»We talked about the shortcomings of this manufacturer's mobile devices that force users to choose other brands.
Today Lifehacker will reveal another big problem with Xiaomi smartphones, because of which I had to write a whole guide. We are talking about the lineup and naming.
Life is easy for apple trees. If they want to upgrade their mobile, they choose between three iPhones: regular, large Plus and compact SE. We counted about 30 more or less relevant smartphone models from Xiaomi. This is without considering versions with different amounts of RAM and storage.
And now another person who has read about the advantages of Xiaomi enters an online store, sees in front of him dozens of different, but very similar smartphones and immediately falls into a deep stupor. Sound familiar? That is why Lifehacker created this guide.
Now we will quickly make you a real connoisseur of the Xiaomi smartphone range. Go!
Xiaomi classification
Despite the apparent diversity, Xiaomi has only two lines of smartphones:
- Xiaomi Mi is mostly flagship smartphones. Typically more expensive, more powerful, better quality, with great cameras and superior build quality. The newest Xiaomi Mi competes with the top models of the global A-brands.
- Xiaomi Redmi is mainly budget smartphones, middling, some of which, however, claim to be the flagship status. Redmi is capable of meeting the needs of the vast majority of users and is much more affordable.
What are Xiaomi Mi
Xiaomi Mi is divided into four series: just Mi, Mi Note, Mi Max and Mi Mix.
Mi
Classic top smartphones with a standard 5.15-inch screen size. The best hardware, the best displays, the best cameras, a discreet conservative design and a construction with no obvious features. The Mi series can be considered the benchmark, basis and face of the older lineup of Xiaomi smartphones.
The most recent at the time of this writing is a smartphone.
- 8-core Snapdragon 835 processor.
- 6 GB of RAM.
- 5.15-inch Full HD IPS display covering 71.4% of the front panel.
- Storage for 64 or 128 GB.
- Available in a ceramic version.
The previous generation Mi at number 5 is still relevant and will be in high demand for a long time to come. This is because the flagships receive the best hardware with a huge margin for the future.
Generation Mi5 is represented by five models:
- - Base model powered by Snapdragon 820 with Full HD display. The body is made of glass and metal.
- Mi5 Pro is an older version of the classic Mi5 with increased memory capacity. The model is available in an incredibly beautiful and stylish ceramic case.
- Mi5S is an updated version of Mi5 powered by Snapdragon 821 in a metal case.
- is the 5.7-inch version of Mi5S with dual main cameras. Due to the increased size of the display, it can be considered an alternative to the Mi Note series, which will be discussed below.
- Mi5c is not a very successful attempt by the company to release a smartphone with a processor of its own production.
Mi Note
Mi Note is a series of flagship Xiaomi phablets with a screen diagonal of 5.7 inches.
A phablet is a smartphone with a large display, that is, a hybrid of a smartphone and a tablet.
Obviously, due to the increased dimensions, such devices are not suitable for everyone, since they often simply do not fit in a pocket.
The strong point of phablets is the large screen, which is more convenient to surf, watch videos and play.
The most recent at the time of this writing is the phablet.
- Snapdragon 821 4-core processor.
- 4 or 6 GB of RAM.
- 5.7-inch Full HD AMOLED display.
- Storage for 64 or 128 GB.
The first generation of phablets, represented by the standard Mi Note model and the advanced version of the Mi Note Pro with increased memory and a higher resolution screen, cannot boast of the most up-to-date filling, but it costs significantly less than Mi Note 2.
Please note: in addition to the Mi Note series, the Mi5S Plus, equipped with a 5.7-inch screen, can rightly be attributed to the line of Xiaomi phablets.
Mi Max
If you think the 5.7-inch screens of the Mi Note phablets are overkill, then just take a look at the Mi Max series with 6.44-inch display! Obviously, such large devices are more reasonable to consider primarily as a tablet with a dialer than a smartphone.
The most recent at the time of this writing is the Mi Max 2 phablet.
- 8-core Snapdragon 625 processor.
