Xiaomi has been active in the United States market since the beginning of 2019. With cheap devices, they also hope to conquer our country. But what are the best Xiaomi smartphones, and what should you keep in mind?
What is Xiaomi
Xiaomi is a manufacturer of smartphones, accessories and smart accessories for the home. The company is still unknown in the United States, but worldwide they sell more than one hundred million smartphones a year. A large part of that success comes from the home country, China. Xiaomi is even larger than Samsung and Apple.
For a number of years, has also been trying to break through in other countries. First and foremost on the Asian market: they have been active in India since 2014, where they have already taken a significant market share. An introduction to Europe followed in 2017, with a rollout in Spain first. From 2018, Xiaomi was also sold in the United Kingdom, and in 2019 it is finally the turn of the United States.
Xiaomi has a reputation when it comes to a competitive price-quality ratio. The company has a maximum profit margin of only 5 percent. That means that smartphones are sold almost at cost. Where a top device from Samsung or Huawei costs you nearly a thousand euros, you pay at most half for Xiaomi. That is why the company has long been popular with United States tech enthusiasts, who import their Xiaomi smartphones via stores such as AliExpress.
What does Xiaomi do in the United States?
Through the gray import, you can already get started with Xiaomi for a while, but with the official introduction of the brand, the situation does improve. now has a United States office, so you can expect better, local support. As a result, you no longer have to send your phone back to China for repair, but you will have it back quickly in case of problems.
Buying Xiaomi smartphones has also become a lot easier. Belsimpel, Mobiel.nl, Volks shop, and other web stores have now included various devices from the Chinese manufacturer in their range. If you order before midnight, you will often receive it the next day, including United States support. Xiaomi can even be found with providers such as KPN and Telfort, which means that you can order smartphones directly with a subscription.
An additional advantage is that you no longer have to pay import costs. Stores like AliExpress charge low prices, but if you are unlucky you still have to pay VAT when you receive it. The price that United States web stores call as Belsimpel is identical to the final amount.
What is the difference between Xiaomi, Redmi, and Pocophone?
You know Xiaomi now, but the company also has all kinds of sub-brands. Each sub-brand has its own specialization. These are the three most important.
Redmi: if the regular smartphones are still too expensive for you, then there is Redmi. These devices are sometimes sold for a few tens in China. There is the Redmi 6A, which costs less than 50 euros. Then you have to take enough with somewhat cheaper housing, moderate cameras, and weak hardware.
Black Shark: the sub-brand for gamers. Asus has ROG, ZTE has Nubia, Huawei the Mate 20X and then there is also Black Shark. The newest device from this series is the Xiaomi Black Shark Helo. This is not only equipped with very smooth hardware (such as 10 GB memory and 128 GB storage space), but also a large battery of 4000 mAh, enough for long game sessions. In addition, Black Shark smartphones are equipped with an adapted cooling system, so that the device stays cool during longer gaming sessions.
Pocophone: the newest sub-brand from Xiaomi. For now, there is only one device of this sub-brand, the Pocophone F1. That is an Android smartphone that is equipped with the very smooth Snapdragon 845, while the suggested retail price is only around 300 euros. That makes it even cheaper than Xiaomi’s own Miseries, which is already hundreds of euros cheaper than other smartphones with comparable power.
To make that low price possible, Pocophone has had to make some compromises. The design is less attractive, and some features such as NFC are missing. This sub-brand is all about maximum power for a minimum different price, which means that all other features play a smaller role. Pocophone focuses primarily on the Indian market but is also sold simply in the United States and other European countries.
What are the best Xiaomi smartphones?
You can find good Xiaomi smartphones in just about any price range. The best cheap Xiaomi smartphone is Mi A2. The Xiaomi Mi A2 distinguishes itself primarily by its clean software. It is an Android One device, which means that you can count on virtually no superfluous included apps, monthly security updates, and new Android versions. For example, the Mi A2 has recently been updated to Android Pie.
The screen of the Mi A2 is surrounded by thin edges, measures 5.99 inches and has a resolution of 2160 by 1080 pixels. The phone takes pictures with the dual camera on the back (12 + 20 megapixel) and 20-megapixel front camera.
If you have a bit more to spend, consider the Xiaomi Mi 9. This has the specifications of a flagship with the price tag of a mid-sized car. The device has a large 6.39-inch OLED screen with full HD resolution (2340 by 1080 pixels) and a fingerprint scanner under the display. The Chinese powerhouse is driven by a Snapdragon 855, the same chip that the flagships of OnePlus and Sony use. On the back, there is also a triple camera of 48, 16 and 12 megapixels.
The 3300 mAh battery also charges at lightning speed thanks to Charge Turbo technology: your battery will be completely full within 64 minutes. Wireless charging is also a spear. Within an hour and a half, the battery goes from completely empty to 100 percent. The Xiaomi Mi 9 is with its price tag of 449 euros many hundreds of euros cheaper than competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S10.