Xiaomi Mi A2 First Impressions: A Lot Has Improved

Xiaomi left a lot of stones unturned with the launch of the Mi A1 which is why that phone didn’t garner as much attention in the market. Looking to learn from its mistakes in the past, Xiaomi has launched a successor to the same dubbed the Mi A2.

The Mi A2 brings a lot to the table with a few first time features seen on a Xiaomi phone! Is the Mi A2 a worth successor and can it really redeem Xiaomi of the mistakes it made with the A1.

We spent a few minutes with the Xiaomi Mi A2 and here is our first impressions.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Specifications

• Display: 5.99-inch FHD+
• Processor: Snapdragon 660
• RAM: 4GB/6GB
• Storage: 64GB/128GB (expandable)
• OS: Android Oreo 8.0
• Rear camera: 12MP+20MP (f/1.75+f/1.75)
• Front camera: 20MP (f/2.2)
• Battery: 3,000mAh (Quick Charge 4+)
• Price: Rs 16,999

Design & Display

The Mi A2 sports a very ergonomic design and feels comfortable to hold. At just 7.3mm, the phone is thinner than the OnePlus 6 though one hand use could be a problem for people with small hands.

The back is brushed metal with a smooth finish. Be careful! This on tends to slip if you’re not careful.

The display stands at 5.99-inch with an 18:9 screen ratio. This is a full HD+ screen and the colour are vivid and even the contrasts are well balanced on this screen. This time around the phone will offer more screen protection via Gorilla Glass 5.

Performance & Hardware

This Xiaomi smartphone comes bundled with a Snapdragon 660 processor coupled with 4GB of RAM. Now there is 64GB of on-board storage which can be expanded. Now, there is a 6GB/128GB variant that’s in the pipeline and will be launched very soon the company has said.

The phone comes with MIUI on top of Android 8.0 Oreo. The user experience cannot be called stock Android but Xiaomi is slowly getting there.

There is a bit of lag I felt while using the device. What was surprising is that I hadn’t even loaded many apps! The phone has been launched in partnership with the Android One program and Google has said that the phone will be amongst the first to receive the latest Android P update.

The Mi A2 comes with a fingerprint sensor on the rear and an IR blaster in the top but the most surprising bit is that this Xiaomi phone does not come with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Trimming down the waistline has definitely had some compromises on the way.

Camera & Battery

The Mi A2 comes with a 12+20-megapixel camera on the rear and a 20-megapixel camera on the front.

What really is a breathtaking fact is that both the camera sport f/1.75 aperture to enhance the low light while the rear camera also comes with a mode where the user can switch between the two sensors at the back and use one at a time! That’s neat.

Even the selfie camera impressed.

Xiaomi has come out strongly and said that the camera on the Mi A2 is even better than that on the OnePlus 6 and even the iPhone X! Yeah, Xiaomi did that and backed it with a picture comparison of the three during the event.

I have my doubts on the same and will put this AI driven camera to the test soon.

For the first time we have a Xiaomi phone that will run on Quick Charge 4+ technology and this is an essential addition to this phone as I feel that the 3,000mAh battery might be a bit underwhelming.

Initial Verdict

Xiaomi has done it again and hit the competitors right where it hurts the most – the price tag! At Rs 16,999, the Xiaomi Mi A2 is a great bargain yet again. The sub-20k market is already being dominated by this Chinese player and now with the arrival of the A2, Xiaomi’s case just gets stronger.

The recently launched Zenfone Max Pro might get the upper hand in the battery department while Huawei P20 Lite does bring freshness in terms of design, but like always Xiaomi is playing the ‘value for money’ card by offering the Mi A2 at Rs 16,999 and that for me is tough to beat.