Introduction
Full-view, full screen, bezel-less, tri-bezel-less, FullView, FullVision, Infinity Display - whatever you and your favourite manufacturer decides to call it, the new trend is clear - bezels are so 2016! In the build-up to the flexible display revolution and potentially a long-overdue renaissance of mobile phone design, impressive display aspects and proportions seem to be the most exciting alternative to the boring "slab" form factor.
Any way you cut it, Xiaomi and the original Mi Mix need to be acknowledged in any such design-trend analysis. While last year's model is technically not the first to employ a bezel-less design, its implementation definitely made a big splash on the mobile scene. A pretty progressive one at that, essentially spearheading the new trend.
We have to hand it to Xiaomi. When good value is the game, it has proven more than ready and capable of manoeuvring in a tough market. Equally so, when its time to show off, the Chinese overachiever has a tendency of going all in.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 key features
- Body: Four-side curved ceramic body and metal frame on the regular, Ceramic unibody on the Special edition, Corning Gorilla Glass 4
- Display: 5.99-inch IPS LCD, 1080x2160px (18:9), 403 ppi
- OS: Android 7.1. Nougat with MIUI 9 on top
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 4x2.45GHz + 4x1.9GHz Kryo, octa-core CPU, Adreno 540 GPU, 6GB RAM, 8GB in the Special edition
- Storage: 64GB, 128GB or 256GB internal (Only 128GB available for the Special edition)
- Rear Camera: 12 megapixels, f/2.0, PDAF, OIS (4-axis), two-tone LED, 4K video
- Front Camera: 5 megapixels, f2.0, 1080p video
- Connectivity: 4G VoLTE, Dual SIM, Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, A-GPS/GLONASS, BDS, NFC, USB-C port
- Battery: 3,400mAh non-removable, Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging support
- Misc: Fingerprint sensor
Main shortcomings
- No SD card slot
- No 3.5mm audio jack
- No ingress protection
The Mi Mix 2 takes after its flamboyant predecessor in most ways. However, Xiaomi has also dialed back on some aspects this time around and arguably managed to deliver a more sensible and approachable handset. As great as the original was, it was simply out of reach for most, be it for financial, availability or even practical reasons.
In its second version, the Mix gets a traditional earpiece above the display, in place off the expensive and kind of finicky under-display one of the original. While this hasn't harmed the bezel-less look all that much, it definitely brings costs down. The same goes for the new bill of materials. Ceramic still adorns the back plate of the base Mi Mix 2 model, but now you have to shell out for the Special Edition to get the frame in ceramic as well.
This is all a textbook case of product maturity, if we ever saw one. Refined and no longer in incredibly short supply, Xiaomi now has the means to offer the Mix design to a wider audience and with a RMB 3,299 (€420) starting price - almost $100 less than the launch price of the original. Internal hardware value has been allocated better this time around as well. Besides offering up the Snapdragon 835 powerhouse and a choice between 6GB and 8GB of RAM, combined with equally opulent storage options, up to 256GB, Xiaomi has brought in a major camera upgrade as well.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 in official photos
Armed with a 12MP Sony IMX386, OIS-enabled module, the same one inside the Mi 6, the Mi Mix 2 leaves the sub-par shooter of its predecessor in the dust. Even the 5.99-inch FullHD+ (2160x1080p) display, arguably makes more sense, with its increasingly standard 18:9 aspect ration.
All things considered, the Mi Mix 2 has all the makings of a really exciting product and one you could actually pick up today - a major issue with its showcase predecessor. Join us on the following pages, as we explore the Mix 2.
Special thanks to HonorBuy for providing the review unit.
Retail box contents
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 ships on a very lavish package. Gone is the intricate cake-style design of the original Mix and instead we get a two-piece wider and shorter box. The material is quite similar, though. And even though, we still stand firm in our believes that wasting money on a box is quite impractical, the various trays and separate little boxes within boxes do carry across a premium and orderly vibe.
Retail Package
Particulars aside, we do appreciate the fact that Xiaomi still includes a case with its Mix devices. It is not made of leather, like the one on the original, but it is still made of hard and durable plastic.
Also in the box is a USB Type-C to 3.5mm audio dongle, a short USB cable and a wall adaptor. A pretty nice Quick Charge one at that, rated at 5V@3A, 9V@2A and 12V@1.5A. Oh, and you also get a couple of golden inscriptions and signatures on a leaflet and a box separator - for a little extra dash of premium, we guess.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 360-degree spin
Xiaomi has put a tremendous amount of effort into the refined Mi Mix 2 design, earning it plenty of bragging rights. In the company's own words, it is "at the cutting edge of material crafting". It's a plausible statement, considering the awe-inspiring ceramic unibody design.
Now, about that, Special edition Mix 2 has the unibody design. Besides carrying a bigger price tag, this version is also slightly different in size and weight than its sibling. It measures 150.5 x 74.6 x 7.7mm and weighs in at 187 grams. It is also only available in a single 8GB, plus 128GB tier.
As for the regular variant, its back is made of the same ultra-durable ceramic material, but the frame is metal. Not only does this save on actual ceramic material, but definitely requires a much cheaper and quicker manufacturing process. This one measures 151.8 x 75.5 x 7.7mm and tips the scale at 185 grams. Besides the physical differences, the regular Mi Mix 2 can only be picked up with 6GB of RAM and a choice among 64GB, 128GB or 256GB storage.
Despite this significant difference of frame-less, versus a frame-based design, both variants have nearly identical profiles. Xiaomi worked had to not sacrifice any curves, while changing the bill of materials.
Mi Mix 2 next to the original Mix
One thing worth noting, before we get into the hardware tour is that the metal frame of the Mix 2 is quite slippery. However, surprisingly, the ceramic back is grippy in nature, so the phone won't slide out of your hand, but does require a hefty grip to pick up form a table.
Hardware overview
Just to be on the same page, our review unit is a basic 6GB/64GB one, so no ceramic unibody on this one. On the plus side, this is the variant most buyers are likely to opt for. It has a few more hardware elements to discuss as well.
We already covered the front design extensively, so, here are a few more shots for you to admire. It is worth noting that unlike its predecessor, the Mi Mix 2 does have an actual speaker and a slim hole for it above the display. Thanks to some clever design choices, which we will mention in more detail in the Display section, it doesn't really take up much space, still preserving the nearly bezel-less look.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 from the front
Underneath the large display, there is a 12% thinner chin than the one on the original Mix. It is still just wide enough to house the panel controller and the front facing camera - with both shrinked down.
Flipping the phone around, we find a solid ceramic slab, polished to perfection. Not that you'll ever get to see it that way, since "finger magnet" doesn't even begin to describe how much grease it picks up. On the flip side, the material is pretty grippy to the touch - great, since it does tend to slide around most other services.
If you are brave enough, you could potentially carry the Mix 2 around without a case and enjoy its premium look and feel from all sides, all the time. The Ceramic should be perfectly fine with that, given its innate impressive scratch resistance. On the front, Xiaomi opted for a standardized Gorilla Glass 4 finish this time around. Hopefully, this will be enough to remedy the scratch-proneness the original Mi Mix has.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 from the back side
Just to finish up the overview of the ceramic back, the camera does protrude quite a bit - more than it did on the original Mix. As a small consolation, of sorts, Xiaomi has taken the liberty of plating said part with 18K gold on all tiers of the Mix 2. A treatment formerly reserved only for the Exclusive Mix edition.
