Xiaomi's bezel-less Mi Mix 2 will dazzle you
The new Mi Mix 2 is a beautiful phone that runs on the same processor as Samsung's Galaxy Note 8.
The tiny-bezel look is in. Edge-to-edge screens have dazzled us recently on the Essential Phone and Samsung's Galaxy Note 8, and Xiaomi's Mi Mix 2 is another all-display jaw dropper.
Announced on Monday, the Mi Mix 2 is the Chinese company's new flagship phone. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor (the powerhouse chipset inside the Note 8 and S8) and has a 5.99-inch, 2,080x1,080-pixel resolution display. That screen is smaller than last year -- the original Mi Mix had a 6.4-inch display -- and it's lacking dual cameras, with a lone 12-megapixel shooter on the back. But there's no denying the device's beauty.
The original Mi Mix was a concept phone. It lacked a front speaker, replacing it with a cantilever ceramic piezoelectric actuator that turned the whole phone into a speaker. The Mix 2 compromises with an actual speaker that plays sound from a tiny slit that sits at the edge of the display.
The sound quality is surprisingly good. I've given the phone a spin over the past few days and didn't notice any issues with the speaker. Best of all, the phone doesn't vibrate like the original when you make a call.
The bezel is slightly thicker than the original at the top, but it's still thin enough to look like it's not there.
The whole concept of the Mix series is to focus on the display, but surprisingly the Mix 2 isn't all screen. The front 5-megapixel camera sits on a small chin at the bottom. The phone is a little bit shorter than the first Mix so when you hold it, you feel like you're seeing more screen.
Like the original, the phone creates the almost magical impression that there's nothing between the display and the real world. It's like Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Note 8 phones. But the Mix sells it better with hardly any space at the top -- even with the inclusion of a speaker slit.
Quick specs
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor
- 5.99-inch, full-HD+ display (2,080x1,080 pixels)
- 6GB RAM with 128GB/256GB onboard storage
- 3,400mAh embedded battery
- Rear fingerprint sensor
Besides a smaller display, the Mix 2 now sports metal sides instead of the ceramic material in the original Mix. For one thing, it's a lot easier to manufacture -- Xiaomi said it takes seven days to compress and bake the ceramic body with no assurance that it will be the right size when it's finished, so using metal sides allows the company to make more of the Mix 2. But if you want the whole ceramic experience, a special edition white model is available.
That said, the phone still has a ceramic back that's scratch resistant, so you don't have to worry about tiny nicks to the phone, but the downside is that it's a crazy fingerprint magnet and can easily crack if it takes a knock.
The rear ceramic is a shiny fingerprint magnet.
The Mix 2 is Xiaomi's most expensive phone, just as the Mix was. The base 6GB RAM, 64GB onboard storage model costs 3,299 yuan, which converts to about $535, £405 or AU$665. There are configurations with more storage that cost more (128GB, 256GB), with the most expensive special edition priced at 4,699 yuan, which converts to $720, £545 or AU$895.
As with most Xiaomi phones, the Mix 2 will be sold in China first before rolling out to the rest of its global markets. It won't be released in the US, UK or Australia, but you'll be able to get one from an online reseller. That will take some work, though. You'll need to root and install a version of Xiaomi's MIUI operating system that has Google Play services. But the phone will have working 4G LTE everywhere in the world, including in the US.
I really liked the few days I've been spending with the phone. Be sure to check back soon for my full review.