Kshitij PujariJul 18, 2019 14:08:11 IST
Xiaomi has announced the Mi A3 smartphone for the audience in Spain for a price of €250 that’s approximately Rs 19,300 for the 64 GB storage variant. The Android One-series from Xiaomi has been quite the hit with users globally and the Mi A3 should not disappoint. As a matter of fact, the phone is actually the global re-branded version of the Mi CC9e that had been announced in China last month.
Mi A3.
The device runs on Snapdragon 665 SoC, the phone comes with up to 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. It has a 6.1-inch HD+ (720x1560 pixels) OLED display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
In the camera department, there’s the primary 48 MP shooter with an f/1.78 aperture without any OIS. The other two sensors in the triple camera setup include an 8 MP ultra-wide (118-degree) angle camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. It can record up to 2160p video at 30 fps or 1080p at up to 120 fps. The 32 MP front camera can shoot up to 1080p at 30 fps.
While the device has not made its way to India, we should see it making its way to the country soon enough. When announced, the Mi A3 is quite likely going to be competing with the likes of the Realme X, Vivo Z1 Pro (Review) and Xiaomi's own Redmi Note 7 Pro (Review). Let's have a look at the spec comparison of this device with the competition.
| Smartphone | Mi A3 | Realme X | Vivo Z1 Pro | Redmi Note 7 Pro |
| Display Size (inch) | 6.01 | 6.53 | 6.53 | 6.3 |
| Resolution (pixels) | 720 x 1560 | 1080 x 2340 | 1080 x 2340 | 1080 x 2340 |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 286 | 394 | 395 | 409 |
| Display Type | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED | LTPS |
| Dimensions(mm) | 153.5 x 71.9 x 8.5 | 161.2 x 76 x 8.6 | 162.4 x 77.3 x 8.9 | 159.21 x 75.21 x 8.1 |
| Weight (gm) | 173 | 191 | 201 | 186 |
| Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SIM Type | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano SIM |
| Connectivity Types | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM/WCDMA/LTE |
| Processor | Snapdragon 665 | Snapdragon 710 | Snapdragon 712 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 |
| CPU Cores | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| CPU Clock Speed (GHz) | 2x2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver | 2x2.2 GHz Kryo 360 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 360 Silver | 2x2.3 GHz Kryo 360 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 360 | 2x2.0 GHz Kryo 460 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 460 Silver |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | Adreno 616 | Adreno 616 | Adreno 612 |
| RAM | 4 GB | 4, 6 GB | 4, 6 GB | 4, 6 GB |
| Ruggedness | — | — | — | P2i |
| On-Board Memory | 64, 128 GB | 64, 128 GB | 128 GB | 64,128 GB |
| Expandable Memory | Yes, up to 256 GB | No | Yes, up to 256 GB | Yes, up to 256 GB |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, IR Blaster |
| Primary Camera | 48 MP + 8 MP + 2MP | 48 MP + 5 MP | 16 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP | 48 MP, f/1.8 |
| Optical Image Stabilization | No | No | Yes | No |
| Camera Array | Triple | Dual Camera | Triple | Dual Camera |
| Autofocus System | PDAF | PDAF | PDAF | PDAF |
| Secondary Camera | 32 MP, f/2.0 | Motorized pop-up 16 MP | 32 MP, f/2.0 | 5 MP |
| Video Capture | 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps | 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@120fps, 720p@960fps | 1080p@30fps | 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash | Yes | LED |
| OS Version | Android 9.0 (Pie) | Android 9.0 (Pie) | Android 9.0 (Pie) | Android 9 Pie |
| AI (Smart Assistant) | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | No | No | No |
| Infrared | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Fingerprint Scanner | Yes, under display | Yes, under display | Yes, rear-mounted | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type-C 1.0 | Type-C 1.0 | microUSB | Type-C |
| USB Standard | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| Battery (mAh) | 4030 mAh | 3765 mAh | 5000 mAh | 4,000 |
| Fast charging | Yes, 18W | Yes, 20W | Yes, 18W | Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0 |
| Colors | Kind of Gray, Not just Blue, More than White | Steam white, Punk Blue | Sonic Blue, Sonic Black, Mirror Black | Neptune Blue, Nebula Red and Space Black |
| Prices in India | TBD | Starts at Rs 16,999 | Starts at Rs 14,990 | Starting at Rs 13,999 |
Verdict
The stock Android software on the Mi A3 does score a few points for the device, but apart from that, it seems to be lacking in a few departments. The biggest drawback appears to be the HD+ display while the competition has FHD+ resolution displays. There is also the fact that the Snapdragon 665 chipset is slower as compared to the Snapdragon 710, 712 and 675 used in the Z1 Pro, Realme X and Redmi Note 7 Pro respectively.
The triple-camera setup and a 32 MP selfie do work in favour for the Mi A3 but we will have to review the device to see how good the camera really is. The Mi A3 appears to be a solid device and it is likely that the device will launch at a lower price in India than in Europe. Stay tuned for a full review of the device when it is unveiled in the country.
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