Smartphone Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S – advantages and disadvantages

Having successfully settled in China, India and far beyond its borders, Xiaomi is not going to stop. Since 2011, the company has released more than 50 smartphones, several laptops and tablets. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S smartphone hit the market in spring 2018. According to the results of the third quarter of 2018, the company is in the top five among the global manufacturers of mobile equipment.

The history of the appearance of the model

The Mi Mix 2s was first introduced to the general public on March 27, 2018. It became a new, improved version of the Mi Mix 2 model, released in 2017. 2s received a powerful processor and an updated Android 8 Oreo operating system. All ceramic parts of the case were designed by French industrial designer Philippe Starck.Below we will consider the capabilities of the smartphone and a special limited version.

Attractive design and features

Of all the existing Xiaomi lines, the most recognizable has always been the “Mix” series. Model 2s has become an addition to its predecessor MI Mix2. A huge screen, a ceramic back cover - the appearance of the smartphone is eye-catching. When it first appears out of the box, the device attracts with its design - it immediately becomes clear that this is a premium class device.

Around the perimeter, the smartphone case is made of metal, the back cover is made of ceramics, and the screen is made of tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass. Such a choice of materials gives the phone originality, compared to smartphones of competitive brands that prefer to use glass as the main body material. The phone comes with a case to protect the ceramic back.

The smartphone's dual camera design is very reminiscent of the iPhone X. It does not stand out from the overall appearance of the smartphone and fits organically into the design. This is the only noticeable resemblance to the Apple model. There is no “bang” on the top of the screen, like the iPhone X - this is for the better, as the “frameless” smartphone feels fuller.

The phone is large in size, but it does not stand out much from the competition. Solid and neat. Quite heavy in weight.

The lower frame of the smartphone is larger than the upper one, which gives the device a disproportion. This is explained by the fact that it is on the lower part that all the sensors and the front camera are located.

The smartphone is available in two basic colors - white and black. Modest and tasteful.

A limited edition has also been released for fans of the brand and those who love painting and are interested in art.
The limited series will be called Xiaomi Mi Mix2s Art Special Edition. For the emergence of an exclusive version of the smartphone - a huge thanks to the British Museum.

The model will be produced in rich black color with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal memory.
The exclusive series is distinguished by a gold-colored bezel around the contour of the dual main chamber, an engraved British Museum inscription, original packaging and a unique case, which is decorated with images of Italian ceramics using the Majolica technique.

The limited version will differ only in appearance, the “stuffing” of the smartphone will remain the same as in the original. The cost will be higher, but the price for that is the opportunity to be closer to art.

Screen

The display received a diagonal of 5.99 inches, and an IPS LSD matrix. It is worth noting that for the same cost, competitors put Super-AMOLED and OLED screens on devices. Display resolution 2160 by 1080 pixels. The aspect ratio is 18:9, viewing angles are maximum. The saturation of the image is slightly overestimated, but this feature does not interfere with comfortable use.

There is an adjustment for displaying display colors from warmer to colder shades. The user can choose the most optimal mode of use for himself. Adjusting the brightness of the image can lower the backlight level to the maximum allowable value, taking care of preserving the wearer's eyesight.

Sound and headphones

What will be the sound in the headphones, the user will not immediately understand, because there is no headphone jack. The manufacturer decided to keep the “mini-jack” connector, 3.5 mm in size. does not make sense, and abandoned it.

To solve this problem, you can use a Bluetooth headset, or carry the adapter with you wherever you go and make sure that it does not get lost. So-so perspective, of course.

With third-party headphones connected, the sound is impressive. Volumetric, juicy, all frequencies are perfectly audible, which means that you will be able to enjoy your favorite compositions with great comfort. For more precise adjustment to the user's sound preferences, there is an equalizer with advanced settings built into the shell.

External speaker

The main speaker is located on the bottom of the case. During an incoming call, the melody is played not only through the external speaker, but also through the earpiece. It turns out very loudly, it will be difficult not to hear the incoming call. When music is playing, the external speaker produces a lot of high frequencies - the ear does not hurt, but noticeably.

Camera main and front

The location of the front camera in a smartphone can be bewildering. Not only is it located at the bottom of the case, but to start using it, the phone must be turned over. It is very uncomfortable. They shifted the front camera down for a reason - this step was made in favor of a completely frameless display. The camera module is 5MP. Despite the unusual location, the smartphone will be able to take good photos.

The main camera has a dual sensor - 12 + 12MP. The phone can rightly be called a "camera phone". The rear camera boasts excellent color reproduction. Bright, rich and natural colors in photographs. Artificial intelligence improves sharpness and enhances color reproduction.

