Xiaomi Mi A1: dual camera and “pure” Android

For many, the company's smartphones remain the best choice precisely because of the modified firmware, but what are they worth without it?

Specifications

• Screen: 5.5", IPS, 403 ppi, 1920x1080, Gorilla Glass, 2.5D;
• Operating system: Android 7.1.2 Nougat;
• Processor: Snapdragon 625, 8 x Cortex A53, 2 GHz;
• GPU: Adreno 506 (650 MHz);
• RAM: 4 GB LPDDR4;
• Built-in memory: 64 GB, supports MicroSD memory cards up to 128 GB;
• Cameras: 12/12 MP, color wide-angle sensor f/2.2 / color telephoto sensor, f/2.6, 5 MP, f/2.0.
• Battery: 3080 mAh, non-removable;
• Dimensions: 155.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm;
• Weight: 165 g;
• SIM slots: 2, nano-SIM, combined slot;
• Communications: 3G, 4G LTE (Cat. 13), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, USB Type-C ( version 2.0), IR port;
• Sensors: proximity, light, magnetic field, Hall sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, pedometer, fingerprint scanner;
• Available colors: black, gold, rose gold;
• Cost at the time of testing: not exactly known, in India 14,999 rupees (approximately $235). In Russia, 16-19 thousand rubles are expected.

Equipment

The box, made in a design familiar to Xiaomi fans, is dense enough to save the smartphone from the negligence of Russian postal workers. However, we didn’t take that risk; Mi A1 arrived at the editorial office on a direct flight from India.

Arrived with the appropriate equipment: a 5V 2A adapter, which turned out to be not European at all. However, official deliveries will, of course, receive standard plugs.

In all other respects, the certified devices will be identical to our test sample. In the box, the buyer will find a USB Type-C cable, a warranty card, a manual and a SIM card removal tool.

Appearance

Xiaomi Mi A1 is fully in line with the latest fashion trends and yet, in black, the all-in-one candy bar seems rather faceless and is reminiscent of the Nexus 5x. On the front panel, attention is attracted only by the shiny bevel along the contour of the screen, on the reverse side there is a similar design of the fingerprint sensor, and a slightly protruding dual camera module.

The metal of the case, although matte, collects fingerprints. The antenna strips are thin, and they fit so well into the exterior of the device that upon a quick inspection they are not noticeable at all. The Xiaomi and Android One logos also don't stand out. Otherwise, at the insistence of Google, Xiaomi also abandoned the inscriptions on the front panel.

The touch keys are backlit, and the notification LED lights up to the left of the front camera. The main speaker and both connectors: for cable and headphones, are located at the bottom end of the device. The microphone is also located there. The pair is located on the top end, next to the Chinese company’s proprietary feature – an infrared port for controlling household appliances.

The assembly was performed at a high level, no creaks or backlashes. Even the power and volume keys sit firmly in place and have a satisfying click when pressed.

Ergonomically, the case is quite successful, but the mentioned chamfer is felt well to the touch and “cuts” the hand.

Display

The 5.5-inch matrix is ​​made using the common IPS technology and has a FULL HD resolution - 1920x1080 pixels or a pixel density of 403 ppi. These parameters will not surprise anyone in the fall of 2017, but this is the optimal choice in terms of price, image quality and consumption of computing resources.

The picture is nice. We found a slight unevenness of the black field at the corners of the matrix and a tendency for white to warm up and fade slightly when viewed from sharp angles, but we were unable to identify any more obvious defects in color rendering.

Xiaomi did not promise 100% coverage of the sRGB space, so we will not make excessive demands on the screen. This is a matrix of average quality, the kind that is found in abundance in smartphones costing up to 20 thousand rubles.

The Gorilla Glass protective glass is given a slight 2.5D curve along the edge. An oleophobic coating is applied to the surface of the glass - the finger glides easily, but its effectiveness is below average.

The anti-glare filter leaves much to be desired, the screen is bright enough to compete with direct sunlight, but also reflects quite a lot of light.

The touch layer is not able to wake up the smartphone after a double tap and recognize gestures on a locked screen. The menu entitled “gestures” in the settings, as it turned out, is responsible for activating the camera by double pressing the power button and deploying the notification shade by touching the fingerprint sensor.

Iron

Speaking of the sensor. Entering a fingerprint is relatively fast. The procedure does not even require touching the sensor with the edges of your finger. But the behavior of the sensor is interesting. With the screen on, reading is instantaneous. With it turned off, if you focus on the tactile response, it’s also fast, but the screen lights up only after a couple of moments and this is noticeably longer than when unlocking with a button.

The Snapdragon 625 has repeatedly demonstrated decent levels of performance in our tests. The eight-core chip did not disappoint expectations this time either.

Switching between programs, launching new applications, surfing the web, he can do all this without difficulty. In games, you can expect a stable 30 frames per second on high-max settings.

Software

Launched in 2014, Android One hasn't achieved much success in three years. For some time there were even rumors about the closure of the initiative following the cessation of production of Nexus Google phones, but the corporation did not refuse to support manufacturers producing smartphones on a “pure” operating system.

It seems that the concept of the project has been slightly revised and now within the framework of Android One it is not a budget device that is being released, but a smartphone that is not expensive, but belongs to the middle class.

Thus, Xiaomi Mi A1 received the Android 7.1.2 Nougat operating system and a guarantee of future updates. You can read about this version of the OS, so we won’t dwell on its functions and immediately note the implementation features.

It's strange to see a Xiaomi phone in which everything is done according to Google standards. However, the company would not be itself if there was absolutely nothing new in the firmware. The company has built its telemetry into a separate menu item, which is characteristically not translated into Russian.

