Xiaomi Mi Max review: large screen and powerful battery in a thin body. Xiaomi Mi Max review: you won't believe it, but I'm used to it Communication capabilities and sound
Shooting in difficult lighting conditions:
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The Xiaomi Mi Max 2 does not cope well with shooting in difficult lighting conditions. Yes, there is no noise in the image, but this is an advantage not of optics, but of software processing - and due to the aggressive work of the local “noise reduction”, the image loses a lot of detail.
Frontal Xiaomi camera Mi Max 2 takes good pictures – it’s enough not only for video calls, but also for selfies.
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Video examples:
Comparison with competitors Xiaomi Mi Max 2
On mobile market There are very few models with a 6.44" display diagonal; in fact, you can count them on the fingers of one hand. And if you limit yourself to this price segment, then there is no choice at all. The hero of the review, and its predecessor already mentioned in the introduction, Xiaomi Mi Max - here and that's all.
| Parameter | Xiaomi Mi Max 2 64Gb | Lenovo Phab 2 Pro |
| Screen | 6.44", IPS, density 342 ppi dots | 6.4", IPS, density 459 ppi dots |
| Permission | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 |
| operating system | Android 7.1 + MIUI 8.5 | Android 6.0 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 8 x 2.0 GHz, Cortex-A53 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 4 x 1.2 GHz + 4 x 1.8 GHz, Cortex-A53 + Cortex-A72 |
| GPU | Adreno 506 | Adreno 510 |
| RAM, MB | 4096 | 4096 |
| Flash memory, GB | 64 | 64 |
| Memory card support, GB | MicroSD, up to 128 | MicroSD, up to 128 |
| Cameras, Mpix | Basic 12.0 (flash, autofocus), front 5.0 | Basic 16.0 (flash, autofocus), front 8.0 |
| Battery, mAh | 5 300 | 4 050 |
| Dimensions, mm | 88.7 x 174.1 x 7.6 | 88.6 x 179.8 x 10.7 |
| Weight, g | 211 | 259 |
| SIM slots, pcs./type | 2, NanoSIM + MicroSIM | 2, NanoSIM |
| price, rub. | ~16 500*; ~–**; ~15 500*** | ~25 500*; ~29 000**; –*** |
**When purchased in official Russian retail;
*** When ordering directly from China.
Lenovo Phab 2 Pro is noticeably more expensive than the new Xiaomi product. It is proposed to overpay for a screen with a 2K resolution, as well as for a slightly more powerful SoC. However, the battery capacity of the Lenovo model is lower, and given the more power-hungry hardware platform, the battery life is also lower.
| for 10,000 rubles: does the stingy pay twice? Do you want a lot of smartphone for little money? After all, the larger the diagonal of the display, the better the information on it is perceived. With such a device it is more convenient to read, watch videos, play or just communicate in social networks. Budget "tablet phones" exist, but they are often one big compromise. We have selected the most interesting solutions for you. | Choosing an android “tablet phone” for 20,000 rubles: Xiaomi Mi Max 2 against everyone We continue to choose the optimal “tablet phone”, now within the framework of a doubled budget. They are usually uncomfortable or even impossible to use with one hand! The real star here is the recently announced Xiaomi Mi Max 2. But does it really deserve so much attention? | Choosing an android “tablet phone” for 30,000 rubles: retail versus China Many companies have stopped paying attention to the mid-price tablet market. Let us remember that such models mean smartphones with large screens. There is no clear gradation, but it is generally accepted that the border is somewhere around 5.5 inches (although many will disagree with this). But we still found a lot of interesting offers, so there is plenty to choose from. |
Conclusion
New Xiaomi smartphone turned out to be successful: one of the weakest points of its predecessor - the main camera - was replaced with a more successful module, which, although there are not enough stars in the sky, is capable of producing good pictures.
But replacing the SoC with a less productive one will not be to the taste of everyone - after all, when buying a new model in the line, you believe that it will be at least as good in performance as the previous one. Here the situation is different - the new SoC is precisely less productive. During everyday use this is not noticeable at all, but when playing “heavy” games it is quite noticeable. But the new SoC is more energy efficient, and thanks to this, as well as the increased battery capacity, Xiaomi Mi Max 2 provides excellent battery life.
To be honest, the new Xiaomi product belongs to a specific class of devices, and if you need a “tablet phone” with a very large screen diagonal, then the choice is not so great - in its price category the device has no equal in terms of price/quality ratio. But owners of the previous generation version should switch to new smartphone there is no point - the changes that have occurred are not so important.
The Xiaomi Mi Max series smartphones have essentially never had competitors. Those who wanted an inexpensive device with a huge screen and an excellent battery have always looked towards this line. By the release of the third generation "mi-max" nothing had changed. Do you want a cool phablet? Buy Xiaomi Mi Max 3.
A year or two ago, all sorts of Chinese brands like Cubot and Doogee tried to make their own “mi-max”. It turned out, of course, so-so, so the brainchild from Xiaomi was still the best. However, it was at least some kind of weak competition. Now she doesn't exist at all.
Xiaomi feels too at ease in the phablet niche. But we must pay tribute, it is still developing the line. The new Mi Max has received a whole bunch of worthy improvements compared to its predecessor and has become even more pleasant to use than before. We'll talk about all the details in the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 review.