The fingerprint reader is still just as conveniently placed as on the original and about as snappy and accurate. That is to say pretty dependable, but not the quickest we've seen. The reader itself appears to be coated with ceramic as well, or if not that, a really, really convincing stand-in.
If you do plan on carrying the Mi Mix 2 around without a case, the metal frame might actually be the weakest link. Don't get us wrong, it bodes well for a phone, when we consider metal to be its potential soft spot. Still, it is true that you are more likely to shave the paint off a corner at some point, rather than actually scratch ceramic.
Right side
The volume rocker and power button on the right-hand side are made of metal as well - just a part of Xiaomi's ceramic conservation plan in this generation. Still, both buttons feel great, have a pleasant tactile feedback and are positioned well.
Left side
On the other side, there is a lonely SIM card tray. It can hold two nanoSIM unit, but sadly no microSD card.
Top side, no 3.5mm jack
Both the top and bottom bezels of the Mix 2 have a small pair of antenna lines embedded in the frame. Looking at the futuristic design of the phone as a whole, these small plastic segments do serve as a reminder of trivial issues, like signal strength. This does take at least a bit of the ultra progressive feeling away from the Mix 2, bringing it down to a more common 2017 denominator. However, this has got to be the ultimate nitpicking, since, in essence, it is just us complaining that the ultra-futuristic device we can actually buy today is just a little bit reminiscent of a regular phone, from a very particular angle.
Bottom side, still no 3.5mm jack
One thing we can, arguably, be more legitimately mad about is the omission of a 3.5mm audio jack. It does seem like one would have fit. In its absence, you are stuck living the dongle lifestyle, making the most out of the USB Type-C port. Beside it, on the bottom, there are two grills. Only one of which actually holds a speaker. The other is for the main microphone.
Display
It should come as no surprise that just like the the original Mi Mix, Xiaomi is centering its PR efforts around the impressive nearly bezel-less display, or Full screen display 2.0, as they refer to it. Rightfully so, since even as the trend becomes more popular, few devices can match the pure visual appeal of Xiaomi's design.
Like we mentioned earlier, the screen on the Mi Mix 2 has been moved down ever so slightly compared to its predecessor in order to accommodate what the company is referring to as a "Sound guided speaker design". So, even though there is a more conventional speaker underneath the display this time around, the cunning design only requires a mm or so of extra upper bezel space.
Another thing that contributes nicely to the overall look of the Mi Mix 2 is the 12% smaller bottom chin, compared to the original Mix. Xiaomi achieved this through Chip-On-Film technology. The actual display controller has been shrunk down quite a bit and so has the selfie camera. Frankly, even if it was technically possible, shrinking the bottom bezel further would leave you with a severely less comfortable grip on the phone, so this feels just right.
Beyond its nicely rounded and elongated 18:9 silhouette, the actual panel is also impressive in itself. At least in some respects, that is. With a 5.99-inch diagonal and a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels, it doesn't really constitute a resolution upgrade over its predecessor. However, swapping the 17:9 aspect ration for an increasingly popular 18:9 one might prove to be a really significant change in the long run. Judging by the current Android scene, as well as upcoming devices, this 2:1 aspect is quickly becoming standard, which means appropriate content will be following.
With a pixel density of 403, the Mi Mix 2 is plenty sharp. Contrast is not that great, due to a combination of some light bleed at 0% brightness and only 387 nits at full blast out of the box. It is important to note that this number represents the panel's behaviour with default settings. Xiaomi didn't implement any max auto overburn mode on the Mi Mix 2, but toggling Increased Contrast mode in the Display settings menu does bump up the maximum brightness to a much more respectable 515 nits. The mode increases contrast a bit as well.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, cd/m2 | White, cd/m2 | ||
| 0.41 | 665 | 1622 | |
| 0 | 618 | ∞ | |
| 0.45 | 589 | 1309 | |
| 0.373 | 583 | 1563 | |
| 0.48 | 576 | 1200 | |
| 0.463 | 573 | 1238 | |
| 0.277 | 564 | 2036 | |
| 0.37 | 551 | 1489 | |
| 0.335 | 547 | 1633 | |
| 0.4 | 515 | 1287 | |
| 0.308 | 483 | 1568 | |
| 0.228 | 468 | 2053 | |
| 0 | 453 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 440 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 432 | ∞ | |
| 0.268 | 392 | 1461 | |
| 0.267 | 388 | 1451 | |
| 0.379 | 387 | 1020 | |
| 0.005 | 341 | 68200 | |
Viewing angles on the Mix 2 are not great. Color shift start creeping in at about 30 degree in any direction. Still, it is not severe and perfectly easy to live with. Sunlight legibility is nothing to phone home about either, although its score is still respectable. In real world terms, the handset remains perfectly usable outdoors. Just don't angle the sun straight at it.
Sunlight contrast ratio
- Samsung Galaxy S8
4.768 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
4.658 - Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
4.615 - Motorola Moto Z2 Play
4.459 - Oppo R11
4.454 - Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
4.439 - OnePlus 3
4.424 - Samsung Galaxy S7
4.376 - HTC One A9
4.274 - Samsung Galaxy Note7
4.247 - Samsung Galaxy A3
4.241 - Nokia 8
4.239 - OnePlus 3T
4.232 - Google Pixel XL
4.164 - ZTE Axon 7
4.154 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
4.148 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
4.147 - Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
4.124 - Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)
4.124 - Samsung Galaxy Note5
4.09 - LG V30
4.022 - Huawei Nexus 6P
4.019 - OnePlus X
3.983 - Vivo Xplay5 Elite
3.983 - Oppo R7s
3.964 - Apple iPhone 7
3.964 - Apple iPhone 8 (True Tone)
3.957 - Huawei P9 Plus
3.956 - Meizu Pro 6 Plus
3.935 - Lenovo Moto Z
3.931 - Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
3.918 - OnePlus 5
3.914 - Samsung Galaxy C5
3.911 - Samsung Galaxy C7
3.896 - Samsung Galaxy A5
3.895 - Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor
3.879 - Samsung Galaxy J2 outdoor
3.873 - Samsung Galaxy A8
3.859 - Sony Xperia XZs
3.818 - Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)
3.817 - Motorola Moto X (2014)
3.816 - Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
3.812 - Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
3.804 - Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) outdoor mode