Nearby you can find the on/off schedule. The list of programs contained applications: Mi remote control, for controlling household appliances, “Report”, for communicating with technical support. In addition, the camera is also controlled through the proprietary viewfinder.

Connection

Our copy of Xiaomi Mi A1 made friends with Russian cellular networks without any problems. The range of frequencies supported by the telephone module includes everything you need, and LTE B20, the support of which is often lacking in smartphones from the Middle Kingdom, too.

It won't be easy to miss an important call; the ringing speaker on the Mi A1 is loud. Let's assume that the signal goes through the same amplifier as the headphones. High volume was not the only advantage of the sound part of the smartphone. The manufacturer claims support for the Dirac HD Sound algorithm and thanks to it, the sound turns out to be more interesting than other devices on Qualcomm chips without software add-ons.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 Wi-Fi module works with both 2 GHz and 5 GHz networks. The IR port, like other smartphones from the company, can be configured to interact with almost any household appliance.

Despite the use of a symmetrical USB Type-C connector, the version of the data transfer protocol remains the old USB 2.0; you should not count on high speeds for copying data to the smartphone’s memory.

During testing, GPS navigation could not determine the location of the device for about two minutes, despite the fact that the smartphone detected the positions of satellites in the sky almost immediately. Once the location was established, the positioning accuracy was found to be average.

Battery

The 7.3 mm case houses a non-removable 3080 mAh battery. Using a 5V 2A charger similar to the one supplied with fast charging support, we recharged the Mi A1 by 50% in 30 minutes. It took about another 45 minutes to fully charge the smartphone.

Editorial battery test results:

LG X-Power

Pocophone F1

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

Samsung A7 (2017)

Xiaomi Mi6

Huawei P10

Meizu M3s mini

Xiaomi Mi 5s

Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro

Xiaomi Mi 9

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Xiaomi Mi A1

BQ Aquaris U Plus

Meizu M5c

Meizu PRO 6 Plus

Huawei Honor 5A

Samsung Galaxy S6

Huawei P9 Plus

The Trashbox 2.0 autonomy test drained the battery in 9 hours and 7 minutes. About forty minutes faster than we expected.

Camera

Each dual camera is dual in its own way. Previously, we tested a pair of color and monochrome sensors. The Xiaomi Mi A1 has a photographic module built on a different principle.

The two 12-sensors differ in optics. The first, with f/2.2 aperture, is wide-angle. The second, with f/2.6 aperture, is equipped with a non-adjustable 2x optical zoom. Interesting combination. Read below about how it shows itself in practice, but for now a few words about the front camera, which, on the contrary, is the most ordinary one.

5 megapixels, f/2.0 aperture and the Chinese-favorite face retouching mode Beautify 3.0 together allow you to take good portrait photographs. The viewfinder can determine offhand the age of people in the frame, but the accuracy of the assessment leaves much to be desired.

Xiaomi's proprietary application, which controls cameras, can apply color filters, shoot slow-motion and accelerated video, panoramas, and work in HDR mode.

During the presentation, a lot of praise was heard from the stage about the Xiaomi Mi A1 camera and, looking ahead, not all of them seemed true to us.

First, let's talk about digital bokeh, which uses software processing and images from two cameras to beautifully blur the background behind the subject. The algorithm responsible for the operation of the function behaves far from ideally. It often applies retouch unevenly or touches unnecessary parts, the overall quality of the image drops, HDR does not work, but the main inconvenience is that a second telescopic lens is used to implement this function.

It makes macro and subject photography in bokeh mode virtually impossible. To get a frame in this mode, you have to shoot from a fairly large distance, which the application constantly reminds you of.

Taking photographs in normal mode on the Xiaomi Mi A1 is noticeably easier and more enjoyable. Daytime shots are rich and quite detailed, although at maximum zoom some of them lack clarity.

The smartphone captures moving objects well. It’s a pity, along with the camera application he also suffered from a childhood disease - the wrong choice of exposure in the twilight. By the way, about shooting in low light, the Mi A1 does it poorly. HDR doesn't help. The photos are both blurry and very grainy.

Let's sum it up

In its home market, where Google is not actually represented, Xiaomi got the opportunity to develop its own software ecosystem, for which the company’s smartphones are loved outside of China. But the company encountered difficulties when entering the international market. It turned out that buyers who are satisfied with the numerous functions of MIUI are not at all eager to bring additional profit, for example, by buying in the Mi Store.

The company is forced to adapt to the new rules of the game and Mi A1 is a tentative step on this path. Whether we will see more Xiaomi smartphones running pure Android depends on its sales.

It’s difficult to say what they will be like. The smartphone turned out to be balanced in terms of characteristics, with a good screen, pleasant sound, excellent build and good battery life, but somehow faceless. Of its two marketing features: the latest Android and the camera, only the first one works properly, while photographs with the dual camera of the Xiaomi Mi A1 are not much better than with a regular one.

Bottom line: not a new Nexus, but an attempt to play on the same field counts.

Pros:

• Metal body and its assembly;
• Balanced hardware platform, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory;
• Android 7.1.2 Nougat without add-ons.

Minuses:

• Ineffective oleophobic coating;
• Camera software, poor implementation of blur mode;
• Slow cold start GPS.

May not like:

• No NFC.

It was introduced at the end of September 2017 and even before its release it was positioned as a direct competitor to Apple products. The peculiarity of the device is that it works on pure Android, i.e. lack of a proprietary MIUI shell.

The development of the operating system was carried out in close cooperation with Google, so Xiaomi Mi A1 owners are guaranteed to be among the first to receive all system updates and various services from Google. What else is interesting about the flagship and what features it has, read our review.

Brief characteristics

The table shows the main technical parameters; for more detailed information, we suggest reading the entire article.

