Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite smartphone - advantages and disadvantages

The first autumn month of 2019 presented many new products to users of mobile electronic devices. Among the products of famous manufacturers, there is also a model of the popular Xiaomi brand - the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite device.

The progenitor of the international version is Xiaomi CC9, which was released in China a few months earlier, before the presentation of the gadget in question on the European market. The content of this article will be devoted to the above-named device.

Design features

The appearance of the Mi 9 Lite is similar to the design Mi 9... A newcomer by the standards of 2019, it is characterized by average dimensions. The front panel is equipped with a full-size teardrop notch display located at the top of the front surface. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 tempered glass with a sufficient margin of safety.

The back panel of the device is slightly curved and attracts attention with an iridescent 3D texture. Here you can also find the Xiomi logo with LED backlighting, which can change the brightness and color when a call or notification arrives, as well as when playing music. On the right, on the side surface, there are 3 classic keys, the purpose of which is to adjust the volume and provide power.

A potential buyer can choose one of the available color options for the case according to his taste preferences:

• Black (black);
• Blue (blue);
• White (white).

The phone, the body of which is made of aluminum, has an average weight of 179 g for similar products and dimensions of 156.8 mm * 74.5 mm * 8.7 mm (height / width / thickness, respectively).

Specifications

Display

The gadget is equipped with a touch screen made by Amoled technology with a diagonal size of 6.39 inches. The aforementioned matrix in the recent past was used only in flagship phone devices, but today it can also be found in mid-budget models, including the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite. The technology used has excellent image quality. Its resolution corresponds to 2340 * 1080 pixels (FHD +), and the maximum brightness is 600 nits. A feature of the screen is the presence of the DC Dimming function, which eliminates the noise-flickering irritating to the organs of vision, inherent in the above type of panels.

In terms of the occupied space of the total surface area of ​​the front panel as a percentage, the display is allocated 85.8%. Accordingly, the proportion of the length and width of the screen is equal to the ratio that characterizes a significant mass of modern smartphones - 19.5 to 9. This indicator is able to provide the owner with a comfortable viewing environment for video, text, graphic images, and can also fulfill the requests of mobile gamers.

Platform

The device has MIUI 10 shell, based on Android 9 (Рie).

This version of the operating system in 2019 found the widest distribution in mobile electronic devices: thanks to it, a higher battery life is realized due to giving priority to the most frequently used applications, in addition, it is designed to simplify multitasking.

The phone uses not the newest model of the chipset - it is Snapdragon 710. For the current moment this variant is average, but nevertheless, quite productive. The eight-core processor (which consists of 2 productive cores and 6 energy-efficient ones) is made using 10 nanometer technology and operates at the maximum possible frequency of 2.2 GHz. The presence of a relatively gaming component is noted: it can be considered close to the flagship.

The GPU Adreno 616 features reduced power consumption.

Memory

Internal data stores are represented by two configurations:

• 6 GB RAM and 64 GB ROM;
• The same indicator of RAM plus 128 GB of built-in.

It should be noted that 6 GB of RAM is an excellent indicator for devices in the middle segment. If it is necessary to expand the internal memory resources, one of the slots of the tray, designed for two SIM cards, is used.

You can increase the amount of stored information using an external source using microSD with a capacity of up to 256 GB.

Battery

The battery life of the lithium-polymer non-removable battery device is 4030 mAh. With standard operation, a gadget of this capacity should be enough for two days, but even if the battery charge is unexpectedly depleted, there is a possibility of its quick recovery: the package includes an 18W charger. With its help, after half an hour the battery charge will be replenished by 50%.

Cameras

In the rear camera, the company has implemented the current trend for a three-module sensor. In a specific case, it consists of:

• Cameras SONY IMX586 48 megapixels with f / 1.8 aperture;
• 8-megapixel wide-angle sensor and viewing angles up to 118 degrees;
• 2 megapixel depth sensor for creating a photo with a blurred background.

The symbiosis of the presented sensors is surprising in the indicator of the resolution of the third, and therefore it can be assumed that its use is a marketing ploy.

The main camera is equipped with an LED flash, capable of operating in HDR mode, creating panoramas, recording video in formats: 2160p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30/60 / 120fps, 720p @ 960fps. The selfie camera, located in the waterdrop notch on the front panel, is equipped with a single sensor with a resolution of 32 megapixels and an aperture of f / 2.0. The front camera records video in 1080p @ 30fps.

In addition to the main purpose (taking pictures and videos), the front camera can also be used as a means of unlocking the device (face recognition).

Network and interfaces

The gadget has at its disposal a hybrid slot for two nano-SIM cards operating in dual stand-by mode. The smartphone provides the implementation of the standard option for this kind of devices - connection to Wi-Fi, which is based on the 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac standard.

There is a Wi-Fi direct that will help a real smartphone and other electronic devices to "communicate" directly.

The transfer of information between devices at a small distance is possible thanks to the 5th version of the bluetooth. It will not be difficult to obtain information about the location on planet Earth thanks to the GPS system (satellite navigator A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo). The device is equipped with an NFC module, which is popular in modern realities. Its presence will help to use the smartphone as a bank card or a travel ticket for the purpose of making contactless payments. There is an infrared port, which will assist in the management of household appliances. There is a radio receiver in contact with FM waves. The phone is equipped with USB Type C 1.0 version 2 port.

Sound

The gadget implements active noise cancellation and speakerphone modes. The 3.5 mm audio jack, standard for mobile gadgets, is left.

Additional features

To create a safe environment for storing data stored in the phone, as well as to prevent unauthorized access to them, a sensor is used that reacts to the touch of a fingerprint. The Amoled technology used allows the fingerprint sensor to be embedded in the display.

The device that identifies the fingerprint instantly unlocks the device or restricts access to the information of the smartphone.

The arsenal of gadget observation equipment includes accelerometer and gyroscope standard for modern devices. The first one helps to track the turns of the mechanism in space, which is important for users who prefer active game processes. The second one will help to determine the position of the apparatus in three-dimensional space.

The cost

To buy a new model, depending on the version, the consumer will need to pay 319 euros (with 6/64 GB internal memory) or 349 euros (for ROM / RAM 6/128 GB, respectively).

• Excellent image quality on a user-friendly screen;
• Rear and front camera capabilities, good image and video quality;
• Indicator of autonomous operation of the device, the implementation of fast charging;
• Amounts of RAM and built-in memory sufficient for the full operation of the gadget;
• The ability to make contactless payments thanks to the presence of an NFC chip.

• Considerable cost for the level of the mid-budget model.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the review of the global version allows us to draw preliminary conclusions about the pros and cons of a newcomer who has entered the European market. Many consumers consider the presented model to be a good option for a camera phone and a means of fulfilling the needs for fans of mobile games. They are also attracted by the additional conveniences associated with the presence of a fingerprint scanner on the front panel, as well as an NFC chip.

Many of the potential users note that the product is not cheap, and therefore believe that the device can easily be found an alternative with the same set of technical characteristics and capabilities, but at a lower price. Given the fact that the smartphone starts its journey from European countries, there is a possibility that when it is in Russia, the price list will be more affordable.