3.802 - Xiaomi Redmi Pro
3.798 - LG V20 Max auto
3.798 - Sony Xperia XZ
3.795 - Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
3.789 - Apple iPhone 6s
3.783 - Meizu Pro 5
3.781 - Microsoft Lumia 650
3.772 - Xiaomi Mi 6
3.767 - Sony Xperia XZ1
3.765 - Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)
3.756 - Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
3.729 - Apple iPhone 8 Plus (True Tone)
3.725 - Oppo F1 Plus
3.709 - Vivo X5Pro
3.706 - Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)
3.688 - Apple iPhone SE
3.681 - Huawei Mate 9
3.68 - Samsung Galaxy A7
3.679 - Meizu PRO 6
3.659 - BlackBerry Priv
3.645 - Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra
3.597 - Apple iPhone 7 Plus
3.588 - LG G6
3.556 - Apple iPhone 6s Plus
3.53 - Motorola Moto Z Play
3.526 - Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
3.523 - Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) outdoor mode
3.523 - Acer Jade Primo
3.521 - Microsoft Lumia 950
3.512 - Oppo R7 Plus
3.499 - nubia Z11
3.466 - Huawei P10 Plus
3.456 - HTC U Ultra
3.453 - Samsung Galaxy J7
3.422 - Meizu MX5
3.416 - LG V20
3.402 - Huawei P10
3.379 - Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016)
3.378 - Oppo R9s
3.352 - Honor 8 Pro
3.341 - Oppo R7
3.32 - Lenovo P2
3.316 - Honor 9
3.289 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
3.276 - Nokia 5
3.261 - Nokia 6 (Chinese version)
3.244 - Nokia 6 (Global version)
3.238 - Samsung Galaxy J2
3.235 - Sony Xperia X Performance
3.234 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
3.228 - Motorola Moto X Play
3.222 - Oppo F3 Plus
3.218 - Huawei Mate 9 Pro
3.206 - Huawei P9
3.195 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
3.19 - ZTE Nubia Z17
3.159 - Lenovo Vibe Shot
3.113 - Motorola Moto X Force
3.105 - LG Nexus 5X
3.092 - HTC U11
3.089 - Huawei Mate S
3.073 - Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
3.065 - Sony Xperia XA1
3.012 - Sony Xperia L1
2.994 - Huawei P10 Lite
2.974 - Samsung Galaxy Note
2.97 - Sony Xperia Z1
2.95 - Huawei Mate 8
2.949 - Xiaomi Redmi 4
2.92 - Xiaomi Redmi 3S
2.913 - Sony Xperia XA Ultra
2.906 - LG G5
2.905 - HTC One S
2.901 - Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime
2.893 - Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus
2.884 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium (sRGB)
2.877 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
2.877 - Sony Xperia Z5
2.876 - Nokia 3
2.871 - Microsoft Lumia 550
2.851 - Lenovo Moto M
2.813 - Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro
2.803 - Sony Xperia Z5 compact
2.784 - Meizu MX6
2.751 - LG V10
2.744 - Xiaomi Redmi 3
2.735 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
2.714 - Meizu M5
2.71 - Sony Xperia M5
2.69 - Xiaomi Mi A1
2.689 - Huawei P9 Lite
2.679 - Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime
2.679 - Vivo V3Max
2.659 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
2.658 - Doogee Mix
2.642 - Xiaomi Mi 4i
2.641 - Xiaomi Redmi 4a
2.635 - Xiaomi Mi 5X (Standard)
2.616 - Sony Xperia XA
2.609 - Motorola Moto G4 Plus
2.582 - Motorola Moto G4 Plus (max auto)
2.582 - Meizu M5s
2.58 - Xiaomi Mi 4c
2.574 - LeEco Le Max 2
2.567 - Microsoft Lumia 640
2.563 - Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
2.563 - Xiaomi Mi Max 2
2.561 - Lenovo Moto G4
2.544 - Lenovo K6 Note
2.544 - Oppo F1
2.528 - Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
2.525 - Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c
2.506 - Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
2.503 - Oppo F1s
2.481 - Motorola Moto G
2.477 - Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus
2.473 - Huawei G8
2.471 - Huawei nova
2.467 - Lenovo Vibe K5
2.459 - Meizu m3 max
2.447 - Xiaomi Mi 5X (Auto)
2.417 - HTC 10 evo
2.407 - Huawei Honor 7
2.406 - Sony Xperia E5
2.386 - ZUK Z1 by Lenovo
2.382 - HTC 10
2.378 - Oppo F3
2.376 - vivo V5 Plus
2.371 - Meizu m1 note
2.362 - Huawei nova plus
2.329 - HTC One E9+
2.305 - Alcatel One Touch Hero
2.272 - Apple iPhone 4S
2.269 - Lenovo Vibe K4 Note
2.254 - Sony Xperia C5 Ultra
2.253 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)
2.249 - Sony Xperia C4 Dual
2.235 - Xiaomi Mi Note
2.234 - Motorola Moto G (2014)
2.233 - LG Nexus 5
2.228 - Huawei P8
2.196 - Meizu M5 Note
2.189 - Huawei Honor 6
2.169 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
2.166 - OnePlus Two
2.165 - HTC One X
2.158 - LG Aka
2.145 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (X20)
2.145 - Archos 50 Diamond
2.134 - Xiaomi Redmi Note
2.119 - Xiaomi Mi 4S
2.095 - Acer Liquid X2
2.084 - Huawei P8lite
2.078 - vivo V5
2.059 - Moto G 3rd gen max manual
2.026 - Xiaomi Mi 3
2.001 - Xiaomi Mi Max
1.996 - Sony Xperia E4g
1.972 - OnePlus One
1.961 - Meizu m3 note
1.923 - BlackBerry Leap
1.892 - Meizu m2 note
1.892 - HTC Butterfly
1.873 - Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
1.772 - ZTE Nubia Z9 mini
1.759 - Sony Xperia U
1.758 - Asus Zenfone Selfie
1.68 - ZTE Nubia Z9
1.659 - Jolla Jolla
1.605 - Motorola Moto E
1.545 - Sony Xperia M
1.473 - Sony Xperia L
1.351 - HTC Desire C
1.3 - Meizu MX
1.221 - Sony Xperia E
1.215
The panel in the Mi Mix 2 is still an IPS LCD just like on the previous model. However, it is a surprisingly color accurate this time around. Some settings are required, though. The default Automatic contrast mode works well enough, but results in an average deltaE of 7.1 and a maximum of 8.5. It is also the only mode that allows shifting the gamma to warm or cold, if that is your thing.
However, if accuracy is what you are after, don't fiddle with that at all and simply switch over to Standard contrast mode. Dial the brightness down a bit to about 76% and you can expect color deviations as little as deltaE 0.9 on average and a max of deltaE 2.5.
Connectivity
Xiaomi is marketing the Mi Mix 2 as a "Global bands" device, "great for business professionals", etc. This sounds perfectly believable thanks to the dual SIM support and especially the powerful X16 LTE modem, inside the Snapdragon 835 chipset. 24 LTE bands should have you well covered. If not, there are seven HSPDA ones to fall back to as well. And if all else fails, quad-band GSM support.
Theoretical download speeds of Cat.16 mean up to 1GBps. 4x20 MHz carrier aggregation is another glorious bonus to enjoy, provided your carrier can provide the network to match this.
On the local side, the Mi Mix 2 is fully decked-out as well. You get Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a fresh new Bluetooth 5.0 radio.
NFC support is there too - and a full-featured one at that - including card emulation support. Sadly, there is no FM radio receiver in the Mix 2 - a pretty typical omission on most current flagships.
We were kind of hoping for an IR as well, since Xiaomi does still offer it on a large segment of its portfolio. Sadly, it is missing from the Mi Mix 2.
