Xiaomi Mi A3 Review
The Mi A have been mobile best-selling since its first-generation and with this Mi A3, we expected another great device in value for money, but the first impressions left us with the feeling that this year I would not have it so easy.
We have been testing it for the last week and here we bring you our analysis of the Xiaomi Mi A3. A new cellphone tries to reign in the mid-range whose proposal is based on the triple camera, AMOLED screen, generous battery and the presence of Android One. A very promising combination but that, as usually happens, is not exempt from concessions to continue offering a competitive price.
Design: finding the best balance between aesthetics and maneuverability
Xiaomi has changed its design from one year to another. If with the Mi A2 we had an aluminum body with a matte finish, in this Mi A3 we bet on the glass as the main element. Our test unit is dark gray, the tone equivalent to black. There are also white and bright blue models available. Depending on how the light strikes, the crystal body generates a series of very striking reflections, although the blue model shows more than the black one.
The design of the Xiaomi Mi A3 is very good and is probably one of the reasons why you end up enjoying the phone. We have a body protected by Gorilla Glass 5, resistant to splashing P2i, with aluminum edges and rounded corners. Also, what Xiaomi calls a "3D rear curved design" is added, which remains that the back has a slight curvature. But it is an addition that is appreciated, as it helps improve maneuverability and give the feeling that we are facing a thinner mobile than it is. A touch that, for example, we do not find in the Redmi Note 7, more rectangular.
As usual in glass mobiles, the smartphone is somewhat slippery, but not a problem. The grip in hand is good enough and it is not of those mobiles that are moving alone everywhere if we leave them. Yes, it sins more than another of the problems associated with glass footprints. It is easy to find impregnated footprints on both the front and the back, and on a few occasions, we will have the phone completely clean. Fortunately, it is easy to clean, but, unless we bet on the transparent silicone case that comes with the mobile, we will hardly have it unpolluted. And we even got to see some scratches after these days.
With the Xiaomi Mi A3, we finally have the design that many asked for: a compact and handy mobile phone, but without forgetting to leave room for the battery.
In addition to the curves, which help improve the grip of the phone, the Mi A3 has an advantage over most of its rivals and is the choice of a very suitable size. Instead of a 6.3-inch screen, the Mi A3 stays at 6.1 inches with 'notch' in the form of a drop of water. It does not get the highest screen ratio and the edges are somewhat thick, especially the lower one that breaks the symmetry, but in hand, it feels very good because its height does not rise well above 150 millimeters and its width does not go beyond 70 mm.
If we compare it with other smartphones, only the Huawei P30 Lite achieves a more compact and balanced design, but it lags in the battery. One more example of how Huawei follows a step ahead of Xiaomi in size optimization, but where this Mi A3 is located in an excellent balance point that is not repeated in the rest: a mobile with about 4,000 mAh of more compact battery.
The placement of the elements follows the usual tonic. At the top, we find the 3.5mm jack, which had disappeared in the Mi A2, the noise-canceling microphone and the infrared sensor. Also, the notification LED, hidden in the top frame. On the right side, we have the volume and power controls, with a correct path, while on the bottom we have the USB Type-C port and the speakers, well-aligned. In the upper part of the left side is where we have the hybrid slot for the SIM and microSD card.
It's funny how the Mi A2 had neither a headphone jack nor a microSD, however, the Mi A2 Lite did. It is details like these that lead us to think that we can face an heir of the Lite version and not the most powerful Android One. Even so, it is appreciated that Xiaomi has opted for this decision.
The rear of the Xiaomi Mi A3 is quite smooth, with the triple camera taking full attention. The three sensors are placed vertically in a module that protrudes slightly from the body, which causes it to get dirty and also "dances" when placed on the table. It is curious to see how, although the Mi A3 has a thickness of almost 8.5 millimeters, the camera still stands out and causes the device to lose stability.
Beyond the triple camera, the design is minimalist. The flash LED is located just below the triple camera, but there are no additional physical elements since the fingerprint reader is integrated under the screen.
Another subtle change is in the Xiaomi and Android One logos. Habemus new designs, both for the brand and the Google system.
