In 2017, Xiaomi brings the Xiaomi Mi 5X, which appears two months later as Xiaomi Mi A1 with Android One operating system for the European market. Now comes the successor, the Xiaomi Mi 6X. This we liked very much, but we do not necessarily see the big change to the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 with very similar hardware features. Besides, the question remains about the Xiaomi Mi A2.
- Xiaomi Mi 6X (4/64 GB) | Geekbuying for € 314.99
- Xiaomi Mi 6X (6/64 GB) | Geekbuying for € 357.99
- Xiaomi Mi 6X (6/128 GB) | Geekbuying for € 399.11
Technical specifications
| Display | 5.99 “IPS LC Display with 2160 × 1080p |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 , (Kryo 260 Cluster with 2.2 & 1.84 GHz) |
| Graphics Chip | Qualcomm Adreno 512 @ 650 MHz |
| Random Access Memory | 4/6 GB |
| Internal Memory | 64/128 GB |
| Main Camera | Dual camera with 12/20 MP, Sony IMX486 & Sony IMX376 |
| Front Camera | 20 MP Sony IMX376 |
| Battery Pack | 3,010 mAh, Quick Charge 3.0 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi AC, BT 4.2, GPS / GLONASS / BDS, Hybrid SIM |
| Features | USB Type-C, Fingerprint Sensor, Face Unlock |
| Operating System | Android 8.1 with MIUI 9.5 |
| Dimensions / Weight | 155.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm / 166 g |
Xiaomi Mi 6X with modern design
The Xiaomi Mi 6X reminds us a lot of the new generation of the Xiaomi Redmi series, but especially the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. The manufacturer also takes up the modern design with a 6-inch display. This has an aspect ratio of 18 – 9 and resolves with 1080 x 2160 pixels. A difference is that the 6X is even thinner. The thickness is only 7.3 mm, which was (unfortunately) at the expense of the 3.5 mm jack connection. That one renounces this connection is not uncommon in Xiaomis flagship smartphones. Xiaomi remains more classic with the 6X, a Notch like the Mi 8 or a frameless design like the Mix 2S it not. The screen edges are relatively thin but clearly visible.
Also, the back reminds of the note 5; the vertically arranged dual camera immediately catches your eye. The only significant difference lies in the detail. The antenna strips run fluently with the top and bottom edges. The Note 5 is a classic cut, which also separates the metal part from the plastic. Xiaomi is also generous when it comes to the color options of the Mi 6X. Overall, there are some color versions of the Xiaomi Mi 6X: Red, Cherry Pink, Sand Gold, Glacier Blue and Black. There should be something for everyone! The fingerprint sensor is in the usual position on the back.
Already the first leak of the TENAA authority gave information about the size and weight of the smartphone. So it is 158.88 × 75.54 × 7.3 mm in size and weighs 166 g. This makes it slightly larger than its predecessor, with the same weight. Accordingly, the Mi 6X is also pretty good in the hand, despite the thin design. Anyone familiar with a 6-inch smartphone will not be surprised. Due to the display size, the one-handed operation is not always given. You have to admit that the Mix 2S is more compact despite the same screen size, thanks to the borderless design.
The look and finish are once again on the typical strong Xiaomi level. Only the dual camera on the back is for my taste something for two out and thus does not seem organic integrated into the unibody, but as subsequently added. If you can overlook this, you get a very noble Xiaomi smartphone, which is modern regarding design but retains the same form factor as its predecessor.
Typical Xiaomi display
The screen, the hub of the front page, confirms the more conservative claim that Xiaomi is pursuing here. The diagonal measures 5.99 inches, as you can see on almost every (Xiaomi) smartphone. The resolution is 2160 x 1080 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 403 ppi, i.e. pixels per inch. The display does a good job but is not an outstanding display. The brightness is more than adequate in rooms with a medium setting; in daylight, it looks a bit more critical. It is recommended to set the slider to maximum.
Thanks to MIUI you Also adjust the screen a bit. In the settings, both the colors (warm & cold) and the contrast (standard & amplified) can be adjusted. A color palette like the Mix 2S is, unfortunately, missing here. Overall, the display is very functional and meets a good standard, but should not be seen as a big plus point or a big minus point for or against the smartphone.
Xiaomi Mi 6X with Snapdragon 660 processor
In advance, there was much speculation for which processor Xiaomi decides. While the new Snapdragon 636 is being installed in the Redmi Note 5, the 6X has a well-known processor that has rarely been used before. In Xiaomi Mi 6X comes Snapdragon 660 processor used.
He finds his place already in the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 and has convinced us there very much. It consists of two clusters. Four Kryo 260 cores offer a clock frequency of 2.2 GHz and the other four a clock frequency of 1.8 GHz. In addition, this processor supports artificial intelligence, which of course comes because Xiaomi installed a strong dual camera. Also for sufficient memory provides the manufacturer. In total there are three memory configurations – 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal memory, 6 GB RAM and 64 GB internal memory, as well as 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal memory.