Design
The first Xiaomi Mi Max was a hefty, angular brick. There's nothing to be done - there was such a fashion - to make smartphones similar to . There is metal at the back center, plastic inserts at the top and bottom.
And here it is - Xiaomi Mi Max 3! The device has acquired two vertical cameras, the screen has stretched out, receiving new proportions of 19:9, and under the hood there is now a slightly more powerful chipset - Qualcomm Snapdragon 636.
In general, Mi Max 3 is stylish, cool and modern smartphone, which is not a shame to use in 2018 despite its size. Although it is in them that all the specifics of this device are hidden.
Mi Max 3 is over-smartphone and under-tablet.
It's not very convenient to use. Especially after any, even a 6-inch device. You experience a special thrill when you put aside the “mi-max” and take the same Xiaomi Mi A2 in your hand. A smartphone, which only yesterday seemed like a shovel, today is perceived as an excellent and extremely convenient machine.
Of course, it’s not worth comparing with large tablets like our hero. This is completely different devices for absolutely different tasks. But the third “mi-max” places 7-, 8-, and 8.5-inch tablets on both shoulder blades. Its screen is not much smaller, but in terms of size and, as a result, ease of use it is much better.
That is why Xiaomi Mi Max 3 smartly replaces two devices at once - a smartphone and a tablet. Yes, with reservations and nuances, but this is one device. And not two gadgets at once, which you can’t always take with you.
In addition to the dimensions, which you will definitely have to get used to, our hero has one more feature - the constant risk of dropping the device.
The smartphone is streamlined and very slippery, and coupled with its wild size, holding it with one or even two hands is not always convenient. The risk of exposing your gadget to asphalt is very high, so we either buy a thick and reliable case, or use it with extreme caution.
Display
Viewing content (social networks, Internet, videos), typing, monitoring navigation - doing all this on such a huge display is a pleasure. After such a screen, all other panels less than 6.5 inches look like windows through which you can’t really see anything.
The screen is elongated in height, which means that the manufacturer has the opportunity to place a larger panel in approximately the same body as before. This is good.
The corners of the display are neatly rounded, and the sandwich panel itself is glued together without an air gap. Cool too!
But the IPS matrix itself did not please me too much. In terms of color quality and contrast, it cannot be compared with the top -. However, the screen is much better than what I saw in . In general, everything is good, but it could be a little better.
When a new generation of a smartphone already on the market comes out, we always make a comparison table of the characteristics of both revisions. Great Super G tradition that you love so much. In general, all the details are in the table below the cut.
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This year, Xiaomi is installing a separate slot for SIM cards and memory cards in almost all of its smartphones. An excellent new trend that does not limit the user’s choice: more memory or a second SIM card.
What prevented us from making an independent tray in Mi Max 3 is unknown.
Especially considering the huge case, which could accommodate at least three trays for SIM cards and two for Micro SD. Sadness.
The second caveat is the lack of NFC.
The smartphone is not a budget one, it embodies a bunch of new trends. Even, out USB connector C is. So, damn it, why didn't they install an NFC antenna here? It’s so simple, but it essentially costs nothing for the manufacturer.
Everything included is standard: USB cable C and adapter supported fast charging. Unfortunately, the manufacturer regretted the case, although for the sake of security for Mi Max 3 it would have been more useful than ever.
Performance
The first Mi Max ran on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor. It was an excellent “stone.” However, it remains so today, outperforming the already rather boring QS 625 in performance.
The second generation acquired the same 625th “snap”, which means that the computing power has increased. But power consumption improved, because the chip was 14-nanometer.
In the new revision, engineers combined confident performance and optimal energy consumption using the QS 636 chipset.
Accordingly, the system works smoothly, applications load quickly - no questions asked.
You can easily play any modern 3D shooter on your smartphone. To do this, however, you will have to switch to medium graphics settings. Mi-max copes well with the same PUBG Mobile, but again only on medium settings. On high settings you need to be prepared for quite frequent stutters and drops in FPS.
By the way, there is no throttling at all. Several AnTuTu tests in a row not only did not heat up the device, but also did not cause performance to drop. Very worthy, Snapdragon 636!
The only downside is that the shell occasionally freezes when switching between apps in multitasking mode. We'll blame it on the firmware, which, I'm sure, will be updated in the near future, and all the rough edges will be eliminated.
Cameras
You can breathe out - Xiaomi Mi Max 3 has decent rear cameras.
In other words, when buying Xiaomi Mi Max 3, you are buying not only a high-quality phablet with good battery life, but also decent smartphone in terms of photo and video shooting. This year the company really pleases us with high-quality photography, which can finally compete with its competitors. It all started with the flagship - and ended with the middling ones.
Personally, the only thing I didn't have enough of was a better dynamic range. Here he works, tries his best, pulling out the dark areas and bringing out the overexposed areas of the frame, but this is still not enough. Not enough for a flagship level, but again not bad for a mid-ranger.
The device also copes well with portrait mode. By the way, even better than this, which, such a scoundrel, automatically applies the “beautiful face” filter. And it cannot be turned off.