- 4 GB of RAM.
- 6.44-inch Full HD IPS display.
- Battery 5 300 mAh.
- Camera like Mi6.
Please note: it is equipped with a Snapdragon 650 processor, which is slightly inferior to the 625 in overall performance, but wins in graphics.
Mi Mix
This is innovation in its purest form. Bezel-less design, giant screen, good filling, clever audio technology, ceramic body and the corresponding price.
- 8-core Snapdragon 821 processor.
- 4 or 6 GB of RAM.
- 6.4-inch 2K IPS display covering 91.3% of the front panel.
- Storage 128 or 256 GB.
What are Xiaomi Redmi
Xiaomi Redmi is divided into three series: just Redmi, Redmi Note and Redmi Pro.
Redmi
Classic smartphones with a standard screen size of 5 inches. Unlike the flagship Mi, the Redmi lineup is more variegated. Here you will find both frankly cheap devices made of plastic and with an entry-level processor, as well as very productive middle peasants with claims to flagship status.
At the moment, the fourth generation of Redmi is relevant, represented by four models:
- Redmi 4 is the base model based on Snapdragon 430 with HD display. The body is made of metal.
- Redmi 4 Pro is an older version of Redmi 4 with a more powerful Snapdragon 625 processor, Full HD screen and increased memory capacity.
- Redmi 4X is an intermediate variant between the basic and older models based on Snapdragon 435. The processor is slightly better than that of Redmi 4, the screen is the same. Versions with memory capacity identical to both the base and the older Redmi 4 models are available.
- The Redmi 4A is a Snapdragon 425-based ultra budget smartphone in a polycarbonate case. The ideal entry-level smartphone.
Redmi note
Redmi Note is a series of 5.5-inch (Full HD, IPS) Xiaomi smartphones. is a series of 5.5-inch (Full HD, AMOLED) Xiaomi smartphones based on MediaTek Helio X20 and X25 with a front-facing fingerprint sensor and a dual main camera.
Did this classification help you? Have you got a clear understanding of the range of Xiaomi smartphones in your head? If not, that's okay. There are really so many Xiaomi smartphones that it is no longer possible to organize them.
We are by no means suggesting that all manufacturers should follow Apple's example, that is, release one or two smartphones, telling everyone that they should. Freedom of choice is important, but everything is fine in moderation.
We hope that in the near future Xiaomi will put things in order and make everything clear to everyone.
And here you will find a detailed guide to smartphones from Meizu.
Almost all Xiaomi models are worthy of our attention and were created for the specific requirements of mobile enthusiasts. On the official forum, each new product is discussed in detail, boldly criticized and asked by the manufacturer to heed new ideas in future devices.
This is why Xiaomi is appreciated all over the world - it is truly a popular and customer-oriented brand.
But what about an ordinary person who does not understand hieroglyphs and Asian forums, choose the best Xiaomi? After all, it is easier to decide when it is said: such and such a Xiaomi phone for games, and this model should be bought by fans of photography.
The abundance of Xiaomi models for 2017 is carefully organized in a logical order in the form of rulers. They show the characteristic features and focus on a specific audience of buyers.
What lines of smartphones does Xiaomi have?
"Xiaomi" (officially Xiaomi pronounced "Shaomi") translates to " millet in small quantities», « some rice" or " millet". The theme of cereals can be traced in all the company's name concepts. In just six years, the brand has grown so much that its recognition now spreads across the entire planet.
The founders owe this glory to the smartphone Xiaomi Mi-One... He became the founder of the series " Mi"- today it is the flagship line. In order to reach as large an audience of fans of mobile technologies as possible, another series of phones was launched called “ Redmi».
The main thing to understand is that each Xiaomi product has its pros and cons.
The main lines of Xiaomi phones:
Xiaomi Mi (target in advanced technology);
Xiaomi Redmi (target in device availability).
Xiaomi Mi smartphones
The flagship lineup is divided into separate “tiers” of basic, modified and extended smartphones. They can differ significantly in characteristics and price, but they have one thing in common - they are built using the latest technologies available for Xiaomi.
