Xiaomi mi4 16gb description

Xiaomi's leadership in the Chinese smartphone market is hardly surprising. The gadgets of this manufacturer are widely known outside of China, although they can officially be sold only in a limited number of countries. Russia is one of the countries where you can buy an official smartphone from Xiaomi, which is good news.

With the advent of the Xiaomi Mi 3, a new trend has emerged in the flagship branch of smartphones. Why, by and large, it was from the "troika" that the branch became the flagship. If earlier the main task was to create phones at a low price, even to the detriment of quality or appearance, now the Chinese have begun to conquer the public with gadgets with powerful characteristics and distinctive style.

So, it was with the Mi 3 that the diagonal of the screen of the flagship line increased to 5 inches, and the Chinese company began to pay more attention to the body of the device. Moreover, this applies both to its appearance and ergonomics, and to the materials used. It is not surprising that the "troika" quickly became popular, and the appearance of the Mi 4 was awaited with special impatience.

In comparison with its predecessor, the Quartet received improved technical characteristics, a metal case and an improved MIUI firmware shell. In addition, the Mi 4 has already adequately competed with smartphones from much more eminent manufacturers.

Today we will take a closer look at all the features of Xiaomi Mi 4 so that you can make the most complete impression of the phone.

Specifications

First, let's look under the cover of the gadget and find out what characteristics the Chinese flagship has. The Xiaomi Mi 4 smartphone has a quad-core chip from the Qualcomm Snapdragon family. However, unlike previous version, in this case the processor version with a frequency of 2.5 GHz is installed. Although an improvement is declared in comparison with the Mi 3, in practice it is noticeable only in a small proportion of cases and during testing. In normal use, everything remains almost the same. But the overall operation of the device has accelerated, because now it has one gigabyte more random access memory... For Xiaomi Mi 4 smartphones, the 3 GB RAM figure looks very impressive.

In terms of built-in memory, everything remains the same as in the "troika". You can purchase a smartphone in one of two configurations. In the first case, the size of its internal memory will be 16 GB, and in the second - 64 GB. Before buying, we advise you to estimate how much hard disk space you will need, because during the use of the device, the memory card can no longer be used - the gadget simply does not support them.

Configuration Xiaomi Mi 4

The smartphone screen is identical in all respects to the "troika". The diagonal is 5 inches, Full resolution HD and IPS matrix. Everything is quite familiar. The sensor detects up to 10 simultaneous touches, which indicates its extremely high sensitivity. Depending on the situation, this can be regarded as both an advantage and a disadvantage. I would like to see at least the ability to configure this parameter through the menu. But the developers did not foresee such a function.

As for data transfer, the smartphone supports 2G and 3G networks. Only one micro SIM card can be used. Rumor has it that Haomi is seriously thinking about releasing a model that supports the 4G standard, which is already gaining popularity in the world.

You can connect to a computer or an outlet via a charger using the usual Micro-USB 2.0. OTG support partially compensates for the lack of a memory card slot.

In terms of wireless controllers, there are no differences from the third Mi model. The Xiaomi Mi Four smartphone transmits data via Bluetooth 4.0, can work with Wi-Fi network, and also knows how to determine the coordinates of the user using GPS and Glonass. The system is equipped with an FM radio receiver. Among the new products, we note the appearance of an infrared port, with the help of which it is supposed to control any equipment in the house using only one application on the phone. The presence of a step counter is also seen as a very interesting addition.

The smartphone has two cameras. The main one is 13 megapixels with autofocus and flash and the front one is 8 megapixels. A distinctive feature of this smartphone model is the improved quality of the front camera, which will definitely please selfie lovers.

Contents of delivery

The smartphone of the fourth generation of the Mi line in terms of equipment is no different from its predecessors. The box made of recycled cardboard allows you to securely fix the device as usual. All kinds of inscriptions outside and inside are given in Chinese, which is not surprising, because the manufacturer focuses on the domestic market in the first place. But the most important points are still translated into English. This applies, for example, to technical specifications... So you can easily compare them with the information stated on the Internet.

The package includes a 5V 2A power supply that supports fast charging. Also supplied Micro-USB cable and a key for working with the SIM card tray. Note that standard charging has a 'flat' plug, which will require additional use adapter for Russian sockets.

Design and ergonomics

Start Description appearance I want a smartphone because it is about 5 mm narrower and shorter than the Mi 3. On the other hand, the thickness has increased slightly, but the manufacturers easily veiled this, giving the body an original shape. All this allows us to call the Mi 4 one of the most compact smartphones with a screen diagonal of 5 inches.

The weight of the phone has increased by 10 grams, but this is easily explained by the presence of steel elements in the structure. They are used on both sides. There are jumpers on the top and bottom ends that help to highlight the wireless antennas and, in general, make the gadget look original.

Mods will be pleased with the possibility of changing the back panel of the phone. There are, however, very few colors, or rather only two: black and white. At the same time, the manufacturer ruled out the possibility of any changes in terms of filling the phone. You will not be able to change the battery or an additional SIM card, as well as the memory card will not be able to fit into the configuration.

Outwardly, you will hardly be able to find any grooves for removing the back cover, but this possibility is declared by the manufacturer. Apparently, for its implementation it is necessary to resort to the use of additional devices. Due to the absence of gaps and grooves, it is possible to maintain the usual appearance of the phone - this is a one-piece monolithic body that looks in a classic style.

Due to the fact that the back surface of the phone is somewhat convex, you can easily lift the phone from any surface with one hand. There is a protective glass on the surface of the screen, the manufacturer of which is not specified.

Directly below the screen are touch buttons... There are only three of them and they are familiar to everyone who has used Xiaomi phones. Button labels are clearly visible even without backlighting, but it is also provided for low light conditions. In the settings, the duration of the backlight is adjusted.

Immediately below the center button, there is a status indicator with which you can find out about the charging status and missed notifications. There are seven colors to choose from for notifications. The buttons for locking the screen and adjusting the volume, as usual, are on the upper right. They are made of metal and practically do not differ from the frame in texture and color. The main thing is that they are very easy to detect, and the pressing is reliable and clear.

On the left there is a SIM card slot, which can be opened using the key included in the package. The SIM card tray is made of metal, and there are no questions about its durability. On the top end there is an IrDA port and a headset jack. Below is the output for Micro-USB and the speaker grill.

