Sunday 25 May 2014

Xiaomi mi3 Unboxing

This is the unboxing of the so-hyped mi3 from Xiaomi. With the specs so similar with other flagships of overpriced "mainstream" brands; the pricing of the mi3 is definitely a killer.
I was skeptical of the OS, but seeing the price, why not? At least I wont be paying through the nose for a problematic/frustrating user experience.

Without further a due, the unboxing.

The package arrived way earlier than expected. Definitely a welcome, although the credit is more to Fedex, but kudos for Xiaomi for choosing Fedex as their delivery partner.



The box have sharp edges, which is fairly new for me. Perhaps to make the appearance a little "smarter" or "formal". The cardboard used is sufficiently thick.


A small touch by Xiaomi to protect the contents during delivery. The smaller boxes fit nicely in the bigger box preventing them clashing with each other.



The actual box containing the mi3; with the same sharp edges characteristic. Very "smart" but will end up in the store anyway.



The pin and instruction booklet provided inside the envelope. Space usage/arrangement is definitely commendable for the accessories.




The charging and data cable looks promising. It is quite sturdy. There are also plenty of spaces for the thumb so that cable tugging is unnecessary. I would expect a better lifespan for the cable compared to iphone's.


The specification of the mi3 is shown at the back of the box. As mentioned, it is comparable to other "mainstream" brands flagship models. It is not a top heavyweight contender, but it is definitely not lightweight.






The phone itself also feels sturdy. Nothing plasticky or cheappo feel from it. It also feels light despite me using iphone5 all this while.




The buttons are really limited. Only the volume and power button at the right side. Physical button shortcut will be very limited by this. Perhaps will need to be used to using widgets or shortcuts at the main screen.



The slot for mobile simcard. mi3 accept a full-sized simcard. Xiaomi also provide a converter for micro-sims for easier porting.

I powered the mi3 straight without charging. It has sufficient battery power in it for basic set up. For this test, I only keep pressing "Next" or "Skip".










And there, its alive!!!!


But Wait!!!!!! Iphone5 was using the nano-sim. The converter provided is for micro-sim. Haihs. I went to buy a converter nano-normal sized sim. Luckily, it is working fine.

This is the information provided by the phone. Latest stable ROM is used. Not going to go through all the hassle for problematic developer ROMs, yet. This is definitely one department for me not wasting money on other flagship androids phones. Every update, they will say everything is fixed...every single update, same words, same problematic problems.


I have no idea on how to gauge performances in mobile phones. I only know how to benchmark Computers. Overclocking, Underclocking, playing with the voltage, testing stability and all.
So I just rely on the stock version and AnTutu for benchmarking.

The Higher the better - the figures.



I have no idea on how to interpret the stability result. Is is ok? Is it not ok?
It didnt hang, or have excessive heat during the test. So I guess its ok.


Conclusion.
Well built.
Camera....not so promising as it losses out to the Sony Z2, and also Iphone5. Maybe more on this later.
Price is definitely a welcome. I think this is a suitable price for Android devices if compared to Apple devices. Similar spec Android devices are just not worth the price they are asking, period.

I guess I am satisfied with the overall performance from the mi3, apart from the camera.
Given the hardware, a better software can definitely improve the quality.

Battery life is ok. If you use the phone extensively, then of course the battery will drain, within the day, or even half a day.
On idle, it can last longer than the iphone5. Iphone5 on idle can last for days, almost a week. On extensive screen usage, only 3 hours. mi3 on extensive screen usage can last around 6 hours.