The forming models of Xiaomi Mi
Medium Flagship Solutions Xiaomi Mi4, Xiaomi Mi5... They are aimed at a paying audience, but at the same time they are balanced in characteristics without obvious distortions in one direction or another. It is better to buy such Xiaomi devices for those who are looking for versatility without lagging behind the market leaders.
Modified Xiaomi Mi [letter]
As a rule, these are slightly modified versions of the flagships. For instance, Xiaomi Mi5i, Xiaomi Mi5S, Xiaomi Mi5c and others. They have decent hardware, but the concept is geared towards specific customer requirements (reduced size, additional components, and so on).
Xiaomi Mi Note phablets
Xiaomi smartphones with a large screen (from 5.5 inches) are designed to provide handheld lovers with the most advanced devices, such as Mi Note or Mi Note Pro... These are the driving forces behind the Chinese company's mobile business, and it balances performance, design and affordability very carefully.
Xiaomi Mi Max Tablet Phones
When the phablet was not enough for some Xiaomi smartphone owners, they asked the company to create something more - this is how the series appeared Mi Max with the ancestor in the face 6.44-inch communicator. Its characteristics were also selected taking into account popular requirements. They are not top-end, but capable of any modern task.
Xiaomi Redmi Smartphones
If you have met names somewhere on the Internet Red rice ("Red rice") or Hongmi - know, this is a budget smartphone Xiaomi Redmi... The Chinese manufacturer realized that by simply rebuilding the hardware of the communicator from high-performance chipsets Qualcomm on something less expensive (for example, lower series of these processors or on a popular platform MediaTek) you can reduce the cost. That's why phones Xiaomi is cheaper than competitors... All Xiaomi models with prices Redmi also got a division into segments.
Mainstream Xiaomi Redmi
Massive series of affordable smartphones Xiaomi Redmi includes a wide range of characteristics. From the simplest plastic 4.7-inch models for teenagers to versatile all-metal 5-inch devices ready for photography (even if it isn't the best Xiaomi camera), games and high-quality content. There are also technologies like fingerprint sensor from Xiaomi flagships or Xiaomi stylus.
Phablets Xiaomi Redmi Note
The limitation of the budget line to a 5-inch diagonal gave rise to a lot of requests from fans of phablets to create the same Redmi, but bigger... Let it be even more expensive. It turned out to be a very interesting option - modest technical characteristics (relatively low screen resolution and economical chipset), coupled with an increased size of 5.5 inches, allowed the series Xiaomi Redmi Note get good batteries and, accordingly, perfect autonomy.
Close
Xiaomi is a Chinese computer electronics manufacturer. The brand was created in 2010 and during this time has managed to establish itself as a manufacturer of high-quality and relatively inexpensive equipment. The tablets and smartphones created by Xiaomi combine productive hardware and ergonomic design, so their purchase is a good purchase. The popularity of this brand's products is evidenced by the fact that in 2014 the company managed to sell 61.1 million Xiomi phones.
Benefits of brand products
It is worth saying that Xiaomi phones are Chinese-made devices, but this is not the case when Chinese means “bad”. The manufacturer relatively recently entered the market and from the very beginning decided to take the buyer not with an abundance of chips, but with an extremely low price with a decent level of quality. This imposes some peculiarities on the devices. Don't expect an original design from a Xiaomi phone. But in terms of performance, the devices are not inferior to the flagships of the market, but at the same time they look extremely strict. This is the manufacturer's feature: no unnecessary details, a strict body and high-quality filling.
Otherwise, Xiaomi phones are the best combination of price and quality. The manufacturer focuses on the multifunctionality of the devices. Smartphones manufactured by Xiaomi to buy in Moscow are preferred by users who are looking for a high-quality device for relatively little money.
What to look for when choosing
The catalog of online stores contains a large number of models. Xiomi creates devices with one or two slots for connecting SIM-cards. In the first case, the device works with only one number. In the second, you can use two numbers on one device. For example, one for calls, the other for the Internet.