Fortunately, there is no such crime in our case. But there are periodic sloppy cut edges of the foreground object and other background blur errors. On a computer, pictures sometimes look dubious, but on a smartphone screen they’ll be fine for social media.
But there is HDR and portrait mode, which, however, also work well. In general, the device is clearly not for those who like to take selfies. By the way, photographing your loved one with it is extremely inconvenient, primarily because of its size. Try and grab it to take a photo. Either the photo will be blurred or you will drop your smartphone.
Video recording
Of course, the device can record 4K video. And he does it, admittedly, quite well. Let's look at an example.
Excellent detail, good quality pictures in general. Even the noise reduction surprisingly didn’t let us down. On noisy Nevsky Prospekt, algorithms never spoiled the loud buzz of the big city.
The only problem is with stabilization - its work is completely indistinguishable, so we hold the smartphone tightly and try not to shake the camera.
Sound
Two speakers are responsible for the external sound: the main one at the bottom end and the conversational speaker at the top. It is clear that the latter is to a lesser extent, but this tandem still creates some kind of stereo effect.
The sound is loud, but does not have any special quality. The lows are not readable, so at peak volume the sound may whistle and squeak. Not much, but still.
The headphones sound great. There are branded enhancements with profiles for specific models, but I would not recommend using all this “good”. All this distorts the original sound of the tracks too much.
Autonomy
Bottom line
Xiaomi Mi Max 3 is an excellent smartphone-tablet for everything. There are practically no compromises in the device: a large screen, good battery life, an excellent processor and decent cameras. I would also like NFC, but for 2018 its absence is still the norm rather than a complete disappointment. Still, the technology has not yet reached all segments.
Of course, our hero is not a device for everyone. You can’t buy it blindly; you need to twirl the smartphone in your hands and figure out whether it will be convenient to use. However, lovers of larger screens will be delighted with the Mi Max 3. There is simply nothing like it on the market. But there’s no need. And all because Mi Max 3 is good in itself.
Already on sale Price: around 20,000 rubles
When the Xiaomi Mi Max smartphone first appeared on Russian market, many were a little confused about its gigantic size with a 6.55-inch display. But, despite the fact that it doesn’t look very convenient, in practice you quickly get used to it, and one-handed control no longer seems unrealistic.
Specifications
| Class affiliation | Flabet |
| Form | Monoblock |
| Material of manufacture | Aluminium case |
| Platform | MIUI 7 with Android 6.0 |
| Network support | Dual SIM support, 2G, 3G, LTE (800, 1800, 2600) |
| OS | Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 |
| CPU | 6 cores |
| Video accelerator | Adreno 510 |
| Built-in memory capacity | 32Gb |
| Volume random access memory | 3Gb |
| Memory card support | There is a slot |
| Wireless connection | Wi-Fi (dual-band, a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.2 LE, A2DP |
| Display | 6.44 inches with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels |
| Matrix | IPS |
| Screen protection | Gorilla Glass 4 with oleophobic coating |
| Main camera settings | 6 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus and push focus |
| Front camera options | 5 MP, f/2.0 |
| Navigation systems | Glonass, GPS (A-GPS) |
| Built-in sensors | Proximity, lighting, gyroscope, accelerometer, compass |
| Battery type | Non-removable, Li-Ion 4850 mAh |
| Device settings | 173.1×88.3×7.5 mm |
| Weight | 203 g |
The original kit includes the smartphone itself, a device for charging the battery and a USB cable for connecting the device to a personal computer. 
Material, type and assembly
In the review of Xiaomi Mi Max 32Gb, one cannot do without considering the assembly details, since the manufacturer pays utmost attention not only to the internal contents. In addition, sometimes you have to search just as carefully for a review in Russian of this model.
Taking the smartphone in hand, on its front side you can see the touch panel located at the bottom of the display, a grid above the earpiece and a light indicator. There, but on top, is a built-in front camera. On back cover noticeable changes compared to previous versions on 16Gb, in the form of a slightly curved cover at the edges. This move gave the smartphone a more attractive look. In addition, and most importantly, it is comfortable to hold in your hand, and the device itself seems thinner. The case material here is high-quality aluminum, but the upper and lower inserts are plastic. At the back there is the main camera and a fingerprint scanner. Speaking of the scanner, it boasts fast operation and almost instantaneous unlocking of the smartphone. What is no less pleasing is the ability of the scanner to work with third-party programs. 
At the end with right side˗ volume control and phone power button. On the left side there are slots for memory cards up to 200 GB and SIM cards. At the bottom of the panel there is a connector for a microUSB cable, a main microphone and an external speaker, at the top there is an infrared port, a minijack and a connector for an additional microphone. Despite the fact that the speakers are not equipped with stereo sound, the volume reserve of the Xiaomi Mi Max or the same Xiaomi Mi Max 2 is large, and the sound quality is excellent.