The Xiaomi logo is placed vertically, in the lower corner where the camera. Seen from normal is rare, but it is best seen when we take photos in horizontal. Also, from now on it is written in letters and not with the 'Mi' logo as it was before, equating to what we have with the brands 'Pocophone' or 'Redmi'. The Android One is next to those of the European Commission and has the new design that Google showed at the beginning of the year during the MWC.
Screen: an inexplicable decision
The Xiaomi Mi A1 had a 5.5-inch FullHD panel, which gave us a density of about 400 pixels per inch. The Xiaomi Mi A2 repeated in density with its 5.99-inch panel and FullHD + resolution. Even the Mi A2 Lite and its 5.84 "FullHD + panel reached 431ppp. What do we have in the Mi A3? A panel of 6,088" and a resolution of 1,560 x 720 pixels, which is equivalent to HD + and 282 dpi. A disappointment if we consider what it represents as an evolution of the range and that places the Mi A3 at the height of the Redmi 7, the input range of Xiaomi.
The AMOLED HD + screen on the Mi A3 looks good ... by far. When approaching the sensation is strange, with very bright colors but blurred letters.
Do you notice the lack of sharpness in the Xiaomi Mi A3? The short answer is "yes." The long answer is "yes, but". If we place the Mi A3 next to any mobile with a FullHD screen, the difference is noticeable for anyone. In the Mi A3, the lyrics look more blurry, like when a photo doesn't end up being well focused. When reading is noticeable and generally gives a strange feeling, as something strange happens to the screen. In my case, I am a regular user of phones with QuadHD screen, but even other less accustomed people have detected that something weird had. However, over the days I have resigned myself. The lack of sharpness is there and does not disappear, but we do appreciate the other features of the screen.
Xiaomi is committed to an AMOLED panel with a PenTile matrix, which means that instead of three subpixels for each pixel, it has two. This causes a more noticeable pixelation effect on the screen and generates even more doubts. Does this mean that the screen of Mi A3 is worse than for example that of the Mi A2? Not necessarily. The choice of a panel with OLED technology has its benefits, although its presence here is probably due to a strategic issue.
The AMOLED screen has excellent contrast, with very deep blacks and bright colors. In the same way that some IPS FullHD panels appear much sharper, they also sometimes have a more washed color and without much 'punch'. By far, the screen of the Mi A3 attracts a lot of attention. Because in addition to its saturation, the panel has a considerable brightness.
Outdoors, the Xiaomi Mi A3 behaves well, with fewer reflections than usual, but the maximum brightness is something fair to be able to read what appears on the screen. The Mi A3 has a theoretical maximum brightness of 350 nits since due to Android One it does not have the MIUI High Brightness Mode (HBD), although when compared to the Mi A2 screen, about 400 nits, the difference is small.
Regarding automatic brightness, the change is somewhat slow but the sensor correctly detects each situation. What happens is that the minimum brightness is too high, which together with those bright colors makes it completely annoying to use at night. And with the night filter, we don't get rid of that problem either.
The touch sensitivity is good, but, on the other hand, the color representation is not very accurate. One of the problems of the most basic AMOLED panels is that they suffer from color degradation and the viewing angles are usually quite bad. In the case of the Mi A3, with the viewing angles, we have a pretty good result. However, the colors are very saturated and tend to warm tones.
The experience with the Mi A3 panel has been strange. Its sharpness is insufficient and the colors are not very precise, but the AMOLED screen is very suggestive. A screen that clearly is not at the level of the expected but that after using it during these weeks I consider that it should not be enough reason to deny the other benefits.
Why then Xiaomi has opted for it? According to the brand itself, "to stay in that price range since you can't have everything." Because an AMOLED FullHD + panel, like that of the Mi 9T, is considerably more expensive. Repeating with an IPS panel would have turned this Mi A3 into a phone very similar to the Redmi Note 7. The presence of the AMOLED panel, the Mi A3 has been able to differentiate itself and also integrate the fingerprint reader under the screen.
At the software level, the Xiaomi Mi A3 does not have an option to modify the color of the screen. In that sense, pure Android falls somewhat short in terms of screen customization.