As for the display diagonal, the large screen is suitable for watching videos and surfing the Internet. But the screen size directly affects the dimensions of the device itself. The model range of the brand includes solutions with a diagonal from 4 to 6 inches.
Many models have additional bells and whistles: an external flash for the camera, a slot for connecting an additional memory card, a fingerprint scanner, Gorilla Glass protective glass. This increases the capabilities of the device, but also affects the final price.
Xiaomi has quickly gained a large customer base by offering high quality smartphones at an affordable price. But initially the lineup of Xiaomi was not as diverse as that of its main competitors, and it was obvious that in the foreseeable future the Chinese manufacturer would be engaged in the development of new phone models.
To date, the Xiaomi lineup has become very diverse, but at the same time, you can easily understand the features of a particular branch of smartphones, unlike, say, competitors such as Meizu or Samsung.
In order to make it more convenient for you to choose the suitable version of the Xiaomi phone for yourself, we suggest comparing all the models that have come out of the company at the moment, finding similarities and differences in them, and, thus, deciding on the competitive advantages of each.
If we want to compare Xiaomi based on all the known models of the company's gadgets, then we can distinguish three main lines: 
- Mi. The phones in this line receive flagship hardware and are suitable for the most demanding customers. There is a large power reserve and advanced system capabilities. Qualcomm series processors provide a high level of performance. Excellent build quality and the use of metal cases guarantee the durability of the gadgets. Here are the best Xiaomi cameras, characterized by optical stabilization, the ability to shoot in manual mode, and, of course, a large number of megapixels. The most frequent firmware updates are organized specifically for the models of the Mi line.
- Redmi. This includes the best budget smartphone options. Since 2013, they have been equipped with MediaTek processors, and now some models are getting Snapdragon, which, however, does not increase their cost. All Xiaomi Redmi phones will be an excellent choice for those who want to acquire a reliable gadget without making excessive demands on it. The device will not handle games with outrageous graphics, but in business and everyday life Xiaomi Redmi will become simply irreplaceable. The use of simpler components in comparison with the Mi line allows you to significantly reduce the price of Xiaomi Redmi gadgets and make them closer to the mass consumer. The design is also slightly simpler than that of the flagship brother, but the body is also metal. Every year, the technical characteristics of devices in this line are improving, and therefore it is no wonder that it is Xiaomi Redmi that is currently considered the most popular on the market.
- MiPad. Comparing Xiaomi fully means remembering also the line of tablets from this company. At the moment, there are 3 tablets in the line, and the real breakthrough was created by the appearance of the MiPad2 model - it was seriously compared to the iPad! The technical indicators are indeed competitive, and we will talk about the advantages of each model below.
For convenience, each of the lines can be subdivided into several more categories, which we propose to do now in order to fully compare Xiaomi for all models on the market.
Features of the Mi line
In general, we recommend considering the Mi line in three main branches. We compare them in the table for ease of understanding.