A little about the size and display
Speaking about the size of the device, they are indeed impressive, but this is not the largest model of existing analogues. Below are examples of dimensions from different manufacturers:
| Model | Weight | By height | Width | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Mi Max | 203 g | 173.1 mm | 88.3 mm | 7.5 mm |
| Meizu m3 Max | 189 g | 163.4 mm | 81.6 mm | 7.9 mm |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra | 233 g | 186.4 mm | 93.9 mm | 6.8 mm |
| Sony XA Xperia Ultra | 202 g | 164.0 mm | 79.0 mm | 8.4 mm |
Considering the diagonal size of the Mi Max display, there is really no problem regarding whether to hold the smartphone with one hand or two hands and how to operate it. The device is comfortable to use due to its small thickness and the previously mentioned smoothed corners.
As for the screen as a whole, in addition to the 6.44-inch screen with an expansion of 1920x1080 pixels and an IPS matrix, there are 342 pixels per inch. There is automatic control of brightness levels, which is also very convenient; there is no need to manually constantly change and adjust them. Multi-touch processes up to ten touches simultaneously.
Against the backdrop of new models coming out, the huge diagonal of the Mi Maximum display is no longer perceived as too new. In terms of quality, everything is excellent, although not ideal, it does not reach the gold class - when viewing images or videos from angles, the pictures fade slightly. 
Operating system and performance nuances
When reviewing the Xiaomi Mi Max 32Gb, you can’t help but look at other smartphones from the same manufacturer. They all use the original MIUI operating system different versions. In this case it is 7.0 with support for Android 6.0. Since such firmware is practically in no way inferior to Android, whether to change it or not is up to each individual and, rather, even habit.
MIUI provides the user of Xiaomi Mi Max with 32Gb, and even with 64Gb, or the more powerful Xiaomi Mi Max 128Gb, with a wide range of possibilities in terms of personal settings. You can change virtually anything on your phone, including the font size and icons. In addition, today the firmware supports the Russian language.
In terms of performance, the Mi Maximum, however, is not far behind the Xiaomi Mi Max 128Gb, having 6 cores and Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, Adreno 510 chips. The 3 GB RAM is also pleasing, especially considering that today even laptops with such performance continue to be actively used. In other words, to work effectively with FHD resolution, this is more than enough. 
The smartphone itself works quickly, including startup mode various applications and games. As for heating during operation, it affects the upper part of the device and does not exceed the norm, so the user does not have any complaints.
Battery and camera performance
In this review it is worth highlighting autonomous operation batteries. The Mi Max battery has a capacity of 4850 mAh, non-removable Li-Ion. The testing results showed the following results: 
- Continuous screen reading at 30% brightness level and airplane mode – 29 hours without charge;
- Continuous viewing of HD videos with maximum brightness and airplane mode - 11 hours of battery life.
Comparing the battery capacity of other models and taking into account the performance, we can say with confidence that this model uses a royal battery. Plus, the device itself is thin and light, and with active use without saving resources, it will easily work for five or more hours in a row. In other words, in general, a smartphone can easily go without recharging for up to two days. In addition, Mi Max supports fast charging technology, charging the battery to 85% in 115 minutes (if you have the right power supply).
The camera in the Xiaomi Mi Max series is very functional; it allows you to change exposures by simply scrolling the focus circle. Looking into the settings, the user is presented with many different modes and filters for shooting. The camera takes excellent photographs during daytime and macro photography, but the narrower the lighting, the lower the quality of the resulting images. At night it is better to refrain from taking photos. Regarding the video situation, viewing angles are standard, recording up to 4k, there is slo-mo and acceleration. 
Wireless interface
By wireless interfaces Almost a complete set, except for NFC. Support available and stable Wi-Fi operation b/g/n/ac with dual-band, Bluetooth version 4.2 LE, GPS navigators with a cold start, in about two seconds, receiving mobile data in GSM 900, 1800, 1900, 3G, LTE networks, working with USB On-The-Go.
Wi-Fi services support all current technologies, so there are no connection problems. The same situation applies to Bluetooth. The presence of an infrared port here allows you to work correctly with third-party equipment, in particular TVs, if you install a special application.
If you forget about the diagonal, Mi Max does not stand out from the majority in appearance Chinese smartphones this and last season - like the others, it looks suspiciously like the iPhone 6.
In the upper left corner there is a camera lens and a dual flash, and a little lower in the center there is a fingerprint scanner. The latter works quickly and correctly, reaching for it is not very difficult. Unfortunately, it can’t do anything else besides unlock the screen, but for a smartphone costing 20 thousand rubles, this is normal.
The back panel is made of a single piece of aluminum (we got a version in gold, but there is also an all-black version), with neat plastic streaks-antennas to match the body, no more terrible plastic inserts on the top and bottom.
The pull-out SIM card tray is combined: one slot for micro-SIM, and the second for either nano-SIM or a memory card. So if you switch from a smartphone with a SIM card of the smallest format, you will have to go to your operator’s communication store and change the card to a larger one. Or live without additional memory.
The front panel is covered tempered glass Gorilla Glass, the edges protrude above the metal of the main body and are rounded - the 2.5D effect is now in fashion. The ugly black frame around the screen remains, but has become much thinner.
To be honest, I noticed it after reading our review of the first version of Mi Max, but once I saw it, I couldn’t continue to ignore it. So it’s better to look for the black version of the smartphone, it also has touch buttons with the backlight turned off they stand out less.