• If you are shooting architecture or landscapes, you can turn on the HDR mode to increase sharpness and clarity;
• If macro photography is involved, then autofocus may shift completely in the direction in which the author directed it. In this case, manual configuration will help.

An example of how to photograph during the day:

Night photos are also good, objects are distinguishable and not blurry.

An example of how it takes pictures at night:

The portrait mode is present, and with its help decent shots come out. You can shoot with the “Bokeh” effect, when the background of the image is beautifully blurred, which is very popular now. True, you need to take such photos only in good lighting, in bad - the frame will be “blurred”.

Video is recorded in 4K. There is optical stabilization, and the colors are pleasing with saturation. But recording sound in a video is upsetting - the microphone distorts the purity of the sound. For example, when recording a concert on a smartphone, the user runs the risk of not hearing anything.

Processor and RAM

Mi Mix 2s was equipped with the most powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor for 2018, the Adreno 630 chip is responsible for the graphics.

RAM in the smartphone 6 GB, built-in 128 GB. This volume is very handy, since there is no slot for expanding memory in the smartphone. Yes, this is a dual sim, and it is possible to use two numbers, but inserting a microSD card will not work. The developers have deprived users of such joy.

All tested games, be it Tanks or Ships, were flying at maximum settings, but sometimes there were slight drawdowns. If you do not find fault with this, then in general everything is fine.
All other applications, such as YouTube, instant messengers and social networks, work quickly and smartly.

In the synthetic test, Antutu Benchmark gives 262,645 points, but after passing several levels in Tanks, downloading applications and watching videos, the test result already showed 136042 points.
It remains to be hoped for further improvements, but in games and the operation of the device, this drawdown in numbers was not felt in any way. A simple user may not even notice the difference.

Thanks to the ceramic cover, there is no strong heating of the device during games - this is a plus.
Despite the most powerful processor by the time the smartphone was released, it did not show shocking results from the existing ones on the market. And even lost to OnePlus 5T. Firmware optimization plays an important role here. In the next updates, things can get much better.

Operating system and interface

The smartphone has Android 8 Oreo, "on top" of which is the proprietary shell of Xiaomi MIUI 9. The interface is easy to use and intuitive. Contains many features and useful functions.

The quality of voice messages in MI Mix 2s is at a very high level. Loud, clear and no noise.

Gesture control here is very convenient. An excellent training function in the settings will help you quickly and easily master gesture control, even for those who have never used it before.

You can turn off the Android control buttons on the bottom bar (menu, recent apps and back), and control only with gestures. This technique will help to make the smartphone absolutely frameless.

There is an interesting feature of automatic recording of incoming calls. To activate the function, it is enough to check the box once in the settings, and each call will be recorded automatically. This option is useful in resolving minor contentious issues. For example, when a person missed a meeting, assuring that you agreed on a completely different time. Turn on the recording of voice calls - and listen to who was wrong.

It is better to use the function carefully, for ethical reasons.And use more for your peace of mind than to settle disputes.

It is possible to take a screenshot with three fingers. This option is not new, but very convenient. Using gestures, it is also possible to launch the camera application.

In general, the interface works fine, but there were some system freezes - there were crashes from the Internet, periodic reboots, and incoming calls were dropped.

autonomy

The smartphone supports wireless charging. From 0 to 100% it will be charged a little more than 3 hours.

Battery capacity 3400 mAh. The charge of the phone with average use should be enough for a whole day. If you actively use it, you will have to look for an outlet. You can charge the device with a complete charger in an hour and a half.

When watching videos on YouTube for half an hour, the device was discharged by 8%. With a ten-minute game in "World of Tanks" - by 6%. These results are a little disappointing.

Equipment

The standard package includes:

1. Smartphone;
2. Instructions;
3. Charger;
4. Cable for connecting to a computer;
5. Adapter;
6. Clip for removing sim cards;
7. Case.

Specifications

Price

You can buy a smartphone with 64GB of internal memory at a price of 35,999 to 39,000 rubles.

The model with 128gb will be more expensive - from 42,500 to 45,899 thousand rubles. The cost may change.

Pros and cons

After reviewing the main functions and appearance of the device, we can highlight the positive and negative qualities of this model.

1. Design;
2. Ceramic case;
3. Performance;
4. Camera;
5. Ability to control gestures;
6. Price.

1. There is no protection against water ingress;
2. No 3.5mm headphone jack;
3. The weight;
4. Sound quality when recording video;
5. There is no infrared port to control home appliances.

Outcome

After all the information described, it will not be difficult to sum up.
Mi Mix 2s is fast, beautiful and inexpensive for its content. A smartphone with an excellent camera, wireless charging, loud sound from an external speaker appeared in the Mix line.

But, when deciding to buy Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s, you need to remember about its shortcomings, getting ready for some compromises during use.