Acer Liquid E700 I am not sure about the price, you can check Alcatel Idol X+ or Lava iris pro 30 these are sub $300 phone but no LTE support and you can also check Huawie Honor 6. If you find something of this sort lemme know here bye take care.
Non removable batteries are there so that big brother can keep track of you always. 🙂
Airplane mode is there so big brother can’t keep track of you always. 🙂
I quite like it. Even though I’m somewhat lamenting the iPhone stylings, the rear now looks like the M2A and RedMi range, for a more consistent look across their devices. I liked that the Mi3 was a distinct design from other manufacturers but it really wasn’t a style for me. The biggest thing, to me, is the camera. The Mi3 camera was a let down for anyone with the 32GB Mi2S, and the shooter on the RedMi 1S is a pretty good performer. The f/1.8 sensor (I believe the same as seen in the OnePlus One) is the improvement I’d been looking for. The MX3 really nailed the software and hardware package with their camera, despite some people moaning about it only being 8MP, and I felt XiaoMi had neglected that particular aspect of their devices lately. Glad to see a change.
Just to clarify, there was no mention of an S version of the Mi3, that was rumoured to go alongside the unveiling of the Mi4 ?
With this prices, for international markets, is cheaper to get a one plus
Just one problem unless your on a super secret list you can’t get a one plus. Unless you want to pay twice as much from seconds.
this last week lots of people are receiving invites and giving them away when they cant purchase. i got 2 invites, purchased the phone and gave the other in the forums
“Lots” of people is a paltry number compared to the millions still waiting. I for one would spit on an invite at this point. I refuse to give such a shady company my hard earned money.
the millions still waiting are not doing any effort to actually claim an invite… if you want this device more than any other smartphone, you should spend more time on the forums being contributive so people gift it to you, simply as that.. but i have to admit, if you want an invite it’s very easier to get it now than ever
You shouldn’t have to go through all that to buy a phone you like. Some people don’t have all day to sit on forums. That’s the most ridiculous answer I’ve ever heard defending the shady business practice of OPO.
then this phone is not made for you
Wow, glad I’m not a MI fan. Talk about disappointing. OIS ?
Really Like the backs though, perhaps it’ll help the design. Where to buy a MI TV2 though?
Not too disappointed to be honest. Just a bit because there’s no external SD card slot. Aside from that, I’m fairly pleased.
As far as I can tell it’s just a metal band and plastic back. Design average but maybe the changeable back plan was to fix this. So spec is average and things missing. So it really doesn’t excel in any area in particular at all.
Not what you expect from mi. Buy an mi3.
I agree with the author in that purchasing an Mi3 is still a great buy, especially if you will be able to put MIUI V6 on in August (which I presume you will).
OPO was hardly the originator of optional rear pannels. Motorola and Nokia were both doing it before OPO even existed. Moto even had wood and denim.
When you over-hype a product (OPO) because,”I want to see them suceed” you don’t let the facts get in the way.
Was that aimed at me? You obviously have no idea how I feel about OP do you…
…had a recent change of heart? ..but I digress
20 K INR for such specs is justified,hope flipkart brings it to India and sells it at same levels,maybe 21K at max…all now depends on camera samples,if they are crisp and vivid in colour,i am game for this.Also any idea on expandable storage and MHL?
Apparently there will be quite a few variants of the Mi4 and:
The FD-LTE variant, which is compatible with international LTE bands, does not yet have a release date, which will likely disappoint the many, many Mi Fans around the world.
So i’ve heard……..
Does FDD-LTE in and of itself imply compatibility with nearly all international LTE bands ?
I believe so yes.
Phones for the Chinese market are always released first; it has always been that way for Xiaomi
Crap spec solely because it doesn’t have extendable and there are already lots of better alternative than this. Couple with mt6595 phone looming in closely this is even more disappointing than stab-happy Mi3.
Hi, what’s your point of view about the THL 5000? Do they build quality phones?
I’ve had 3 THLs all were awesome.
they screwed this one the metal band its not good will get scratched and decolored just like blackberrys and new samsung galaxy.
the huge bezel wont help neither the price i guess they should have called mi3s instead and release a proper mi4
Sorry I must be the only person who does not think the 1+ is that great looking its just a slab. That looks a bit cheap
All the shapes have been taken. You get this …Back is S5/note front is S2/iphone . There is missing xiaomi design .
But What is there to not like . Sad Where iphone announces 60million pre built iphones , availability of awesome products from xiaomi ,opo left uncertain.
