If until a few years ago the name of Xiaomi was relegated only to the Chinese market, for months now it has also colonized our market, officially sold in Italy. Xiaomi Mi 9 is the new top of the range of the company, which contains the list price, without giving up top components, on all the Snapdragon 855 chip.
An aesthetically valid terminal, even without being original, with all the credentials to be considered a smartphone to be taken into absolute consideration if you want an Android phone. Perhaps the best choice in the relationship between quality and performance.
Aesthetics
On an aesthetic level Xiaomi Mi 9 does not do too much to be original, and indeed it seems to really recall the shapes, especially in the front, of OnePlus 6T. It is slightly longer, but weighs less, and the notch actually hides some small differences, which we will discuss later.
On the back it has a slightly curved glass, which gives it a particular design, but above all a feeling of comfort when held in the hand. Not only that, even from an aesthetic point of view, the choice is convincing, also thanks to the colors of the body that creates a captivating holographic effect, at least in the Ocean Blue color. And then, if on the front Xiaomi Mi 9 is almost identical to a OnePlus 6T, on the back it shines instead of its own light.
The shape of the notch is also particular, which Xiaomi wanted to correct via software. And in fact there is a shape similar to that of the top-of-the-range Huawei, which have a round profile. When the display is on, however, the shape of the notch becomes almost identical to that of the OnePlus 6T, therefore a drop, corrected via software by Xiaomi.
Characteristics
The Mi 9 offers a 6.39-inch AMOLED display , with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 Full HD +, which offers vibrant colors, with a wide range of brightness. The display is really a feast for the eyes, even if compared with that of the OnePlus 6T, it is slightly lower, at least in the opinion of the writer. Watching a movie on this device, or even playing in full screen will still be excellent experiences.
The measurements of Xiaomi Mi 9 are 157.5 x 74.67 x 7.61mm , so it is a device medium in size, but weighing only 173 grams . Again in comparison to the OnePlus 6T (terminal that we consider to be among the most comparable), it is perceived as much lighter and more comfortable.
On the bottom of the device there is a USB-C port, while there is no 3.5mm jack . On the right side we find a volume rocker and on / off button, and on the left side a button that recalls the Google Assistant. The buttons are quite pronounced, and when you take it out of your pocket, you can often accidentally press them. Nothing transcendental anyway.
On the top there is the infrared port, a real godsend for the writer. The phone can turn into a traditional television remote control. It may seem like a little feature, or even dated, yet nowadays it is extraordinarily comfortable, considering that the smartphone often becomes the real multimedia control center, thanks to apps like Netflix or the like.
Being able to manage the TV as well, then turning it on or off, becomes essential to completely abandon the television remote control in favor of the smartphone that many of us constantly hold hands even at home.
Performance
Xiaomi Mi 9 is one of the first smartphones based on Qualcomm CPU Snapdragon 855 chipset , which is also found in the Samsung Galaxy 10e. It is the most advanced and performing processor to date.
For lovers of numbers, the benchmark test on the model under test returns an incredible multi-core score of 10,316, among the highest appreciable to date on a smartphone and not too far from the average 11212 of the iPhone XS Max. it is obtained with 6 GB of RAM , while many other smartphones with lower scores, mount 8 GB.
Even the camera, which on other smartphones often turns out to be the weak link in terms of speed and responsiveness, is instead fast, snappy and always ready for use. However, when the terminal is put under stress it tends to heat up slightly, especially when playing games or watching movies.
Needless to say, the terminal is fluid for any operation that can be carried out during the day, such as the use of messaging apps or the use of social. Xiaomi Mi 9 is, ultimately, among the most responsive in the entire panorama. We also tried to change the system Launcher, installing Poco's one: the result hasn't changed, and the terminal always remains extremely fluid and responsive.
Software
The user interface is impressive and responsive, among the fastest, absolutely comparable to that of OnePlus, which in the opinion of the writer is among the fastest in the panorama. The MIUI 10 on board is lightning fast, reactive, and absolutely minimal and modern.
