XIAOMI MI 6
Xiaomi has cornered a market for above average components in budget devices so the Mi 6 surprises with its splash-resistant body and premium looking “four-sided curved glass” design. Otherwise, the phone has average handling and straighforward ergonomics. The 5.15-inch, Full HD IPS display here has a maximum brightness of 600nits; one of the better ones with great clarity, sharpness and balanced colorization. The MIUI platform also offers a bunch of display optimization settings.
The biggest aw on the Mi 6 is a missing 3.5mm audio jack; in its place a microphone (left) and speaker (right) anking a USB Type-C port. Considering wireless headphones from recognized brands don’t come cheap, the lack of a more common 3.5mm jack is all the more apparent on a budget device; you are going to be looking at paying from a fth to double the asking price of the phone, just to plug that gap.
Another dual rear camera phone, you get two nearly identical 12-megapixel shooters. The primary camera is 27mm (35mm equivalent), while the secondary camera is a telephoto alternative with its 52mm lens. The dual cameras are for Xiaomi’s Portrait Mode. It’s achieved with the help of the 52mm secondary rear camera, and it’s facilitated by its stereoscopic imaging system and image recognition software (marketed as a deep learning algorithm). It does the job rather splendidly, but the lack of OIS on the second camera makes it tougher to take better images when you’re in a dim setting. The main camera has an average image quality – it’s not the strongest contender for color vibrancy, but it’s sufficiently accurate. It actually has better noise management than the OnePlus 5 out of the box.
It’s not that the Mi 6 lacks the bells and whistles that prop up a typical agship device, but instead it relies on bringing agship specifications to the table at great monetary value. It’s pretty much a no-nonsense handset if you’re already familiar with Android 7.1 OS and MIUI as a whole. Mid-range alternatives may offer a longer uptime in some cases, but Mi 6 offers raw power in return.
Great value with agship processor.
No 3.5mm headphone jack.