After the demise of the 3.5mm audio jack, the Mi Mix 2 is only left with a single port. So, connecting more than one thing at a time definitely means living the dongle life. On the plus side, Xiaomi didn't skip on any trimming for the Type-C port. Its audio output is actually analog, as opposed to Type C digital audio. That means you don't need expensive dongles or headphones, but only a passive adapter to get the sound out of the internal DAC. If the latter is not up to your personal audiophile standards, you can still leverage digital audio output through the same port.
Data transfer reached USB 3.0 speeds in our tests, so you can count on 5Gbps transfers, given the right equipment.
Battery life
While we are sure many users will appreciate the overall shrinking in size and weight of the Mi Mix 2, compared to its predecessor, it does come at a price. We are referring to the significantly smaller 3,400 mAh battery, in particular.
However, that is only part of the reason why the Mix 2 managed a notably lower 65 hour score in our standard endurance test. The X16 LTE model inside the Snapdragon 835 actually managed to hang on to a network signal just as long as excepted in our talk time and standby tests.
It's the other two scores that actually drag the overall rating down. We are inclined to attribute the poor on-screen efficiency mostly to OS optimization issues.
That being said, a 65 hour rating is not catastrophic. It is actually roughly what the smaller iPhone 8 manages as well. So, we'll just call it serviceable, but not remarkable in any way and hope for better luck with a future update.
Battery capacity aside, it is nice to see Quick Charge 3.0 support, just like on the original Mix. Wireless charging is still a notable omission, but if you hook up the Mix 2 with a proper charger, it can charge from 0% to 47% in only 30 minutes.
The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare under your own typical use.
Familiar MIUI 8.5 on top of Android Nougat
It's hard to really complain about MIUI, considering it is actually one of the better maintained custom Android builds out there. Xiaomi also has a solid track record of supporting older devices. That being said, we will note that MIUI development has been on the slower end lately.
As of writing this review, there is only one Official Global ROM available for the device - V8.5.1.0.NDEMIEF (MIUI8), based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It was only made available recently, a few days after the Mix 2 hit the Indian market.
We received a second review unit just hours before this review was due for publishing, and, surprisingly, it came with MIUI 9 ver. v7.9.21. The version of Android was the same - 7.1.1 and since most of the changes in MIUI 9 are under the hood, there weren't many differences we were able to spot right away. Of course, the icons had more modern icon looks and there are some new feature or two such as split screen view.
With that said, make note that this review is based on the review unit with MIUI 8. We'll update this review with our new findings in MIUI 9 in the following days.
MIUI 8 is an already familiar launcher with lots of features and UI tweaks. Its looks are just a minor part of the way MIUI is different from stock Android, though.
MIUI 8
Dual Apps and dual spaces are some of the highlights in MIUI. Dual Apps means you can have two instances of the same app on your device. This allows you to do things like have two WhatsApp accounts on the same phone, one for each SIM. You can enable dual-app functionality on almost every app.
Dual apps
Dual spaces lets you have two different workspaces on your device, each with its own set of apps, customizations, and image gallery, and you can enter a custom passcode or a different fingerprint to enter either space.
The lockscreen is rather trivial (time, notifications, a couple of shortcuts), but once you set up the fingerprint reader, you'll rarely see it anyway. Still, the Wallpaper Carousel can put beautiful images on the lockscreen every 15 minutes.
The lockscreen
The always-on fingerprint sensor is accurate and can take the phone from sleep to the homescreen in a flash (the lockscreen is bypassed). The reader is also very accurate and dependable.
Like many other Chinese Launchers, MIUI skips on an app drawer and puts everything on the home screen - shortcuts, widgets and drawers. You get a docked menu for the most commonly used apps, of course. The homescreen also supports a wallpaper carousel, so you can enjoy different beautiful wallpapers all the time.
Homescreen
The notification shade has a consolidated list of quick toggles, notifications, and a weather panel at the top that changes color and animation according to the weather - a nice little touch.
Notification shade
The app switcher feels like it came out of iOS - apps are either represented by their icons, in a single horizontal row, or by appropriate thumbnails in the same manner.
Recent app switcher
The MIUI launcher also has extensive theme support. You can tweak practically aspect of the interface. A few options are available out of the box and more can be downloaded for free as well. Tweakable elements include your wallpapers, lockscreen style, system icons, font, and sounds.
Themes
If you find yourself struggling with the ultra-wide aspect ration of the Mi Mix 2, you can give the Quick Ball a try. It can store up to 5 shortcuts and you can put pretty much anything here - from Android actions to app shortcuts. The Ball can also hide automatically on chosen apps, and moved aside when you are running a fullscreen app.
Quick Ball settings
Benchmarking performance
Besides serving as a technology demo for the company's impressive bezel-less display design, the original Mix was also treated to a true flagship specs sheet through and through, for a well-rounded, albeit not exactly easily attainable offer. Now that the Mix 2 is a lot more sensible and likely intended for a wider audience, it only makes sense to stick to high-end flagship internals. After all, €420 is quite a pretty penny in Xiaomi terms, so prospective buyers are rightfully going to expect strong performance to match the stunning exterior.
The Mi Mix 2 does not disappoint. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 is still one of the top dogs around. As for memory, while we still stand firm by our belief that 8GB are a total overkill in the current state of Android OS and especially app ecosystem development, there are some potentially viable cases to be made for running 6GB of RAM. With that in mind, it is nice to see tat Xiaomi bumped-up its base memory option to 6GB this time around. With 8GB only reserved for the Special edition.
Keep in mind, however, that depending on your personal needs and usage pattern, storage might still be a bottleneck, since Xiaomi skipped on a microSD card slot once again. Still, with both 128GB and a whopping 256GB Mi Mix 2 variants on offer, it is just a matter of balancing your storage needs and budget.
Starting off with GeekBench and some pure CPU-based synthetic loads, the Snapdragon 835 inside the Mi Mix 2 performs about as expected. We do say "about", since the score is on the lower side. The chart shows that the Mix 2 only managed to outpace the Sony Xperia XZ Premium, based on the same chipset.
GeekBench 4.1 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Samsung Galaxy Note8
6784 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
6754 - ZTE nubia Z17
6622 - OnePlus 5
6604 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
6590 - HTC U11
6393 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
6301 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
6234 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
5460 - LG G6
4175
GeekBench 4.1 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Samsung Galaxy Note8
1987 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
1986 - ZTE nubia Z17
1966 - OnePlus 5
1932 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
1924 - HTC U11
1919 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
1862 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
1836 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
1832 - LG G6
1767
It is also clear that there is more to squeeze out of the chip, so there is some room for optimization. Then again, MIUI is far from a pure Android experience, so, we can forgive a small dip in raw performance numbers. Especially when you take into account the synthetic nature of these numbers. In real-life scenarios, the Mi MIx 2 is as fast as they come on the current smartphone scene.
