India is one of Xiaomi’s key markets, and the company relishes every opportunity to boast about its top position in this market for the eighth consecutive quarter. Much of this success comes from devices in the Redmi and Redmi Note lineups, but Xiaomi also continues to tinker with other product lineups in an attempt to diversify and offer greater choice to the consumer. The Redmi K series is Xiaomi’s attempt at offering an affordable flagship experience in 2019, and the Mi A-series represents an escape from the MIUI experience into the warm embrace of stock Android within the Android One program. After launching the Xiaomi Mi A3 internationally, Xiaomi is now launching the Mi A3 in India.
Xiaomi Mi A3 – Specifications
| Specification | Xiaomi Mi A3 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.088-inch, AMOLED, pentile, HD+ 1560 x 720 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 665:
|
| RAM & Storage |
|
| Battery | 4030 mAh |
| USB | USB Type-C, 18W fast charging |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Fingerprint Scanner | In-Display |
| Rear Camera | Triple AI Camera:
|
| Front Camera | 32MP, f/2.0, 79-degrees FOV |
| NFC | No |
| Colors | Not Just Blue, Kind of Grey, More Than White |
| Android Version | Android 9 Pie (Android One) |
The Xiaomi Mi A3 uses the same hardware as the Xiaomi CC9e that was launched in China. For better or for worse, you are stuck with some questionable decisions that Xiaomi has taken on the CC9e, which have been carried over to the Mi A3 as well. The main point of contention will be the switch down to a lower resolution 1560 x 720 pixel display with a pixel density of just 286 ppi. The situation is further compounded by the use of a PenTile OLED matrix that has fewer subpixels than a regular RGB LCD. Idrees has written an excellent informative article on different smartphone display technologies, and I recommend checking that out to know more technical details on why this lower resolution PenTile AMOLED display is a sub-optimal replacement for an FHD LCD.
The drop down to an HD panel should theoretically help the Mi A3 out with better gaming performance and some stellar battery life, thanks to the plentiful 4,030 mAh battery and the efficient Snapdragon 665 on-board. The Mi A3 also improves upon the last year’s Mi A2 by bringing back the headphone jack as well as microSD expandability. Other highlights include the triple rear camera system that should prop up the device by a fair bit by sheer versatility. You also get an in-display fingerprint sensor, made possible thanks to the AMOLED display, so there is at least some benefit to this decision aside from just cost-cutting.
The main highlight of the Xiaomi Mi A3 is the fact that it runs on the latest version of Android 9 Pie, thanks to its inclusion in the Android One program. This phone is the perfect opportunity for those looking to try out Xiaomi’s hardware but absolutely detest Xiaomi’s software and some of its choices. With Android One, you get two years of software and security updates, guaranteed. Xiaomi has also already released the kernel sources for the Xiaomi CC9e/Xiaomi Mi A3, so that’s another advantage too.
Pricing and Availability
The Xiaomi Mi A3 will be available in India in two variants: 4GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB; and three color options inspired by Google’s naming scheme for the Google Pixels: Not Just Blue, Kind of Grey, More Than White. The base variant will cost you ₹12,999 (~$182), while the higher RAM and storage variant will cost you ₹15,999 (~$224). The first sale for the Mi A3 will be held on 23rd August 2019 at 12 Noon, across mi.com, Amazon.in, and Mi Home
The pricing on the Xiaomi Mi A3 in India comes out to be fairly cheaper than the European pricing of €249/€279. But on the flip side, the Mi A3 is launched right when competitors like Realme have launched quad-camera smartphones like the Realme 5 and Realme 5 Pro starting at ₹9,999 and ₹14,999 and offering fairly significant upgrades in hardware. The question then, that you need to ask is, how important is Android One to you?
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