Display	diagonal is 5.5 inches, resolution – 1920x1080 pixels, brightness – 450 nits, protective coating – Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Housing material	aluminum
operating system	Pure Android 8
Number of SIM cards	Combo slot: micro-SIM and nano-SIM
Amount of RAM/built-in memory	4/64 GB, supports microSDXC memory card up to 127 GB
Cameras	Main: dual 12 + 12 megapixels (video recording in 4K format is possible); Front: 5 MP, there is a mode to improve the quality of selfies
Battery capacity	3080 mAh
Dimensions and weight	155.4x75.8x7.3 mm, weight – 165 g
CPU	Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625, 2.0 GHz, number of cores – 8

Equipment

The device comes in a Xiaomi branded box, on the back of which its main characteristics are indicated, as well as the IMEI and serial number. On the side there should be a Global Version mark, which indicates the installation of international firmware, which has a high-quality translation into most languages ​​of the world.

The contents of the box are universal: in addition to the Xiaomi Mi A1 itself, the kit includes a charger, a USB Type C cable, instructions and a special clip required to remove the SIM card tray. Among the advantages is that the adapter supports charging in 2A and 5V modes.

Design and ergonomics

Externally, the model is almost impossible to distinguish from Xiaomi Mi5X, which is not surprising, because Mi A1 was assembled on the basis of this smartphone and almost completely inherited its appearance from its “parent”. Mi A1 is made according to the classic design typical for most Xiaomi smartphones - rounded corners of the body, small thickness of the product, a panel with touch buttons located under the screen, and a sensor on the back cover.

The front camera is located above the screen in close proximity to the earpiece, and a notification LED is also located here.

The headset jack is equipped at the bottom of the case, and the power button and volume keys are placed on the right side of the product.

Thanks to the all-metal design of the case, which is complemented by plastic inserts for antennas, reliable protection against mechanical damage is provided, and the likelihood of squeaks is eliminated.

The product is comfortable to hold and operate with one hand, which is achieved due to the narrow screen frames.

Dimensions

Taking into account the screen diagonal of 5.5 inches, the device is quite lightweight - only 165 grams. The length is just over 15 cm, the width and height are 7.5 and 0.73 cm, respectively. Thanks to this, the Mi A1 gives the impression of a quite compact device.

However, carrying it in a trouser pocket is still not very convenient, and in most cases you will have to use both hands to organize comfortable control.

Screen

The display resolution is Full HD, the brightness is 450 nits, so the image quality does not deteriorate even when viewed in direct sunlight.

For comfortable use at night, there is a separate mode that reduces the intensity of blue light and changes the color temperature to warmer tones. This can significantly reduce eye strain and ensure long-term comfortable reading even in complete darkness.

The pixel density is 403 ppi, which guarantees high-level detail and contrast of the picture. Color rendition is distinguished by its naturalness, and the image is distinguished by its brightness and richness of colors. Any picture looks very realistic, which is achieved due to the absence of an air gap between the screen and the touchscreen.

The display uses LTPS technology, which is designed to reduce power consumption.

Watching videos on the Xiaomi Mi A1 smartphone is very convenient, since the viewing angles are quite high and even with a strong tilt, no distortion is visible. The only thing that can be noted is the transition from black to gray at a very sharp viewing angle. However, this drawback is common to all IPS matrices, because the crystals in it do not completely block transmitted light.

Performance Options

The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, which belongs to the mid-price category. It is based on 8 Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of up to 2 GHz, and Adreno 506 is used as a graphics accelerator.

Due to the absence of the proprietary MIUI shell, which is more demanding on processor performance, Mi A1 on pure Android runs quickly and does not freeze. All new applications also feature stable operation, and the smartphone confidently “pulls” even heavy toys. However, in the most demanding games you will still have to sacrifice graphics settings, otherwise the system may begin to freeze.

According to the manufacturer, a resource of 4 GB of RAM should be enough for at least another 2 years, including when installing heavy games on the device.

Battery capacity

The battery capacity is 3080 mAh, so in standby mode the device can work for at least 5 days. If it is used to view Internet pages, then one charge should be enough for 6-7 hours of continuous operation.

In video viewing mode at maximum screen brightness, the charge should last for 7-8 hours. The greatest amount of energy is consumed during games, and on average the battery can last for 3-4 hours.

Among the disadvantages, it should be noted the lack of a fast charging function. Full replenishment of battery energy is carried out in 2.5 hours.

Functional dual camera

The clear advantage of the Xiaomi Mi A1 over its competitors is its dual camera with 2x optical zoom. The main module is a 12-megapixel OmniVision OV12A10 camera equipped with a wide-angle lens and f/2.2 aperture. However, there is no optical stabilization, and autofocus is phase detection.

As a result, in good daylight it is possible to obtain high-quality photographs, but when the lighting deteriorates, the quality of the photo decreases noticeably, especially if shooting is carried out in a poorly lit room.

The second module also has a resolution of 12 megapixels with an f/2.6 aperture, so it is more suitable for creating portraits. For these purposes, the device has a special portrait mode, which automatically separates the subject from the background.

But there are practically no complaints about the front camera, because selfies turn out bright and sharp, and thanks to the “enhancement” mode, the program effectively removes even minor imperfections on the skin, including wrinkles, signs of fatigue and bags under the eyes. Among the bonuses of the front photo module is the function of automatic recognition of the gender and age of the subject.

Wireless interfaces

According to these parameters, Mi A1 is equipped to the maximum. There is Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and 4G support.

For terrain orientation, the system supports not only GLONASS and GPS, but also the Chinese powerful analog Beidou, which in terms of the size of the satellite constellation is in no way inferior to the American and Russian systems.