And that’s all? That’s the “superb design”, I’m sorry but to me it’s something run of the mill. While the rear looks like latest Huawei devices, Honor 3C or rather Honor 3X, the front reminds me the Jiayu G4. They could have worked in upper and lower edges, which are still massive. That would be a great improvement on Chinese devices design. It’s disappointing to see how despite the fact that people are crying out for a dual sim flagship, nobody does anything about it, and Xiaomi had all the time in the world to do so. It’s also upsetting to see how Xiaomi don’t take into account their customers’ opinion, especially when it comes to adding a micro sd slot. Why do they still produce smartphones without such important feature? Finally, I would like to know why on earth, nowadays smartphones are designed with a non removable battery.
I must say that when I started to read the specifications, they all sounded very promising. A “small” 5 inch display and full hd resolution, no signs of extra large 5’5 2k displays, but then they started to screw up.
Xiaomi, this phone you have just introduced, was going to be the replacement of my Mi 2A, and I say “was going to be” because it no longer is going to happen. I will sit down waiting for someone to develop a new flagship with dual sim support at a reasonable price.
Don’t cry here instead go search for specifications you need and will get a lot of phone with the unnecessary 2k display and humongous display, this is a phone and will be like a phone, need phablet or something there are lot of options, and for a dual sim flagship Alcatel Idol X+ Is there don’t crib here.
http://www.gizchina.com/2014/01/06/alcatel-onetouch-idol-x-hands-video-ces/
Nubia Z7’s have dual SIM too
The only one supporting NFC, according to nubia website, is the one with 2k screen and 5.5 inches display. And my comment was focused on Xiaomi. Anyway thanks for the contribution.
Fella, if you don’t understand a language you better shut up. Or maybe it’s a misunderstanding because you didn’t pay attention. If so, my advise for you is to read my comment again.
Anyway, if you stand your ground, I would ask you to use your wide knowledge of the subject to find a device 5 inc max, full hd, LTE, NFC, around 3000 mAh of battery, micro sd slot and dual sim, and last but no least, at a reasonable price.
Thank you for taking the time to read my comment and write a reply, next time don’t forget to add something useful 😉
Only THL 5000 comes to mind.
Oh wait, there’s also Honor 6. And Z7 max if you don’t mind 5.5″.
According to their respective manufacturer’s website, none of them supports NFC. It’s a crying shame because the Huawei is really nice. Thanks for the help mate!
Hi Andi, would you suggest me to buy the THL 5000 which is on sale now? It doesn’t have 4G and even 3G 900MHz for france but considering its specs with its huge battery I don’t see any competitors in the market right now. I am a bit scared about the ROM and am not sure if there are continuous updates provided by THL. I am a new in Android. Thanks. Paul.
I think the “high” version of Honor 6 has NFC but it’s not out yet. And I think THL 5000 do have it too.
I haven’t found any use for NFC myself so it’s nothing important for me but I understand that some do need it, hope you find your perfect phone.
Hi Andi, would you suggest me to buy the THL 5000 which is on sale now?
It doesn’t have 4G and even 3G 900MHz for france but considering its
specs with its huge battery I don’t see any competitors in the market
right now. I am a bit scared about the ROM and am not sure if there are
continuous updates provided by THL. I am a new in Android. Thanks. Paul.
My bad. You are absolutely right. Double check at THL website and there it was, NFC logo. I will wait until the highest Honor 6 version is released to make a final decision.
Thanks a lot mate, you have been very helpful.
I’m not exactly Andi but I don’t think you have anything to worry about regarding ROM.
Sorry mate, I did a copy paste of a message I already posted here but forgot to modify the name. It is been a while that I am looking for a phone and am hesitating a lot. I wanted to buy the Redmi 1s first and was hoping that Xiaomi will release a mid range mobile pretty close to MI2S but apparently it is not the case. I really like the Huawei Honor 6 and the THL 5000 which has an 8 core cpu @ 2ghz and a huge battery. I am waiting for the tests in order to make a choice. The Nubia Z7 Mini attracts me a lot too even if it has 2300mah battery. The technology used for the screen use less battery comparing to other screens. Damn it is so difficult to make a choice. Hope some reviews will be posted soon.
Non removable batteries are there so that big brother can keep track of you always. 🙂
NFC on Honor 6 is on the advanced version. Would be released in a month or two.
Sorry Pepe that I got you wrong and I am also looking for the similar specification as you but I don’t need LTE and checking for sub 5 inch if you find anything good please reply to this, as per my knowledge you can try Allview V1Viper S, Acer Liquid E700 I am not sure about the price, you can check Alcatel Idol X+ or Lava iris pro 30 these are sub $300 phone but no LTE support and you can also check Huawie Honor 6. If you find something of this sort lemme know here bye take care.
The dual sim with 32GB version supports NFC it is in their site.
Sorry I must be the only person who does not think the 1+ is that great looking its just a slab. That looks a bit cheap
I have ordered it at http://goo.gl/E7qOpO
I have ordered it at http://goo.gl/E7qOpO
Since this phone won’t be getting a dual sim version it’s a no go for me.
Since this phone won’t be getting a dual sim version it’s a no go for me.