Xiaomi is entering the flip smartphone market, the manufacturer’s first foldable model to arrive here. With the Mix Flip, its objective is clear: to compete with the market leader, Samsung. The question is whether this first attempt is a success.
Although foldable smartphones still have difficulty convincing consumers – particularly because of their price – this is not stopping more and more manufacturers from trying the adventure. In the case of Xiaomi, the Chinese manufacturer opted for the clamshell version – popular with young people and, above all, more accessible – rather than “fold” for its first foldable model on the European market.
An improvable product
By its format, it is impossible not to compare it to other models on the market, namely the Galaxy Z Flip 6 from Samsung and the Razr Ultra 50 from Motorola. And for this first attempt by the Chinese manufacturer, it is clear that the Xiaomi Mix Flip remains in the ranks, with a design very close to that of the other two – if not the size and location of its two sensors.
The Xiaomi Mix Flip is the perfect in-between with both straight edges, like on the Samsung Z Flip, and rounded corners, like on the Motorola, but still more pronounced. A compromise which remains no less appreciable since this gives it both a premium feel while being trendy and pleasant in the hand.
For a first try, Xiaomi delivers a particularly well finished product. His device does not present no space between the two parts of the screen when folded. Proof of a certain know-how. We must not forget that if the Mix Flip is the manufacturer’s first flip smartphone, it is not its first foldable model. In China, Xiaomi has already released several generations of “Fold”.
The hinge still disconcerted us somewhat, as it was shaky depending on the angle.. The device sometimes tends to close on its own if you simply open it a little, between 0 and 45 degrees. A point which does not work in its favor since it gives it a much “cheaper” side than the other two. We wonder if the hinge will hold up – even if Xiaomi assures it.
Finally, another weak point, the Xiaomi Mix Flip does not have any IP certification, unlike, again, its competitors, which makes it a fragile device in various environments.
A beautiful internal screen and a well-designed second
Without marking a revolution, the Xiaomi Mix Flip presents an external screen of its own. With his two gigantic sensors which therefore occupy a large part of its surface, the display space is limited and, above all, divided into two parts. Yet, it manages to display a large amount of information and notifications. And since the screen takes up a lot of space, you can easily navigate through windows and applications. However, it can be criticized for only allowing a small number of applications on its external side, where Samsung’s Z Flip does better, for example.
-In terms of display quality, although it is a secondary screen, Xiaomi has still pulled out all the stops (1392 x 1208 pixels, OLED and 120 Hz LTPO refresh rate) for a satisfactory experience.
Inside, we find a beautiful screen with a diagonal of 6.86 inches, 2912 x 1224 pixels, with a 120 Hz LTPO refresh rate. In other words, a most premium screen, both on paper and in practice. It is indeed very beautiful, in addition to being bright enough to be used in the sun.
Fluid, but warm
Here again, Xiaomi did not skimp on efforts to measure itself against other flip smartphones already well established on the market by choosing what was best on the market… at the time of its release. The Mix Flip thus integrates a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, as well as 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. De what to ensure in all circumstances, especially in everyday tasks. During long intense sessions, it showed overheating and therefore a reduction in performance.
Beautiful shots and autonomy to review
Weak point of devices of this type, the photo part of the Xiaomi Mix Flip proved satisfactory. With its two 50 megapixel sensors – including a telephoto lens rather than a wide-angle – and a partnership signed with photo expert Leica, the phone offers detailed shots, with faithful colors in good lighting conditions. In a darker environment or simply at night, the results are correct, sometimes with a lot of digital noise.
Finally, another major weakness of foldable smartphones is autonomy. Here, Xiaomi scores points since it has opted for a 4780 mAh battery, superior to that of its competitors. Except that, in practice, the Mix Flip did not prove more enduring than that. It lasted the day, but that’s all.
Note, however, that, unlike the Galaxy Z Flip 6, it is supplied with a charger, like Motorola’s Razr 50 Ultra, with a power of 67 W. A power which allows it to be fully recharged in less than an hour.
Conclusion
For a first foray into the flip smartphone market, Xiaomi is hitting hard and delivering a candidate capable of competing with the market leader, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip. Without bringing a revolution, the Xiaomi Mix Flip (€1,300) is serious, with a well-thought-out design, beautiful finishes, but above all great performance. On the photo side, Xiaomi’s first flip smartphone is up to the task, without being perfect. However, it is not free from flaws. We can in fact blame it for a rickety hinge which causes it to lose points, the lack of IP certification, a battery life below its competitors and rapid overheating in the event of intensive use. Points that will need to be improved if Xiaomi truly wants to overthrow the market leader, Samsung.
