Xiaomi phones are now officially available in the UK and
Europe, with the brand potentially hitting the US in 2019. The Chinese
company is becoming increasingly well known across the world for its
phenomenal value for money, pledging to rake in no more than 5% profit
on any of its hardware.
For users in the UK, US and Europe, Xiaomi offers mobile phones with specifications several notches above what you'll get for the same money over here. If you want the best-value phone, you're in the right place.
Even so you'll still find some great deals on Xiaomi phones when you shop around online - check out the Best Xiaomi Deals.
The Xiaomi line-up is often criticised for being confusing. Xiaomi earlier this year took the decision to spin off its budget Redmi brand, which is now headed up by ex-Gionee president Wu Leibing. By separating the two it can make both better.
In January it announced its first device, the Redmi Note 7, with a staggering 48Mp camera and high-capacity 4000mAh battery. It has since announced the Redmi Note 7 Pro and Redmi 7, and all but the Pro have made their way to the UK, with the company now working on the Redmi 8 series.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi has in September unveiled the first 108Mp camera phone in the Mi Mix Alpha, though the feature that will really steal the headlines is its double folding flexible display, which wraps right around the body to create a 180.6% screen-to-body ratio. It's a concept phone in small scale production, but the also-announced Mi 9 Pro will be easier to get hold of. Both are 5G phones.
So while Redmi is currently synonymous with budget, in the main Xiaomi (or Mi) line you have several flagship models. Both brands also have mid-range models.
Right at the top of the Xiaomi line is the Mi 9, which was announced in February at MWC (Mi 9 Pro has since been announced and we'll see the Mi 10 in February 2020). It is available in the UK, where it costs £499 for the 6GB RAM, 64GB storage model, and £549 with 128GB storage. It has since been joined by the cheaper, more compact Mi 9 SE, which starts at £349, and we expect the Mi 9T to also make an appearance in the UK sometime soon, especially now that the Mi 9T Pro has gone on sale here. (For now you can import it.) There's a Mi 9 Lite, too, which is not at all confusing.
Last year's flagship line still impresses, however, and now at cheaper prices with the standard Mi 8 available for much less than its £459 retail price online. There's also the Mi 8 Lite and Mi 8 Pro, which are well worth a look, and also at flagship level is Mi Mix, with Mi Mix 3 and Mi Mix 3 5G now available in the UK.
Anything with a 'Note' in the name is a phablet, while the Mi Max series is even bigger still, though we aren't expecting either of these lines to see new models in 2019.
All these devices run MIUI 10, a custom version of Android, with MIUI 11 coming imminently. If you want plain Android you need to look to the mid-range Mi A2 and budget Mi A2 Lite. This line has now been updated with the Mi A3, which means you'll find some great deals on the outgoing Mi A2.
This will entail using a site such as GearBest. If you choose to do so, note that only the Global models support 800MHz 4G LTE (Band 20), which is important to note for UK users on O2, GiffGaff or Sky Mobile. O2 relies solely on this band for 4G coverage, which means the most you'll get is 3G without reverting to Wi-Fi. For other networks that also use this band 4G coverage may be lower than you would find with a phone that does support 800MHz.
If you're buying from China you should also take into account that your consumer rights are different to when you buy within Europe, and that should something go wrong you're going to find aftersales support more difficult. Delivery times will also be longer, though there is usually a free option.
One major difference between Xiaomi phones and stock Android phones is that they run MIUI, and unless you have one of the International or Global models you'll find Google Play Services are not preinstalled. As long as it's a fairly recent device and capable of running MIUI 10, this is easy to solve. We've explained how to install Google Play on a Xiaomi phone here.
An exception here is the Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite, which are identical in design and specification to the Mi 6X and Redmi 6 Pro but running Android One rather than MIUI.
For users in the UK, US and Europe, Xiaomi offers mobile phones with specifications several notches above what you'll get for the same money over here. If you want the best-value phone, you're in the right place.
Even so you'll still find some great deals on Xiaomi phones when you shop around online - check out the Best Xiaomi Deals.
The Xiaomi line-up is often criticised for being confusing. Xiaomi earlier this year took the decision to spin off its budget Redmi brand, which is now headed up by ex-Gionee president Wu Leibing. By separating the two it can make both better.
In January it announced its first device, the Redmi Note 7, with a staggering 48Mp camera and high-capacity 4000mAh battery. It has since announced the Redmi Note 7 Pro and Redmi 7, and all but the Pro have made their way to the UK, with the company now working on the Redmi 8 series.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi has in September unveiled the first 108Mp camera phone in the Mi Mix Alpha, though the feature that will really steal the headlines is its double folding flexible display, which wraps right around the body to create a 180.6% screen-to-body ratio. It's a concept phone in small scale production, but the also-announced Mi 9 Pro will be easier to get hold of. Both are 5G phones.
So while Redmi is currently synonymous with budget, in the main Xiaomi (or Mi) line you have several flagship models. Both brands also have mid-range models.
Right at the top of the Xiaomi line is the Mi 9, which was announced in February at MWC (Mi 9 Pro has since been announced and we'll see the Mi 10 in February 2020). It is available in the UK, where it costs £499 for the 6GB RAM, 64GB storage model, and £549 with 128GB storage. It has since been joined by the cheaper, more compact Mi 9 SE, which starts at £349, and we expect the Mi 9T to also make an appearance in the UK sometime soon, especially now that the Mi 9T Pro has gone on sale here. (For now you can import it.) There's a Mi 9 Lite, too, which is not at all confusing.
Last year's flagship line still impresses, however, and now at cheaper prices with the standard Mi 8 available for much less than its £459 retail price online. There's also the Mi 8 Lite and Mi 8 Pro, which are well worth a look, and also at flagship level is Mi Mix, with Mi Mix 3 and Mi Mix 3 5G now available in the UK.
Anything with a 'Note' in the name is a phablet, while the Mi Max series is even bigger still, though we aren't expecting either of these lines to see new models in 2019.
All these devices run MIUI 10, a custom version of Android, with MIUI 11 coming imminently. If you want plain Android you need to look to the mid-range Mi A2 and budget Mi A2 Lite. This line has now been updated with the Mi A3, which means you'll find some great deals on the outgoing Mi A2.
Your buying guide to the best Xiaomi phones of 2019
Though you can now find Xiaomi phones officially on sale in the UK, via Three, Amazon, Argos, John Lewis, Carphone Warehouse, Currys/PC World, eBuyer, Very, Go Mobile, Mobile Phones Direct and Mi.com, you may also find special deals importing them from China.This will entail using a site such as GearBest. If you choose to do so, note that only the Global models support 800MHz 4G LTE (Band 20), which is important to note for UK users on O2, GiffGaff or Sky Mobile. O2 relies solely on this band for 4G coverage, which means the most you'll get is 3G without reverting to Wi-Fi. For other networks that also use this band 4G coverage may be lower than you would find with a phone that does support 800MHz.
If you're buying from China you should also take into account that your consumer rights are different to when you buy within Europe, and that should something go wrong you're going to find aftersales support more difficult. Delivery times will also be longer, though there is usually a free option.
One major difference between Xiaomi phones and stock Android phones is that they run MIUI, and unless you have one of the International or Global models you'll find Google Play Services are not preinstalled. As long as it's a fairly recent device and capable of running MIUI 10, this is easy to solve. We've explained how to install Google Play on a Xiaomi phone here.
An exception here is the Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite, which are identical in design and specification to the Mi 6X and Redmi 6 Pro but running Android One rather than MIUI.
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