Screen features

The screen provides decent viewing angles, it is possible to avoid color shift even with a significant deviation of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen. There is also a uniform distribution of the brightness and tones of the white field. The contrast ratio is about 735: 1, which cannot be called the maximum indicator. Due to the fact that the color temperature changes minimally with the transition from one shade to another, it is possible to improve the visual perception of color balance. It is also important that the user can independently change the color balance by choosing one of the saturation and color temperature profiles.

The device is pleasant to use in any environment, because the screen has excellent anti-reflective properties. If you are in the dark, you can reduce the brightness to an acceptable level. Among the advantages of the screen, we also highlight the presence of an oleophobic coating and the absence of an air gap between the layers and flickering.

Among the shortcomings, we note only the insufficient stability of black when the gaze deviates from the perpendicular and excessive color gamut, the correction of which regular means impossible. In general, if we evaluate these characteristics in relation to the price category of the device, then they, no doubt, look excellent.

Sound

Since the speaker is located at the bottom end, it cannot be blocked, no matter where the device is located. Even if you play in landscape mode and put your hand on the speaker, sound will still come from the rear panel, albeit with a loss of treble.

The Mi 4 cannot boast of a good volume - according to this indicator, everything is at an average level. But in the headphones, the situation changes. The sound becomes much richer and richer. An equalizer is available to the user for individual settings of all parameters. You can also choose ready-made profiles for one or another type of headphone.

The main speaker and microphone leave a good impression. The noise canceling function is available when using the second microphone, which is located just above the rear camera. But this is only relevant for phone calls. For other conversations, for example, on Viber or Skype, this is impossible.

We will separately mention the vibrating alert. In Mi 4, you can configure it manually by choosing one of three standard operating levels.

Camera

Using the main camera with the Sony IMX214 module, you can take pictures with a high expansion - 4208 × 3120 pixels. The front camera with an extension of 3264 × 2448 in its category is also one of the leaders in this price segment.

At the request of the user, it is possible to switch between full and simplified camera control interfaces. The main screen displays buttons for controlling the flash, as well as changing the camera, switching between photo and video modes. The settings menu is also here. If you've accidentally changed something, it's easy to fix it by using a factory reset.

Among the interesting advanced functions, it is worth highlighting:

Change the quality and size of the photo;
Disable and enable shutter sound;
Connection to the control of the shooting of the volume control buttons.

For the front camera, there are fewer "chips", but even here there are some interesting "highlights". For example, there is a function for determining the sex and age of the person being photographed. Of course, no one guarantees accuracy, and a lot depends on the shooting conditions.

If we briefly describe the main features of the Mi 4 cameras, we recommend that you pay attention to:

Uniform sharpness;
The presence of color inaccuracies when working with close-ups;
Significant improvement of work with macroplanes when using flash;
a noticeable drop in image sharpness when lighting deteriorates.

In general, this camera cannot be called a breakthrough, but it looks decent. Although it is striking that manufacturers could have improved it, we are still dealing with a flagship line. The gadget shoots video in formats up to 4K. The quality of the resulting video material cannot be called excellent. The problems in this case are quite typical for mobile devices - the appearance of noise, insufficient sensitivity, poor sharpness, inconsistent frame rate.

Software

As usual, Xiaomi uses the original MIUI firmware in its smartphones. In comparison with the classic Android platform, we see here advanced functionality and the presence of additional system settings. For example, the ability to improve information security, back up data, or redesign the interface.

The stock firmware versions only support English and Chinese. Therefore, the Russians will have to reflash the gadget to custom firmware immediately after purchase. Also note that there are no Google services in the firmware. You can add them through the utility in the Mi-market. And the present Chinese programs can be easily removed if desired. The smoothness of the interface is not satisfactory.

Performance

At the time of the phone's production, the Qualcomm processor was the top of its kind. It is well known that gadgets based on such chips give decent performance indicators and delight with long battery life. For the convenience of the user, you can switch between balanced and maximum performance modes. In the first case, the device operates at a frequency of up to 1500 MHz, and in the second - at full speed up to 2.5 GHz. What is not particularly pleasing is the overheating of the phone when working with "heavy" applications. The temperature can sometimes exceed 50 degrees.

If we take the high performance mode as a basis, then the Mi 4 smartphone will not be lost among the models that appeared much later. But in balanced mode, the device copes with a minimum of tasks without overheating.

When connected to a computer via USB data transferred at speeds up to 19 MB / s - this is a mediocre result for the version of the interface used. Given the support for fast Wi-Fi, it is probably more convenient to use data transfer through it.

Autonomy of work

The fourth generation Mi received the same battery as the third. Its volume is 3080 mAh. It is very convenient to have Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology, which allows you to quickly restore the maximum battery charge. Tests have shown that with this function it is possible to charge up to half the battery capacity in about half an hour.

The Xiaomi Mi4 firmware has much less aggressive performance algorithms in comparison with its predecessor in the line, which allows for a significant increase in battery life. Interestingly, if we consider the characteristics of the Mi 4 in video viewing or reading mode, then the model beats even the Battery Savings mode of the Xiaomi Mi3. At maximum performance settings, the phone can continuously work for about three hours in game mode.

Basically, in most standard scenarios for using a smartphone, users will need to charge the device no more than once a day. Moreover, if you do not activate the screen very often, then the Mi 4 will easily hold out for 2-3 days, especially if you set the correct settings for the corresponding parameters.

conclusions

If Xiaomi Mi2 and Mi2S were nothing more than curious devices for lovers of Chinese novelties, then with the release of Mi3, Xiaomi loudly declared their desire to take their rightful place in the market. The appearance of the Mi 4 only confirmed these intentions.

Xiaomi Mi4 can be safely attributed to the top segment of the market. Although the model did not appear in 2017, it is relevant to this day, and there is no doubt that using it will help solve numerous current problems. The device has a powerful performance platform and has become a classic 5-inch screen. The volume of the battery allows you to use the full functionality of the phone for a long time without the need for frequent recharging. In addition, the user can independently adjust the level of energy consumption by the smartphone.