The device finds satellites within 5-10 seconds and does not lose contact with them even with an unstable signal. And the minimal error in determining the location makes the device an excellent replacement for standard GPS navigators.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	75.8 mm (millimeters) 7.58 cm (centimeters) 0.25 ft (feet) 2.98 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	155.4 mm (millimeters) 15.54 cm (centimeters) 0.51 ft (feet) 6.12 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	7.3 mm (millimeters) 0.73 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft (feet) 0.29 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	168 g (grams) 0.37 lbs 5.93 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	85.99 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.22 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Golden Black Pink gold Red
Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body.	Metal

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38)

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	14 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A53
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors.	64 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv8
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	8
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	2000 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 506
GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	650 MHz (megahertz)
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	4 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR3
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates.	Single channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data.	933 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	5.5 in (inches) 139.7 mm (millimeters) 13.97 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.7 in (inches) 68.49 mm (millimeters) 6.85 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.79 in (inches) 121.76 mm (millimeters) 12.18 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.	1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on screen with clearer detail.	401 ppi (pixels per inch) 157 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	71.02% (percent)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch
	Display manufacturer - Tianma Corning Gorilla Glass 3 2.5D curved glass screen LTPS (Low Temperature PolySilicon) 1000:1 contrast ratio 450 cd/m²

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor model	OmniVision OV12A10
Sensor type	PureCel
Sensor size	5.11 x 3.84 mm (millimeters) 0.25 in (inches)
Pixel size	1.277 µm (micrometers) 0.001277 mm (millimeters)
Crop factor	6.77
ISO (light sensitivity) ISO indicators determine the level of light sensitivity of the photosensor. A lower value means weaker light sensitivity and vice versa - higher values ​​mean higher light sensitivity, i.e. better ability of the sensor to work in low light conditions.	100 - 3200
Diaphragm	f/2.2
Focal length	3.81 mm (millimeters) 25.81 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	Double LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image.	4000 x 3000 pixels 12 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device.	3840 x 2160 pixels 8.29 MP (megapixels)
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode
	Sensor type - PureCel Plus Phase detection 5-element lens Focal length (35 mm equivalent) - 26 mm 720p@120fps Secondary rear camera - 12 MP (telephoto) Sensor model - OmniVision OV13880 (#2) Pixel size - 1.0 μm (#2) Aperture size - f/2.6 (#2) 5-element lens (#2) Focal length (35 mm equivalent) - 50 mm (#2)

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera.	Samsung S5K5E8
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device.	CMOS BSI (backside illumination)
Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with larger sensors and lower pixel densities offer higher image quality despite the lower resolution.	2.9 x 2.15 mm (millimeters) 0.14 in (inches)
Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels per unit area, thereby increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high ISO levels.	1.119 µm (micrometers) 0.001119 mm (millimeters)
Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of the full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The indicated number represents the ratio of the diagonals of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor of a particular device.	11.99
Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger.	f/2
Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length is also indicated, providing the same field of view with a full frame camera.	3 mm (millimeters) 35.96 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the additional camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera.	2592 x 1944 pixels 5.04 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with an additional camera.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the secondary camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution.	30fps (frames per second)

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML HTML5 CSS 3

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours.	3080 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices.	Li-polymer
Adapter output power Information about the electrical current (measured in amperes) and electrical voltage (measured in volts) that the charger supplies (power output). Higher power output ensures faster battery charging.	5 V (volts) / 2 A (amps)
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.	Fast charging Fixed
	Battery model: BN31

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device close to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998.	1.75 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards.	0.76 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	1.26 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard.	0.17 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)

Xiaomi Mi A1 is a mid-price smartphone with balanced characteristics, attractive design and dual camera. According to the manufacturer, this device is a direct competitor to the iPhone 7 Plus, but for much less money. The announcement of this model took place in September 2017.

Appearance and ergonomics

When creating the Xiaomi Mi A1, Chinese designers were clearly inspired by the appearance of Apple products. This is clearly evidenced by the implementation of the rear part of the aluminum case. Thus, the antenna strips are located almost at the very edges. The camera block is in the upper corner. At the same time, the edges of the body are neatly rounded. Brushed aluminum leaves no unnecessary marks. The fingerprint scanner is located on the back of the device, but is high enough to be easily reached with one hand.

The front of the device has a large screen, under which there are three touch buttons for navigation. At the top end there is an infrared sensor that allows you to control a variety of home appliances using your phone. The device fits quite comfortably in the palm of your hand. Available colors: gold, pink and black. Dimensions: height - 155 mm, thickness - 7.3 mm, width - 76 mm, weight - 165 g.

Display

Mi A1 has a large 5.5-inch IPS IGZO display. Its resolution is 1920 by 1080 pixels with a pixels per inch of 403 ppi. On top it is covered with 2.5D glass, which protects the matrix from damage. As for brightness, it can be adjusted independently or automatically. The display recognizes up to 10 touches simultaneously.

It should be noted that there are excellent viewing angles with minimal distortion even at a strong angle. The device has a high-quality oleophobic coating, so your fingers glide over the surface with ease. The overall color scheme goes into cool shades, but no one forbids you to manually adjust this parameter. The color rendition itself is as close as possible to natural shades.

Hardware and performance

Inside the Mi A1 smartphone there is an eight-core Snapdragon 625 processor operating at a frequency of up to 2000 MHz. This 64-bit chip is implemented using 14nm technology. Graphics are handled by the Adreno 506 3D accelerator with support for OpenGL ES 3.2. The device is equipped with 4 GB of RAM, and there is also 64 GB of built-in storage. It is possible to expand the internal memory using MicroSD cards up to 128 GB, with the installation of applications.