Mi Max 2 has very loud external stereo speakers: one on the bottom to the right of the USB-C port, and the second combined with the earpiece at the top. You definitely won’t miss the ringtone and alarm clock, even from the next room, but I wouldn’t listen to music on it; at volumes above 70% it starts to choke and the sound turns into a metallic mess.
With headphones (both wired and Bluetooth), the smartphone plays normally, no better or worse than other devices without a dedicated audio system, it’s quite suitable for every day. And if you delve a little into the sound settings, going through different types headphones, you can even achieve a decent result.
While Xiaomi flagship Mi 6 got rid of the 3.5 mm headphone port, Mi Max 2 has it. There's even an infrared port. The standard application allows you to configure your smartphone to work as a control panel for almost any home appliance in a couple of clicks - I especially appreciated the opportunity to get my own remote control for the air conditioner in the office.
Somewhere on the second day, I discovered a very annoying drawback - Xiaomi saved money on the NFC module. As someone who has switched almost entirely to Android Pay, I really missed being able to leave bank card at home and pay everywhere from your phone. I don’t understand why the Chinese manufacturer abandoned such a necessary thing; even the very cheap Nokia 3 has NFC!
Huge, but you hardly feel it
A smartphone with an almost tablet screen diagonal is not suitable for everyone - it only fits into the largest jeans pockets, you cannot hide it under a desk during an exam, and only a man with large palms can comfortably hold it with one hand, or do anything while holding it in the other hand packages from the store are not exactly impossible, but the pleasure is below average.
On the other hand, Xiaomi designers obviously tried to do everything in their power to provide the user with maximum comfort, not only in terms of ergonomics, but also in software, but more on that later.
The volume rocker and screen power button are located on the right side and have not changed their position compared to last year's model, which is rather bad.
Despite the fact that there is more than enough space, the controls are stuck to each other, and I constantly confused the “volume down” and the power button. Here, it’s even difficult to develop a habit, because you have to constantly grab the smartphone when using it with both hands.
Below the screen there are three touch buttons, which are subjectively the weakest element of the device’s design; they look “Chinese” and outdated. However, you will still rarely use them; it’s too inconvenient to reach for them.
As an alternative, the prudent manufacturer added an interesting software solution with contextual on-screen menu. You can add a small circle to the screen, by tapping on which a circular menu with the “home”, “back”, “multitasking”, “take a screenshot” and “lock screen” keys will appear.
It seems that you have to perform one more action, but in fact, you have to spend much more time and effort on intercepting the device in order to reach the desired button than on an extra tap in the part of the screen that is convenient for you.
As a result, after a couple of days of adaptation (I usually use a tiny Sony Xperia Z3 Compact) I got used to the dimensions, sorted the application icons on the right edge and practically stopped noticing how huge the Mi Max 2 is, I even learned to answer Telegram on the go with one hand.
Screen is good, but not great
The screen is the pride and main distinguishing feature of Xiaomi Mi Max 2. And it’s not just the diagonal, the IPS panel is very bright and produces rich, rich, but mostly natural colors even on standard calibration. If you don’t like something, you can change the gamma settings in the menu and adjust it to your taste.
Full HD resolution 1920x1080, dots per inch density – 320 ppi. Viewing angles are good, colors are not inverted or faded even at an acute angle. But if you look at the screen at an angle of about 45 degrees from above, it fades almost completely. It seems like a small thing, but if you watch a series or a video on YouTube with two friends, the one sitting on the right risks not seeing anything
The smartphone comes with Android 7.1.1 on board, so in the evening you can activate “reading mode” in the settings, which makes the image more yellow so that your eyes are less tired of bright white light in the dark. This function, by the way, is available in all Apple smartphones and computers.
Average performance
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 is equipped with an eight-core Snapdragon 625 processor with Adreno 506 graphics subsystem and 4 GB of RAM. The chip is from last year, middle class, but is highly energy efficient.
Productivity – no records. However, judging not by digital “parrots”, but by my own experience, such hardware is more than enough for everyday tasks: there are no problems with loading “heavy” PDF documents, the interface is fast and smooth, the browser, video and social network clients work quickly and don't freeze.
Comparison of Xiaomi Mi Max 2 performance with competitors
Holds a charge well
Apparently, it was for autonomy that Xiaomi chose the Snapdragon 625 – Motorola Moto Z Play on the same chip demonstrates with even less battery capacity.
Charge Xiaomi Mi Max 2
As you can see, the 5300 mAh battery of the Xiaomi phablet lasts 11.5 hours in video playback mode at full brightness and volume with Wi-Fi and Push notifications turned on, and almost 7 hours in games at maximum brightness and volume. This, of course, is not 25 hours of video from the Moto Z Play, but the screen is much larger.
By the way, the device charges quite quickly. Here it is used USB-C port with the Quick Charge 3.0 protocol, and the manufacturer promises that the smartphone charges up to 68% in an hour. It may be so - the charge scale was filled to 100% in three hours and twenty minutes.
Android 7.1 and MIUI 8 complement each other perfectly
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 has the latest operating system Android 7.1 MIUI shell 8.
For me personally, the main breakthrough innovation of Android 7.1 was the updated Google keyboard. Not only is it smart and you can customize the colors, it also has an automatic GIF selection feature! Just open the menu with emoji and select the GIF tab - in the search bar that appears, you can search for any animations and conduct important negotiations on the Internet at a completely new level. Thanks Google!