| Branch name | List of models | Features: |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Mi |
|
There is only the best hardware and a 5-inch screen with slight deviations in the larger side in some models. Models from Xiaomi Mi 1 to Xiaomi Mi 3 are no longer relevant, although it was with them that the conquest of the market by this Chinese company began. For the summer of 2011, when the first model in this line appeared, the 8MP camera, dual-core processor and 1.5GB RAM were impressive figures. Today, models starting from the "four" and above are relevant. Mi 4 with a diagonal of 5 inches, a 13 megapixel camera and 3 GB of RAM was a discovery in 2014, and its specifications are relevant to this day. The developers realized that the model was becoming more and more popular, and therefore released three more "fours" with minimal differences, but only the Mi 4 version was successful. In 2016, the Mi 5 finally came out, which surpassed all the "fours" in quality. It had a 16MP camera, a powerful Snapdragon 820 processor and a convenient and attractive design. Later, the S-version of the "five" came out with an even larger battery capacity and processor clock speed. The newest Mi model at the moment is the "six". It's still cooler here: 6 gigabytes of RAM, two excellent cameras (even the front one has 8 megapixels) and the Snapdragon 835 processor - the best among all Xiaomi. In 2016, the original model Mi Max was also released, the "chip" of which was a huge screen with a diagonal of 6.44 inches with competitive filling characteristics. |
| Mi Note |
|
The difference between Note models is the large screen diagonal. Xiaomi Mi Note is, in fact, the twin of Xiaomi Mi 4, but with a 5.7-inch screen. Mi Note 2 is not much different from its predecessor, but it has a slightly larger diagonal and various additional bells and whistles like a fingerprint scanner. |
| Mi Max |
|
The similarity with Mi Mix is \u200b\u200bnoticeable to the naked eye - the 6.44-inch screen diagonal allows you to call this branch a classic "shovel". The indicators "under the hood" are far from the flagship, so you should choose this option only if you really like the larger monitor size. |
Features of the Xiaomi Redmi line
We also propose to carry out a comparative analysis of the "state employee" based on the table:
| Branch name | List of models | Features: |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Redmi |
|
These smartphones are the most compact of all with a screen size of up to 5 inches. Initially, a polycarbonate body was used, but starting with the "three", a metal body is installed and a fingerprint scanner is present. All Xiaomi smartphones from the Redmi series, which came out later, have improved qualitatively, and looking at their characteristics, you can't even say that they are "state employees". |
| Xiaomi Redmi Note |
|
As with the Mi, the addition of Note to the name speaks of a larger screen. Starting with Redmi Note 3, Xiaomi phones come in premium style, have an aluminum casing and have got a fingerprint scanner. |
Features of the MiPad line
Comparisons between tablets are easier - only three models came out here. Xiaomi Mi Pad was a trial version to see if the tablet will be as popular as smartphones. It turned out that everything is in order, and therefore the Chinese launched the Xiaomi Mi Pad 2, from which they firmly settled in this niche on the market.
The differences between the first and second models are visible to the naked eye. The body of the "two" is made of metal, not polycarbonate, the RAM is already 2 GB, and as an operating system, you can choose between Android and Windows 10.
Xiaomi Mi Pad 3 has gone even further - here it will already be possible to choose between two basic configurations that differ in the amount of built-in and operating memory: 3 GB of RAM with 64 GB of built-in or 4 GB of RAM with 128 GB of built-in. The chipset has also been improved in comparison with the more budgetary "two" - instead of Intel Atom X5-Z8500, Intel Atom X7-Z8700 appeared.
Xiaomi Redmi S phones
In 2018, Xiaomi expanded the Redmi lineup, adding a device called Redmi S2 to the Xiaomi Redmi S2 (the company did not release the S1 phone). Who is this phone for? To get an answer to this question, it is best to compare this gadget with some other device in the Redmi series. And it will be more convenient to compare it with Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus. After all, both of these phones are equipped with a 5.99-inch display, Snapdragon 625 processor, and have almost the same price tag. How are these smartphones different? The Redmi 5 Plus has a higher quality screen, which has a Full HD + resolution (not HD +) and produces a sharper picture. Another significant advantage of this device is that its battery capacity is 4,000 (not 3,080 mAh), and it can work offline from 1.5 to 2 days (Redmi S2 can only withstand a day) ... 
What, then, are the features of the S-series phone? The first feature is that the gadget has a dual-module camera. In practice, however, images from both devices have the same quality comparable to each other. Is that Redmi S2 can take photos with a blurred background. The real difference between the phones is that the S2 has a 16MP front-facing camera, and the selfie snapped with this device is sharper. And this phone is also equipped with a digital stabilization function when shooting video, and also has a three-section tray for 2 SIM cards and one memory card. There is also a budget smartphone for selfies with the ability to install dual SIM cards and a flash drive in Russian retail from 15,990 rubles.
