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After months of leaks and teasers, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has launched the Mi Mix 2S. The design of the device is pretty much similar to the Mi Mix 2, but the internal specs have been revamped. The smartphone has been reduced a bit from the top and vertically to improve the screen-to-body ratio, but it’s barely noticeable to the naked eye. The smartphone comes with a ceramic body that sets it a class above.
Lei Jun, CEO and co-founder of Xiaomi, remarks
The Mi MIX series has constantly pushed boundaries, defying everyone’s expectations about smartphone design and performance, and showcasing how Xiaomi is committed to being at the forefront of innovation. Mi MIX 2S now comes with a powerful dual camera and integrated AI features for an experience on the move like no other
As for the specs, the Mi Mix 2S features a 5.99 inch IPS 2D curved glass display with a resolution of FHD+ (2160 × 1440 pixels ) and an aspect ratio of 18:9. The device is also getting an improvement in the chipset, now being powered by top-of-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with Ardeno 630 GPU which gives tangible performance improvements, less battery consumption than the Snapdragon 835 which powered the Mi Mix 2. Their phone will be available in three memory configurations: 6 GB RAM + 64 GB internal storage, 6 GB RAM +128 GB internal storage, and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB internal storage. There is no expandable memory option with a microSD card in any of the three variants.
The optics department also gets an upgrade of a dual camera setup on the rears, which are placed in the top left corner of the device in a vertical arrangement. The cameras are 12 MP each and are OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) enabled. The primary sensor is a Sony IMX363 sensor with 1.4 ɥm pixels and f/1.8 aperture, while the second sensor is a Samsung S5K3M3 module with 1ɥm pixels and f/2.4 aperture. The dual Pixel technology claims quick and accurate autofocus and also does multi-time-frame NR, which is HDR technology, taking multiple shots and stitching them together to reduce noise. DxOMark, the leading and trusted platform in camera review and ratings, gave it a score of 101, which is the Second highest by a smartphone camera. The camera is also backed by AI technology, which can intelligently optimize the image after taking. Through machine learning, the AI is pretty good at distinguishing backgrounds from objects when taking bokeh shots.
The Mi Mix 2S runs on the latest MUIU 9.5 based on Android 8.1 Oreo and comes with its new virtual assistant- XiaoAI, instead of Google Assistant. The AI can control smartphones and household appliances with a voice command. But don’t get your hopes up; the assistant will likely work only with Chinese users. The smartphone is backed by a 3,400 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3 support. It comes with Qi wireless charging support, the first of its kind on a ceramic device. The company also announced a 7.5 W Qi wireless charger that costs RMB 99/16$ (Rs 1000 approx) for customers. Connectivity options include dual-SIM, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, and supports 43 international bands, courtesy of the new X20 LTE modem on it. There is a Type-C port supporting only USB 2.0 specs and no IP ingress protection rating or 3.5 mm headphone jack. Last month, the company announced the partnership with Google for the ARCore, which means the Mi Mix 2S is the first Xiaomi smartphone to support ARCore apps, which brings an enhanced VR experience that is touted as the future of gaming.
As for the price, the 6GB/ 64 GB variant comes at a price tag of RMB 3299 (Rs 34,000 approx), while the 6 GB/128 GB and the 8 GB/256 GB cost RMB 3,599 (Rs 37,000 approx) and RMB 3,999 (Rs 41,000 approx) respectively. The 2S will be available from April 3 at 10 am from online sources like Mi.com and Mi Home stores. There are currently only two color options: Black and white.