The appearance of the phone has been noticeably updated in comparison with the “three”. Now the device does not resemble a piece of plastic, but looks stylish, being decorated in a case with metal inserts. It is also important to have the option to change the back cover. We hope that soon it will be possible to change the battery and make other adjustments to the location and operation of the gadget elements.

MIUI firmware is traditionally convenient and looks attractive. Thanks to its extensive functionality, the user can easily adjust the work of the gadget to suit his needs. The only tangible disadvantage is the lack of Russian-language firmware. But, on the other hand, this problem can be easily solved if you reflash your smartphone yourself and install a custom Russian-language firmware on it.

So the phone cannot be called innovative or revolutionary, especially considering the obvious "slack" in the quality of the camera, but it is certainly a worthy model. mobile device, and it is not surprising that it has become so popular all over the world, including in Russia.

What did not like

Chinese ailments in the form of a lack of official localization (meizu wins here), although miui.su works like a clock;
lack of LTE (but there is also a plus, the battery lasts longer),
no memory card (but there is a 64gb version, not much more expensive).

What we liked

Gorgeous screen (better than MI3) Processor performance + does not heat up at all, even under loads Perfectly performs direct functions of the phone (you can hear me well and I hear well) MIUI v6 of course Sound in headphones! The LG g2 has been praised for its audio chip though. Right there everything is even better, from listening to one big thrill. Great camera, instant focus. There is simply nothing to complain about. And besides, wonderful selfies, which is a plus for a girl. Thin bezels and symmetry. Design, build quality

What did not like

Heats up, but not critical. A frankly weak camera, this is just the last century, photos are smeared with any random movement. In this regard, it is very much inferior to lg g3 and apple 5s. On the very first day, the glass on the main camera began to scratch (apparently money was clamped on the sapphire and the gorilla). The battery is non-removable, although with such survivability it is not critical.

What we liked

The size is optimal - this is one of the few flagships with a size less than 5.5 ". The design is clearly inspired by the Apple smartphone, metal edging, rounded edges. The frame and plastic are scratch-resistant, but the camera glass was scratched on the very first day. I won't say anything to scratches on the display, as I immediately glued on the glass. Already a couple of times I dropped it, the conclusion, the phone is really slippery, but durable, only the kotski on the metal frame remained. In the fifth apple, with a similar fall, the frame was damaged much more. very quickly, in comparison with the shell from Samsung or LG, the structure is similar to IOS, but it is an android. There are a lot of different buns and settings, including high-quality recording of conversations (out of the box). The battery, on the latest firmware, is very pleasing: personal record TROE !!! days (Wi-Fi worked constantly, the display was on for 3.5 hours, talks were 30 minutes, proofs on w3bsit3-dns.com) Price, for a top smartphone, on snapdragon 801, with 3GB of RAM - just a gift! I bought from outburs in Beijing for 13800 (the official price on the website is 2000 yuan).

What did not like

does not support memory cards

What we liked

The camera is excellent, focus, selfie quality, picture of the screen, design and build

What did not like

no 100% trust in the phone (seriously let down a couple of times)
bulky (but this is now such a trend, so it is not a complete drawback)
no official supplies and support (official)
rather controversial melodies

What we liked

build quality design thoughtful shell (really everything for people) screen sensitivity cloud services (synchronization of everything and everything) performance battery sound

What did not like

Slippery cover, the phone tries to jump out
It is not officially sold in the Russian Federation - therefore, accessories must also be ordered
VERY hot under load (Performance mode enabled)
Bad camera - video shoots as if with a torn frame effect. The quality of photos and video is inferior to cameras of devices from other manufacturers 2-3 years ago. Various firmware does not cure it
No slot for memory cards
Fully translated firmware is nowhere to be found - no, no, yes, it will throw it on the Chinese page
Doesn't charge as fast compared to current flagships
After a very slight impact, small scratches appeared on the screen - despite the declared Gorilla Glass
No LTE
No NFC
The virtual absence of Google services by default

What we liked

Good build quality of the case Powerful filling Decent battery, but without MIUI records, set of tools for setting up the system Not the best big size compared to current flagships Headphone sound

What did not like

long absence of the black version, troubles when updating, Chinese services only in Chinese

What we liked

screen, shell, iron, appearance

What did not like

Not at all. Maybe just a little camera.

What we liked

Value for money. Fast, works without the slightest freezes. Super screen. Battery. MIUI shell.

What did not like

Camera
- Display
- Conversational microphone
- Version without LTE
- Auto brightness
- Speaker
- Touch key "home"

What we liked

Sheath - Performance - Assembly and Materials - Battery

What did not like

After some time, I offered to update the firmware, it would be better if I didn’t do it - everything was on English language, for me it is not critical, but unpleasant, so I had to go back to what it was and reinstall everything again (
It is clear that in the store you simply cannot buy covers and other accessories for this phone... But everything can be ordered on Chinese sites, including the protective glass, which is attached directly to the screen (like iPhones)
After reading the comments, I found out that the price in China is 12-13 thousand. I bought for 17 ((Well, I just didn't want to fool around with the Chinese firmware, and it's too long and unreliable to wait for delivery.

What we liked

Of course, I compare it with the previous device (blackberry 9900), and here it should be noted: - battery! When I read the specifications, I did not believe that the phone could last at least a day. This phone holds from one and a half to two days. My old small touchscreen phone couldn't last a day. - excellent camera (including the front one), clear pictures, fast autofocus. Here is what I was missing before: a navigator, geo-tags in the pictures, a huge selection of applications.

