Review of Mi A3 - the new Xiaomi smartphone with a clean version of Android

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

An affordable model with a good camera and excellent battery life.

Table of contents

• Specifications
• Equipment
• Design
• Screen
• Sound
• Camera
• Performance
• Software
• Unlocking
• Autonomy
• Outcomes

Specifications

Colors	Gray, blue, white
Display	6.01 inches, HD + (720 × 1,560 pixels), Super AMOLED
Platform	Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 (4 × 2 GHz Kryo 260 Gold + 4 × 1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver)
RAM	4 GB
Built-in memory	64/128 GB + support for microSD ‑ cards up to 256 GB
Cameras	Rear - 48 MP (main) + 8 MP (ultra wide angle) + 2 MP (depth sensor). Front - 32 MP
Shooting video	Up to 2 160p at 30 FPS and up to 1,080p at 120 FPS
Wireless interfaces	Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
Connectors	USB Type ‑ C, 3.5mm analog audio jack
SIM card	Two slots for nanoSIM
Sensors	Fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass
Unlocking	Fingerprint, face, PIN
Operating system	Android 9.0 + Android One
Battery	4,030 mAh, fast charging supported
Dimensions (edit)	153.5 × 71.9 × 8.5mm
The weight	173.8 grams

Equipment

The package bundle is classic: a smartphone, a silicone case, an adapter with a cable, instructions and a clip for ejecting SIM cards.

Design

The device is sold in three colors: gray, blue and white. We got a model in gray, which actually looks more like black.

On the glossy back panel with vertical overflows, the word Xiaomi flaunts, accompanying inscriptions and markings, as well as a classic triple camera module with a flash below.

On the left there is a slot for SIM cards and microSD, on the top - a mini-jack-input, on the right - a paired volume and power key, on the bottom - speaker holes and a USB Type-C input.

Includes a black silicone case. It does not greatly affect the experience of use. The cover has a USB Type-C plug.

In general, the smartphone looks nice and even expensive. For example, the slightly more budgetary Redmi Note 7 gives the impression of a compromise device, while the Mi A3 looks like a sub-flagship at least in appearance.

Screen

The Mi A3 has an AMOLED display with a resolution of 720 × 1,560 pixels, which is not very clear, pleasant colors and brightness. Of course, you can use it, but in 2019, it would seem, everyone is already accustomed to the fact that screens should not cause any complaints. At least in smartphones from well-known brands and with a price above 15 thousand rubles.

With framelessness, it also did not work: the drop-shaped notch is optimal, and the eyebrows are quite thick here. Especially from below. A little more, and it would be possible to safely place the control panel under the screen and a set of sensors and cameras on top.

Sound

The single speaker produces a fairly clear and loud, but high-pitched sound. Xiaomi does not indulge in stereo sound even in more serious models, so there were no special expectations here. But on-site support for Bluetooth 5.0 and the still beloved by many 3, 5 mm headphone jack.

Camera

But the camera for a smartphone in this price category is quite good. The pictures are excellent during the day, a little worse in the evening. Sometimes in the dark, not only objects are poorly visible, but sharpness is completely lost - you have to take a photo in the "Night" mode. The third peephole is a not-so-serious ultra-wide-angle lens. The portraits are cute, but with unnatural bokeh.

Photo taken with the main camera

Photo taken with an ultra wide-angle camera

Photo taken with the main camera

Photo taken with an ultra wide-angle camera

Photo taken with the main camera

Photo taken with an ultra wide-angle camera

Photo taken with the main camera

Photo taken in "Night" mode

Photo taken with an ultra wide-angle camera

Photo taken with the main camera

Photo taken in "Night" mode

Photo taken with an ultra wide-angle camera

Photo taken in portrait mode

Photo taken in portrait mode

There are no complaints about the front camera either.

The stock application looks about the same as on other Android shells, but a little more laconic and closer to iOS. Unpopular modes and settings are hidden in the menu in the upper right corner of the screen.

Performance

The Mi A3 has a Snapdragon 665 with a core frequency of up to 2 GHz and an Adreno 610 graphics processor. RAM - 4 GB. Here's what they put together in the synthetic Geekbench benchmark:

And here are the results of the AnTuTu test:

Judging by them, in terms of power, this gadget is somewhere on a par with Redmi Note 7. During testing, Mi A3 worked without lags and freezes, and also pulled heavy games at medium graphics settings.

Software

The Mi A3 comes with a clean version of Android - the one that Google gives developers, without any add-ons from the Chinese brand. There are no unnecessary bells and whistles, but this option by default works faster and more correctly than any combination of "system + shell".

On the left, where we are used to seeing the widget bar, are personalized recommendations from Google. A swipe from above brings up notifications and the quick access bar.

The system is not overloaded with pre-installed services. Here only Google and quite a bit Xiaomi.

Unlocking

You can unlock Mi A3 by face, fingerprint and PIN. The main method of authorization is through a fingerprint scanner built into the screen. It does not work instantly, but rather quickly.

Face authentication is fast and not very secure. There is no combined unlocking - if the fingerprint does not work, the system will not start looking for the owner's face on its own.

Autonomy

The Mi A3 has a battery with a solid capacity of 4,030 mAh. In conjunction with an economical low-resolution AMOLED screen, light operating system and an optimized processor, it provides excellent autonomy. Even with very active use, the smartphone should live up to the evening table, and with moderate use, it should hold out without an outlet for one and a half to two days.

Outcomes

Among the advantages of Mi A3 are autonomy, a good camera, a fast and simple system, and a pleasant view. And all this beats with two main disadvantages: a screen of the level of Chinese noname-smartphones and the absence of NFC.

Perhaps this gadget is suitable for those who simply do not need to pay with their phone, and those who have not yet used a device with a good modern screen. Mi A3 can be presented, for example, to elderly parents: the smartphone can easily cope with instant messengers, replace a simple camera, will not torture with the nuances of the shell and will rarely ask for recharging.

At the same time, there is reason to believe that the Mi A3 is not a successor to the Mi A2, but rather an updated version of the Mi A2 Lite. We have already written about the likelihood of the release of the Mi A3 Pro, which will be the uncompromising continuation of the Mi series with pure Android. Probably, there will be a shameful screen, an NFC-chip, and a more powerful processor. If the Mi A3 who has visited the review occasionally loses in comparison with the conditional Redmi Note 7, then the Mi A3 Pro may become a competitor to the popular Pocophone F1.

The price of Xiaomi Mi A3 is 16,990 rubles for the version with 64 GB of memory and 18,990 rubles for the version with 128 GB of ROM.