Phone Overview & Pricing

• Charlie's brand-new Xiaomi Mi A2 smartphone review
• Builds on immense value of Mi A1 from last year
• Feels like 400 euro phone but actually costs 249 euros
• Positioned as mid-range device in Xiaomi's three-tier system:
  • Budget: Redmi devices
  • Mid-range: Mi A devices
  • Flagship: Mi devices

Camera System Improvements

• Main upgrade from previous generation: dual camera setup
• Rear cameras: 12MP + 20MP arrangement
• Main camera sensor upgraded from Mi A1 (already best phone camera at price point)
• A2 performance "dangerously close to OnePlus 6"
• Photo quality: punchy, detailed with effective HDR mode
• HDR kicks in automatically when needed
• Handles challenging lighting fairly well
• Portrait mode impressive for budget phone category

Low-Light Photography Innovation

• Secondary 20MP lens with pixel binning technology
• Fuses 4 smaller pixels into 1 large noise-free pixel
• Scales 20MP sensor to 5MP image, then upscales back to 20MP
• Results: noticeably sharper than primary lens in low light
• Performance within "stone's throw" of Vivo NEX S ($800 phone)

Front Camera Features

• 20MP front camera with same pixel binning tech
• Xiaomi's Beauty Engine 4.0 for face enhancement
• Multiple beautification options available
• Can be disabled if not preferred
• Issues: abnormally high exposure vs Google Pixel 2
• Includes front-facing flash
• Convincing portrait mode using single lens

Performance & Hardware

• Processor: Snapdragon 660 (upgraded from Snapdragon 625)
• RAM: 4GB
• OS: 99% stock Android 8.1 (Android One)
• Performance: really quick phone
• Not quite as snappy as OnePlus 6 but fastest feeling at this price
• Graphics: less performance vs Qualcomm 800 series flagship chips
• Gaming: PUBG on high settings, Darkness Rises at solid 30fps

Android One Benefits

• Guarantee from Google for solid, stable Android
• Free from bloatware and malware
• Android P update coming (no specific date, expect couple months minimum)

Design & Build Quality

• Metal construction with smooth finish
• Well-disguised antenna bands
• Curved back (first time for Mi A series)
• Feels like slightly heavier OnePlus 5T
• Same thickness as OnePlus 5T, couple grams heavier
• Curve is palm-flattering but creates table wobble issue
• Problematic when using phone next to laptop on flat surface

Audio Quality

• Single bottom speaker
• Handles voices well
• Lacking in bass response
• Clear audio overall

Display Specifications

• 5.99-inch 1080p LCD panel
• Modern rounded corners (possibly too curved)
• Average screen quality - robust but unglamorous
• Color profile: okay
• Contrast: adequate
• Viewing angles: good up to 165 degrees, degrades beyond that
• Personal opinion: curves on display + body make it look toy-like from front

Battery Performance

• Capacity: 3,000mAh
• Charging: 10W (2-hour charge time)
• Screen-on time: 5.5 hours with heavy usage
• Battery life: solid/good enough, won't cause worry
• Not impressive enough to surprise users

Compromises & Missing Features

• No wireless charging
• No IP water resistance certification
• No headphone jack
• Base model: only 32GB storage
• No SD card slot
• Fingerprint scanner: great but noticeable delay between detection and screen activation

Final Verdict

• Two biggest complaints (display, battery) are still average for the price
• Camera and performance excellence make other areas seem flawed by comparison
• Vs flagship phones: miss little things like storage, water resistance
• Fundamentals surprisingly close to flagship experience
• Strong overall recommendation for 249 euro price point