Xiaomi Mi A3 smartphone review: heretics on the march

Xiaomi Mi A3 is built on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 hardware platform, a fresh version of the well-known Snapdragon 660, installed, for example, in Redmi Note 7. work with artificial intelligence and multi-camera systems. The cores themselves, on the contrary, operate at a reduced frequency. Here, as in the 660th, eight custom Kryo 260s are used, but the maximum frequency of the four older ones is 2.0 GHz, and the four younger ones are 1.8 GHz. The graphics subsystem is fresh — Adreno 610. The technological process is 11 nm.

The results of synthetic tests speak for themselves — between Redmi Note 7 and Mi A3 there is relative equality in most benchmarks with a somewhat surprising (albeit minimal) lag in graphics performance, although it was here that an increase was possible.

For a smartphone of its class, Xiaomi Mi A3, however, has sufficient power — some «buggy» of the operating system, not related to hardware performance, does not interfere with using it with sufficient comfort. Apps open quickly, screens scroll almost instantly, and basic apps are a pleasure to use, although the camera app could launch and complete tasks faster. The Mi A3 does not have a serious gaming potential, but you can run almost the entire range of Google Play on this gadget.

The declared ability of Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 to work with neural network computing (“artificial intelligence”) is confirmed by a synthetic test: Ludashi AI Mark scored 15771 points against 5558 for the same Redmi Note 7. The smartphone processes tasks related to machine learning three times faster.

The Xiaomi Mi A3 cooling system works medium-efficiently. The smartphone at least does not fail, demonstrating a decrease in frequency in a 15-minute session of the CPU Throttling Test up to 70% with an average performance of 114 GIPS. In this regard, the gain from the failing test Redmi Note 7 is huge. But relative to other competitors in the lower middle class, Mi A3 looks like an ordinary good one.

Xiaomi Mi A3 received 4 GB of RAM — this, at first glance, is not much, but it is enough for a smartphone with an HD screen. There are two options for the amount of built-in storage — 64 and 128 GB. But — and this is becoming less and less common in Xiaomi smartphones — the Mi A3 has a memory expansion slot through a microSD card. It will take up the second slot for a SIM card, but if dual SIM is not critical for you, you can save money and take the 64 GB version.

⇡#Communications and wireless communications

The Xiaomi Mi A3 is generally in line with expectations from a $100 smartphone, but in one area it is surprisingly good – we are talking about the quality of the LTE connection. Both of its nano-SIMs can work with 4G networks, moreover, the 12th category, with a top speed of up to 600 Mbps. Here the gadget repeats the Redmi Note 7. And here’s another important point — all the communication bands necessary in Russia are supported, so there should be no unforeseen communication problems. If there are, blame the operators rather than the smartphone.

Xiaomi Mi A3, slot for two nano-SIM cards and / or microSD memory cards

On this, the wireless talents of Xiaomi Mi A3, alas, end. Yes, the smartphone works with dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), it has a built-in Bluetooth 5.0 module, as well as an infrared port, through which, when installing the appropriate software, you can control household appliances, but here no NFC — and that’s pretty damn disappointing. This chip today should be present in all smartphones that respect themselves and the user.

The navigation module works with GPS (A-GPS), GLONASS and BeiDou and does it stably, with normal speed and accuracy.

⇡#Camera

Xiaomi Mi A3 received a triple camera module. Literally on the machine in this case, we are already recalculating the number of cameras in the context of the possibility of optical zoom, but, alas, this is not the case — Mi A3 has an extended shooting angle, but 2x zoom is available only through software tricks. The third camera is a depth sensor that only helps in portrait modes.

The main module is a 48-megapixel Sony IMX582 sensor with physical dimensions of 1/2» (the size of an individual pixel is 0.8 microns), with an aperture lens ƒ/1.8, which provides 35mm-equivalent 26mm focal length shots. This is exactly the same combination as the Xiaomi Mi 9T. By default, the camera shoots with a resolution of 12 megapixels, the 48-megapixel mode must be activated separately, the option is available in the «professional» shooting mode. There is no optical stabilization, phase autofocus and works exclusively with the main camera.

The second camera is equipped with an 8-megapixel 1/4» sensor (pixel size — 1.12 microns) with an aperture lens ƒ/2.2, which has an equivalent focal length of approximately 12 mm — that is, we get the opportunity to shoot with more than a doubling of the angle of view. The 2x zoom we’re offered in the camera app relies on the ability to shoot at 48MP and crop out the excess. The reception is well known and quite effective — it does not reach the “optical” level available, for example, Xiaomi Mi 9T. Although for posting on social networks, such pictures will fit perfectly.

In terms of overall shooting quality, the Mi A3 could well claim prize positions in its class — it did not manage to get into our comparative review, but the superiority over Redmi Note 7 both in this parameter and in capabilities is quite obvious. Yes, the main camera of the Mi A3 noticeably lacks dynamic range and there is room for improvement in detail, but you can easily get a juicy picture in decent lighting. The wide-angle module is worse in terms of color reproduction and completely overwhelms the dynamic range, but in daytime conditions it can be used to shoot a shameful landscape, and with proper skill — a different plot. Spatial distortions are very noticeable, despite the fact that the smartphone is trying to correct them using software methods — the picture at the edges is blurry and distorted in terms of proportions.

