Chinese Expansion: Whether To Buy Xiaomi Smartphones In Russia

Xiaomi (the name is read in different ways, but the version closest to the "original" is "Xiaomi", with an emphasis on the second syllable) is one of the most popular technology companies of our time. In a relatively short time, she has amassed an army of loyal fans, not only in her homeland, but also in Russia. Why, in principle, it is clear: Xiaomi produces very good, even excellent devices at such low prices that it seems to be selling them at a loss (which is actually not too far from the truth). In the comments to almost any YouTube video or review in the Internet media on some fancy flagship, you can always find a person who "for this money will buy two new" Chinese "no worse and will not overpay for the brand."

For this reason, Xiaomi smartphones were especially popular among geeks and young people - users who are aware of all the latest innovations, know what to choose and where to order cheaper.

There were two ways to become the owner of a Xiaomi phone before: ordering from China or buying from a local online store. The first option is the most economical: you actually buy a phone at its cost and most often don't even pay for delivery. The downside is the ability to get a smartphone with Chinese firmware without the Russian language, with a bunch of adware and a couple of Trojans on board, the need to wait up to three weeks. And the main thing is the absence of any guarantee. Resellers sell smartphones with a surcharge, but you are somehow insured against such risks. Whether it is worth overpaying for this insurance is up to the buyer himself.

And now Xiaomi is officially represented in Russia. The company's smartphones can be “touched” before buying or simply ordered online, all of them have been certified, are guaranteed to work with our LTE networks, and are fully Russified. The cherry on the cake is a full-year warranty for all devices.

However, fans of the Chinese brand were not happy about the arrival of Xiaomi on the Russian market. The reason is simple - the “biting” price tag set by official distributors, which obviously skyrocketed mainly due to tax charges. Plus, after the official start of sales on the network, there were complaints that Xiaomi devices ordered from China are simply not allowed through customs, where they are labeled as counterfeit goods.

Xiaomi really makes great devices. It remains to understand whether they are worth the money that they are officially asked for in Russia.

Xiaomi Redmi 4X

Redmi 4X is a real budget smartphone, one of the most inexpensive in the Xiaomi lineup. In this case, “inexpensive” does not mean “looks and feels cheap”. Everything is serious here: a monolithic metal case, in black color reminiscent of the level of the iPhone 7, not the largest side frames around the display, rounded glass in front. Redmi 4X looks neat, and a couple of years ago, a flagship could please you with a similar look.

Xiaomi Redmi 4X © mi.com

Budget origin details give out: the diagonal of the smartphone display is 5 inches, but the resolution is only HD. This means that if you want (and if you know what exactly to look for), you can see the pixel ladders on the text in the browser. But otherwise, however, the display is very good: nice white balance, rich colors, good contrast, maximum viewing angles. The screen is the strong point of the smartphone, and in this parameter it bypasses many competitors in the budget class.

The second "compromise" solution is not the most powerful processor, Snapdragon 435. The smartphone does not slow down - but it will not work to call it a "sprinter" with all the desire. This is definitely not a gaming smartphone, and if you've ever owned a flagship or a mid-range smartphone, you'll notice an unresponsive interface and increased latency between touch screen taps and responses. This does not interfere with living and using the device - just keep it in mind.

However, both of the above flaws are more than compensated for by an even more important aspect - the giant battery life. An undemanding processor and not the most "gluttonous" screen, coupled with a giant 4100 mAh battery, lead to the fact that the smartphone lives quietly for two days without recharging. This includes: regular instant messengers, social networks, half an hour of YouTube a day, a couple of hours of music and a dozen or two Internet pages in the browser. I can easily imagine how Redmi 4X will work for a less internet addicted person for three days if used only for calls.

The camera has never been the strong point of budget smartphones, and the Redmi 4X is no exception. She's not frankly bad - she's mediocre, but honestly works out her money. During the day, pictures are obtained, at night they are not obtained, everything, as usual, happens in smartphones of the "entry" class.

