The day when Xiaomi Mi3 went on sale in India, Xiaomi also introduced its new flagship phone Xiaomi Mi4, which improves on its predecessor without much increase in price. The new big thing from Xiaomi will cost $320 to begin with. Let’s take a look at how far Xiaomi has evolved this year.
Display and Processor
The display on both these phones is 5 inches in size with 1080p resolution. Interestingly Xiaomi hasn’t moved to 5.5 Inch display size for its new flaghsip, unlike OPPO, Gionee and several others. Those who are looking for some extra large real estate might be disappointed but that’s a matter of personal taste.
The processor has been enhanced from 2.3 GHz quad core snapdragon 800 to 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801, each with cortex A15 based Krait 400 cores. The Adreno GPU clock frequency, which has been improved from 450 MHz to 578 MHz will make a difference. The Mi4 with Snapdragon 801 and 3 GB RAM makes it a tough competitor to OnePlus One.
Camera and Internal Storage
The megapixel count remains same at 13 MP, but Mi4 has wider aperture lens (f/2.2 vs f/1.8) for better low light performance. Both phones have a similar dual LED flash, but selfie camera in Mi4 is poised for more detailed photography with its 8 MP front camera, which is quite an upgrade compared to 2 MP front cam in Xiaomi Mi3.
Internal storage options remain same with 16 GB and 64 GB options available. Perhaps Xiaomi might also retail 64 GB variant in international markets this time.
Battery and Features
The battery capacity is almost similar with Mi4 flaunting a 3080 mAh battery , marginaly ahead of 3050 mAh Li-ion power house in Mi3. Since both devices have similar display and power efficient chipsets, battery backup will also expected to be at par. We could get an easy one day usage with our Mi3 unit.
Mi4 comes with a stainless steel frame and is slightly thicker and heavier as compared to Mi3. It is fueled by Android KitKat based MIUI 6 which should also come to Mi3 sometime later. On connectivity front, Mi4 will additionally support Mi4 and WiFiac and LTE connectivity but eliminates NFC, Xiaomi has shied away from NFC citing that only 1 percent of the users use it . Xiaomi will also provide multi color variants with swappable back covers. Also Xiaomi Mi4 has much appretiated IP67 dust and water resistance certification along with an IR Blaster to mess with your TV.
Key Specs
| Model | Xiaomi Mi4 | Xiaomi Mi3 |
| Display | 5 inch, FHD | 5 inch, FHD |
| Processor | 2.5 GHz Quad Core Snapdragon 801 | 2.3 GHz Quad Core Snapdragon 800 |
| RAM | 3 GB | 2 GB |
| Internal Storage | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| OS | Android 4.4 KitKat based MIUI | Android 4.4 KitKat based MIUI |
| Camera | 13 MP/ 8 MP | 13 MP/ 2 MP |
| Battery | 3080 mAh | 3,050 mAh |
| Price | $320 | $260 (13,999 INR) |
Conclusion
Xiaomi Mi4 doesn’t feature Quad HD display or Snapdragon 805 or laster autofocus, but at this price we can happily let all that slide. Mi4 promises an improved performance over its predecessor without increasing the price and that’s an achievement. A larger 5.5 inch display and perhaps VOOC like rapid charging technology would have made it more appealing for a large section of people.
