The Xiaomi 10 series launch event is scheduled for February 13. With the release of the new Digital Series products just around the corner, Mi fans have high expectations for the Xiaomi 10. Yet here I am unboxing a flagship product from the first half of last year—the previous Digital Series model, the Xiaomi Mi 9 (non-Pro).
Writing an unboxing article for the Xiaomi Mi 9 now is obviously not very meaningful. Not to mention that the Xiaomi Mi 9 has been discontinued and is out of stock—even if some inventory remains on other platforms or there are still channels on second-hand platforms, unless the price is attractive enough, I would not recommend buying this outdated flagship.
That said, as the second Snapdragon 855 flagship phone (the first seems to have been Lenovo's?), the Xiaomi Mi 9 still has some good points. What I am going to write about is the Xiaomi Mi 9's triple-camera photography experience. After the new phone is released, this can serve as a reference for comparison, allowing us to see how much the Xiaomi 10 series has improved.
Without further ado, let's start the unboxing.
Unboxing Photos
JD's delivery service was excellent. Since there is a JD warehouse in the city where I live, the package was delivered to my door on the same day.
Up next is the Xiaomi Mi 6!
Oh, sorry, I got that wrong. Let's try again!
Inside the box, there was only the Xiaomi Mi 9's box and an inflatable packing cushion (used to protect the box). The plastic wrap on the outside of the box had a slight tear, but it was nothing serious.
The front has only an MI LOGO and the number “9.” Looking at it upside down easily reminds Mi fans of the Xiaomi Mi 6. The back lists some detailed phone specifications. Mine is the base 6+128GB Holographic Illusion Blue version, manufactured at an OEM factory in Hebei in April 2019.
Opening the box reveals a very confident line of text:
Designed by xiaomi
To be honest, after seeing so many designs with gradient colors, it seems that the Xiaomi Mi 9's design is no longer quite as outstanding.
A shot of the front and back of the Xiaomi Mi 9. There is nothing particularly noteworthy about it. The glass back easily picks up fingerprints and can also break easily if dropped, so I strongly recommend putting on a silicone protective case. It can protect the phone while also improving the grip. The front is a 6.39-inch AMOLED screen with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, around a 90% screen-to-body ratio, and a waterdrop-notch design. Compared with the previous-generation Xiaomi Mi 8, changing from a notch screen to a waterdrop screen is worthy of praise. Yet this year's Xiaomi 10 series allegedly uses a punch-hole screen in the leaked images. Is this a case of progressing backward?
As for charging, it is compatible with QC 3.0 18W fast charging and supports up to 27W wired fast charging with QC4.0+. It also supports 20W wireless flash charging. However, if you want to experience wireless flash charging, you will have to spend extra on a wireless power adapter.
Finally, here is everything included with the Xiaomi Mi 9!
Photography Experience
As Xiaomi's first triple-camera phone, the Xiaomi Mi 9 is equipped with the following three cameras:
Main camera: 48 megapixels, 1/2-inch Sony IMX586 image sensor, f/1.75 aperture lens, 26mm equivalent focal length Telephoto: 12 megapixels, 1/3.4-inch Samsung S5K3M5 image sensor, f/2.2 aperture lens, 50mm equivalent focal length Ultra-wide-angle: 16 megapixels, 1/3-inch Sony IMX481 image sensor, f/2.2 aperture lens, 17mm equivalent focal length
Indoors
I went out for malatang at noon on the day of the unboxing and took a few photos along the way.
▲ Main-camera sample (12MP)
▲ Telephoto sample (12MP)
Outdoors
▲ Main-camera sample (12MP)
▲ Local details
It was about to rain when the photos were taken, so the lighting was somewhat dim. However, all the photos are straight out of the camera, with no editing.
▲ Ultra-wide-angle sample (16MP)
Triple-Camera Comparison
▲ Ultra-wide-angle sample (16MP)
▲ Main-camera sample (12MP)
▲ Telephoto sample (12MP) (10x zoom)
Place names have been blurred; this is not a photography issue.
Brief Review
As a flagship phone from the beginning of last year, the Xiaomi Mi 9 still offers an excellent user experience. This is especially true of the camera, which is great for recording daily life and capturing wonderful moments. The main camera also supports recording at up to 4K 60fps, making it well-suited for shooting Vlogs. It is somewhat disappointing that optical image stabilization is supported only in photo mode; stabilization in video mode is achieved through cropping, and the results are average.
Overall, the Xiaomi Mi 9 is still a well-rounded phone with strong overall capabilities. It has no seriously weak points in any area and lives up to its flagship status.