All in all, the Redmi 4X is a great smartphone for those looking for a reliable and durable device. With all the necessary functions (there is even a fingerprint scanner - it is also fast), but without unnecessary "bells and whistles" for which you have to overpay. Can you recommend it for purchase? Definitely yes. Is it worth 12,990 rubles, which is officially asked for in Russia? The question is complex.

On the one hand, there is a guarantee, on the other, you can buy it from third-party vendors for 4.5 thousand cheaper, which is significant, given the budget of the device. Plus, everyone in the same online stores will offer you much more advanced smartphones for this money, even from the same Xiaomi - for example, Redmi Note 4, where the screen is bigger and better, and the processor is more powerful, and the camera is more serious … And this is not to mention competitors like Meizu and LeEco.

So our answer will be this: if you are still afraid of Chinese smartphones like fire, do not trust unofficial online stores and want to save yourself from even minimal risks, you can take Redmi 4X. Otherwise, it is not worth overpaying for "formality".

Mi Mix

Mi Mix is just convincing proof that in 2017 there is no need to be afraid of Chinese smartphones like fire. After all, it was in China that this one of the most unusual and impressive smartphones of recent times was invented and made.

After the announcement, the tech community seethed: Mi Mix was essentially the first truly bezel-less smartphone in the world - one solid giant screen in all fields. Even the traditional upper part, where the earpiece is usually located and the front camera was missing from Mi Mix. Xiaomi itself calls the device a "concept" - a demonstration of what the company's designers and engineers are capable of. So it was doubly interesting to know what it is like to use this very "concept" in real life.

Mi Mix reached Russia in its maximum configuration: 256 GB of memory on board, a ceramic case with real gold veins around the fingerprint scanner. Visually, the device is incredibly impressive, in many ways even no less than the brand new Galaxy S8. The bezel around the edges of the display is eerily thin, and there is none at the top. The display simply "ends": the front camera has been moved down, and the traditional speaker has been replaced with a piezoelectric one. This means that the screen of the smartphone vibrates, so you can hear the interlocutor simply by placing your ear to any part of the display.

The sound quality and intelligibility, nevertheless, leaves much to be desired: you can understand what they want to tell you without problems, but the voice feels very flat, rattling. It's like someone is trying to play words on a saw.

Ceramic is not much different from glass to the touch (but it is very difficult to scratch it), which means that the smartphone is incredibly slippery. During testing, a couple of times he just slid off an uneven table. It is good that the set includes a leather case - and this is the case when everything does not look much worse with the case.

Despite the lack of frames, you cannot use the Mi Mix with one hand. A smartphone is generally similar to a "smaller" tablet, but I can't say that this is bad: a couple of years ago, it was simply impossible to fit a 6.4-inch display even in a jeans pocket.

The characteristics of the Mi Mix at the time of the announcement were flagship - and technically the smartphone is good even after six months. 821 Snapdragon is enough for comfortable playing all existing Android games at maximum settings, and in everyday life Mi Mix is very fast. Perfectly smooth scrolling, responsive touch screen, lightning-fast page loading. No slowdowns.

screen is also worthy of delight - it is so contrasting that at first I thought that it had a Samsung AMOLED matrix. Highest brightness, deep blacks, good color rendering. The picture is very juicy - and this is important considering the concept of a smartphone. But you should forget about good pictures right away. They saved money on the Xiaomi camera, and it does not stand up to criticism: disgusting photos are obtained even during the day, when, it would seem, Jobs himself ordered. This is the Achilles' heel of the device and something that might scare off potential buyers.

Otherwise, Mi Mix is more than a concept. This smartphone can be used with pleasure as the main one, especially if you do not talk and shoot a lot, but you often watch videos and constantly correspond on social networks. In Russia, they ask for 39,990 rubles for it, and this price seems justified. Buy Mi Mix will be mainly because of the design - and here the Chinese smartphone has practically no equal. The closest competitor - Galaxy S8 - is more expensive by 20 thousand. Anyway, show me another ceramic smartphone on the market with skillful inlay with real gold. And even 256 GB and with a leather case included.

Mi Mix is not for everyone, but a person who decides to spend their money on it is unlikely to disappoint.>