What did not like

How much without them)
- Battery ( latest firmware miui 6.7.2.0) keeps the charge rather weak, let's see what happens next
- There is no slot for memory cards (but there is OTG support) - for me personally it is not critical
- There is no stub in the camera (but he shoots as if he were here)))

What we liked

Workmanship (no backlash, no creaks) - Screen - MIUI shell and all its features - Communication quality (sound, signal reception stability, including support for LTE networks - Megafon SPb) - Sound (with a non-original Sony headset not the best performance, the sound is amazing) - Nimble (I did not test it on games, but most programs for an ordinary user work with a bang, lags and slowdowns have not yet been noticed) - Camera (works very quickly, and most importantly, accurately) This parameter is available with than to compare (DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are not a competitor, but very decent for a smartphone). Subjectively, it seems that it works faster and more accurate than the Nokia 835 lumia with a stub. Photos at the level of very good soap dishes - OTG In general, the advantages can be enumerated for a long time))

What did not like

1. Lack of LTE, but this is absolutely not critical, HSDPA + from the operator Megafon Moscow accelerates to 30 Mbit / s, which, in my humble opinion, if not excessive, is quite enough for a smartphone
2. Lack of official presence in the Russian market. Also not critical, but it would save the guys from miui.su from unnecessary work (translating firmware into Russian), and users from unnecessary knowledge :)

Specifications:

Body materials: plastic, metal, glass
Operating system: Android 4.4.2, MIUI V5 (update to MIUI 6 will be available in September)
Network: GSM / EDGE, UMTS / HSDPA, TD-LTE (there is no FDD support in the current version)
Processor: Quad-core, 2.5 GHz, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 platform
RAM: 3 GB
Storage memory: 16/64 GB
Memory card: no
Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a / b / g / n / ac), Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB connector (USB 2.0, MHL support, USB-OTG) for charge / synchronization, 3.5 mm for a headset
Screen: IPS-LCD, diagonal 5 ", resolution 1920x1080 pixels, 441 ppi (automatic adjustment of backlight level, three color temperature profiles to choose from)
Main camera: 13 MP with autofocus and flash, video is recorded at 1080p
Front camera: 8 MP, video is recorded in 1080p
Navigation: GPS (support A-GPS), Glonass
Optional: accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor, gyroscope, magnetometer (compass)
Battery: Li-Ion 3080 mAh
Dimensions: 139.2 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm
Weight: 149 grams

Introduction

The speed at which Chinese brands are progressing is astounding. Until two years ago Xiaomi was a relatively small company with several models from the “slightly above average” category (Xiaomi Mi1 and Mi2), which attracted mainly by price and characteristics. Outwardly and in terms of body materials, these devices could be of interest, perhaps only for their simplicity and brevity, but definitely not for the quality of workmanship and materials.

With the release of Mi3, it became clear that having reached the required level of price-performance ratio, Xiaomi decided to focus on two other elements - design, outer (case) and inner (shell). The Xiaomi Mi4 smartphone is just the first example of a new direction chosen by the company, but already very impressive. Yes, the Chinese do not hide their love for Apple at all and boldly, without a shadow of doubts and reproaches, copy everything that seems interesting to them. In the case of Xiaomi Mi4, the design was partially copied, in the case of MIUI 6, almost everything, from the style of icons to translucent blocks of the interface and menus. But this is not important, in the end, with the same success, Mi4 can be called a copy of Huawei Ascend P7, and it, in turn, is a copy of something else. Another thing is important, as soon as you take Xiaomi Mi4 in your hands, thoughts of copying or some kind of secondary design instantly disappear, and you understand: here it is, excellent execution in details and real quality.

This is no longer just a Chinese smartphone - this is a new level both for Xiaomi and for many other companies from China in general, because others will follow after Xiaomi.

Contents of delivery

The packaging, already familiar to Xiaomi devices, is a compact box made of recycled materials that can support the weight of several people. Inside there is a minimum set of necessary accessories, in addition to the device itself: a charging block, a USB-microUSB cable, a clip for installing a SIM card (microSIM format) and a few thin paper instructions.

Design, body materials

Immediately after the presentation, I tweeted that the design new Xiaomi Mi4 reminds me a lot Apple iPhone 5 / 5s. As is the case in such cases, the opinions of the readers were divided; some said that the devices are really very similar, especially if you look at smartphones from the ends, others swore and noted that the design of Mi4 is original, and everyone who accuses the company of copying is like that.

Now, when I use Xiaomi Mi4 for a week, I absolutely do not want to say that its design is borrowed from someone. The quality of workmanship, the materials used, the shape of the case and the dimensions - all these components are made so high quality and well that the device is perceived as a whole product that does not need to be compared or tried to be compared with something.

The design is based on simplicity of shape and quality of materials - the front panel with three buttons at the bottom and sensors above the screen is protected by glass, the body frame is made of stainless steel with a slight bevel closer to the front panel so that there are no sharp corners, the back of the device is made of plastic. In the case of the white model, this is a glossy plastic with a translucent top layer and a white inner, with a diamond-shaped texture.

One of the main design features of the Xiaomi Mi4 is interchangeable panels. Moreover, if in the case of Moto X, a smartphone that revived a certain fashion for "customizing" the appearance of devices, the panel was chosen when ordering on the website and, in fact, was not replaceable, and OnePlus One offered less than ten options for replaceable panels, Xiaomi took a very bold step in this direction. Firstly, replacement panels will be available separately, and the ordered panel can be safely installed instead of the standard one yourself. Secondly, more than 20 variants of interchangeable panels have already been announced and in the future there will probably be even more of them.

From the point of view of practicality of the case, Mi4 is also good - traces and prints on the "back", although it is glossy, are invisible, the front panel, of course, gets dirty, but traces can be easily removed from it.

Assembly

There are no complaints about the build quality of the smartphone - everything is very solid and reliable, the body feels like a monolithic one, despite the ability to remove the cover and replace it with another one. There is no lid backlash, the keys sit tightly in their places, and the microSIM card tray is made of very high quality and fits as closely as possible to its slot, so that dust and dirt between the tray and the case (as in the Apple iPhone 5c, for example) will not clog ...

Video on creating the base of the case for Xiaomi Mi4

Dimensions (edit)

Due to the minimum thickness of the bezel on the left and right of the screen (3 mm from the edge of the case to the actual image on the display), as well as the reasonable use of space at the top and bottom, Xiaomi Mi4 has turned out to be one of the most compact smartphones among models with 5 "" screens.

Judge for yourself:

(5 "") - 139.2 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm, 149 grams
Xiaomi Mi3(5 "") - 144 x 73.6 x 8.1 mm, 145 grams
Apple iPhone 5S(4 "") - 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, 112 grams
HTC One (M8)(5 "") - 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm, 160 grams
Nokia Lumia 930(5 "") - 137 x 71 x 9.8 mm, 167 grams
Samsung Galaxy S5(5.1 "") - 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm, 145 grams
Hu awei Ascend P7 (5 "")- 139.8 x 68.8 x 6.5 mm, 124 grams

Xiaomi Mi4 outperforms almost all other smartphones with five-inch screens in the main one - in the width of the body. Namely, the width is the main indicator of how comfortable it will be for you to hold the device in one hand.