It is worth noting that Xiaomi Mi A1 was developed using the Android One program. Therefore, specialists from the Chinese company and Google worked on the smartphone, and together they created this device. Its important feature was the Android 7.1 operating system. This platform does not provide additional add-ons or shells, as it is completely bare. At the same time, the interface does not slow down, everything functions smoothly and stably. In the synthetic AnTuTu test, the gadget scores about 63,000 points, which confirms its status as a “strong average”. The smartphone handles games quite well, with the exception of “heavy” projects with complex effects. In this case, you can simply lower the graphics quality to ensure a comfortable frames per second.

Communication and sound

On the bottom edge of Xiaomi Mi A1 there is a multimedia speaker. It produces quite loud and clear sound. If you listen to music through high-quality headphones, the sound will pleasantly surprise you with its richness and elaboration of frequencies. With the help of the speaker, you can hear your interlocutor perfectly in a variety of situations. The device supports Bluetooth 4.2, as well as two Nano-SIM. This model works reliably in LTE networks, but there is no NFC here.

Camera

The main camera in Mi A1 is dual. We are talking about two 12-megapixel modules, but with different aperture ratios (main - 2.2, secondary - 2.6). If you take pictures during the day, you get very detailed and clear pictures with natural color rendition. As for evening time, the quality of photographs, of course, drops, unnecessary blur appears, but the natural color scheme is preserved. There is also 2x optical zoom. You can also create a blurred background without much effort. You can record video in 4K resolution. For self-portraits, there is a front-facing 5-megapixel camera with aperture ratio 2.0 and an image enhancement mode.

conclusions

The Mi A1 smartphone seems to be a very successful attempt by Xiaomi to provide users with standard Android without all the extras. The buyer of this device can count on regular updates over the air, high-quality photos and excellent performance. This is a bright representative of the middle class, which can be purchased at a price of 14,000 rubles.

Pros:

• Fast operating system - “pure” Android.
• High quality dual camera.
• Bright and large display.
• Practical and modern design.
• Abundance of RAM and built-in memory.

Minuses:

• NFC module is missing.
• “Heavy” games can slow down.

Specifications Xiaomi Mi A1

General characteristics
Model	Xiaomi Mi A1
Date of announcement and start of sales	September 2017 / September 2017
Dimensions (LxWxH)	155.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm.
Weight	165 g.
Available colors	black, gold, rose gold
operating system	Android 7.1.2 (Nougat)
Connection
Number and type of SIM cards	two, Nano-SIM, dual stand-by
Communication standard in 2G networks	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
Communication standard in 3G networks	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
Communication standard in 4G networks	LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 38(2600), 40(2300)
Carrier Compatibility	MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2, Yota
Data transfer
WiFi	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth	4.2, A2DP, LE
GPS	yes, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
NFC	No
Infrared port	There is
Platform
CPU	Octa-core Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 (Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53)
GPU	Adreno 506
Inner memory	64 GB
RAM	4 GB
Ports and connectors
USB	2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
3.5mm jack	There is
Memory card slot	microSD, up to 128 GB
Display
Display type	LTPS IPS LCD capacitive, 16M colors
Screen size	5.5 inches (~70.1% of the front surface of the device)
Display protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Camera
Main camera	dual 12 MP (f/2.2, 26mm, 1.25 µm) + 12 MP (f/2.6, 50mm, 1 µm), 2x optical zoom, autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash
Functionality of the main camera	Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama
Video recording	2160p@30fps, 720p@120fps
Front-camera	5 MP, 1080p
Sensors
Illuminance	There is
Approximations	There is
Gyroscope	There is
Compass	No
Hall	There is
Accelerometer	There is
Barometer	No
Fingerprint scanner	There is
Battery
Battery type and capacity	Li-Ion 3080 mAh
Battery mount	non-removable
Equipment
Standard kit	Mi A1: 1 USB cable: 1 SIM tray eject clip: 1 User manual: 1 Warranty card: 1 Charger: 1

Prices

Video reviews

At the beginning of September, Xiaomi, in collaboration with Google, launched its first device under the Android One program - Xiaomi Mi A1. This Google initiative is aimed at creating simple smartphones with a “clean” version of Android and software that is regularly updated over a long period of time. Thus, Mi A1 is a landmark device not only for the Chinese manufacturer, whose first device without its own MIUI shell, but also for Google. Google Vice President of Android and Google Play Jamie Rosenberg said at the presentation: “This is a new step in the development of Android One. We're excited to work with partners around the world to bring quality Android devices to even more users. Mi A1 is a premium design with pure Android, the best built-in Google services, as well as regular software and security updates. We are pleased to welcome Xiaomi and Mi A1 to the Android One family."

Main characteristics of Xiaomi Mi A1 (model MDG2)

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, 8 cores ARM Cortex-A53 @2.0 GHz
• GPU Adreno 506 (650 MHz)
• Operating system Android 7.1.2
• Touch display IPS IGZO 5.5″, 1920×1080, 401 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 4 GB, internal memory 64 GB
• Nano-SIM support (2 pcs.)
• microSD support
• GSM networks (900/1800 MHz)
• WCDMA/HSPA+ networks (900/2100 MHz)
• LTE networks FDD (B1/3/7/8/20), TD (B38/40)
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz)
• Bluetooth 4.2
• USB Type-C, USB OTG
• GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, BDS
• Main camera 12 MP, f/2.2, wide-angle lens, autofocus, 4K video
• Additional camera 12 MP, f/2.6, telephoto lens
• Front camera 5 MP, f/2.0
• Proximity sensor, lighting sensor, magnetic field sensor, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, step detector, IR port
• Battery 3080 mAh, Quick Charge 3.0
• Dimensions 155×76×7.3 mm
• Weight 162 g

Contents of delivery

The packaging of Mi A1 is made in the same style for all the latest Xiaomi mobile products with the most laconic design. The box is made of hard white cardboard and features only the logo, while a summary of the technical specifications is printed on a dust jacket made of thin, flexible cardboard.

