Xiaomi Mi A1

Verdict

When Xiaomi entered the Indian market a little more than three years ago with the Mi 3 flagship, I posited it as the “blockbuster in every right” in my review. Fast forward to the present, and the Chinese giant has already become the second-largest smartphone brand in India, dominating the country`s online market in the process. However, what’s interesting is that its budget Redmi series has acted as the money spinner, and while it did release Mi 3 successors, they haven’t been able to repeat the progenitor’s feat. But the brand’s latest, the Mi A1 reminds me a lot of the Mi 3 sinc... Read Full Verdict

When Xiaomi entered the Indian market a little more than three years ago with the Mi 3 flagship, I posited it as the “blockbuster in every right” in my review. Fast forward to the present, and the Chinese giant has already become the second-largest smartphone brand in India, dominating the country`s online market in the process. However, what’s interesting is that its budget Redmi series has acted as the money spinner, and while it did release Mi 3 successors, they haven’t been able to repeat the progenitor’s feat. But the brand’s latest, the Mi A1 reminds me a lot of the Mi 3 since both devices had a lot riding on their shoulders… and they pack in enough to deliver. caption id= align= alignnone width= 1060 Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (left) vs Mi A1 (right) caption Having said that, it’s interesting that even with these USPs, the Xiaomi Mi A1 can’t be differentiated from the competition. As mentioned earlier, it’s up against the Lenovo K8 Note and Moto G5s Plus, both of which offer similar specs. It’s very difficult to pick one smartphone between the three, though if you ask me, my choice would be the Mi A1 for the simple fact that Android One makes it a future-proof purchase and it comes across as a dependable performer. However, the phone also faces a challenge from its own family, the Redmi Note 4, which comes with a similar spec sheet minus the dual cameras, but with marathon battery backup – priced affordably at Rs 12,999.My personal quibble of the brand continuing using the Snapdragon 625 aside, the Xiaomi Mi A1 is a complete package that ticks all the right boxes. With its good build quality, an impressive pair of cameras and stock Android – you’d be hard-pressed to find a complaint with the A1. I also think that this is possibly the best partnership to revive Google’s ambitious Android One project, which was launched with a big bang in 2014, but then faded away. In its second avatar, it seems that the Alphabet-owned brand aims to offer a Pixel-like experience across price segments.Only time will tell if the A1 changes the fortunes for the Mi series in India. But if you’ve always wanted to own a Xiaomi smartphone with a clean software experience, the Mi A1 is the perfect choice for you.