GeekBench 4 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- OnePlus 5
6404 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
6364 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
6338 - ZTE nubia Z17
6275 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
6263 - HTC U11
6125 - Huawei Mate 9
6112 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
6106 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
5966 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
5837 - Huawei P10 Plus
5821 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
4288 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
4278 - LG G6
4209 - Google Pixel XL
4152
GeekBench 4 (single-core)
Higher is better
- ZTE nubia Z17
2065 - OnePlus 5
2031 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
2007 - HTC U11
1993 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
1961 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
1948 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
1943 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
1938 - Huawei P10 Plus
1937 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
1915 - Huawei Mate 9
1898 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
1824 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
1815 - LG G6
1733 - Google Pixel XL
1507
Moving on to more compound benchmarks, we see a pretty identical picture in AnTuTu. While besting the Sony Xperia XZ Premium by a sizeable margin, the Mi Mix 2 actually falls behind its similarly-specked flagship competitors a bit. Again, this is hardly noticeable in real-world usage.
AnTuTu 6
Higher is better
- OnePlus 5
180331 - ZTE nubia Z17
178629 - HTC U11
177343 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
175153 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
174070 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
172425 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
168133 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
160319 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
144223 - LG G6
143639 - Google Pixel XL
141186 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
140324 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
133242 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
128498
126252
122826
And just in case our re-assurance that the Mix 2 is a perfectly capable 2017 flagship is not enough, enter Basemark OS 2.0. Just like AnTuTu it is a compound benchmark, basing its score on various component speeds and metrics, including storage and RAM, to name a couple. It is a lot more generous to the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 while handing out scores. Again, a few hundreds variances aside, the conclusion to make here is that the Mix 2 can successfully throw punches with the other 2017 heavy-weights on the Android scene.
Basemark OS 2.0
Higher is better
- OnePlus 5
3601 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
3578 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
3424 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
3333 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
3319 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
3298 - ZTE nubia Z17
3281 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
3174 - HTC U11
2970 - Huawei P10 Plus
2940 - Huawei Mate 9
2637 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
2381 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
2380 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
2364 - Google Pixel XL
2281 - LG G6
2126
What about graphics? The ultra-wide 18:9 aspect ratio is sure to leave its mark on performance? Well, yes and no. In this transitional period as more and more manufacturers start adopting ultra-wide aspects, there is bound to be some turmoil in the graphics and particularly gaming department. Yes, a classic 16:9, Full HD handset, like the OnePlus 5 can definitely squeeze more on-screen frames out of the Adreno 540 GPU.
GFX 3.0 Manhattan (1080p offscreen)
Higher is better
- ZTE nubia Z17
63 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
63 - HTC U11
60 - OnePlus 5
60 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
57 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
54 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
51 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
50 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
50 - Google Pixel XL
47 - LG G6
41 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
40 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
38 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
34 - Huawei Mate 9
30 - Huawei P10 Plus
28
GFX 3.0 Manhattan (onscreen)
Higher is better
- OnePlus 5
56 - ZTE nubia Z17
56 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
50 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
47 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
42 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
41 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
41 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
40 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
37 - HTC U11
35 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
34 - Google Pixel XL
30 - Huawei Mate 9
28 - LG G6
24 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
23 - Huawei P10 Plus
19
However, even with more pixels to worry about in one direction, the Mix 2 handles its GPU potential magnificently. It even manages to outperform the Samsung Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note8, also avid early adopters of a wider aspect.
GFX 3.1 Manhattan (1080p offscreen)
Higher is better
- Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
43 - ZTE nubia Z17
43 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
42 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
42 - OnePlus 5
41 - HTC U11
41 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
39 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
39 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
37 - Google Pixel XL
32 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
30 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
28 - LG G6
26 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
22 - Huawei Mate 9
22 - Huawei P10 Plus
19
GFX 3.1 Manhattan (onscreen)
Higher is better
- ZTE nubia Z17
41 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
41 - OnePlus 5
40 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
32 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
30 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
27 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
23 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
23 - Huawei Mate 9
23 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
20 - HTC U11
19 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
18 - Google Pixel XL
17 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
13 - Huawei P10 Plus
12 - LG G6
12
Keeping all this in mind, it is worth mentioning that even though the Mi Mix 2 will likely have more than enough "oomph" for any Android game you throw at it, most are still made with a 16:9 aspect in mind. Unlike its Galaxy rivals, the Mix 2 doesn't have a native solution in place to stretch and crop. If the game does not wish to scale properly, you are left with black bars. Still, gradually, developers will more than likely adapt and deliver more aspect-fluent content on a mass scale.
GFX 3.1 Car scene (1080p offscreen)
Higher is better
- Samsung Galaxy S8+
25 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
25 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
25 - ZTE nubia Z17
25 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
25 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
25 - OnePlus 5
24 - HTC U11
24 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
23 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
20 - Google Pixel XL
19 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
18 - LG G6
16 - Huawei Mate 9
13 - Huawei P10 Plus
12 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
8.4
GFX 3.1 Car scene (onscreen)
Higher is better
- ZTE nubia Z17
25 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
25 - OnePlus 5
24 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
24 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
20 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
17 - Huawei Mate 9
14 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
13 - HTC U11
13 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
13 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
13 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
12 - Google Pixel XL
11 - Huawei P10 Plus
9 - LG G6
8.5 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
4.8
Basemark X features a more diverse mix of tests, complete with plenty of emphasis on off-screen tendering. It is nice to see the Mi Mix 2 still hold its own, even though the benchmark seems to be clearly favouring the Exynos 8895 and the Mali-G71 MP20 in particular.
Basemark X
Higher is better
- Samsung Galaxy S8+
43862 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
40890 - OnePlus 5
38844 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
38507 - HTC U11
38399 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
38349 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
37346 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
37211 - Huawei Mate 9
36519 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
36506 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
34951 - ZTE nubia Z17
33513 - Google Pixel XL
30861 - Huawei P10 Plus
30602 - LG G6
30507 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
22472
Basemark ES 3.1 still has enough pixel-generating potential to bring some modern phones down to their knees. The Mi Mix 2 still holds its own with this load, but with plenty of room for improvement. Perhaps an outdated OpenGL ES 3.1 driver is to blame.
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal
Higher is better
- Samsung Galaxy Note8
1268 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
1111 - Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SD 835)
875 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
842 - HTC U11
836 - Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SD 835)
817 - OnePlus 5
796 - Huawei Mate 9
794 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
739 - Google Pixel XL
626 - ZTE nubia Z17
619 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
558 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
556 - LG G6
541 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
517
In any case, like we said before, less than stellar scores are no cause for concern. The Mi Mix 2 is nothing short of impressive when it comes to real-world performance.
Telephony
The dialer and the phonebook share a single app, but two shortcuts bring you straight to the tab you need. The flat UI fits in well with the rest of the MIUI styling. It uses a tabbed interface - recents and dialer on the first and the contact list on the second.
Call recording is available - the files can be saved either on your device or on your MiCloud.
Phonebook
The dialer looks a little dull on the surface, but is actually packing quite a bit of advanced functionality. It can automatically recognize business numbers, as well as scan contacts thanks to the Xiaomi's Caller ID database. Sadly, the bulk of these features are useful only on the Chinese market.
Dialer
Loudspeaker test
Not only did Xiaomi include a more conventional earpiece in the Mix 2, but decided to leverage it for multimedia purposes as well. Yes, the Mi Mix 2 actually has a hybrid stereo speaker setup, of sorts. The earpiece does try its best to reproduce a left or right channel, depending on which way you hold the phone, but it is a lot weaker than the main bottom-mounted speaker.