The kit consists of a USB cable and a network adapter (5 V 2 A). The key for removing cards is mounted on a cardboard insert as standard. Nothing else is included in the kit.

Appearance and ease of use

Xiaomi Mi A1 has a nice-looking body, thin and not too heavy, with matte surfaces and strongly rounded corners. The picture is completed by the front 2.5D glass, which also has sloping edges that smoothly meet the rounded side edges.

The metal is matte, the surfaces of the case are non-staining, there are no fingerprints on them, even on the black case. True, fingerprints are clearly visible on the round area of ​​the fingerprint scanner, which makes the overall appearance of the smartphone somewhat sloppy.

Xiaomi Mi A1 has dimensions befitting a 5.5-inch display; such a device cannot be called small and elegant. The width of the case is visually further emphasized by its small thickness - only 7.3 mm. The body of the device, in principle, is not slippery, but due to this combination of width and thickness, it is not very securely held in the hand.

The rear panel houses a dual camera module with flash. The flash is also dual, consists of multi-colored diodes, and shines brightly. The camera module protrudes slightly beyond the surface, so it’s not very convenient to work with the smartphone lying on the table, especially considering the rear location of the fingerprint scanner.

The fingerprint sensor area is noticeably recessed. There are no complaints about the operation of the fingerprint scanner; recognition occurs clearly and quickly, and your finger can be placed at any angle.

The front panel is completely covered with 2.5D glass with sloping edges. In the upper part above the screen there are usually sensors, a front camera eye, and an LED event indicator. The milky-colored indicator shines dimly, notifying you of missed events and charging status.

Below the screen there is the usual row of three touch-sensitive hardware buttons, which also received their own backlight. You cannot reassign button functions without an alternative interface.

The side keys are large, they feel the same to the touch, have a soft and pliable stroke, but a clear response. There are no complaints about these elements.

The card slot located on the left side is hybrid: a Nano-SIM card and a memory card or a second Nano-SIM format SIM card are inserted into it.

At the bottom end there is a 3.5 mm headphone output, a speaking microphone hole, a main speaker output, and a USB Type-C connector that supports connecting external devices in USB OTG mode.

At the top end there is an auxiliary microphone for the noise reduction system and an infrared port for emulating a remote control (the smartphone has a pre-installed application for its operation).

The device is available in black, gold and pink colors. The front panel does not always match the overall color of the case: for the pink and gold versions it is simply white. The Xiaomi Mi A1 case did not receive protection from moisture and dust.

Screen

Xiaomi Mi A1 is equipped with an IPS display with 2.5D Gorilla Glass protection. The screen dimensions are approximately 68x121 mm with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. The resolution is 1920×1080, the pixel density is about 401 ppi.

The width of the frame around the sides of the screen is about 3.5 mm, the indents at the top and bottom are approximately 18 mm high.

You can adjust the display brightness manually or use automatic settings based on the ambient light sensor. Multi-touch tests diagnose support for 10 simultaneous touches. The screen cannot be activated by tapping.

A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are not much different from the properties of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Xiaomi Mi A1, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the Xiaomi Mi A1 is a little brighter (brightness according to photographs is 129 versus 122 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Xiaomi Mi A1 screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (about the same efficiency as the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.

With manual brightness control and when the white field was displayed in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 540 cd/m², the minimum was 2 cd/m². The maximum brightness is very high, and, given the good anti-glare properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors should be at a decent level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front camera). In automatic mode, when external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider. If it is 100%, then in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 110 cd/m² (too bright), in an office illuminated by artificial light (about 550 lux) it sets it to 420 cd/m² (too high), in a very bright environment ( corresponds to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) the brightness increases to 540 cd/m² (to the maximum - this is how it should be). If the adjustment slider is approximately 50%, then the values ​​are as follows: 22, 290 and 540 cd/m² (suitable values); and if at 0% - 2, 150 and 540 cd/m² (the first value is too low). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately and allows the user to customize their work to individual requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

This smartphone uses an IPS matrix. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which identical images are displayed on the screens of Xiaomi Mi A1 and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to approximately 200 cd/m², and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K.

There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.

And a test picture:

The colors on the Xiaomi Mi A1 screen have a natural saturation, the color balance between the Nexus 7 and the tested screen is clearly different.

Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens, but on the Xiaomi Mi A1 the contrast has decreased to a greater extent due to the strong brightening of black.

And a white field:

The brightness of the screens at an angle decreased (by at least 5 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the Xiaomi Mi A1 the decrease in brightness is slightly greater. When deviated diagonally, the black field brightens greatly and acquires a red-violet hue. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same!):

And from another angle:

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is very good:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high—about 1300:1. The black-white-black response time is 27 ms (13 ms on + 14 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 51 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.22, which is close to the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:

We did not detect the presence of dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image, which is very good.

Color gamut is close to sRGB:

The spectra show that the matrix filters moderately mix the components with each other:

As a result, the colors have a natural saturation and hue. The balance of shades on the gray scale is a compromise, since the color temperature is much higher than the standard 6500 K, but the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is below 3, which is considered an excellent indicator for a consumer device. Moreover, both parameters change little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

To summarize: the screen has a very high maximum brightness and has good anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors even on a sunny summer day without any problems. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. It is also possible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. Also, the advantages of the screen include the presence of an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker, good uniformity of the black field, and a color gamut close to sRGB. Significant disadvantages are the low stability of black to the deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen plane. Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of characteristics for this particular class of devices, the quality of the screen can be considered high.

