Xiaomi today launched the third-generation of its Mi Mix line. The company’s Mi Mix 3 is its most beautiful phone to date, featuring an edge-to-edge display and no notch.
Unlike almost all the devices coming out this year, Xiaomi has done something a little different with the design of the Mi Mix 3. Instead of putting the front-facing cameras and sensors on a notch, the company has instead made it into a slider that pops up when you need it. This means whenever you are taking a selfie, the slider can be opened to access the front camera. Xiamoi has also made it so you can use the slider as a shortcut — you can, for example, use it to accept calls, or launch a certain task.
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The updated design of the 6.4-inch device means you are now getting a 93.4% screen-to-body ratio, and that’s pretty incredible. The company says the slider of the device has a life expectancy of 300,00 cycles.
As for the cameras, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 features a 12MP dual-camera setup on the back, with a 24-megapixel camera on the front. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 845 and comes with 10GB of RAM — yes, ten. It’s going to launch in China this November starting at 3,299 yuan — and that’s about $475. If you want the 10GB RAM model, you will have to spend around 4,999 yuan, or roughly $720.
skane2600
<p>The usability and reliability of the slider remains to be seen, but it's certainly more innovative than a notch.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#356588">In reply to nbplopes:</a></em></blockquote><p>An edge to edge active screen would be somewhat meaningful, edge to edge glass on it's own seems like an artificial accomplishment. </p>
provision l-3
<p>I happy to withhold final judgment until the product ships and there is some real world usage out there but my initial reaction is that the slider is a bit of a clunky solution. It seems like the best way to avoid the notch is to just suck it up and expand the size of the upper bezel. </p>
provision l-3
<blockquote><em><a href="#356487">In reply to HellcatM:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think you misread or perhaps my comment wasn't clear. I didn't say "chunky", I said "clunky". In using that term I'm not describing the physical size of the device but the concept of having to slide the back up and down to access the front facing camera. Again, I'm withholding final judgement until there is some real world usage. Hope that clarification helped. </p>
provision l-3
<blockquote><em><a href="#356463">In reply to nbplopes:</a></em></blockquote><p>It's funny, when I read about it my initial thought was "thankfully Apple didn't do this". To me the dependence on Face ID as the primary form of security would make sliding the back up and down completely impractical. The Mi MIX 3 has a touch sensor so that gets around having to use the slider every time you want to use the phone. I would think than on an iPhone Xs/max/r that burning through the 300,000 cycles would happen pretty quickly. But I also imagine that most of this comes down to personal preference. </p>