Pocophone smartphones
In 2018, a significant event took place at Xiaomi. For the first time in its history, the manufacturer released a smartphone not under the already well-known brand "Xiaomi", but under the new sub-brand "Pocophone". The new device is the Pocophone F1. Pocophone F1 The main feature of the gadget is the presence of the latest high-performance Snapdragon 845 chip (the same as on the Xiapmi Mi8 superflag). Moreover, the device has become the cheapest smartphone on the market equipped with this board. If we compare the Pocophone F1 with the flagship Xiaomi model, then it immediately catches the eye that for less money you will get a device with exactly the same performance, the same (diagonal) display, the ability to expand memory by installing a flash drive, a headphone jack 3.5 mm, stereo speakers and a more capacious battery (4000 mAh versus 3080). 
On the side of Xiaomi Mi8, there will be more premium body materials (Pocophone F1 is simply plastic), a better screen matrix (Super AMOLED) and a more advanced camera. The Mi8 camera has optical stabilization, a lower focal number, allowing you to take better pictures in the dark, and a higher resolution of the auxiliary (second) module of the main camera.
The cost of the Pocophone F1 version 6/64 GB during the premiere sales on TMAll is 20,900 rubles. The Xiaomi Mi8 model, similar in characteristics, costs 29,600 rubles.
What to give preference to?
Before choosing a particular model of Xiaomi smartphones, decide why you need a phone. If you plan to use it in everyday life or for business, then you can safely choose one of the "state employees", saving money and getting a completely high-quality product for the invested funds. If you want to follow the latest fashion trends, trying out every newly released game, then it is better to immediately consider one of the flagship Mi smartphones.
Besides the price, one of the parameters for evaluating Xiaomi's compliance with your expectations will be the screen size. There is plenty to choose from - from small and stylish business models to "spades" with a huge monitor. If it’s the “shovels” that attract you, then it is very easy to find them - find the name that contains Note, Mix or Max, and after that you just have to decide on the preferred technical characteristics of the device.
How not to get confused in this assortment and which Xiaomi smartphone should you buy? In fact, everything is not as complicated as it seems at first glance:
Xiaomi Mi
At first, only Mi smartphones were in the range of Xiaomi. Then this line became the flagship. Selling Xiaomi Mi attracts demanding users who want a more powerful processor, better camera, better materials. The modern Mi series includes devices with a screen diagonal of 5 and 5.15 inches. If you like larger displays, then the Xiaomi Mi Note is worth buying.
The flagship features of the Mi Note are combined with a large 5.7-inch screen. The expected 2017 model is the Mi Note 3 smartphone, which should be equipped with an 8-core Snapdragon 835 processor, an Adreno 540 graphics chip, 8GB of RAM and a 4070mAh battery. Connoisseurs of high-quality photography have a very good reason to buy a new Xiaomi smartphone - a dual camera with good optics.
For those who find the Note's diagonal not large enough, Xiaomi has offered the Mi Max phablet with a 6.44-inch screen. The device cannot boast of flagship hardware, but it attracts with a pleasant design, impeccable assembly, high-quality materials (glass and metal) and a democratic price tag.
Xiaomi Redmi
After the first success, Xiaomi aimed at the most massive segment and released in 2013 the budget Xiaomi Redmi with MTK processors and junior solutions from Qualcomm. This series has become truly popular, and owners of the Xiaomi Redmi smartphone can be found in India, Portugal, and the Krasnodar Territory. The first models of the line were plastic, but all modern representatives of the series acquired metal cases and received fingerprint sensors. Redmi smartphones can be recommended to users who are not too demanding on gaming performance and photo quality.
The diagonal of the Xiaomi Redmi display is 4.7-5 inches. Redmi Note is equipped with a 5.5-inch screen.
All lines of Xiaomi smartphones at the best prices
The iqmi online store presents Xiaomi smartphones in all configurations. Call us or send an online application to get advice and assistance in choosing the most suitable model for you. We will help you buy a Xiaomi smartphone at the best price and not overpay for unnecessary features and functions.