Still, it definitely adds to the media consumption experience, since it directs some of the sound straight your way.
| Speakerphone test | Voice, dB | Ringing |
Overall score | |
| 62.9 | 65.2 | 71.6 | Below Average | |
| 62.1 | 71.2 | 73.8 | Average | |
| 63.4 | 68.6 | 76.4 | Good | |
| 66.2 | 70.5 | 72.5 | Good | |
| 66.8 | 68.8 | 74.5 | Good | |
| 64.8 | 69.8 | 82.5 | Good | |
| 69.2 | 72.9 | 77.5 | Very Good | |
| 69.2 | 72.7 | 78.4 | Very Good | |
| 68.7 | 73.0 | 79.1 | Very Good | |
| 67.6 | 71.0 | 82.7 | Very Good | |
| 64.2 | 72.8 | 86.0 | Very Good | |
| 73.4 | 72.1 | 84.1 | Excellent | |
| 83.1 | 74.5 | 85.0 | Excellent | |
| 87.3 | 72.8 | 90.8 | Excellent |
As for the primary speaker, it can get pretty loud and managed to get a Very Good score in our tests. In fact, only a few points separate it from the Excellent mark. The sound it produces is also pretty clear. Highs tend to get distorted a bit, with some particular pitches coming out on the unpleasant side. Still, overall, its a well-rounded setup.
Other apps
The Mi Max 2 offers an excellent file managing app called Explorer, which lets you browse the files in its internal storage and group them by type.
Explorer
MIUI also offers a Security app. It can scan your phone for malware, manage your blacklist, manage or restrict your data usage, configure battery behavior, and free up some RAM. It can also manage the permissions of your installed apps.
The Security app also allows you to define the battery behavior of selected apps and applies restrictions only to the apps you choose.
Security app • Cleaner • Battery management • Managing a single app • Battery Saver
Despite some bold claims in the MIUI forum, the Mi Mix 2 does not have an IR blaster. This can be confirmed by opening Xiaomi's MiRemote app. Oddly enough, the software on our review unit got the Chinese version of the app, despite the fact that we have seen an English one on previous devices. It can still be useful, if you have equipment, like Xiaomi Android boxes, which the app recognizes and is more than happy to take control of with no authentication required (though that's just a bit worrying).
Mi Remote app
While on the topic of non-regionalized apps that somehow made it into our Global ROM, there are quite a few. Our Chinese is not that good, so we only have impressions to go by. One app only has the Xiaomi logo and looks like a hub of sorts. There is also a News feed with various sources. The Reader app might have an English title, but its contents are also not translated.
Mi app • News app • Reader app • Other market-specific apps
There are a few other Chinese apps scattered around the interface. Luckily enough, you can simply uninstall them.
One app you might actually consider leaving is Mi Home. In case you own some other Xiaomi devices, that is. It is a really convenient way to manage them, since it operates on a plug-in scheme, simply pulling in any components it needs to manage your hardware. Here you can see it handling a Mi router and a Miija m365 electric scooter.
Mi Home app
We liked the Compass app. It has a clean interface, shows the magnetic directions, and doubles as a level meter. If you lift the phone up, then you'll get a nice augmented reality view with a real-time overlay of East/West/North/South.
Compass • level • VR directions
The Calculator app supports advanced calculations and conversions, including web-sourced currency rates. Finally, the Notes app offers templates and checklists support.
Notes • Notes • Calculator • Conversions Menu • Conversions
Last, but not least, the Mix 2 has a dedicated Recorder app, with quite a few options. Also, a barcode scanner app, which seems kind of redundant, since the main camera can already be configured to handle that as well.
Recorder • Recorder settings • Scanner
Gallery
The Mi Mix 2 comes with the Mi Gallery app that shows the camera row by default, but the second tab includes all images and videos on the phone. You can set up a photo backup with your Mi Cloud account. Just be advised that the latter is not the most intuitive, or well translated cloud storage option out there.
The Gallery app remains unchanged
The integrated editor offers various effects, filters, and enhancements, plus fun stuff like stickers and doodling.
Editing an image
Music player
The international MIUI ROM on our Mi Mix 2 review unit does come with Google Play Services and a rich pack of Google apps. That includes Google Music, but Xiaomi decided to leave its solution in place as well.
Pre-installed Google app package
The MIUI music player is a custom app with a well laid out, easy to navigate interface. The player has cool effects, transitions, and transparent elements, especially on the expandable Now Playing section. Lyrics are supported, too.
Xiaomi Music app
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 offers customizable equalizers within the phone's Settings menu - there are a few default presets already available for use. You can also try Xiaomi's MiSound enhancer, which comes into play when you use headphones, and especially, a Xiaomi-branded headset. Xiaomi is definitely trying to play an Apple-style ecosystem game. But, we can't really get a proper feel for it in Western markets with limited availability of the product lineup and selection.
Video Player
Videos are launched from the gallery. There's no subtitle support here, but DLNA is on board. Also, Xiaomi did take the new aspect ratio into consideration, including a toggle for what is essentially a cropped-out full-screen view mode.
The simple video player
A simple setup, but it is serviceable enough. If you want anything more advanced, just hit up the Play Store.
Audio output is impressively loud
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 did splendidly when attached to an active external, delivering output that was both crystal clear and among the loudest out there.
Volume remained just as impressive with headphones, while quality degradation consisted of a well contained stereo crosstalk hike and some intermodulation distortion. Neither reading went too bad though, so a very solid showing overall.
| Test | Frequency response | Noise level | Dynamic range | THD | IMD + Noise | Stereo crosstalk |
| +0.02, -0.02 | -94.3 | 94.3 | 0.0038 | 0.0072 | -93.5 | |
| +0.31, -0.01 | -93.3 | 93.3 | 0.016 | 0.243 | -63.8 | |
| +0.01, -0.03 | -92.1 | 92.1 | 0.0020 | 0.0086 | -92.5 | |
| +0.03, -0.03 | -92.5 | 92.5 | 0.0024 | 0.046 | -77.3 | |
| +0.02, -0.01 | -93.2 | 93.1 | 0.0008 | 0.0069 | -94.2 | |
| +0.03, -0.02 | -92.9 | 92.9 | 0.0057 | 0.051 | -68.1 | |
| +0.03, -0.01 | -94.1 | 94.1 | 0.0010 | 0.0070 | -94.2 | |
| +0.15, -0.08 | -94.0 | 94.0 | 0.0033 | 0.139 | -59.9 | |
| +0.05, -0.11 | -94.1 | 94.1 | 0.0017 | 0.0067 | -94.5 | |
| +0.05, -0.02 | -93.7 | 93.8 | 0.0018 | 0.105 | -53.7 | |
| +0.01, -0.03 | -90.6 | 90.4 | 0.018 | 0.027 | -92.6 | |
| +0.30, -0.20 | -90.5 | 90.0 | 0.0018 | 0.145 | -65.7 |
Xiaomi Mi Mix 28 frequency response
You can learn more about the tested parameters and the whole testing process here.
12MP, OIS-enabled snapper
A proper flagship deserves a proper camera. If you deliberately landed on this page of the review, we are pretty sure you agree. It is no secret that the 16MP snapper on the original Mi Mix looked as more of an afterthought or something of a weak link in an otherwise spectacular phone.