It is precisely due to the adequate width that the Mi4 lies perfectly in the hand, it is quite convenient for them to use it with one hand. The only thing I want to draw your attention to, if you are switching to Mi4 from some noticeably more compact model, it will still take time to get used to its dimensions.

Compared to IUNI U2

Compared to Meizu MX2

Compared to HTC One (M8)

Control elements

Under the screen of Xiaomi Mi4 there are three backlit touch keys: "Menu", "House" and "Back". A long hold on any of the buttons is assigned the action of opening the manager of running applications or closing the current program. Also in the settings, you can specify the holding time of the key, at which the "long hold" function will be triggered. In addition, in the settings, you can turn off the illumination of the buttons under the screen and set the time of its operation, from 1 second to 20 or "always".

On the right edge of the device are the volume and power keys. Both buttons protrude above the surface of the case, and it is convenient to press them even "blindly". The power key can be turned off, and the activation of the smartphone screen can be assigned to pressing the volume button. And one more interesting setting - turning on the camera with the "Back" button.

On the left edge there is a tray for a microSIM card. The tray can be opened with a paper clip or any sharp thin object: paper clip, safety pin, etc.

At the top of the Mi4 is a 3.5 mm jack for headphones and a headset, as well as a small IrDA port. At the bottom end on the left - microUSB, on the right - the grille of the ringing speaker, which also contains a hidden microphone.

Above the screen, on the front surface, there is an earpiece, a front-facing 8 megapixel camera and light and proximity sensors. The indicator light is located under the screen, below the "House" key.

Screen

The smartphone has an IPS LCD screen with a diagonal of 5 "" and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, the ppi value is 441. A matrix from Sharp / JDI is used. There is no exact information about the manufacturer of the protective glass of the smartphone, as is the case with the Mi3. It can be Gorilla Glass 3 or Dragontail from Japanese Asahi Glass. The main thing to know is that your smartphone uses a durable, scratch-resistant, protective glass with an oleophobic coating. Touch screen responds not only to finger touches, but also to gloved touches.

The picture quality on the screen is excellent: the image is clear, smooth, with maximum viewing angles and high details. In the screen settings, you can also select one of two modes of saturation and color temperature, from natural tone to cool to warm.

The display behaves well in the sun, the picture fades, but remains readable. The brightness margin of the screen is solid, and the minimum backlight threshold will allow you to read comfortably in complete darkness. Automatic brightness control works like in Xiaomi Mi3, that is, according to the "when how" principle, sometimes the system successfully adjusts the brightness, sometimes it does not work at all the way you would set it.

Below are screenshots of the comparison of the Xiaomi Mi4 (top) and HTC One (M8) (bottom) screens as one of the reference devices with a 5 "" screen.

Camera

The main camera in Xiaomi Mi4 has the following characteristics:

Resolution 13 megapixels
Sony Exmor RS sensor
6 lenses
F / 1.8 aperture
LED flash

The resolution of the front camera is 8 MP, it uses 5 lenses, and the aperture value is the same as for the main camera - f / 1.8.

The flash can be used as a flashlight, there is a separate utility for this. In the camera settings, you can immediately choose a simple mode (with a minimum of parameters adjustable in the viewfinder mode) or normal, when all settings are in a couple of clicks. In addition to the standard options: brightness, contrast, ISO values and resolution - Xiaomi Mi4 also has manual settings for exposure, color temperature and manual focal length selection.

You can also manually select the white balance and the effects superimposed on the picture right in the viewfinder mode (even before the shooting).

An ingenious find related to the camera interface in the Xiaomi Mi4 is the ability to take a picture by tapping again on the area you just focused on. I don't remember if some other smartphones have it, but I often faced the following problem before. The device has several options for shooting: usually it is shooting by touching a certain area of the screen (the camera focuses and immediately shoots) or shooting with the on-screen button, then you need to first focus on a certain area with a tap, and then, freezing, gently move your finger to the shooting key and take a photo. In Mi4, you can tap to focus on an area and repeatedly tap on the ring to take a picture without moving your finger anywhere - very convenient. The exposure scale is also displayed on the focusing ring, and by rotating it, you can change the value of this parameter.

Now for the quality of the photos. I took pictures with Xiaomi Mi4 in different conditions: indoors, in the evening, on a sunny day and almost at night - and as a result, having looked through all the photos and compared them with similar pictures from the LG G3, I have the following to say. The camera in Xiaomi Mi4 is one of the best among all smartphones on the market. Moreover, we are not talking about any separate parameter, whether it is the sharpness of images or the correct color rendition, it is about the balance of the camera in Mi4. The frames are moderately sharp, with the correct color rendition, a precisely defined white balance, without unnecessary post-processing - in a word, natural.

Below you can see blocks of comparative photos taken on Xiaomi Mi4 and LG G3 as reference smartphones in terms of camera quality.

Shooting on a sunny day:

	Lg g3

Shooting in the evening / at night:

	Lg g3

Indoor shooting:

	Lg g3

The HDR mode on a smartphone works more or less neatly, especially if you shoot with it in the evening and at night:

Original	HDR

Xiaomi Mi4 (no HDR)	LG G3 (no HDR)

Xiaomi Mi4 (HDR)	LG G3 (HDR)

And here are a few more shots with the main camera, as well as photos taken with the front one:

The smartphone writes video in the maximum resolution of 4k, there is also the more familiar 1080p, there is software image stabilization during the video recording process and continuous focus (you can turn it off and focus on tapu). There is a slow motion mode (slowing down 30 times - 1800 times). During video recording, you can scale the picture and manually select the exposure value using the scale inside the focus ring.

Autonomous work

The device has a non-removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 3080 mAh. In the video playback mode at 1080p, 5000 kbps (the volume and brightness are set to three quarters or about 70 percent, the battery mode is "balanced", Wi-Fi and GPS are disabled) the smartphone works for about 6-7 hours. The indicator is not a record, but it is quite at the level of many other models based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 platform.