The camera was rather disappointing
Xiaomi says that the Mi Max 2 uses a 12-megapixel module, similar to that of the flagship Mi 6. But the Mi 6 dual camera with such a “complete set” it can produce something decent, especially in low light conditions. Mi Max 2 has one module, and it produces average results.
photos
photos
photos
The camera focuses quickly, can automatically adjust the exposure for the selected area of the frame, and in good lighting produces very decent detail. But as soon as the sun disappears, the footage in automatic mode are filled with noise – the situation is no better indoors.
Examples of photographs can be appreciated below. Despite the noise, the camera has one strong point– it knows how to avoid overexposing the sky when shooting outdoors and focuses well at short distances even without macro mode; photos of flowers were taken from a distance of about 5-7 centimeters.
Competitors
Mi Max 2 does not have many competitors; current phablets of this diagonal can be counted on one hand. The closest competitor is the Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra. There's a signature one Sony design, and a six-inch screen, but the Japanese phablet lasts less, the battery is only 2700 mAh, and prices start at 27 thousand rubles.
Or not. To tell the truth, I still can't decide. On the one hand, a 6.44-inch smartphone is an excellent help in consuming any kind of content (videos, toys, books, websites), but on the other hand, it is a huge shovel that tends to slip out of your hands at any moment. By the second day of use, I was relatively problem-free typing text on Mi Max with one hand using Swype (which is what I usually use) and without outside help I was managing my Twitter feed, but the feeling of concern that I was about to drop it still did not leave me. Leaves behind very mixed and even somewhat contradictory impressions this smartphone, but let's talk about everything in order.
The text may and most likely does contain grammatical, spelling, punctuation and other types of errors, including semantic ones. I strongly encourage readers to point out these errors and correct me through private messages.
▌Specifications
| Screen: | 6.44-inch IPS display with FHD (1920x1080) resolution; protective coating Corning GG 4; 2.5D shape (rounded edges); oleophobic coating |
| Case materials: | metal back with plastic inserts on top and bottom |
| CPU: | six-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (two Cortex-A72 1.8 GHz cores and four Cortex-A53 1.4 GHz cores) / eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 (four Cortex-A72 1.8 GHz cores and four Cortex-A53 1.4 GHz cores) |
| Graphic arts: | Adreno 510 (600 MHz) |
| Operating system: | MIUI 7 on Android based 6.0 |
| RAM: | 3/4 GB |
| User memory: | 32/64/128 GB + ability to install a memory card up to 128 GB instead of nanoSIM |
| Camera: | 16 MP (f/2.0 aperture), autofocus, LED flash; front camera 5 MP, also f/2.0, viewing angle 85° |
| Network support: | GSM/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900MHz), CDMA 1X/CDMA2000: BC0, WCDMA (850/900/1900/2100MHz), TD-SCDMA, FDD-LTE (Band 1/3/7), TDD-LTE (Band 38/39/40/41), two card slots (micro-SIM + nano-SIM, one radio module) |
| Wireless technologies: | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual band: 2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/GLONASS/BDS, A-GPS support, FM radio |
| Sensors: | fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyroscope, digital compass, distance and illumination |
| Additionally: | USB 2.0 microUSB port with USB-OTG support, fast charging using Quick Charge 3.0 technology, IR port, 3.5 mm headset jack |
| Battery: | 4850 mAh, non-removable |
| Contents of delivery: | Power supply (5 V, 2 A), USB cable, instructions |
| Dimensions: | 173.1 x 88.3 x 7.5 mm |
| Weight: | 203 grams |
| Cost (official) | |
| Cost (real): | // dollars |
Initially, Xiaomi announced 3 versions of the smartphone, which, in addition to the price tag and the amount of user memory, were distinguished by a more powerful platform in the two older versions and 4 GB of RAM in the top model for 1999 yuan ($300 at the time of publication). Later, the most budget version of the smartphone with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of user memory for ~$190 appeared on the virtual shelves of Chinese trading platforms. I got the younger version from the previously announced Max line for testing, i.e. smartphone with Snapdragon 650 on board, 32 GB of user memory and 3 GB of RAM.
▌How big he is!
The length of the smartphone is just over 17 centimeters. Right now, take the ruler in your hands and see how much it really is. For comparison, the dimensions of several popular models smartphones:
At the same time, Mi Max manages to fit more or less adequately in the hand. During operation, I either supported it with my little finger when working with the keyboard, or held it closer to the middle of the case while scrolling through social feeds. networks. In most other situations it was necessary to resort to the help of a second hand.
Swype is a great help when typing, because... even if you didn’t reach which last letter, auto-selection will most likely insert it itself. Therefore, there were no special problems with typing with one hand, except for a slight jitter about the likelihood of dropping the smartphone when intercepting it. The software mode for one-handed control somehow didn’t catch on with me.
The appearance of the smartphone is in the best traditions of Xiaomi: metal back panel with plastic inserts at the ends, under which the antennas of the radio modules are located. There are three color variations to choose from: gray, silver and gold, which I got for testing. The backing on the front panel remains white in any case. It looks nice, but there are a few complaints about the design. Firstly, in the torsion test, the components of the smartphone noticeably play. Fortunately, this fact does not affect the daily use of the smartphone, and it is probably due to the thickness of the case, which is only 7.5 mm.
