Index
Review: Snapdragon 808 in a perfectly balanced 5-incher
Xiaomi’s new Mi4c is a bit of a puzzle. It’s basically a Mi4i on steroids, while the Mi4i is itself a stripped down version of the company’s flagship Mi4.
If this isn’t confusing enough, we should also note that the Mi4i appears to have been a flop, as the Mi4c is replacing it just months after launch, at the same price point. From the outside, both devices are nearly identical, but the Mi4c has a vastly more powerful processor under the bonnet.
When Xiaomi launched the Snapdragon 615-based Mi4i, a lot of observers likened it to the iPhone 5C, and this comparison made sense: It was a plastic variant of their flagship, with somewhat weaker hardware. However, the Mi4c is a bit more than that, thanks to its Snapdragon 808 processor.
The Mi4c launched in two versions, and we got a review sample of the cheaper one, with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. The “Advanced” version ships with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The latter sounds like a high-end device clad in plastic, a bit like an executive in a tracksuit.
The rest of the spec includes a 5-inch 1080p display, 13-megapixel f/2.0 rear camera, FDD and TDD LTE support, 3080mAh battery and the new USB Type-C connector at the bottom.
In terms of pricing, the Xiaomi Mi4c costs a bit more than competing models from small brands: $239 for the 16GB variant and $275 for the 3GB/32GB unit. However, you do get a much more powerful processor than you would on $150-$200 devices.