Thankfully, its successor got a noticeably better deal in this department. The Mi Mix 2 is equipped with a single 12MP camera, complete with Xiaomi's impressively stable 4-axis OIS system. It employs a Sony IMX386 sensor, the very same found inside the Mi Max 2, Mi Note 3 and the Mi6 flagship. Oddly enough, the latter two employ a brighter f/1.8 lens, but for some reason, the Mix 2 only gets an f/2.0 one. This definitely takes its toll on image quality in low-light conditions.
Even more perplexing is the absence of Xiaomi's secondary telephoto camera. We guess that the cost-saving aspect is a viable point and one that could contribute to the overall mission of making the Mix 2 more accessible. Then again, most buyers really place great value in a phone's camera capabilities, so the absence of the extra feature could swing both ways.
Before we get into a quality analysis, we should take a quick look at the camera UI. The camera interface is fairly simple and features toggles for HDR, and flash on the left. Once again, no telephoto or portrait mode anywhere to be found.
Camera UI, modes and filters
There are 12 filters available with live previews. The camera also offers quite a few different shooting modes - Panorama, Timer, Audio, Straighten, Manual, Beautify, Group Shot, Tilt Shift, and Night (HHT) as well as the camera settings. All pretty familiar options, just moved around some from previous models.
The Manual mode lets you tweak ISO (100-3200), exposure time (up to 1/4s), white balance, and focus.
Manual mode
The camera settings are pretty extensive, despite lacking a straightforward resolution adjustment option. You can even play with Contrast, Saturation and Sharpness levels and tune the stills to your liking. There are a few exposure metering options as well. The automatic lowlight photo enhancement is a sort-of toned-down HDR mode. It works pretty well, but, bear in mind it is not exactly full-fledged HDR.
Camera settings
We've already seen the IMX386 in action plenty of times. Meizu and Xiaomi's implementations in the past all share solid overall still quality. The Mi Mix 2 makes no exception. In daylight, its photos are on par with those taken by the Mi6 - per-pixel quality is very high, plenty of resolved detail, even the foliage is rendered great, noise is kept low and overall.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 camera samples
Colors typically come out accurate and dynamic range is pleasantly wide as well. The only small issues we experienced while shooting around with the Mix 2 is a sometimes unreliable auto exposure algorithm. Stop exposure metering on your end remedies the issue.
Autofocus exhibited some strange behaviour as well. From time to time, the camera would randomly decide to set the focus plane back a bit, while shooting far-away objects and then just leave it there. Thankfully, tapping on the display not only prompts an exposure recalculation but also triggers a re-focus procedure that fixes the problem. However, in its current state, the camera AF software can not be trusted for a no-input point-and-shoot operation.
To get the full extent of the HDR processing, you have to toggle it manually. Overall, it works well to recover detail in the shadows. It all depends on the particular scene, but the effect is easily noticeable.
HDR Off • HDR On • HDR Off • HDR On • HDR Off • HDR On
HDR Off • HDR On • HDR Off • HDR On • HDR Off • HDR On
The low-light photos came out rather unimpressive with poor detail and some of them washed out.
Mi Mix 2 low-light samples
Xiaomi has a good track record when it comes to panoramas. The implementation running on the Mi MIx 2 is quite impressive as well. Samples come out with plenty of detail and almost no downgrade in quality compared to stills. Resolution is also plentiful at over 3800 pixels in height. Even better, there is practically no sign of stitching artefacts. Even moving objects are generally handled gracefully with little to no ghosting or deformation.
Mi Mix 2 panorama sample
Considering the Mi Mix 2's Full screen display and 12% smaller chin underneath it, compared to its predecessor, having any selfie camera at all is an achievement in itself. To cope with space constraints, Xiaomi had to stick to a rather unfortunate 5MP resolution once again. At least the Mix 2 gets a slightly brighter f/2.0 lens.
Still, the end results are not good. Well, samples are serviceable, but not really spectacular. You can judge for yourself.
Mi Mix 2 selfie samples
Interestingly enough, Xiaomi decided to plant a fairly extensive beauty mode on top of the unimpressive selfie cam. There is an Auto mode with three levels of intensity. If you find that insufficient, you can go into Pro mode and adjust Slim and Skin sliders individually. Bear in mind, there is a little bit of beauty filtering going on in all selfies by default, unless you set the algorithm to off altogether.
Playing with beauty mode
Last, but not least, you can check out how the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 stacks up against the competition in our extensive photo compare database.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy S8 vs. HTC U11 in our photo compare tool
Video capture
Video mode gives you a choice of 2160p @ 30fps and 1080p @ 30fps for common shooting with a 720p @ 120fps option if you want some slow-motion effects. There's no 1080p @ 60fps mode though, which would make a big difference for fast-paced scenes. Also, changing resolution involves going to Modes and then in the advanced settings, which isn't all that convenient.
The 2160p videos are captured at 42Mbps bitrate and have rock solid 30fps. The audio is captured in stereo at 96Kbps bitrate. There appears to be some form of stabilization going on in both 4K and 1080p video recording. However, it is not nearly as fluent as that on many of its competitors. Nor is it advertised as such, so take it or leave it.
4K quality is good, but not great by any means. The Mix 2 suffers from some noticeable focusing issues. And its not the typical focus hunting, but rather missing the mark altogether. Granted, this only happens from time to time and only with the default continuous autofocus mode. Still, since the focus tends to stay out of adjustment once the bug occurs, if you don't notice, it can easily spoil a clip. Spot metering is a temporary patch in this case as well. Hopefully its only our review unit acting up.
1080p clips get recorder with a 20Mbps video bitrate and the same quality audio stream are quite pleasant. Sure, some detail is lost, but not that much. The only issue seems to be the Mix 2's tendency to oversaturate. Be weary of focus and exposure here as well.
You can also download the 4K@30fps (11s, 60MB) and 1080p@30fps (10s, 25MB) video samples taken straight off the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2.
Finally, you can use our Video Compare Tool to see how the Mi Mix 2 stacks against rivals in both 4K and 1080p modes.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 in our 4K video compare tool
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 in our 1080p video compare tool
Wrapping it up
It definitely took more than a few years, but Xiaomi has arguably managed to traverse the tough road from a start-up underdog, to a respectable player in the mobile phone industry. A player capable of offering exquisite high-end products, along with traditionally good value devices on an increasingly international scene. Lofty generalizations aside, even if you don't appreciate the Chinese manufacturer for what it is and how far it has come, it is really hard to deny the appeal of devices like the Mi Mix 2.
But there's a lot more to like about the second generation Mix beyond its stunning bezel-less design as well. Unlike the original Mix, Xiaomi really does have a well-rounded product it can actually offer and expect sales out of this time around. Sure, this might have involved taking away some of the glamour and lustre, but the overall look and feel is still mostly intact. Plus, the end product is not only cheaper, but also more universally appealing this time around.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 key test findings
- The Mi Mix 2 manages to preserve most of the stunning design language of the original, all the while implementing some more practical build, component and material choices. The trendy new 18:9 aspect brings an extra dimension to Xiaomi's already stunning bezel-less concept.
