Xiaomi Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite hands-on review

Introduction

Last year the Xiaomi Mi A1 was a star in our reviews, the conclusion page in particular. We could recommend the Mi A1 as an alternative to literally every smartphone - from the cheapest droids, to the most expensive top dogs. But its reign is over as the maker is launching not one but two sequels - brace yourselves for the invasion of the Xiaomi Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite.

Today was the global launch of the Mi A2 series - the wraps were pulled off in Madrid, Spain. The two Mi phones are integral part of the Android One lineup, and Xiaomi gets to sell them worldwide. That's yet another boost to Xiaomi's global expansion.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 is a significant upgrade over the Mi A1 - it has a larger display, more powerful processor and graphics, a better camera setup focused on low-light photography, a 20MP selfie shooter, faster charging, newer Android OS, and promised fast upgrades for at least a year.

Here, check those specs:

Xiaomi Mi A2 specs

• Body: Aluminum body, Gorilla Glass 5 front.
• Display: 5.99" IPS LCD, 1,080x2,160px resolution, 18:9 aspect ratio, 403ppi.
• Rear camera: Primary 12MP, Type 1/2.9" sensor, 1.25µm pixel size, f/1.75 aperture, PDAF; Secondary 20MP for low-light, Type 1/2.8" sensor, 1.0µm pixel size, f/1.75 aperture, autofocus, pixel binning. 2160p/30fps.
• Front camera: 20MP, 1.0µm pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, Auto HDR; 1080p/30fps video recording.
• OS: Android 8.1 Oreo (Android One)
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 660: octa-core CPU (4x2.2 GHz Kryo 260 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260), Adreno 512 GPU.
• Memory: 4/6GB of RAM; 32/64/128GB storage; no microSD slot.
• Battery: 3,010mAh Li-Po (sealed); QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging.
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM; LTE, USB-C; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; GPS; Bluetooth 5.0, IR blaster.
• Misc: Rear-mounted fingerprint reader; single down-firing speaker; no 3.5mm jack (adapter in the box).

Unlike some other brands' Lite models, the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite isn't just an affordable model stripped down of the premium feats. The Mi A2 Lite, while indeed cheaper, has its own spirit and cool kicks to show off and you can tell it right away.

The Lite has a trendy notched screen with minimum of bezels, mostly aluminum body, still relevant Snapdragon 625 chip, there are microSD slot and audio jack available, a notable 4,000 mAh battery, and there is still a dual-camera setup on the back, though of a different kind. Let's check it out.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite specs

• Body: Aluminum body, plastic antenna strips at the back.
• Display: 5.84" IPS LCD with a cutout, 1,080x2,280px resolution, 19:9 aspect ratio, 432ppi.
• Rear camera: Primary 12MP, 1.25µm pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, PDAF; Secondary 5MP, 1.12µm pixel size, f/2.2 aperture - serving as depth sensor; 2160p/30fps.
• Front camera: 5MP, Auto HDR; 1080p/30fps video recording.
• OS: Android 8.1 Oreo (Android One)
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625: octa-core 2.0GHz Cortex-A53 CPU, Adreno 506 GPU.
• Memory: 3/4GB of RAM; 32/64 storage; microSD slot.
• Battery: 4,000mAh Li-Po (sealed);
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM; LTE, microUSB; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n; GPS; Bluetooth 4.2, IR blaster.
• Misc: Rear-mounted fingerprint reader; single down-firing speaker; 3.5mm jack.

Xiaomi gave the notched screen - a feature often considered as premium - to the Lite, while the Mi A2 is getting a larger and perfectly rectangular one. That's a very smart choice - make the Lite feel cooler with that controversial notch, while keep the regular A2 out of that debate.

You bet we have spent some quality time with the Mi A2 phones and our impressions come right after the jump.