Of course, the terminal is already ready for our market, so with the Play Store already installed: our unit, coming from GearBest, was already equipped with the Global Stable version, the most suitable for the end user, who will not have to worry about installing something, being faced with a fully functional Android system.
MIUI customization is among the most minimal in the Android landscape, and the one installed on Mi 9 is really ready to use. Unfortunately, however, many will turn up their noses on the notification icons: these do not remain on the top bar until the message is opened, but disappear immediately after a few seconds.
On some versions of MIUI, such as those coming from the support communities, the problem has been solved, while on the official Global version the behavior of notifications is still the one described above.
Either way, the hardware notification LED comes to the rescue, which signals when there are unread notifications. In addition, there is also a software notification badge on the various apps, when they have unread notifications.
Camera
The camera is one of the most valuable features of this Xiaomi Mi 9, and is one of the strengths of the terminal, also in consideration of the list price. On the back it stands out for the now widespread triple configuration, with a 48MP camera with f / 1.75 wide-angle aperture, a second 16MP f / 2.2 ultra-wide sensor, and a third 2MP f / 2.2 with telephoto lens, which combine to take really interesting photos, also thanks to the artificial intelligence, which in some occasions seems to really work, giving life to the photos, which otherwise could be turned off.
On the front there is a 20MP sensor with f / 2.0 aperture, housed inside the small notch. The front camera allows you to take pictures above average, rich in details, with well-adjustable effects, which allow you to significantly improve the shot, without exaggerating.
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Photos taken in optimal lighting conditions are really good, with realistic colors, and hues that are enhanced thanks to the AI, especially the reds and greens that look particularly vibrant on the screen. This is noticeable when shooting vegetation: the usually real colors leave room for particularly saturated colors when the AI button is activated.
The AI seemed to us to intervene in a way optimal in backlit photos. In particular, shots of people against the light, which in standard mode are really poor, become almost perfect when the AI is activated.
Without AI 
With IA
The camera does not fare so well in low light, although the shots are still enjoyable, especially when you activate the night mode, which significantly improves the images. In these cases, some detail is lost, but the captured colors are still pleasing.
A multimedia function that really deserves is the ultra wide mode, which uses the 16MP wide-angle lens, and which manages to capture a 117-degree field of view, to take panoramic photos, even without using the related function.
This is a useful feature, especially when you need to shoot in close-up groups of people, wanting to include as many subjects as possible in the shot. Obviously, on the sides the photo will appear a bit squashed.
Another strong point of the camera is its depth sensitivity, thanks to the 12MP telephoto lens. It is quick to focus on subjects and takes advantage of depth accurately, blurring the background at the right point: however, the image can subsequently be blurred more or less to your liking, a function that is also available on the latest Apple iPhones. .
At the video level, the rear camera supports video recording up to 4K, and the slow motion at 960 FPS really incredible, as was that of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3. The movies are improved by a good image stabilization, even if on these occasions the back tends to heat up, without slowing down or giving errors or malfunctions.
Autonomy
Xiaomi Mi 9's 3300mAh battery doesn't work wonders. Surely a step below (even two) compared to OnePlus 6T, but in any case able to arrive in the evening with an average use. If you put yourself under stress, you will probably need an intermediate recharge in the late afternoon, but Xiaomi's fast recharge will come to the rescue, which allows you to bring the terminal from 0 to 50% in just 20 minutes. It also supports fast wireless charging, even if there is no Qi pad in the package: after all, you had to save somewhere.
OnePlus 6T and Mi 9 , could you recognize them?
Conclusions
Xiaomi Mi 9 with the offer that we report below costs just 449 euros, and at this price we do not think we can find better. On an aesthetic level, although subjective, it is among the most appreciable terminals. In terms of multimedia it is the best for the price range, as well as in terms of performance and system speed.
The autonomy a little disappoints, but compensates for the fast recharge, while beyond some small overheating in stressful conditions, there is not much else to blame this smartphone that becomes for everything we have said, at least in the Android world, the best choice in the relationship between price and performance.
You can buy on GearBest by clicking on this direct link, from which the various offers are accessible . Worth every penny of what it costs.
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