Introduction
The Xiaomi Mi 4 has the same form factor and uses a similar 5" 1080p IPS display. So what's new about it? Well, for starters, it has a brand new glossy plastic shell for the rear cover, which can be replaced with a wide choice of optional patterns and textures, including bamboo and stone. The highlight of the new design however is the metal frame, which gives the Mi 4 a more solid, premium feel. The Mi 4 is also a tad more compact than the Mi 3.
As becomes of a new flagship, there are upgrades under the hood, too. Snapdragon 801 takes over from the older generation, bringing faster Adreno 330 graphics and more RAM (3GB). Xiaomi has also added LTE connectivity and enabled 4K video recording. A massive 8MP front-facer promises some of the best selfies in the business .
The Xiaomi Mi 4 runs MIUI v5 based on Android 4.4.3 KitKat, but it will most certainly be updated to the next version, currently in beta release. MIUI v6 brings flat iOS7-like interface, prettier and more feature-rich. Don't you worry Mi 3 owners, you will be getting it too.
Key features
· 5" IPS 1080p capacitive touchscreen of 441ppi
· Android 4.4.3 KitKat with MIUI v.5, upgradable to MIUI v.6
· 2.5GHz quad-core Krait 400 CPU; 3GB of RAM; Adreno 330 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset
· 13MP camera, f/1.8 aperture, LED flash, 4K video capture, HDR video, 1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps
· 8MP front-facing camera; 1080p video recording
· 16/64 GB of built-in memory
· Active noise cancellation with a dedicated microphone
· 3,080mAh battery
Main disadvantages
· No Gorilla Glass
· No microSD card slot
· No user-replaceable battery
· No NFC
Design and build quality
Xiaomi took a U-turn with the Mi 4 design, dropping the polycarbonate unibody, which we praised, in favor of a metal frame with flat sides a la iPhone 5s, complete with a hard-to-remove rear cover.
The visual change is controversial. We really liked the Lumia-like design of the Xiaomi Mi 3, subtly and effortlessly elegant. The Mi 4 is by far more sophisticated but not as convincing. Maybe it'll have its fair share of fans too.
The back cover on the Mi 4 is certainly removable, proven by the assortment of swappable back covers to choose from, however it's certainly not readily removable. There are as many as 17 clips holding it tight and you would really need a small suction cup to undo them with pulling.
The front of the Xiaomi Mi 4 is occupied almost entirely by the 5" IPS display. There is nothing official on the kind of screen protection used, if any, and since it isn't mentioned anywhere we can safely rule out Gorilla Glass. This probably explains the supplied screen protector.
Here is a set of shots that shows just how different the Xiaomi Mi 4 is to the Mi 3. Instead of a polycarbonate unibody, the Mi 4 is built around a machined metal frame that houses all the components. We appreciate the effort but we find the understated look of the Mi 3 more appealing. One thing's for sure, as soon as those optional Mi 4 cases are available for sale, we might reconsider as it's mainly the slippery plastic back cover that ruins the high end feel and build quality.
Display
The Xiaomi Mi 4 features a similar 5" Full HD IPS display to the one we saw on the Mi 3. It has a pixel density of 441ppi, which places it among the best. This time around, the glass covering the display lacks any protection and it might be a good idea to apply a screen protector.
Battery Life
Xiaomi has put a 3,080mAh battery inside the Mi 4, a solid enough unit for a 5" device. We ran our battery test and the Xiaomi Mi 4 scored a 68h rating, which means you can count on the battery to last just short of 3 days if you do an hour each of calling, browsing the web and video playback a day.
The Xiaomi Mi 3 was almost there too with a rating of 66h.
Connectivity
The Xiaomi Mi 4 runs on the capable Snapdragon 801 chipset which is LTE-enabled, unlike the one on the Mi 3. The Mi 4 also offers quad-band GSM connectivity and quad-band 3G connectivity with HSPA support.
The rest of the connectivity features include dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac support and Wi-Fi Direct. There is also support for Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and GLONASS, plus an FM radio.
The IR blaster is located on the top and coupled with the right software, you can use it to operate pretty much any IR remotely controlled home appliance, turning the Xiaomi Mi 4 into a universal remote.
Unlike the Mi 3, there is no NFC connectivity on the Mi 4. It seems the company thinks there are too few users actually using the feature.
A microUSB 2.0 port handles charging and data connections. Media transfer mode is supported for accessing the phone's built-in memory and microSD card over a USB connection.
The microUSB port also supports USB On-the-go for connecting USB peripherals such as pen drives, keyboards or real USB hard drives.
Xiaomi Mi 4 key test findings:
· Build quality is great, rich choice of rear covers
· The display quality is OK, the sunlight legibility is very good
· The battery life is very good
· All-round connectivity package including LTE, wired TV-out and FM radio
· We rated the speaker loudness as Below Average
· The intuitive MIUI interface is based on Android KitKat and offers rich customization options but not that many proprietary features as other manufacturers
· The benchmark performance is excellent, though the phone tends to heat up after prolonged intensive gaming
· The audio output quality is underwhelming (as on the Mi 3)
· Camera takes great photos and videos
· Video player supports every audio and video codec except WMV
The thing we're not quite sure about is the new look. To be clear, the build quality is top notch but the stainless steel frame didn't let them go as slim as the polycarbonate unibody of the Mi 3. On a positive note, the Mi 4 is tangibly more compact and the back cover customization options are welcome. However the generic battery cover isn't the best we've seen. It's a give and take really. Personally, we like the Mi 3 for its seamless subtlety and the Mi 4 - it's just trying too hard to look like the iPhone.
A microSD slot would've been welcome for sure - after all the cheapest variant of the Mi 4 has 16GB of storage. Gorilla Glass is another omission. The unpleasant heating at the rear is frequently the cause of CPU throttling down and you may need to cool your Mi 4 in the hot summer months to keep it running at its fullest.
With a price tag of $460, the Xiaomi Mi 4 is a must see - it's packages like this one that have been fighting prejudice against China-made smartphones. With LTE connectivity, fast and responsive UI and excellent imaging credentials, one would say it's worth every penny they are asking for it. The Mi 4 is easily customizable too - and that goes for the interface as well. You can use whatever ROMs you like, you are not stuck with MIUI.
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