Secondly, the camera module protrudes beyond the body. Yes, such a solution has already been seen many times in many smartphones, but Xiaomi designers allowed fatal error recessing the protruding rim relative to the glass. Thus, when the smartphone comes into contact with flat surfaces, the entire “impact” in the upper part falls on the glass covering the camera. After two weeks of use, you can observe the following picture:
Perhaps the sapphire glass used in the notorious iPhone (covers the camera) would save the situation, but who would put it in a smartphone for $250?
I have only good things to say about the fingerprint scanner on the back, except for the fact that I'm not a fan of its placement. The sensor speed of even the most budget representatives of the Redmi line is simply excellent, and the number of recognition errors is minimal. In addition, I like the shape, size of the scanner and its location in a noticeable recess, which .
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There is only one multimedia speaker at the bottom end, and a conversational microphone is hidden behind the second grille. The quality of speech transmission is not satisfactory, but the speaker lacks volume and low frequencies. The use of MicroUSB instead of USB Type-C seems to hint at a certain budget-friendly device, since the company is gradually introducing a new interface connector into older series smartphones.
The function keys on the right side do not play and have a noticeable tactile response. Above without changes: audio output and IR transmitter. The tray on the left side is combined: micro-SIM and a choice of nano-SIM or microSD.
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Considering that this is a multimedia device, skimping on the display would look like blasphemy on Xiaomi’s part. However, this did not happen; Mi Max has an excellent one in all respects IPS matrix with a brightness adjustment range from 2 to 631 cd/m2 and a contrast ratio of 936 to 1. The display is easy to read in the sun and does not dazzle the eyes in the dark. The only problem is that the oleophobic coating is weak compared to the one I tested quite recently.
Many reviewers complained about the black frames framing the display, but during all the time I used it I still couldn’t understand what was wrong with that. They do not catch the eye at all, and with a dark screensaver they look great, illusorily expanding the space occupied by the display. But there are so many people, so many opinions.
After 2 weeks of using the smartphone without a case or films, the protective coating of the display remained pristinely clean, despite the fact that the smartphone had been tested in a different edition before me. The question regarding the origin of the coating remains open, since the model is not indicated on the official Chinese website, and on the Indian website about the use of Gorilla Glass 3. Some foreign ones even replicate information about Gorilla Glass 4.
▌Surprised in a good way by the gaming performance
The Snapdragon 650 chipset was originally intended to be budget solution with the name Snapdragon 618, but was subsequently promoted to rank and there is a logical explanation for this. The fact is that in terms of performance it is in no way inferior and even slightly superior to the Snapdragon 808, which other companies installed in their flagship smartphones last year.
The Snapdragon 650 system-on-chip is equipped with four energy-efficient Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 1.4 GHz and two high-performance Cortex-A72 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. Snapdragon 652, installed in older versions of Xiaomi Mi Max, is supplemented with two more high-performance cores, which, according to test results, brings it closer to last year’s top SoC - Snapdragon 810.
The first image shows the overall performance of the SoC, while the second shows the performance of the graphics accelerator.
Additional tests in comparison with devices that were previously in my hands:
| Phone/Benchmark | ||||
| Xiaomi Mi Max (Snapdragon 650) | 17902 | 8,8 | 1544 / 3680 | 77959 |
| Xiaomi Mi Max Pro (Snapdragon 652) | - | - | 1521 / 4443 | 83272 |
| 14801 | 4 | 890 / 4836 | 55209 | |
| 8557 | 5,8 | 635 / 2825 | 34009 | |
| 19594 | 12 | 991 / 2990 | 47075 | |
| 19564 | 9,9 | 1241 / 3222 | 50610 | |
| Xiaomi Mi 5 (Snapdragon 820) | 29891 | 30 | 2319 / 5507 | 131142 |
Despite comparable test results graphics performance 808 (Adreno 418, 128 stream processors, 600 MHz) and 650 (Adreno 510, unknown number of stream processors, 600 MHz) chips, in practice the victory was with the latter. For example, let's take WoT: Blitz. The ceiling for Xiaomi Mi 4c and 4s was average graphics settings, and in order to achieve a stable 60 frames per second it was necessary to additionally disable HD textures. In the Mi 4c review, I complained about the poor optimization of the game for this SoC, but six months later nothing has changed. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 650 allows you to run “tanks” with maximum graphics settings, and fps remains at 50-60 and drops by a maximum of 10 frames in scenes with big amount action or in aiming mode.
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In a shooter Unkilled on maximum settings graphics have a stable 40 frames per second without a decrease in fps in action scenes. WWR(network robot battles) limits maximum amount fps up to 30, and in scenes with high weapon activity the frames per second can drop to an unpleasant 18-20. In the latter case, optimization problems are evident, since the situation is similar on smartphones with Snapdragon 820.
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In all tested games, the processor load did not exceed 30%, and the maximum number of fps was limited by the performance of the graphics subsystem, which was fully loaded almost all the time. So, when choosing a smartphone, I advise fans of mobile gaming to first of all pay attention to the performance of the graphics subsystem, and not to the total number of points in popular synthetic tests.
