Xiaomi Mix Flip review: Stiff competition

Xiaomi has been within the enterprise of foldable telephones since 2021. Nonetheless, that is the primary time one in all these fashions has formally launched on UK shores, and it’s additionally a primary stab on the clamshell-style construct from the Chinese language tech large.  

This flip smartphone doesn’t come low-cost, and with robust competitors from the Motorola Razr 50 Extremely and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, there are some areas the place the Combine Flip falls brief – although it’s nonetheless a strong smartphone.  

Design & Construct  

• Largest outer show on a flip cellphone
• No water or mud resistance
• Two colors

The Xiaomi Combine Flip shares some similarities with the designs of the competitors. It has a curved physique and folds as much as a neat sq., measuring simply 85mm as soon as folded. The outer show can also be the biggest on a clamshell foldable at 4.01-inches, besting the Razr 50 Extremely by the tiniest of margins. 

Weighing simply 192g, it’s additionally impressively mild for a flip cellphone, making it nice for taking out and about with out the necessity for a bag – it matches in shallow pockets! My tirade towards girls’s denims won’t ever stop.  

Reasonably than having two horizontal digicam bumps, Xiaomi has positioned them vertically. They’re on the chunky aspect, that means they’re an enormous assertion, however a tad annoying – extra on that later.  

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

The crease is extra distinguished than I skilled on the Razr 50 Extremely, however much less jarring than cheaper fashions resembling Nubia Flip 5G. You can even really feel the marginally spongey texture on the show the place the hinge is.  

The hinge additionally isn’t fairly as sturdy as what you’ll discover on Motorola’s cellphone, feeling looser and thereby not as premium. However arguably the largest draw back of this cellphone is the dearth of water or mud resistance, making it way more weak to break.  

The USB-C port sits on the underside, with the quantity rocker and energy button on the right-hand aspect, which features a built-in fingerprint scanner. This labored properly, as did face recognition, although the latter is simply a fundamental model and so can’t be used to authenticate funds or log in to banking apps.

There are two colors for the Xiaomi Combine Flip: Purple and Black, with an identical shiny chassis.

Display & Audio system  

• 6.86-inch AMOLED inside show
• 4.01-inch exterior show
• Stereo audio system

Foldable telephones have two shows to contemplate, so let’s begin with the interior one. This can be a 6.86-inch AMOLED show with an adaptive 120Hz refresh fee and a contact sampling fee of as much as 120Hz.  

There’s additionally help for HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos codecs, and the display has Rheinland Certification for low blue mild, flicker-free and circadian pleasant, making it simpler in your eyes within the night.

The show is impressively daring, with colors and textures that suitably pop. With a peak brightness of 3000 nits, I had no hassle utilizing the Xiaomi Combine Flip underneath brilliant daylight.  

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

The 4.01-inch outer show can also be brilliant and shiny, however essentially the most annoying factor about it’s the everlasting widget bar on the right-hand aspect subsequent to the digicam module, that means that the app icons are all crammed collectively on the left, as are the apps themselves. Even for those who de-select the bar, there’s simply an empty area that can’t be eliminated, which feels wasteful.  

This makes the apps smaller than what they might be, and subsequently tougher to navigate. I can’t textual content simply in a number of apps and presses on Google Maps aren’t seamless. 

As well as, you solely get a restricted choice of apps supported on the outer display, although meaning you reduce the possibilities of any bizarre facet ratio points. Nonetheless, the likes of Audible, Twitch and Netflix are lacking. It might’ve been good to a minimum of have the choice so as to add these such as you do on the Z Flip 6 or Razr 50 Extremely.

The Xiaomi Combine Flip options twin stereo audio system, that are fairly loud and punchy and help Dolby Atmos. Nonetheless, the audio isn’t as spectacular or as vibrant as you’ll discover on telephones with extra audio system and additional software program enhancements.   

Specs & Efficiency  

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
• 12GB RAM/512GB storage

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is the chipset of alternative for the Xiaomi Combine Flip, the identical processor that powers the OnePlus 12, the Xiaomi 14 Extremely and the Honor Magic 6. It’s Qualcomm’s newest and best on the time of writing, however quickly to get replaced by the 8 Gen 4.