That the Snapdragon 660 is a pure CPU, the test of the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 has finally proved. The same applies to the Mi 6X. If you restrict yourself to everyday applications like messenger apps, phone calls, and social media, the CPU is more than sufficient and performs very smoothly. Even if you’re gambling or doing a lot of multitasking, the 660 will not stumble. Gambling is really fun and not only because of the good performance but also because of the display that reproduces the colors nicely. There are 6 GB of RAM in our test device, but 4 GB of RAM is also enough for such a performance.
Unfortunately, the benchmark results confirm this impression only partially. The single score in the Geekbench 4 benchmark is the same as in grade 3, but the multi-score is much lower. The AnTuTu benchmark is also slightly lower than the Mi Note 3, which works with the same processor. But that should not scare us, in practice you notice nothing of it.
Sure, the processor is not quite as strong on paper as a Snapdragon 835 or even 845. De facto, one notices it in practice, but little, especially since he even already equipped with Qualcomm’s AI capabilities. Xiaomi made the right choice and used a CPU that will do a very good job in a year or two.
Dual camera with AI support
The main camera on the back reminds us a lot of the Redmi Note 5 because of the vertical positioning. In the Mi 6X comes a 12/20 megapixel combo to fruition. Behind the upper, primary lens hides the Sony IMX486 sensor with 12 megapixels. With the ƒ / 1.75 aperture, this is especially useful in good light conditions for photos. The secondary sensor is the 20 megapixel Sony IMX376 sensor, also with a ƒ / 1.75 aperture for low-light shooting. The large 20-megapixel sensor also finds its place in the front camera and is also used for face unlocking.
What sounds very good on paper knows how to convince in practice. The Xiaomi Mi 6X can shine particularly regarding camera. The 12-megapixel sensor provides in good lighting conditions for a beautiful sharpness, which is probably second to none in the competition. The colors are lively, but never too full. The focus also works well and detects the object to be focused quickly. If necessary, you can of course change the focus point by touch focus. Even if you zoom in on a picture, that can be good. 12 megapixels are enough as a resolution!
Like the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, the Mi 6X uses a dual camera. However, we are not dealing here with a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens, but with two wide-angle lenses. This means that we have no optical zoom, so no “good” zoom, but only a digital zoom. In addition, this means that photos from the portrait mode are not so “close” to the object, but from the same distance as a normal photo.
But what is the second sensor used for? As mentioned above, the second, upper camera is used when the lighting conditions are weaker. The sensor offers 20 megapixels and is slightly larger, which allows it to capture more light. The aperture here is also ƒ / 1.75 and is therefore pretty open. The low-light camera is used automatically when the sensor has too little light for a photo, but you can also select it manually in Pro mode. In an extremely low light, you will definitely notice a difference. However, it can not compete with the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S as it produces a much smoother image.
Strong portrait mode
Since the Xiaomi Mi 6, the portrait mode has also found its way into Xiaomi’s smartphones, even though the feature is only used in the mid – and upper-class devices. The Xiaomi Mi 6X makes that just as good for people as I think. Even if the image is not as close as in a Mi Note 3, for example. I really like edge recognition in people, and the bokeh is still relatively natural – a clear advantage over the Honor 10.
In the Mi Rabbit, the smartphone, however, has slight problems in the ears, but only a closer look negative.
Also interesting is the AI support provided by the Snapdragon processor. A real AI camera like the Mix 2S or the Honor 10 does not offer the 6X. The AI capability mainly refers to the bokeh, which is produced by software for the main and front camera. It is also used to use the translator or shopping app.
Front camera
The front camera consists of the same sensor as the upper low-light camera on the back. And you can see that too. Because I like the selfies very well, even if the 20 megapixels do not necessarily provide a detailed sharpness. I particularly like the skin tones and the brightness of the pictures, a noise is not noticeable under normal lighting conditions. In addition, the autofocus works very well, including touch focus.
A small highlight – the portrait mode for the front camera. The can be found in the app not in the front camera but in portrait mode. The software does a good job of blurring the background and Andenhances the photo. If selfies are important, you will feel really comfortable!
Battery life above average
A pre-published information was not entirely correct. The built-in battery has a capacity of 3,010 mAh and is therefore minimally larger than previously thought. This is almost as big as its predecessor, but the battery, thanks to Qualcomm processor, supports the Quick Charge 3.0 standard. This allows a charge of 50% within half an hour!
Before the benchmark started, we already noticed the damn good standby time. The smartphone had namely with occasional use for several days no desire for some juice from the socket. Other Xiaomi smartphones cannot necessarily keep up. Here you can, depending on the use of course, with a running time of just 1 to 1.5 days, similar to the Xiaomi Mi A1. Of course, the peak value of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 cannot be used, but it also has a much larger capacity.
Unfortunately, the PCMark Battery Benchmark has been canceled twice so far, as soon as we have a score, we will submit it. In the Geekbench Battery Benchmark, the value of 3203 points is pretty good and is for example 300 points higher than the iPhone 8 Plus.
Xiaom Mi 6X – not for the EU?
Since the Xiaomi Mi 6X is a brand new smartphone, it comes from the factory with pre-installed MIUI 9.5 in the stable version. This is based on Android 8.1. and makes a very good impression. This is also equipped with the Xiao AI voice assistant, as is the case with the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S.