- The fingerprint reader works reliably and is fast. Its center-stage position on the back is also quite functional.
- Despite its stunning design, the Mix 2 display is not spectacular in any other way. It runs a bit dim and requires switching to a high contrast mode to get to the max level it's capable of. There is no overdrive mode on bright sunlight either. Sunlight legibility is adequate, though, and color accuracy is really good. Viewing angles are not great.
- The Mi Mix 2 does not handle its reduced 3,400 mAh well enough. Overall endurance is serviceable and the modem draws an expected amount of power. MIUI could be better optimized to handle on-screen tasks on the new 18:9 panel.
- We definitely miss the 3.5mm audio jack. At least there is a dongle in the box. The X16 LTE modem is about as quick as they come. Local connectivity is well coveted. An IR blaster would have been a nice touch.
- The Snapdragon 835 chip inside the Mi Mix 2 scores very comparable, even if slightly lower results to competitors with the same silicon. In real-life terms, the handset is just as snappy and fluent as other 2017 flagships.
- MIUI 8 is still at the polar opposite end, compared to vanilla Android. It has its distinct visual style and numerous features baked in. Android Oreo is still not available. There is only a single Global ROM available and with most units shipping with a Chinese one, you need to familiarize yourself with the situation and your firmware flashing options.
- The Mi Mix 2 seems to borrow most of its camera hardware form the Mi6, although it does use a darker lens and there is no telephoto camera. Stills have plenty of detail in daylight, on par with the Mi6. However, focus can be hit-or-miss at times. HDR works well, even if its not exactly subtle. Panoramic images have are great with plenty of resolution and no signs of stitching.
- Low-light photos are on the noisy side and not exactly impressive.
- The 5MP selfie cam appears almost unchanged from the original Mi Mix. It does get a slightly brighter f/2.0 lens, but is still largely unimpressive both in detail and resolution.
- 4K quality is good, but not great by any means. The odd focusing issues persist, with the phone randomly shifting focus and never shifting it back using the default continuous autofocus option. Spot metering remedies this issue, but its not an elegant solution. Hopefully a software update addresses the problem. 1080p videos are actually quite pleasant, but colors tend to get over-saturated.
A trendy new 18:9 display, a more functional traditional earpiece setup, notably improved main camera and a flagship-grade Snapdragon 835 chipset all add up to a truly compelling offer. Not to mention one you can actually buy right now, without mounting a full on treasure hunt and then having to shell out a fortune yourself in the end. In fact, in many markets Xiaomi has already managed to reach, like most of Aisa and India, the Mi Mix 2 might just be the cheapest and arguably best-value Snapdragon 835, bezel-less device to consider.
That is not to say, the Mi Mix 2 is faultless. Far from it. The display, while stunning in shape and design, could use a bit more brightness and a bit better sunlight legibility to compete in the big leagues. OLED technology would be greatly appreciated as well, not to mention beneficial to overall battery efficiency.
Speaking of battery, while not horrible, the Mi Mix 2 only adequately manages its 3,400 mAh, with much room for improvement. Hopefully, Android Oreo will come soon to bring improvements in this respect. You might want to look elsewhere for a truly excellent camera experience as well.
On to some notable alternatives to consider, in case the Mi Mix 2 rubs you the wrong way somehow. There is also the distinct and quite likely possibility that you simply live in a country outside Xiaomi's area of operation, which means tougher availability, logistics, import taxes and questionable support. We definitely get that and is the reason why we need to level the playing field price-wise when looking at competitors.
Noteworthy alternatives
The Mi Mix 2 might start at $500 in China and around $550 in India, but a realistic price in most other markets would be around EUR 550. Even at that price point, however, few phones can offer a similar specs sheet and cool looks. Naturally, there is the original Xiaomi Mi Mix, which has come down in price quite a bit since its launch. We already mentioned it in comparisons all throughout this review, so you should pretty much know what you are getting into. The highlights include a bigger panel and battery, worse camera setup and older/slower Snapdragon 821 chipset.
Xiaomi Mi Mix • Xiaomi Mi Note 2 • Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
There is also the Mi Note 2 to potentially consider. Unlike its 2017 successor, which drifts a bit into upper-midrange territory, the Mi Note 2 is a flagship offer through and through, complete with a phaphet-sized 5.7-inch AMOLED panel, curved on both sides and the same, still capable Snapdragon 821 chip.
And if cost-saving is a high priority, the upcoming Redmi Note 5 might just be worth the wait. Since it is yet to leave the rumor mill, we can't exactly recommend it. But initial leaks do paint an impressive 18:9 ultra-wide picture and a solid specs sheet to back it up.
On to some more Western-friendly options, while still sticking to the "trendy exterior" requirement, we find the Samsung Galaxy S8 as a prime candidate. Samsung's current flagship has come down in price nicely. Plus, it is so popular that promotions are always popping up left and right. It is typically within budget and has a class-leading 5.8-inch, curved Super AMOLED panel to offer, along with excellent overall performance and a truly great camera.
The LG G6 is also well within budget and equipped with a trendy 5.7-inch, 18:9, IPS LCD display. Its dual 13MP camera setup and Snapdragon 821 chipset, while not class-leading are still solid enough options.
Samsung Galaxy S8 • LG G6 • Meizu Pro 7 Plus
Another potentially eye-catching option ins the Meizu Pro 7 Plus, specifically for its secondary 2-icnh AMOLED panel on the back.
If you are not necessarily after a flashy design statement, there are a few notable smartphones to consider. The OnePlus 5 is one, while stocks last, of course. While not as good value as its predecessors, it is still a true flagship, with a 5.5-inch AMOLED panel, a decent dual camera setup and a Snapdragon 835.
Another slightly older, but still competitive and nicely depreciated in value device is the Huawei Mate 9. With it you do have to settle for a flat, 5.9-inch LCD panel though. On the other hand, the Leica-branded dual-camera setup is a real treat.
OnePlus 5 • Huawei Mate 9 • ZTE nubia Z17
Last and probably least, if you are feeling a bit adventurous, there is potentially a lot of value to be had from a Nubia Z17. You will likely be sacrificing Google Play Services though.
The verdict
The Xiaomi MI Mix 2 is not exactly an easy phone to recommend. Or, at least not universally applicable as such. For us reviewers, constantly entrenched in the thick of the smartphone realm, with dozens of handsets coming and going, it constitutes a breath of fresh air. A nice shift and interesting new trend in design and take on the tired "slab" form factor.
For many of you out there, a unique look might just be enough to motivate a purchase, which we can understand perfectly. After all, on a broader scale, most mid-range Android smartphones these days are objectively good enough to cover the average user needs. Flagships just offer up their own specific blend of icing on top of that.
However, if looks are not a number one priority in your book, you need to take into account some of the relative shortcomings of the Mix 2 as well, compared to its rivals. Since, you will have to live with the okay-ish camera and battery life, when you could be demanding more for your money.
So, with all said and done, we can safely say the Mi Mix 2 is an almost universal charmer, but it's not as universally versatile as you'd expect from a flagship device. But it just might be your flagship device of choice if it ticks just the right boxes on your checklist.
Special thanks to HonorBuy for providing the review unit.
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