That is paired with 12GB RAM and 512GB of storage, with no different choices accessible.  

As with different smartphones with this chip, efficiency is swift and snappy. The cellphone rapidly boots up and has no lag when switching between apps on the quilt and internal shows.  

Nonetheless, it’s missing close to cooling skills. The absence of that is prevalent when making an attempt to run in-demand video games like Genshin Influence, with the handset rapidly heating up even simply after 5 minutes. This recreation can nonetheless run on the graphics setting ‘Excessive’ with no popping or lag, although.  

In our benchmarking exams, the Combine Flip bested its largest rivals. So, for those who’re in search of a flip cellphone for gaming or heavy duty-tasks, this can be the best choice on the time of writing:

Xiaomi Combine Flip Benchmarks

Cameras  

• 50Mp predominant digicam
• 50Mp telephoto digicam
• 32Mp selfie digicam

The Xiaomi Combine Flip options twin 50Mp Leica rear cameras: one predominant and one 2x telephoto. That is one in all many smartphone manufacturers ditching the ultrawide lens in favour of improved zoom and portrait pictures – a smart transfer in my view.  

Each cameras produce strong pictures within the daytime. Colors are replicated with nice accuracy, whereas textures and shadows are fairly dynamic. The bokeh impact in portrait pictures has simply the correct amount of blur, whereas zoomed pictures protect element as much as 4x, with vital deterioration solely when you go previous 20x.  

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

One of many key advantages of a flip cellphone is that you need to use the principle digicam for selfies with the cellphone closed. You may see the distinction between this and the entrance 32Mp one, which has a a lot softer impact and doesn’t handle to understand the true-to-life tones and shadows on my face.  

For those who’re taking images of different individuals, you may allow a preview on the entrance show so the mannequin can see the speedy end result with out you turning the cellphone round.  

Regardless of all that, poorer lighting circumstances trigger the Xiaomi Combine Flip to endure. Vivid daylight causes lens flare, whereas indoors makes some topics look washed out. Night time pictures additionally generally get a number of blurry components – it takes a number of focus to get a transparent shot, which might be tough for those who’re in a busy setting resembling Soho, the place I used to be for testing.  

The Razr 50 Extremely appeared extra competent in these circumstances, however neither cellphone can replicate the low-light high quality you’d see from a flagship candybar cellphone, just like the Google Pixel 9 Professional. 

I attempted out Xiaomi’s AI eraser (the equal of Google’s Magic Eraser) for eradicating undesirable issues from a photograph, resembling photobombers or obtrusive objects. On this photograph under, the digicam does a great job filling within the grass and eliminating onlookers from this selfie – apart from just a few stragglers that the software program couldn’t decide up: 

Nonetheless, this software program struggles a bit with extra advanced environment, resembling this black and white checkered flooring and the devices behind the individuals: 

For video, the Xiaomi Combine Flip helps as much as 8K video at 24fps, although you’re extra seemingly to make use of 1080p or 4K at 30fps or 60fps. 720p seize at 30fps can also be accessible, do you have to want. OIS on the principle digicam minimises undesirable shakes and tremors with out trying too unnatural. Holding the cellphone at a 90-degree angle (90s camcorder type) may also assist with this problem.  

When utilizing the entrance digicam for video, a teleprompter mode is obtainable – helpful for those who’re a content material creator and desire a script to learn. It’s a disgrace that this isn’t accessible on the rear digicam with the flip closed, as that provides the perfect seize high quality. 

Battery Life & Charging  

• 4790mAh battery
• 67W charging
• No wi-fi charging

This cellphone is fitted with a 4780mAh battery. In real-world use, that acquired me round one and a half days’ price of utilization, which might be considerably diminished if I used it extra closely with video calls or gaming.  

That’s higher than what you get from the Z Flip 6’s 4000mAh cell, which barely makes it via the day. Nonetheless, it’s on par with what I acquired from the Razr 50 Extremely – which additionally has a 4000mAh cell. Determine that one out.  

Underneath our battery testing utilizing the PCMark app, the cellphone fared higher, reaching 13 hours and 58 minutes. Nonetheless, that doesn’t essentially translate to my real-world expertise.  