With daily use, Xiaomi Mi4 kept me all day without problems, by the evening there was 15-20 percent of the charge with the following operating scheme: removal from charge at 9-10 am, about 1 hour of talking per day, 10-20 text messages, Gmail, 3-4 hours of listening to music, 1-2 hours of active use mobile internet(Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Chrome), constant correspondence in WhatsApp and Facebook messenger during the day (not less than an hour in total), photography (there are about 50 useless frames per day, sometimes less).

In the MIUI settings, you can choose one of three types of displaying the current battery charge: a green bar at the top of the screen, a digital percentage inside the battery icon, or in the usual way - an icon with a melting charge bar.

Platform, memory

The smartphone is built on the basis of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) platform with a 2.5 GHz quad-core processor, the graphics subsystem (GPU) - Adreno 330 with a processor frequency of 578 MHz. The device has 3 GB of RAM and 16 or 64 GB of internal memory. In the 16 GB model, about 13.3 GB is available to the user. A slot for a microSD card is not provided.

Performance, tests

In synthetic tests (Antutu) Xiaomi Mi4 is in the top five most productive devices, but reality is just as good. The smartphone does not lag, does not slow down, there are no delays when opening programs. I don’t know what criticism can catch here, the device works smoothly and quickly.

Also, the device without any problems "turns" FullHD video in high quality and allows you to comfortably play all games available for the Android platform.

There is no heating during daily work and solving usual for most tasks (calls, Internet access, listening to music). When launching hardware-demanding toys, the device heats up, but I can't say that it is critically strong, although, perhaps, I simply did not have the patience to play on the smartphone for so long that it warms up properly.

Interfaces

There are now several versions of the smartphone, one for each Chinese operator. Two models work in networks of the second and third generation, another one also supports 4G. At the presentation of the device in China, representatives of Xiaomi paid special attention to the support of 4G / LTE. In practice, the situation is now as follows: Xiaomi versions Mi4, available for ordering or through online stores, as well as those that will appear in September, do not work in Russian fourth-generation networks (FDD), but are intended to work in TD-LTE. The company promised to release a version of the smartphone with LTE FDD closer to the end of this year, but for now we can say that Xiaomi Mi4 temporarily does not support "our" LTE.

For synchronization with a PC and data transfer, a complete microUSB cable and USB 2.0 interface are used. There is support for USB-OTG, you can connect to the device via an adapter external drives with FAT / FAT32 file systems.

Built-in module Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP profile.

Wi-Fi (802.11 a / b / g / n / ac)... There are no problems with the Wi-Fi module, it works correctly, the network does not lose. There is support for the DLNA standard, allows compatible devices to send and receive over home network various media content (images, music, video), as well as display it in real time.

Wi-Fi router ... Like any other modern Android smartphone, Xiaomi Mi4 can be used as an access point, "distributing" the Internet via Wi-Fi.

NFC... There is no NFC support in Xiaomi Mi4.

You can enable and disable wireless interfaces using the tab inside the notification curtain, as well as through the settings.

Telephone functions

During the use of Xiaomi Mi4, I had no problems with the quality of network reception or poor connection (I guess I just live in such a good area). The earpiece speaker is average in terms of volume level, there is no special headroom for very noisy rooms, but in general, the volume level is sufficient. The ringing loudspeaker is slightly above average in terms of volume, there is only one drawback - the loudspeaker is located at the bottom end, and if you put your smartphone in your pocket, it may turn out that the loudspeaker will overlap and sound quieter than usual. The vibration alert in Mi4 is good, you can feel it even while walking, when the device is in your pocket.

Xiaomi Mi4 (more precisely, MIUI) has blacklists for calls and messages, a vibration function when answering an outgoing call, as well as a call recording function by pressing a key or automatic recording. Moreover, you can enable auto-recording of all conversations or just a conversation with subscribers from a specific list, which you set up yourself. Conversations are written from the line, so both the interlocutor and you can be heard perfectly.

Navigation

Mi4 has GPS (as well as A-GPS and Glonass), the speed of searching for satellites in the "high accuracy" mode is very fast, literally five seconds pass, and the device is already receiving a signal from 4-5 satellites. If you select only GPS positioning mode, the search will take 10-15 seconds. There is no special navigation software in the smartphone, only Google maps are installed.

MIUI 5/6

Here you need to make a reservation right away. Now (as of August 2014) the smartphone is running MIUI V5 based on Android 4.4.2. I have already repeatedly talked about the different features of MIUI and, in particular, the fifth version, so below I will only briefly go over the most important points. The main idea of the new Xiaomi Mi4 is not only in the external design, but also in the internal design, that is, in the interface design. And that's why Xiaomi separately, after the announcement of the smartphone, presented the updated MIUI 6. The interface was seriously redesigned in appearance, became flat, light, transparent, like iOS7, in short.

Here is a short video on what MIUI 6 is:

The firmware update from MIUI 6 for Xiaomi Mi4 will appear, tentatively, in September or early October (I want to believe), but while it is being tested, and Mi4 is sold with MIUI V5 on board.

An important point: the smartphone comes from China without the Russian language and without Google services, so if you buy it through the official website, you need to be ready to install services or simply update the firmware to a version with services and Russian. If you decide to buy a device in an online store already in Russia, you should check with the seller in advance in what condition the device is being sold from the point of view of software: with the Russian language or not, with Google services or not. The pixelphone.ru online store, where I took the device for review, sells Xiaomi Mi4 with Russian and installed services Google.

Now briefly about MIUI V5 on Xiaomi Mi4.

MIUI is based on the idea of desktops without a program menu, when each new application appears on one of the screens, like in iOS. The bottom shortcut bar is fixed and does not change when you flip through the desktops. The grid of icons can be 4x4 or 4x5, the format of the notification shade can also be changed from simple to complex.

From the lock screen, you can launch the camera, or go to calls or text messages... Buttons for controlling music playback are also available here, if you have turned it on.

The lock ring also serves as a charge indicator while the device is charging.

MIUI has a convenient system for accounting for consumed traffic, and with the ability to configure notifications when a specified threshold is reached. There is a convenient dialer that allows you to quickly search for the desired contact and immediately make a call to him or proceed to writing a message.

