Xiaomi Mi A2 Review

Overview

Xiaomi Mi A2 is the Android One version of Xiaomi Mi 6X, which on its part is available with a Chinese and a Global version of MIUI 9.5. In terms of hardware, the two devices are almost identical. The Mi 6X supports a bit more network bands and is available in two additional colours (red and rose-gold) - that comprises the main differences between the two models. Mi A2 aims to bring near-to-flagship performance and camera experience to the classic mid-tier of smartphones and in this in-depth review, we aim to explore every single detail of this handset and see whether it meets the goals. Oh.. and last but not least, its price is more than attractive gravitating around the USD 250 level.

Specifications

Xiaomi Mi A2 has a 5.99-inch IPS screen that offers a typical brightness of around 500 nits and a typical static contrast ratio of 1500:1. The 18:9 display panel has a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels (the so-called FHD+) and a pixel density of 403 ppi. The unit is protected by a 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and graces a very thin all-metal unibody. The latter houses a 3010 mAh unremovable battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0 and is paired with a 5V/2A fast charger. Under the metal hood, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 MSM8976 Plus chipset ticks. It houses an octa-core Kryo 260 CPU with four 2.2GHz Cortex-A73 cores and four 1.84GHz Cortex-A53 cores. A 650MHz Adreno 512 GPU handles the graphics department. This chipset also arrives with an integrated AI engine. There are three combinations of RAM and storage combinations for the Mi A2: 4GB+32GB, 4GB+64GB, and 6GB+128GB. The RAM is double-channel, LPDDR4X, clocked at 1866MHz. The storage is of the eMMC 5.1 type and cannot be expanded. The model is equipped with two rear cameras aided by a dual-LED flash. The two shoot independently. The main one is equipped with a 12MP Sony IMX486 sensor and an f/1.75 lens. It is used in normal light conditions. The second is intended for low-light conditions and packs a 20MP Sony IMX376 sensor coupled with an f/1.75 lens. The same sensor is used by the front camera but in this case, it works with an f/2.2 lens. Xiaomi Mi A2 supports LTE Cat. 12 with dual VoLTE, 2G GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G UMTS (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), 4G FDD-LTE (800, 850, 900, 1700/2100, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2600 MHz) and 4G TDD-LTE (2300, 2600 MHz). The wireless connectivity options of the device include Bluetooth 5, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, and Wi-Fi Hotspot. The handset is equipped with a USB Type-C 2.0 port with OTG support, an infrared emitter and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. It also works with GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou and arrives with Android One (Android 8.1 Oreo) that's bound to Android P and Android Q updates.

Complete Xiaomi Mi A2 specifications.

What's in the box

Xiaomi Mi A2 is placed inside a simple white box with a photo of the model on the top of the lid accompanied by the MI logo in the top right corner and the model's name below the photo and on the sides. On the back of the box, there's information about the basic specifications and certifications of the model. Inside, the handset lies on top of an envelope that holds most of the accessories and below them, there are two compartments - one for the charger and one for the USB cable. Here's a detailed list of the Mi A2 accessories:

• 5V/2A charger (EU plug)
• USB Type-C data cable
• Headphone adapter
• Silicone protective case for the back
• SIM-tray pin
• User giude