From the options we have in the screen settings we find the night light option so that an amber filter is automatically activated at a certain time, the automatic brightness, choose the size of the letters or activate the ambient screen, which will activate the screen when there is a notification. However, despite having an AMOLED panel, we do not have the option of 'Always On-Display'. An addition that would have helped justify the commitment to this screen technology.
The Snapdragon 665 is very solvent, but it doesn't make a difference
Something similar to the screen occurs with the processor but, at least, in this case, it is more a matter of expectations. The Mi A3 incorporates the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, an 11-nanometer chipset that incorporates eight Kryo 260 cores at 2GHz and 1.8GHz. For the GPU, we have the Adreno 610, while for the artificial intelligence processing the Hexagon 686 DSP is added.
According to Qualcomm, this new processor comes to improve the 'gaming' section compared to the previous generation, which is none other than the Snapdragon 660 that incorporated the Mi A2 and also has the Redmi Note 7. However, it happens that two Android games as popular as 'Asphalt 9' and 'Fortnite' appear as unsupported.
The performance of the Snapdragon 665 together with the 4GB of RAM is very good, although there is little improvement over last year. Nothing happens either, mainly because the Snapdragon 660 is still quite capable. Some users hoped to find the Snapdragon 710 that is added in the Mi CC9, but finally, it has not been. Would it have meant any improvement? We do not really know, but in the case of the Mi A3, the experience is very fluid mainly because this Snapdragon 665 moves the HD very easily.
All menus, applications, and animations move quickly. In this sense, it is also noted that we are facing a mobile with Android One. Using the Mi A3 is very pleasant, obtaining a fluidity superior to that of the Xiaomi with MIUI of equivalent level.
The Xiaomi Mi A3 flies. And although the Snapdragon 665 is not such an advanced processor, having an HD screen and Android One help make the experience very smooth.
We are not exempt from any occasional delay or animation that does not finish booting. But even in high-end phones sometimes these failures occur. As we say, the performance of the Mi A3 is excellent and in games, we have also obtained a very good fluidity and acceptable temperatures, of course, due in part to the fact that the games are limited to HD resolution.
The Xiaomi Mi A3, compared to the benchmark results of other similar mobiles with different processors. As we can see, the Snapdragon 665 is slightly ahead of the Snapdragon 660 and the Kirin 710, at the level of the Exynos 9610, but clearly behind the Snapdragon 730 of the Mi 9T. A phone whose price places it in another category.
For storage, we have a 64 GB base, of which 48.33 GB will be free. This year we also opted for a UFS 2.1 memory that in our tests with Androbench has offered us about 508 MB/s of reading and 170 MB/s of writing, approximately twice as fast in reading but similar in writing with respect to the eMMC 5.0 memory of the My A2
These days I have also been testing the Mi Band 4 and the Bluetooth sync has been correct. Regarding GPS, WiFi or data, the signal collection has also been good. The Mi A3 also incorporates an infrared sensor, which works through the Mi Remote controller application.
We would have liked to say that to pay with the mobile, everything went well, but unfortunately, for another year we still don't have NFC that would have been a considerable boost to the phone, but that Xiaomi has decided not to implement. A conservative decision on a mobile that beyond its benefits, which has them, fails to surprise in almost any section.
Android One does not get rid of bloatware either
MIUI is the Xiaomi customization layer and is included in virtually all of its devices, from the entry range to its flagships. But the Mi A range is different. In this case, we have Android One, which is still the Google project to offer "pure Android" with two years of secured updates and three years of security updates. This is the way Google has to partner with other manufacturers and ensure that at least one of their devices arrives just as they think Android should be.
Theoretically, we should have a clean operating system, without aesthetic modifications, neither bloatware nor application duplication. A basic and lightweight software. But what we have with the Mi A3 moves slightly away from the theory. Indeed, the software of the Mi A3 is purely Google, with the aesthetics of always and all the applications of Google. We have Android 9 Pie next to the July security patch and it offers is the same as other years.
However, we have found several pre-installed applications that do not fit that philosophy, although they are very common in MIUI: My Community, Xiaomi Store, Amazon, and AliExpress. The first two are understandable since Xiaomi always on its community, but it is curious how two shopping platforms that have little or nothing to do with Android One also appear.
