It’s not the first flagship 5G phone we’re going to see launched at MWC 2019, but it might be one of the most affordable – Xiaomi has announced its new Mi Mix 3 5G for the UK and Western Europe.
Like the Xiaomi Mi 9, which it also announced for the UK, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G is powered by the latest Snapdragon 855 chipset, which is speedier and more power efficient than its predecessor.
That’s joined by a Snapdragon X50 5G modem, which promises speeds that are up to ten times faster than 4G. Xiaomi reckons this is more than about just giving you faster page loading times or streaming 4K Netflix – at MWC 2019, it also talked up the possibilities of 5G’s low latency for mobile AR apps and connectivity for smart wearables.
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One of the main differences between the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G and the Xiaomi Mi 9 is its slider mechanism, which replaces the typical ‘notch’ design by letting you push up to reveal the dual front-facing cameras. You can handily also assign other functions beyond the camera to this slider mechanism, including answering phone calls.
As expected, the Mi Mix 3 5G inherits the same rear 12-megapixel dual cameras as its predecessor, which comes with 4-axis OIS and 2x lossless optical zoom. We were impressed by this camera on the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, particularly when it came to low light shooting, and its ability to shoot 4K video at 60fps.
On the front, there’s the combination of 24-megapixel and 2-megapixel cameras. This means you get depth data for selfies and video. And below the cameras are the same 6.39-in AMOLED screen as before, with a 2340 x 1080 resolution.
Perhaps the best news about the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G is its price tag – it’ll cost €599 (which will most likely translate to £599 in the UK, though we’re just confirming the official figure) when it goes on sale in May 2019. That’ll be a £100 premium over its predecessor’s £499 price, which isn’t too bad considering that OnePlus’ CEO, Pete Lau warned only back in December 2018 that 5G phones might cost between $200-$300 extra.
You’ll be able to buy the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 in Onyx Black or Sapphire Blue. We’ll bring you our first impressions from MWC 2019 very soon.
What do you think, will you be buying a first-gen 5G phone like the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