The Xiaomi Combine Flip helps 67W charging, which gave me 47% in half-hour and 29% in 15. A fast cost earlier than you exit the door must be sufficient to get you thru the day. No wi-fi charging is on supply, although.

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Software program & Apps  

• HyperOS
• 4 years of OS updates
• 5 years of safety updates

The Xiaomi Combine Flip faces the identical downside as different telephones from the model: bloated software program.  

This flip runs on HyperOS, Xiaomi’s pores and skin over Android 14. This can be a substitute for MIUI, however sadly, the identical frustrations stay. In contrast to Google’s clear software program expertise, there’s tons of app duplication and many pre-installed apps that you simply won’t need, like Reserving.com and AliExpress.  

I don’t know why Xiaomi doesn’t supply the choice to refuse these apps on set up – it could actually save customers a number of time. Xiaomi’s personal apps additionally always attempt to push notifications on customers, together with the likes of bizarre wallpaper carousels.

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Navigation on the cellphone is extra like iOS than Android, with fast settings accessed by swiping down from the left-hand aspect, and notifications from the right-hand aspect. Looking within the Settings for specific options proved arduous, with many prompts proving ineffective.   

Like different foldable telephones, the Xiaomi Combine Flip has just a few nifty options which might be absent from its slab fashions. When you can reply calls by flipping open the cellphone from folded, there’s additionally the distinctive choice to take calls with the Combine Flip closed – helpful for those who’re travelling and don’t have a hand free to flip it open. The cellphone might be positioned at a 90-degree fold when watching YouTube to allow flex mode for this app, which works properly.

The outer show can’t run each single app you obtain, however an honest vary is supported. That features Chrome, Messenger, Instagram, Spotify and TikTok. Xiaomi additionally has some cute, animated animal wallpapers, one thing which will significantly attraction to youngsters. 

Like a number of 2024 telephones, there may also be a plethora of AI instruments coming, together with translation software program and assembly summaries, although these weren’t but on my unit. Google’s Circle to Search shall be coming later this yr, too, whereas the corporate’s Gemini assistant is already accessible.  

As for help, the Xiaomi Combine Flip has 4 years of software program updates and 5 years of safety updates. That’s higher than Motorola’s providing, however not as sturdy as Samsung’s, which guarantees seven years of help in each areas.  

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry

Worth & Availability  

The Xiaomi Combine Flip will set you again £1,099 and is obtainable straight on the Mi Retailer and Amazon. Like different telephones from the model, it isn’t accessible within the US. 

No networks are promoting the cellphone on contract within the UK, so that you’ll have to purchase outright and pair it with a SIM-only deal. See a number of the greatest choices within the widget under:

That beginning worth is £100 greater than the Razr 50 Extremely, and £50 greater than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. I can’t see how this cellphone is price being that costly, contemplating that the software program expertise is a lot extra clunky and that there’s no water resistance.  

If it comes down in worth (be careful on the market seasons resembling Black Friday) then it’s price contemplating. Alternatively, you may try our information to the perfect foldable telephones for extra choices.  

Must you purchase the Xiaomi Combine Flip? 

For a primary try at a clamshell foldable, the Xiaomi Combine Flip isn’t too dangerous. It’s acquired first rate battery life for a cellphone of this construct, whereas the efficiency is swift and snappy. Photographs are additionally fairly good in first rate lighting, and the shows are brilliant and good for watching movies.

Nonetheless, it falls behind rivals in a number of key areas: water resistance (or lack thereof), software program and outer display navigation. Add to {that a} costlier worth, and it’s laborious to see how the Xiaomi Combine Flip may beat both the Razr 50 Extremely or the Z Flip 6…until it will get an enormous low cost sooner or later.  

Specs

• 4.01-inch, OLED cowl show 
• 6.86-inch, 1-120Hz OLED predominant show 
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 
• 12GB RAM 
• 512GB storage 
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp, f/1.7, OIS predominant digicam 
  • 50Mp, f/2.0 telephoto digicam 
  • 32Mp, f/2.0 selfie digicam 
• 4780mAh 
• 67W wired charging 
• Stereo audio system 
• 5G 
• 167.5 x 74.02 x 7.8mm (open), 85.54 x 74.02 x 15.99mm (closed) 
• 192g 
• Android 14 with Xiaomi HyperOS