On the left — pictures in the default format, on the right — with activated night mode

In low light, the Xiaomi Mi A3 camera does not completely fail, but it does not have any supernatural abilities either — the aperture ratio of the main module is not bad, but there is a serious lack of an optical stabilizer. You can squeeze something out of the Mi A3 camera using a special night mode that uses multi-frame composition — the clarity and detail of the picture are noticeably increased, but at the expense of naturalness. But who cares about this naturalness today?

Approximately this is how engineers developing mobile cameras argue today, who without exception receive image enhancement systems through machine learning technologies. We have already seen this on a number of Xiaomi smartphones, but it is in the Mi A3 that the AI ​​intervention looks the most serious: the smartphone no longer slightly brings the scene to the standards laid down in its “brains” that are appropriate in a given situation, but sometimes does it dramatically — raising the saturation in certain areas and sharpening, as well as working with shadows. There is no need to talk about a natural picture — and if you are a fan of shooting everything “as is”, then it is better to turn off the setting.

Xiaomi Mi A3 does not have a dedicated telephoto module — and this affects not only the inability to use the optical «zoom», but also — perhaps even to a greater extent — the portrait capabilities of the camera. 26 equivalent millimeters is a good focal length for reportage, architecture, landscape and, to a certain extent, macro photography, but not for portraits. Spatial distortions of the optics lead to a change in the proportions of the face — and for some reason Mi A3 does not really deal with this programmatically, does not include intelligent zoom. High-quality blurring of the background, for which a dedicated camera is even provided here, does not save the situation. For portraits, Mi A3 is suitable only if you are not too demanding in this matter.

Xiaomi Mi A3 camera interface

Despite the “pure” Android without signs of MIUI, the Xiaomi Mi A3 has its own camera application, well known from all the latest gadgets of the brand. The best part is that the A3 differs from its counterparts — here the watermark with the name of the smartphone is not set by default, this option is not activated. Hooray.

The first example of video shooting in 4K resolution

The second example of video shooting in 4K resolution

In terms of video shooting, Xiaomi Mi A3 can claim the leadership in the class: it can shoot up to 4K resolution at up to 30 frames per second with active digital stabilization — no one else offers this in this price category. You can choose H.264 or H.265 codec, there is an option to shoot slow motion video: up to 240 fps at 720p resolution and up to 120 fps at 1080p.

The front camera is impressive with a resolution of 32 megapixels! Relative aperture — ƒ / 2.0, focus is fixed. There is software background blur and the ability to apply various optical distortions and color filters. The beautifier is very powerful, but can be disabled. Selfie lovers should definitely like the Mi A3.

⇡#Offline work

Xiaomi Mi A3 has a battery with a capacity of 15.31 Wh (4070 mAh, 3.8 V). And this is the case when the numbers do not lie — a smartphone with a six-inch HD-screen based on organic LEDs and with a not very powerful, but energy-efficient platform is enough to work quietly for one and a half to two days on a single charge. Mi A3 is one of those devices that you can forget to put on charge at night — and not scream in the morning from hopelessness. If you use your smartphone extremely actively, without coming off even for a minute, it will last for 12-13 hours, but almost no one will offer more today.

In our traditional test with HD video playback at maximum brightness, with the wireless connection on, with the current updates, Xiaomi Mi A3 showed the expected high result — more than 17 hours. Just compare it to its direct LCD competitors (although part of the reason for their loss is our test video with plenty of dark scenes that OLED wins).

The device is equipped with an 18-watt Quick Charge 3 charger, with which you can charge your smartphone in two hours.

⇡#Conclusion

Xiaomi Mi A3 is not an undisputed choice in the lower middle class. We are already used to the fact that Xiaomi is desperately dumping, offering smartphones that are not too catchy and not too interesting for their chips, which have a disproportionately better combination of price and quality than competitors. Mi A3 is a completely different option, with very bright pluses and equally deafening minuses.

This is the most inexpensive smartphone with an AMOLED display, not counting the various Samsung Galaxy (expectedly inferior in performance), but at the same time, the display frankly falls short in resolution, which, combined with PenTile, gives an unusually loose picture. This is a smartphone with a very suitable triple rear camera, but the portrait mode, which seemed to be bet on, fails due to the too wide viewing angle. This is a smartphone that works great with LTE, in which there is no NFC module — and this drawback alone cuts off a fair amount of potential target audience. This is a pure Android smartphone, which always seems to be a guarantee of stable and fast performance, but in this regard, everything is not so smooth.

As a result, Xiaomi Mi A3 still looks like a very attractive gadget, just without the “default choice” halo characteristic of Xiaomi. Competitors, including those produced by Xiaomi itself, can argue with him.

Advantages:

• high-quality cameras — both rear and front;
• AMOLED display;
• excellent autonomy;
• an in-screen fingerprint scanner that works well.

Disadvantages:

• no moisture protection;
• no NFC;
• display resolution too low
• portrait mode in the camera does not work great.