You may also think I am passionate about the Xiaomi manufacturer because I speak highly of them in the articles. And it may be that you are not wrong. However, Xiaomi also makes mistakes, and they do things that we do not understand. I think it is one of the best device manufacturers today since the value for money is fantastic, and that is why I usually recommend them a lot.
This time I have the most basic version of the terminal with a configuration of 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. I will try to give my opinion on this low-end Xiaomi, which can currently be purchased for a price of €130, and I will try to comment on the differences with the superior model, the Xiaomi Mi A2, which we can find for €170 in exchange. I leave you in this link the comparison of the chips of both terminals so that you can take a first look at the specifications of each one and the other.
As for the “unboxing,” this terminal comes in a box identical to the Xiaomi Mi A2. A white box with the Xiaomi logo, an image of the airport and the colors it is available (gold, blue and black), and the device’s name with the “AndroidOne” logo. On the back of the box are the terminal’s specifications in English, quality seals of the European Union, and a small excerpt explaining Google’s Android One features.
Inside is the smartphone. Below is a small box with a gray TPU case and the user guide in English. As it is a global version, we can also find the European charger from 5V to 2A and the 1-meter long USB to micro USB cable, all in white.
As Xiaomi has done lately for a few months until now, it has decided to include the TPU case in all the models it sells. It seems fantastic to me since the price has not been increased and they are details that must be appreciated. However, Xiaomi has not included the USB type C connector, and it is something that I do not understand today. I think they had to have incorporated it as they have done with the older brother, the Xiaomi Mi A2.
Design and Screen
Older brother, the Xiaomi Mi A2. It has a compact and robust body, so you will be unable to remove the battery without first disassembling it.
The dimensions of this smartphone are 71.7 mm long x 149.3 mm high x 8.8 mm thick and weigh 178 grams. The practical surface of the terminal stands at 79%. This smartphone is relatively tiny despite its screen size, and today it isn’t easy to find smartphones of these dimensions.
Unlike the Xiaomi Mi A2, this terminal has joined the “Notch” trend, as has happened with the recent modernization of the Redmi 6 range. It has a 5.84-inch IPS LCD screen with a Full HD + resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels. The pixel density per inch is 432, with a maximum brightness of 500 nits.
I think the screen is correct for the affordable price of this Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite since we are not going to find a terminal at this price with this screen or this resolution. Its older brother, the Xiaomi Mi A2, has a better quality screen, but it has a slight price difference, and in this section, the manufacturer has had to reduce costs.
The front is all screen and does not have any physical buttons. In the “notch” is the call speaker, which is heard well. On one side is the front camera, and on the other is a brightness sensor. Right in the lower left corner is the white notification LED.
The slot to access the nano SIM and microSD card holder are on the left. On the right side is the typical volume up and down button followed by the lock button, all of them made of metal.
At the bottom, we find the micro USB connector with the microphone and the speaker on the sides. On the upper side is the 3.5mm headphone jack, the noise cancellation microphone and the infrared LED to use the smartphone as a remote control. I have not seen that the phone includes any application to be able to use it, and I am sure there are many more; I am going to recommend Xiaomi’s own called Mi Remote, which you can find in the Google Play application store for free.
In the back, how could it be otherwise? It maintains the aesthetic that characterizes the latest Xiaomi devices, with the dual camera in the left corner. It is placed l vertically with an LED flash between them, imitating the iPhone X camera. In the central part, with hardly any relief, is the fingerprint reader, which is not very fast, but it is precise and practically does not give any errors.