Under prolonged high load, the smartphone body did not heat up above 40 degrees. No noticeable throttling was noticed, which is also confirmed by the GFXBench stability test.
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At the start of the system, about 1500 MB (out of 3!) of RAM are allocated for the user’s needs, and only 24.3 of the declared 32 GB are available for user use. To expand disk space by installing microSD up to 128 GB, you will have to sacrifice a second SIM card.
In terms of telephone functionality, the smartphone works well: speaker loud and high-quality, the vibration signal is felt in trouser pockets, both the first and second SIM can work in the 3G/4G network. FM radio only works with connected headphones, which act as an antenna.
▌Hemorrhoids cannot be avoided with flashing
Nothing has changed since the publication of the material. The smartphone comes from Gearbest with partially localized firmware, which is characterized by increased RAM consumption and low stability. For the monitored Xiaomi versions Mi Max has official MIUI available with full localization and services Google Play and support for OTA updates. The release for older modifications is scheduled for August.
Unfortunately, the presence of official Global firmware does not at all simplify the process of replacing the software. The most adequate instructions for switching from custom Chinese MIUI to the official one are on the English-language forum. For test purposes, I used (Russian) to install MIUI 8 Beta from multirom.me, but with this approach you will lose the ability to update the firmware over the air, which is important for the beta version.
▌Autonomy
A battery with a capacity of 4850 mAh in a fairly intensive mode of operation is enough for 6-7 hours of screen operation or 2-3 days. Intensive use means periodic GPS activity, Wi-Fi operation alternately with 3G, Bluetooth for pairing with Pebble watches. The screen brightness level is adjusted automatically. About 10-20 minutes a day are spent on World of Tanks: Blitz, which I use as a benchmark for gaming performance. Calls no more than 5-10 minutes a day, I don’t use SMS either. Mainly connecting to the network, instant messengers, social media. networks and surfing.
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Mi Max comes with a regular 5V charger with a current of 2A, and a full charge from 0 to 100% takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes. In addition, the smartphone supports fast charging technology, which for some reason is silent on the official Xiaomi website.
When trying to charge a smartphone from the included LeEco Le Max 2 charger with support for QC 3.0 technology, the charging time of the smartphone was reduced by only 45 minutes, which means that the capabilities of the charger, which is capable of continuously delivering 24 W of energy, are not used to 100%. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a tester capable of working with QC 3.0 at hand, and the one that was available, according to the passport, is capable of measuring voltages within 3-7 Volts.
▌Cameras at the level of the latest generation of Redmi smartphones
And that's basically all that can be said about them. They shoot well during the day, but poorly in the evening. The rear camera is represented by a 16-megapixel sensor covered with an f/2.0 aperture lens. The front camera is 5 MP, the aperture is similar, and the viewing angle is 85°. Examples of pictures in different conditions: this link.
In MIUI 8, Xiaomi messed up the camera app. For some reason, the HDR mode activation button, which was previously in the place of the current “Modes,” was moved to the top of the screen, and even made it drop-down. Those. If you, like me, want to use HDR periodically and on your own, you will have to resort to using a second hand to expand the drop-down menu and activate HDR. The flash activation was moved there, and in its place was a filter selection key.
Chinese designers have a very strange vision of a user-friendly camera application interface.
▌Results
Xiaomi Mi Max is perhaps the only productive one of its kind with an adequate price tag. My short search did not find any serious competitors to this smartphone. The same Sony Xperia Z Ultra is already quite outdated in terms of performance, and the camera in it initially did not shine with results; Lenovo Phab Plus, with a comparable price tag, is also inferior in characteristics, and it certainly cannot be handled with one hand. LeTV One Max boasts a slightly more productive platform, but is much inferior in terms of autonomy, and it is not clear what it has with availability and software. Competitors include the relatively recent Sony Xperia C5 Ultra dual, but paying the same amount of money as the Mi Max for a display? No, please.
As practice has shown, the difference between a 5.7 and 6.44-inch smartphone is very noticeable after actively using the latter for 2 weeks. When I picked up the 5.7-inch one, the first thing I thought about was a 5, well, 5.2-inch display and I’m afraid to imagine my feelings if, right after the Mi Max, I got some device with a display up to 5". I was able to get used to such a diagonal and take advantage of its advantages, but it is not a fact that you will succeed, so I first recommend that you familiarize yourself with the device in person.
Finally, I do not recommend taking the version with 2 GB of RAM. Now for MIUI there is only so much RAM, but you haven’t been looking at a smartphone for a couple of months, have you?
What I liked
- Price
- Performance, particularly gaming
- Excellent autonomy
- Display with good range brightness level adjustment
- fast fingerprint scanner, support for fast charging using QC 3.0 technology
What I didn't like
- Hull backlash in a torsion test protruding beyond the hull protective glass rear camera
- Difficulties with flashing the firmware, which is so necessary for full use of the device
- Weak oleophobic coating
What would you like
- NFC support
- Separate memory card slot
- QC 3.0 Charger included as standard
▌Related links
Twitter. On my website I duplicate my own publications from all over the Internet, so too. Thank you for your attention!