A Chinese keyboard is used for typing. English layout as an option, but if the smartphone has Google services installed, most likely there will already be a standard Google keyboard for Android.

MIUI comes with a set of proprietary applications preinstalled for most tasks. File manager, gallery, video and audio players, voice recorder, notes and more.

However, there are still controversial points in MIUI V5, mainly related to the overall stability of the firmware. So, for example, in my sample Xiaomi Mi4 notifications in Facebook chat completely refused to work - I could see new messages only when I launched the program myself. Notifications do not come to Instagram (they are not in the notification curtain or in the line), although I forcibly turned everything on in the settings. At the same time, in Xiaomi Mi3 with the same version of MIUI, I specifically did not have these problems, that is, all this is situational and unpredictable. I am not belittling the enormous amount of work done by the creators of MIUI and users who are trying to make the firmware better with their reviews, but I still have a slight smack of a constant state of "beta" from communicating with MIUI personally.

Conclusion

In China, the Xiaomi Mi4 16 GB smartphone costs about $ 320 (~ 11,500 rubles), the 64 GB version costs about $ 400 (~ 14,500 rubles), you just can't go to the site and buy a new product. Traditionally, Xiaomi sells top-end devices in waves, and as usual, you can expect a very large percentage of sales in this way to come from dealers. They, in turn, resell the smartphone further in China and beyond. In Russia, Xiaomi Mi4 16 GB is available in several online stores, the price fork is still very large, from 17,000-18,000 rubles to 20,000-22,000. If you wish, you can probably find it cheaper. In the coming months, we should expect a decrease in these prices, but even if we take about 19,000 per unit as a basis, it is certainly worth it.

It makes no sense to list all the strengths of Xiaomi Mi4, there are simply a lot of them, this smartphone in itself is one big plus. There are only a couple of drawbacks, one of which, moreover, is temporary. This is the lack of LTE support in Russia (you need to wait for the version with LTE FDD at the end of the year), as well as the lack of a slot for a memory card (this problem is already more obvious, but it can be completely solved by choosing the 64 GB version).

Just in case, let me remind you what good is in the device. Xiaomi Mi4 is one of the smallest smartphones among the 5 "" models, equipped with one of the best cameras on the market, has an excellent balanced screen, acceptable battery life and excellent performance. As for MIUI, the firmware, of course, is not perfect yet (still), but even if you suddenly come across an unstable version or something like that, the smartphone can be easily reflashed, in Xiaomi this process is seriously simplified and does not take too much time and nerves. Therefore, Xiaomi Mi4 should definitely be considered among the potential devices to buy, even if you are still waiting for the Apple iPhone 6.

Xiaomi Mi4 review. It's amazing how quickly Xiaomi has skyrocketed into the list of top smartphone manufacturers. We looked with doubt in the direction of an unknown Chinese brand, which, by force, could not release several models in the first couple of years. interesting smartphones The only thing they could attract was simple design, above-average characteristics and cheapness.

But after that, the situation began to change very quickly. The ratio of quality, performance and price began to rapidly approach the ideal. It was on this “wave” that the Xiaomi Mi4 appeared - a smartphone that is in many ways similar to other well-known models, but at the same time special, high-quality, with attention to detail.

Equipment

We can appreciate the quality of ergonomics, starting with the packaging - it is laconic, high-quality, made of recycled materials, capable of withstanding a huge weight. But inside, everything is very modest: a phone, a charger, a microUSB cable, documentation with a clip for the SIM tray attached to it.

Design

As for the design of Xiaomi Mi4, opinions are very different here - someone is sure that Xiaomi designers copied the iPhone 5 / 5s, while someone considers it unique. But in fact, this is not at all important, the main thing is that the smartphone is cute and thoughtful in terms of ergonomics.

Xiaomi Mi4 received a high-quality case, thought out to the smallest detail: high-quality materials, excellent assembly, compactness and lightness. The front of the device is completely protected by tempered glass, the frame is made of stainless steel, there are small bevels for convenience.

The back panel is plastic, two-layer - an outer translucent glossy layer, and the second - white with a diamond-shaped texture. Of the additional features, Xiaomi Mi4 has interchangeable panels, which resembles Moto X. All types of panels are available separately from the first day, and today there are dozens of them.

The case not only looks monolithic, it is truly monolithic despite being removable back cover... This panel does not have even the slightest backlash, everything is done with high quality to the smallest detail and it is almost impossible for dust to clog under the back cover.

Today it is difficult to call the 3mm bezel on the sides of the display minimal, but it is not striking. Xiaomi Mi4 is still considered one of the most compact smartphones with a 5-inch screen.

Under the display, there are touch buttons with bright backlighting, which is visible even during the day. The default functions of the buttons are standard, but in the settings you can reassign their reaction to a long press.

On the right side of the case, there are power and volume buttons.

The microSIM card tray is located on the left side, you can get it only with a special paper clip from the kit, or with a pin or a thick needle.

The top edge houses a 3.5 mm audio jack for a headset and an infrared port.

MicroUSB connector for connection charger installed at the bottom, next to the port there is a small perforated speaker and microphone grill.

Above the display is an 8-megapixel front camera, proximity and lighting sensors, a mesh of the earpiece.
There is no LED indicator here - it is located under the central Home button.

Display

The smartphone received a 5-inch IPS LCD screen with Full HD resolution and 441ppi dot density. The matrix for the screen is supplied by Sharp / JDI. We do not know anything about the supplier of protective tempered glass, but the main thing is that it is of high quality, scratch-resistant, there is a good oleophobic coating.

The screen sensor recognizes up to 10 touches at the same time, it also perceives touches with gloves.

The image quality of the Mi4 screen can be safely assessed with the highest score: the picture is clear, the viewing angles of the display for the IPS matrix are maximum, the detail is on high level... You can optionally select one of the color temperature and saturation modes.

The display does not fade in the bright sun, it fades noticeably, but the image is still distinguishable. The brightness of the screen is enough for convenient outdoor use, at night it is also comfortable to read at the minimum brightness level.

Performance

The Xiaomi Mi4 uses the Snapdragon 801 platform with a frequency of up to 2.5 GHz, the Adreno 330 graphics accelerator is paired with it. 3GB of RAM and 16/64 GB are also installed. internal memory... For example, in the version with 16GB of memory, the user can dispose of 13.3GB. There is no microSD slot here.