Beyond these applications, the changes in the Mi A3 concerning "pure Android" are minimal. Some own section in the settings like 'My Services', a camera application and little else. The user experience of the Mi A3 is basically what Google wants it to be, with its respective advantages, stability and speed, and its particular disadvantages, such as the loss of customization options.
Bio-metrics
The Xiaomi Mi A3 two bio-metric security options to unlock the mobile. On the one hand, we have the fingerprint reader, integrated under the screen, and on the other the facial unlocking. We have options for various tastes, but the truth is that none of these methods offers us a good enough experience to stand out from the other.
The fingerprint sensor is located below the AMOLED screen and according to the company has been updated to expand the area and detect up to 7.2 µm pixels. When we put the fingerprint we see that the area is slightly wider, which makes it easier to make no mistake, but the detection speed is still quite slow.
With the screen off, the fingerprint reader symbol appears and when pressed it lights up with a bluish light and a small animation. The speed is not immediate, so much that it gives time to calmly see the animation on. Regarding reliability, well ... after a few days of taking the measure I can say that the index is much better than at the beginning, but still behind what we had with physical readers. Under direct sunlight, it continues to give problems and with wet hands, we have also had some failure.
Despite not being the fastest or the most reliable, the truth is that its location seems to be a success. The fingerprint readers integrated into the screen are the way to go and although it is true that we are still in the first generations, personally I am glad that Xiaomi has been encouraged to try to extend this technology to more users. Despite the important consequences on the screen. It is a decision similar to eliminating the 3.5mm jack last year. Interestingly, then it was a pulse to expand the use of Bluetooth, but this year they have added it again. Hopefully, with the futuristic Mi A4 do not take a step back and the fingerprint readers integrated into the screen have improved significantly.
Another option is facial unlocking by artificial intelligence. In this case, the front camera is used, but we are told from the beginning that it is not a full-proof security method and that it could be the mobile unlocked with a photo or someone with a similar appearance. A message not very inspiring but that transmits transparency, something that is appreciated.
Face detection allows you to go directly to the desktop or unlock it and then slide. However, it does not work with the screen off. The result is quite effective, detecting the face easily and in a relatively short time. Nor have we had problems unlocking it in a completely dark room, so without being the fastest facial unlocking, it is an additive that offers good results.
Photography: a triple camera embraced by artificial intelligence
We arrived at the photographic section, one of the key points for most mobiles. In the Mi A3, the manufacturer has decided to implement a system of three sensors. Becoming the most economical Xiaomi mobile in adding triple camera. We have a Sony IMX586 48 megapixel main sensor, with an aperture lens f / 1.79. It is accompanied by an 8-megapixel wide-angle with f / 2.2 lens and a third 2-megapixel depth sensor for portrait mode.
As we see, it is a fairly basic configuration where the main sensor that we have seen repeated in other mobiles of the company is added, but with a wide-angle and a depth sensor that does not reach the number of megapixels of for example the Mi 9T. Let's see how they behave daily. But first let's talk about the camera application.
The camera application of the Xiaomi Mi A3 is equivalent to what we have seen in other devices of the company. It is not about the GCam, although the phone is compatible. We have a simple design, although with a lot of options .
On the main screen we find the options of flash, HDR, IA, filters and settings in the upper area; a button to switch between 0.6x wide angle mode, standard mode or 2x zoom and in the lower area the settings for short video, video, photo, portrait, night mode, panoramic and pro mode. Some tools that we can access by simply sliding the screen.
In the Pro mode it will be where we can adjust the exposure, the ISO, choose the lens or take pictures with the 48 megapixels. Otherwise, normal photography is taken by default in 12 megapixels due to the application of the 'Pixel Binning' technique.
The application works normally although on some occasion we have experienced lag at the time of taking the photos . Beyond that detail, no constant erratic behavior that impoverishes the experience.
Rear Cameras
The rear cameras of the Mi A3 are at the height in most situations, especially in conditions of good lighting where the main sensor gets high-level photos , both in the vividness of the colors and in the detail offered. Although, we have noticed that the best photos are achieved with the HDR mode activated. Otherwise, the camera of the Mi A3 falls somewhat short and makes paler photos.
The dynamic range of the camera is very good, especially as we say with the application or HDR mode or directly from the artificial intelligence button. From what we have seen, in general we will almost always be interested in activating this artificial intelligence since the results are usually much better in dynamic range, without over-supersaturating the image.