Camera

The front module has a 5-megapixel sensor and a lens with an f/2.0 aperture without its own flash or autofocus. In addition to the usual modes of decorating a portrait and determining the gender and age of the subject, a group selfie mode has appeared, in which the program takes several consecutive pictures, performs an analysis and produces one common with the best version of the image of each of the faces.

As for the Beautify mode, it can work in automatic mode or with manual settings, and it can also be turned off completely. By default, it is always on, this noticeably changes the appearance of the person in the photo, completely blurring the texture of their skin.

The shooting quality itself is average: even in good daylight, there are both dark and heavily overexposed areas due to the small dynamic range of the 5-megapixel sensor.

The main camera is a set of two modules, one of which has a wide-angle five-element lens with f/2.2 aperture and a 12 megapixel sensor (pixel size 1.25 microns). The second module is also 12-megapixel (pixel size 1.0 microns), it is equipped with a telephoto lens with an f/2.6 aperture (equivalent focal length -50 mm, the lens is also five-element). As a result, the camera provides the ability to double optical zoom, as well as blur the background (with a bokeh effect). There is no optical stabilization, the flash is double, bright.

The camera can shoot video in a maximum resolution of 4K, as well as in Full HD (1920x1080) at 30 fps, but there is no 60 fps mode. As standard, there is a slow-mo mode 720p 120 fps.

The camera copes with video shooting averagely. In daylight everything is fine, but indoors the frame rate drops to 15 per second, and detail drops noticeably. There is no stabilization; even when panning statically with your hands, any shaking is very noticeable; it is almost impossible to make the video sequence smooth here. In addition, the typical Xiaomi disease of the noise reduction system when recording sound was revealed in all its glory, which adds noticeable distortion in the form of an echo, so that the soundtrack of the videos turns into an unintelligible mess.

• Video No. 1 (67 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.264, AAC)
• Video No. 2 (73 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.264, AAC)
• Video No. 3 (96 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.264, AAC)
• Video No. 4 (60 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.264, AAC)
• Video No. 5 (18 MB, 1920×1080@30 fps, H.264, AAC)

The camera turned out to be good, in some places even very good. There is practically nothing to complain about here. She does not overuse software processing, although weak sharpening can be found if you look at the pictures for a long time. Sometimes noticeable noise appears in the shadows. In general, even in low light, the camera produces very decent results; it is well suited for documentary and art photography.

Telephone and communications

Communication capabilities of Xiaomi Mi A1 include support for data transmission in LTE FDD and TD networks. Including all the most common frequency bands in our country are supported (Band 3, 7 and 20 FDD LTE). The supported set of frequencies may vary depending on the modification, in general it looks like this:

Mode	Band
GSM	B2, B3, B5, B8
UMTS	B1, B2, B5, B8
FDD-LTE	B1, B3, B5, B7, B8, B20
TDD-LTE	B38, B40

In the urban areas of the Moscow region, the device behaves confidently, does not lose connection in places where reception is uncertain, and quickly restores the connection. The speed on the LTE network is stable, there are no problems with the 4G connection. Other communications capabilities include support for both Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz) and 802.11ac mode, as well as Bluetooth 4.2. But there is no NFC module in the smartphone.

The navigation module works with GPS (with A-GPS), with the domestic Glonass and the Chinese Beidou. During a cold start, the first satellites are detected within tens of seconds; the positioning accuracy in the Moscow region is average. There is a built-in magnetic field sensor for compass operation.

The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts. The telephone interface is standard, including in terms of sorting and displaying contacts: sorting is possible by last name or first name, the same with displaying subscriber data when calling.

In conversational dynamics, the voice of a familiar interlocutor is clearly recognizable, there is no extraneous noise, the sound is natural, pleasant to the ear, bright, rich and clear, the volume margin is sufficient. VoLTE support is available. The vibration alert, on the contrary, is not very powerful, and you can skip it.

The platform supports active standby of both SIM cards in 3G/4G simultaneously. That is, a SIM card can be in active standby on the network not only in 2G, but also in 3G, even if another card is assigned to transmit data in 4G (for example, Beeline SIM cards as the main one and Moscow Tele2 are active in standby at the same time) . The interface allows you to pre-select a specific card for sending SMS, voice calls, and data transfer. The cards operate in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode, there is only one radio modem.

Software and multimedia

As a software platform, the Xiaomi Mi A1 uses the Android OS, which is not the latest version 7.1.2 - naturally, with the ability to update over the air (OTA). As was mentioned at the beginning of the article, this smartphone was the first device released by Xiaomi on pure Android OS without its own proprietary MIUI shell, but with the possibility of long-term support. At the same time, at the time of publication of the review, the device had not received the 8th version of Android (more than two months had passed), and at the press conference it was indicated that the speed with which updates would be released would be lower than, say, the same Google smartphones Pixel. As they say, time will tell, but for now let’s look at what’s available.

The interface and settings are completely consistent with pure Android, no changes have been made here. There is a full set of Google Apps applications, a full-fledged Play Store, and there are rudiments of working with gestures (quick access to notifications using the fingerprint scanner and quick access to the camera using the power key). No third-party applications, except Mi Remote Control and a program for communicating with developers (to describe problems and suggestions), are installed on this device.

To listen to music, you use the standard Google Music player with a familiar interface and manual settings, most of which are only available when you connect headphones. From both the headphones and the external speaker, the sound is clear, rich, bright and loud enough, thanks to the dedicated next-generation NXP Smart PA audio chip with support for Dirac HD Sound software technology. The amplifier supports the connection of high-impedance headphones (up to 600 Ohms).