AnTuTu test - Xiaomi comparison Mi4 and Xiaomi Mi5

At the time of the start of sales, Xiaomi Mi4 hit the TOP of smartphones according to AnTuTu. And today, its performance is sufficient for smooth operation of MIUI, support for multitasking and the passage of demanding 3D games. By the way, in AnTuTu, the smartphone is gaining 61,493 points. The smartphone can only get a little warm when running graphically demanding games.

Specifications Xiaomi Mi 4

Manufacturer	Xiaomi
Model	Xiaomi Mi 4
Date of announcement	2014, July
Network support	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
- 2G	GSM 850/900/1800/1900 - all versions
- 3G	TD-SCDMA 2010-2025 / 1880-1920 - 4G model
- 4G	LTE band 38 (2600), 39 (1900), 40 (2300) - 4G model
Bluetooth	v4.0, A2DP
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
Dimensions (edit)	139.2 x 68.5 x 8.9 mm (5.48 x 2.70 x 0.35 inches)
The weight	149 g (5.26 oz)
Accumulator battery	Non-removable, Li-Ion 3080 mAh
Display	(~ 72.3% of smartphone surface)
- permission	1080 x 1920 pixels (~ 441 ppi)
CPU	Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801
- CPU frequency	Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400
- graphics	Adreno 330
Memory	16/64 GB, 3 GB operational
USB	microUSB v2.0, USB Host
Camera	Photo / Video
- the main	13 MP, f / 1.8, autofocus, LED flash
- frontal	8 MP, f / 1.8, [email protected]
Operating system	Android OS, v4.4.3 (KitKat), updated to v6.0.1 (Marshmallow)

Operating system

If you decide to buy Xiaomi Mi4 from China, then it will come to you without Russian localization and without pre-installed applications from Google. Be prepared to re-read the instructions for flashing your smartphone.

There is no menu of installed applications, everything is immediately sent to the home screen. Therefore, you immediately need to organize the icons into folders. The grid of icons on the screen can be changed - 4x4 or 4x5.

MIUI has a number of standard apps for extending Android functionality. The only thing Xiaomi still needs to work on is to improve the stability of the firmware.

Camera

The main module Xiaomi cameras The Mi4 is a 13MP Sony Expos RS with 6-lens optics, LED flash and f / 1.8 aperture.

The front camera is also not simple - 8-megapixel, with 5-lens optics and f / 1.8 aperture.

If you have come across the interface of the Xiaomi camera application before, then you will not see anything new on the Mi4 - everything is very simple. But in addition there is a simplified mode with a minimum of icons. Traditionally, you can adjust contrast, brightness, resolution, ISO, color temperature, shutter speed, focal length, as well as white balance and effects.

Video - Xiaomi Mi4 Camera Review

Photos are natural even without post-processing, with good color reproduction, high sharpness, and accurate white balance.
You can shoot videos at resolutions up to 4k, but software stabilization and continuous autofocus are only available at resolutions up to 1080p.

Battery

Xiaomi Mi4 received a 3080 mAh battery. This is quite enough for 6-7 hours of work under a very serious load. The smartphone was tested in "balanced" mode, with screen brightness at 75%, volume at 75%, Full HD video playback.

If we talk about everyday use of a smartphone, then the battery will last all day. Of course, it all depends on your scenario, but we took into account the following: up to 2 hours of mobile Internet, communication in social networks, WhatsApp correspondence, up to 4 hours of listening to music, up to 20 SMS, about an hour of calls, constant Gmail synchronization and up to 50 created photos.

Video - Review Xiaomi Mi4

Outcomes

pros

high-quality assembly and materials;
nice design and ergonomics;
high performance;
great camera;
high-quality screen;
replaceable panels;
price.

minuses

instability of MIUI (fixed by updates);
no microSD slot;
no support for two SIM cards.

Compared to other flagships, Xiaomi Mi4 seems to be ultra affordable, however it only seems. It is almost impossible to buy a smartphone directly from the manufacturer, you will have to use the services of retailers. Xiaomi Mi4 is one of the best and most successful Xiaomi models.

disadvantages

A comment

the phone is cool at high performance it heats up so not bad at 4 pda a lot of information for it
take it, you won't regret it

Complain Did the review help? 1 13

I went with this device for about 9 - 10 months, everything was fine, the build quality, hardware, signal reception level, performance, screen brightness, the camera also suited me, it was all great. The phone for my money is very cool (I took 3 GB of RAM + 64 ROM for 16k)disadvantages

A comment

I was not the only one with a similar disadvantage of the device, at least two more users of whom I know had a similar story, on 4pd I conducted a dialogue with them. Those. the situation is not an isolated one.

Complain Did the review help? 10 21

Bright screen with FullHD resolution, relatively powerful hardware even by the standards of 2017 (3 Giga RAM and 801Snap), Capacious Akum for Mach 3050, enough for a day with such a screen with active use, 10-20% still remains, in pure mode enough to talk for three days. Good quality photo video, excellent connection, 3G gives relatively good speeds for comfortable surfing (considering that this is Beeline in Volgograd, which is an order of magnitude inferior to Megafon, well, in comparison with other 3G devices from bees, it is not bad). Good headphone sound. The interlocutor and him can hear me well. Fast confident GPS reception. The proprietary MIUI 8 shell on Android 6. There is an infrared port for controlling home appliances. Design.disadvantages

A comment

In general, the phone is good, I bought the same one in China, when it was the flagship, I broke the screen and stoked it)) I thought which one to take, eventually I took MI4 again, since everything was fine, there were Akum and a bunch of covers. The MIUI 8 shell on top of Android 6 is very flexible, has many settings, I have not seen any glitches in more than a year of using it. In the sample from the citylink from the box, version 8.0 was immediately updated when the WI-Fi was connected, it was updated to 8.1
It is not clear why the description indicates the LTE 2Gb version, in nature it exists, but in this case it is not. In practice, of all the devices from Xiaomi and Meizu that have support for 4G, in fact, it turns out that there is no support for the popular Band20 (800) and, as a result, there is really no LTE. Exception Meizu M5.

Complain Did the review help? 16 14

Asus Zenfone

disadvantages