We have recognition of up to 27 different scenes ranging from the sky, food, portrait mode or plants. The application will indicate it with a small icon every time it detects a scene.
With the use of artificial intelligence, the camera achieves a very good result in complicated scenes such as backlights or images with many shadows and colors. As a negative note comment that when shooting in this mode is not so fast, but the difference is minimal and compensates.
With macro photography we also get a good result, the minimum focusing distance being quite short.
In interiors Mi A3 also get to show off with fairly realistic colors and good detail management . While it is true that at which the light falls slightly the processing has more work and the loss of sharpness is already beginning to be noticed.
If we go to night photography, the detail takes a step back, as is logical, but the Mi A3 achieves very decent results considering its price range. The tones are quite consistent with the projected light and the level of information in the shadows is quite high. If we use the Pro mode with 48 megapixels in night photography, the level of detail is similar but we lose lighting.
To complement we have a night mode that has its section. In this mode we can zoom, but not activate the wide angle. The result is interesting when there are many sets of complex lights and manages to capture much more light and detail, although it is in line with what is seen in other terminals in its range.
Where the Mi A3 especially stands out is in portrait mode, with a quite natural and precise blur effect , also getting a good detail and without excessively blurred edges. This year we can also modify the opening to our liking before making the image.
One of the problems of the 48 megapixel camera is that the images obtained are usually very large, between 4 and 9MB. But that's with standard photography, because if we go to full-size images they can take up to 20MB. A very high amount for the gain we see.
We also have the option of 2x zoom, whose presence is appreciated and allows the realization of images with enough detail. Very useful in open spaces or when we want to get a closer view. Although we must take into account that it is a digital zoom , so the gain is the equivalent of a cut.
In addition to the zoom, the triple camera of the Mi A3 also allows wide-angle photography . That is why it is said that the triple cameras are very versatile, because with these extra sensors we can take pictures that we normally could not.
In the Mi A3 the sensor is 8 megapixels, with an f / 2.2 lens and a angle of view 118 degrees. Also, artificial intelligence is still active and there is a correction of distortion at the edges that we have found quite effective. Despite this, the loss of quality of the sensor is notable and both the detail, focus or dynamic range are considerably lower than the main one.
Front Camera
The front camera sensor offers 32 megapixels and an f / 2.0 aperture lens . The selfies made with the Mi A3 have a good level of detail and the dynamic range is good, although many images can be seen with the background burned or slightly out of focus. The front camera offers us a fixed focus and we have flash through the illumination of the screen itself.
In low light situations it is where the front camera of the Mi A3 stands out better, getting a level of detail and a very good play of lights. At a very high level to be a front camera.
By default, the Mi A3 applies a beauty mode , where our skin is softened. This can be removed or configured to stylize our face, soften or widen our eyes. A whole series of filters are also available.
In addition to beauty mode, we also have the possibility of applying artificial intelligence mode with scene recognition or portrait mode . The latter achieves a fairly accurate result despite not having an extra help sensor.
As an extra option, the Mi A3 adds a 'Palm Shutter' function with palm detection to automatically take the photo after three seconds.
Video
The Xiaomi Mi A3 records video up to 4K resolution and 30fps or 1080p and 60fps , with the added possibility of recording short videos for social networks, making time lapses or slow motion at FullHD and 120fps or 720 and 240fps.
The videos made have a level according to the camera. The light management is good and once the image is focused, the detail is high. What happens is that the video has a hard time focusing and digital stabilization is quite bad . It is common for videos to be moved and transitions are not stable enough.
On these stabilization problems with the video, the company has announced that it offers an update via OTA (version 10.3.5.0.PFQEUXM) where they are corrected.
Reverse: the 3.5mm jack is present again
Last year the audio jack was dispensed with, but with the Mi A3 we have it again. We have it at the top and we will be glad that it is back. Fortunately, bluetooth headphones are increasingly common and the energy consumption of these is increasingly efficient, but having the 3.5mm jack is still very useful in many situations .