Performance

The Xiaomi Mi A1 hardware platform is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 single-chip system made using 14-nanometer technology. This SoC includes eight 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of up to 2.0 GHz; the Adreno 506 video accelerator with a core frequency of up to 650 MHz is responsible for graphics processing, with support for the OpenGL ES 3.2 graphics API. The amount of RAM is 4 GB, and the built-in flash memory is 64 GB (there are modifications with a different amount of flash memory). Of these, on average, about 50 GB of storage space and 1.7 GB of RAM are free.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 is a platform designed for mid-range smartphones. This is no longer the most interesting chip in its category; it was replaced by the Snapdragon 626 with a higher core frequency (2.2 GHz instead of 2.0 GHz). However, the Xiaomi Mi A1 is designed for emerging markets and is offered at a low price, so the cost of components was clearly taken into account when creating this smartphone.

Thanks to the 14 nm process technology, the SoC combines good performance with low power consumption; in the AnTuTu test, the review hero scores more than 60K points, which is a confident average level. The SoC provides reliable performance and in real-life scenarios allows the smartphone to cope with any tasks. There are no problems with games either; all the games we tested, such as Modern Combat 5 and Mortal Kombat X, run without the slightest slowdown.

Testing in comprehensive tests AnTuTu and GeekBench:

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

	Xiaomi Mi A1 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 625)	Sony Xperia XA1 (MediaTek MT 6757)	HTC One X10 (MediaTek (MT6755)	Huawei Nova 2 (HiSilicon Kirin 659)	Nokia 5 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 430)
AnTuTu (v6.x) (more is better)	63361	61638	50597	60485	45287
GeekBench (v4.x) (more is better)	873/4014	814/3518	757/2071	904/3513	672/2867

Testing the graphics subsystem in gaming tests 3DMark, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:

When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

	Xiaomi Mi A1 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 625)	Sony Xperia XA1 (MediaTek MT 6757)	HTC One X10 (MediaTek (MT6755)	Huawei Nova 2 (HiSilicon Kirin 659)	Nokia 5 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 430)
3DMark Ice Storm Sling Shot ES 3.1 (more is better)	463	671	421	413	299
(Onscreen, fps)	6	15	5	5	10
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen, fps)	6	6	5	5	4,6
GFXBenchmark T-Rex (Onscreen, fps)	21	32	17	20	20
GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen, fps)	22	21	17	18	16

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

	Xiaomi Mi A1 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 625)	Sony Xperia XA1 (MediaTek MT 6757)	HTC One X10 (MediaTek (MT6755)	Huawei Nova 2 (HiSilicon Kirin 659)	Nokia 5 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 430)
Mozilla Kraken (ms, less is better)	7910	9284	9992	8887	12559
Google Octane 2 (more is better)	4885	4489	3928	4828	2823
SunSpider (ms, less is better)	880	946	1104	1310	1970

AndroBench memory speed test results:

Thermal photographs

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after 10 minutes of battery testing in the GFXBenchmark program:

Heating is more localized in the upper part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was only 31 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), which is very little.

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a table.

Further testing of video playback was performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.

We were unable to check the theoretically possible support for adapters for outputting images to an external device due to the lack of an adapter option that connects to the USB Type-C port, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files to the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Method for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In the tests we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware” mode. The test results are summarized in the table:

4K/30p 1080/25p 720/24p

Great No

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with playback of the corresponding files.

According to the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is very good, since frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) be output with uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one in pixels, that is, in the original resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235: all gradations are displayed in shadows and highlights.

Battery life

The non-removable battery installed in the Xiaomi Mi A1 has a capacity of 3080 mAh. With this battery, the hero of the review demonstrates average results in battery life tests: his book reading time is not long, but he can play videos from YouTube and play games on it for a relatively long time.

In real life, the device behaves the same way as most modern smartphones: it confidently survives until the evening charge, but you can’t count on more.

Testing has traditionally been done at normal power consumption levels without using power-saving features.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D Game Mode
Xiaomi Mi A1	3080 mAh	12:00 pm	10:00 am	6:00 am
Sony Xperia XA1	2300 mAh	13:00	8:30 a.m.	4 hours 10 minutes
HTC One X10	4000 mAh	17:00	12:00 pm	5:00 a.m.
Huawei Nova 2	2950 mAh	13:00	10:30 a.m.	4:00 am
Nokia 5	3000 mAh	15:20	10:30 a.m.	7:00 am

Continuous reading in the Moon+ Reader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) with auto-scrolling lasted until the battery was completely discharged for more than 12 hours, and when continuously watching videos in high quality (720p) with the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network, the device operates for about 10 hours. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone can work from 4.5 to 6 hours, depending on the specific game.

The smartphone supports fast charging; from its own network adapter (2 A 5 V), the smartphone is charged within 2 hours with a current of 2 A at a voltage of 5 V. The smartphone does not support wireless charging.

Bottom line

The smartphone in a configuration with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory went on sale in Russia in October. You can purchase the device both in the Xiaomi online store and in retail stores. The price for a certified device is 19 thousand rubles. This price is, in principle, acceptable for a balanced smartphone with a neat and attractive all-metal body, a good screen, good cameras, good sound and a wide range of communication capabilities. Autonomy is also satisfactory, and there are no complaints at all about the performance of the hardware platform. Actually, the only disappointing thing about the device is the lack of an NFC module. In addition, we must keep in mind that this is not a typical Xiaomi with the MIUI interface - but this interface has plenty of fans. Here, “stock” Android is used, and while the official firmware does not keep up with Google, and there is no opportunity to install a custom one (including the same MIUI). Still, the model clearly has more advantages than disadvantages, and the opportunity to get a technically well-equipped device at a low price will attract many. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to purchase an officially certified device; experts will always find ways to save money when purchasing in foreign online stores, where the model will obviously be cheaper.