Like Lenovo’s handsets, the Mi Max is also designed with content entertainment in mind, such as videos, games and apps. In terms of features and specifications, the Mi Max seems to be a bigger display version of the company’s popular smartphone Redmi Note 3 (Review). Has Xiaomi found another hit formula with the Mi Max? We spent over a week with the device. And here’s what we think.
Look and design
Making a smartphone with a big screen is not a magic trick. But the best phone is achieved only after finding a balance between dimensions, weight and design. Xiaomi Mi Max has a 6.44 inch display which has been given the protection of Gorilla Glass 3. It is also equipped with the company’s sunlight display technology. Let us tell you that the screen is very big, even iPhone 6 Plus looks small in front of it. However, Xiaomi has tried to keep the space on the edges and above and below the display less. The front glass is also slightly curved and due to this the edges are not that sharp.
The Mi Max is very thin. The thickness is only 7.5 mm. The volume and power buttons are on the right side and they work well. The hybrid SIM tray is on the left side. You will be able to use two SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card at a time.
The mono-speaker is at the bottom of the phone. A micro-USB port is present with it. The headphone socket and infrared emitter are placed at the top. Due to the metal surface, the phone slips a lot in the hands. In such a situation, it would not be wrong to use a rubber cover.
The rear has the primary camera, dual-tone LED flash and fingerprint sensor. The metal rim on the edge of the camera is slightly protruding, but we did not get many complaints of scratches during use. The Mi Max weighs 203 grams, which is quite heavy. But honestly, it does not feel like that when held in the hands. It is very difficult to type on the phone with one hand.
This phone is not easy to use. Even after using it for a week continuously, we faced some issues. It is even more difficult to keep it in the pocket. Mi Max will attract attention of others in every situation. This is not only due to the display, but it also looks premium and its build quality is also excellent.
Our test unit came with a charger, cables, SIM ejector tool and some instruction manuals.
Specifications and software
The Xiaomi Mi Max smartphone comes with the tried and tested hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 chipset, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The company will soon launch a more powerful variant in India that comes with an octa-core Snapdragon 652 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of inbuilt storage. Other specifications include dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, USB OTG, 4G, Voice over LTE and FM radio. There is no NFC feature in it.
The Mi Max runs on MIUI 7 based on Android Marshmallow. This customized ROM was also used by the company in Xiaomi Mi 5. Marshmallow’s Now on Tap feature is not present in it at the moment. The company has told us that it is under development and is expected to be launched soon. It will be upgraded to MIUI 8 in the coming months.
To make tasks like typing easier, the Mi Max comes with a one-handed mode that can be activated in the settings. This technology allows you to zoom out the content on the display to 4.5, 4 or 3.5 inches. You can perform this action by swiping left or right on the capacitive button.
The ‘Shortcut Menu’ or ‘Quick Ball’ allows users to assign five different functions or apps. It is similar to the iPhone’s AssistiveTouch feature and is located on the edges of the display. If you want, you can prevent it from appearing in selected apps.
Performance
The software on our test unit was quite stable so we didn’t notice any major lags during use. The operating system works well and multitasking was also easy. You have 800MB of RAM available on the phone at any given time. We found the sound output from the earpiece to be quieter than expected, but it was clear. It is not easy to hold the handset during long phone calls. The Snapdragon 650 chipset is powerful enough for most apps and games.
Xiaomi has bundled its own music player with the handset. With this, you get several audio enhancement and equalizer presets.
Talking about the camera, it has a 16-megapixel primary sensor. It is capable of recording videos of 4K resolution. With the 5-megapixel front camera, you will be able to record videos of 720 pixels. The rear camera also has phase detection autofocus, which works well in most situations. Landscape and macro shots in daylight come with details. But sometimes the app oversharpens the object. You will realize this shortcoming when you zoom in to crop the photo. In good light, the front camera takes excellent selfies.
The quality of the videos taken in low light was good. Slow-motion and time lapse video modes are also present. The camera app comes with different shooting modes. There is also a manual mode in which you will be able to set the shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus. It focuses quickly. However, the photos taken indoors and in low light were of average quality. We also saw this shortcoming in the Redmi Note 3.
battery life
The company has provided a large 4850 mAh battery in Mi Max. It will easily last for two days of active use. In our video loop test, it lasted for 21 hours and 11 minutes which is excellent. Mi Max comes with a 10 watt power adapter which speeds up the charging process.
Our verdict
It can be said with confidence that Xiaomi Mi Max is a great phone. But this time the company has its eyes on a specific type of consumer. It is possible that there is a demand for phones with a larger display and now such consumers have got an option. Xiaomi Mi Max can breathe new life into this segment and it is an all-rounder handset. The size of the phone is largely dependent on personal choice. But with a device like this, the user is relieved of the tension of having a separate tablet along with the phone.
The build quality of the phone is good. The display is good and the battery life is excellent. The performance of the phone is also excellent. We were not happy with the camera quality and the stereo speakers also did not live up to expectations. It will not be easy for most people to use it. If you are looking for a tablet sized smartphone then Mi Max is the best option in its price category.
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