The audio quality of the Mi A3 is acceptable, with a maximum volume of 102 decibels according to our tests through the lower speaker of 0.915 cc. Over 80% the distortion is noticed and the richness of nuances and depth is not for rocket fire. In the sound section, Xiaomi has room to offer a higher level experience. Although to be a mid-range, the Mi A3 meets expectations.
When connecting wireless headphones we have Bluetooth 5.0 and support for A2DP, LDAC and aptX HD . With the calls we have obtained a clean sound and the other person was perfectly heard.
The sound is good, although we have no options through the software to customize the sound . Neither an equalizer nor any tool. It is a pity since I could have rounded this section, but it is one of the prices to pay for having Android One.
A battery up to the rest of the brand's mobiles
The Xiaomi Mi A3 comes with a battery of 4,030 milliamps-hour, an indication that its battery should be generous and at the level of what Xiaomi has accustomed us with other devices. We are indeed facing a mobile with a very good battery, getting hold perfectly one day and even several days if we make moderate use.
Xiaomi Mi A3 is one of the mobile phones with pure Android of a large battery. A winning combination of clean and battery software that many users will value.
The battery of the Mi A3 has allowed us to reach approximately 14 hours of active use, with just over 7 hours of screen on. This is with automatic brightness, occasional Bluetooth, surfing the internet, listening to Spotify, watching videos and playing a quarter of an hour. In comparison, the Redmi Note 7 with similar use had given us a slightly higher result, reaching eight hours of the screen easier.
In the end, many factors influence, from the processor, the screen, the operating system ... our use has been quite similar to what we usually do in the different analyzes and in general after just over a week of use we have detected that battery is slightly below Xiaomi phones with 4,000 mAh MIUI. Still, they are excellent numbers and it is very good news that the Mi A3 offers such good results of autonomy.
Through USB Type C we can charge the device from 0 to 100% in a total of one hour and 45 minutes, reaching 25% in 20 minutes and 70% in one hour. A time that is within the expected taking into account the large capacity of the battery and that could improve if you use a more powerful charger. We say this because the charger included with the Mi A3 is 10W, however, the mobile supports fast charging of up to 18W.
Conclusion
Is the Xiaomi Mi A3 a recommended mobile? In our view, yes. Will he become the king of the mid-range as the previous generations achieved? We no longer have that clear. Not only because the alternatives also offer great value for money, but because Android One is no longer as differential as before. The personalization layers have reached an important point of maturity and perhaps having or not pure Android does not make such a significant difference.
Its official price is 276 dollars for the version with 4GB and 64GB. That is 55 dollars more than the Redmi Note 7. And what do we gain from this? Better performance with Android One, more modern design and a triple camera one step ahead. Is it enough to justify the investment? For many users surely yes. And we think that the Mi A3 will probably be below two hundred euros in a short time.
In the end, we are in a very balanced midrange. The AMOLED screen offers striking colors, the processor is more than capable in all kinds of tasks, the battery is outstanding and the triple camera is very solvent and will convince a large part of the users. On the controversy of the HD screen, yes, it is a step back. But in the same way that last year we had little battery, this year the "but" is the resolution. And the current situation seems more convincing to me. There are no perfect phones, but Mi A3 meets most of the requirements that many users looking for a new mobile phone may need.
This Xiaomi Mi A3 may not be the blow on the table in other years, but it is still one of the best mid-range in quality-price, with a large battery, good triple camera and the always differentiating plus of Android One.
The Xiaomi Mi A3 aspires once again to become the "star recommendation" of 2019. That good, beautiful and cheap mobile that can be recommended to any user. We continue without NFC, the screen generates some doubts and perhaps another more competitive model will arrive in a while, but today this Mi A3 has more than enough arguments to become another bestseller. Because in the end the price plays a decisive factor and the non-presence of the surname 'Pro' can help us find good offers of the Mi A3 in a shorter period.
In favor
- The design has continued to improve to maintain grip and ergonomics despite the notable battery jump.
- The performance is very good and Android One is still a safe value.
- The versatility of the triple camera and its more than acceptable results in this price range.
Against
- Absences: NFC, FullHD screen, a more powerful processor ...
- Despite being reliable, both the fingerprint reader and facial unlocking are somewhat slow.
- In the section of the sound, Xiaomi still does not stand out.
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