Who does not know MIUI yet – MIUI is the in-house operating system of Xiaomi, which uses Android as the basis but is strongly adapted. Especially in the Chinese version, you have extremely many China apps that make little sense in the EU. This is what we call bloatware. Among them are some useful Xiaomi apps like the Mi Cloud, but Google’s service is not preinstalled. Nevertheless, these can now be easily installed via the Mi App Store.
The Xiaomi Mi 6X is delivered in English & Chinese ROM, ie without the German language. In English, it is wonderful to use, even if you have to live with some useless apps. For the Smartphone there is currently (as of June 2018) no Global ROM; that will probably not change either. We originally assumed that the Mi 6X comes as Xiaomi Mi A2 including Android One for the European market, but Xiaomi recently denied it. In addition to the negative aspects, a few features but also only the English version withheld, such as Face Unlock.
If a Global ROM should appear, we will inform you here. Then the smartphone can be flashing with our step-by-step instructions.
USB Type-C slot – but no jack
As mentioned above, the Xiaomi Mi 6X comes without the popular headphone jack. The manufacturer compensates with the included adapter, which means that the USB Type-C connector can also be used for headphones. A cool feature for which Xiaomi is known is the integrated infrared interface on the top of the Xiaomi Mi 6X. Otherwise, only a Nano-SIM slot can be discovered, which interestingly leaves no room for a microSD card. A memory extension is therefore not possible.
That the Mi 6X in many ways is like the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 also shows a crucial detail. Also, the Xiaomi Mi 6X is not equipped with LTE Volume 20. This leads to a worse LTE reception in rural areas. LTE Band 1/3/5/7/8 and 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac Dual Band WiFi for Local Internet is still available. GPS, A-GPS, and GLONASS are also on board, as well as Bluetooth 5.0.
In terms of LTE, so the same problem as with the software shows – the Xiaomi Mi 6X is not intended for the European market. To be fair, one has to say that even the predecessor was the case. From then sprang the popular Xiaomi Mi A1. We hope very much that this is the case with this generation again.
Fingerprint Sensor & Face Unlock
When asked how you would like to unlock your smartphone, Xiaomi is free to choose. In addition to the PIN, pattern & password, the fingerprint sensor and Face Unlock are available. The fingerprint sensor has been one of my favorite features on Xiaomi smartphones ever since Xiaomi Mi Mix 2. Also in the Mi 6X, this runs fast and reliably.
Of course, only the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition will keep the fingerprint sensor in the display, but the upper middle class also offers the Face Unlock feature. I like that as well as well, even if the setup seems too fast and insecure for me. But there Xiaomi also gives a warning. But if you decide to use it, it works well. However, it must be clear that this feature, as well as the Mi Note 3, is only for the English version and not for the Global version. When flashing this feature would be lost.
Unboxing
The packaging is reminiscent of the Xiaomi smartphones of the last generations. A simple, white box that is barely longer than the smartphone itself. It is embellished with a colorful “6X”, which is definitely a small eye-catcher. Removing the lid expects the Mi 6X, a USB charger with CN connector, a white USB Type-C cable, a SIM needle, a USB to AUX adapter, a transparent silicone case, and a Chinese user manual. The typical program.
Conclusion – the triumph of the upper middle class
In the jumble of Xiaomi smartphones, the Xiaomi Mi 6X takes a good position, because in the upper middle class are really only the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 6. The Mi 6X knows to convince in our review because actually, it does almost everything right. The processor is still very strong and almost at the flagship level, the camera delivers extremely nice pictures, even if I would have preferred a telephoto camera rather than a low-light camera, and the design is modern and very chic.
There remains only to complain that it is designed for the Asian market. Missing LTE Band 20 and the missing Global ROM are the hair in the soup. That will justify the desire to spoil the smartphone. Therefore, we hope that the Mi 6X will soon come to us as Xiaomi Mi A2. That would mean the same hardware, the same design, but with LTE Volume 20 and Android One as the operating system. Then we would have an unbeatable price-performance ratio because the 6X is really a really good smartphone!
Buy Xiaomi Mi 6X?
That we now see some of the overviews of Xiaomi smartphones, we can understand well. So a short summary and a small overview, if you are looking for the right Xiaomi smartphone:
- If you like the design of the smartphone, but you do not want to spend so much, then you better reach for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. This is particularly convincing in terms of battery life, the performance is good and the camera results are impressive.
- If you would like a slightly better performance and better camera performance, but also spend more money, then grab either the Xiaomi Mi 6X or the Xiaomi Mi Note 3. This is just a little smaller with a 5.5-inch display.
- If you want the best Xiaomi smartphone, you can stay with the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S or the brand new Mi 8.
For questions, comments or other wishes, write us in the comments and let us know what you think of this smartphone.
Xiaomi Mi 6X (4/64 GB) | Geekbuying for € 314.99
Xiaomi Mi 6X (6/64 GB) | Geekbuying for € 357.99
Xiaomi Mi 6X (6/128 GB) | Geekbuying for € 399.11
