Most of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip models have been reviewed by me and I've gotten used to One UI for a flip phone. The large screen on the Galaxy Z Flip6 makes me love using the features on the Cover Screen but what about the Xiaomi MIX Flip? With it going on sale in Malaysia is Xiaomi's first generation flip phone enough?
SPECIFICATIONS & DESIGN
Inside Screen – 6.86″ CrystalRes OLED LTPO 120Hz,
2912 x 1224, 460ppi, 3000nits, Dolby Vision
External – 4.01″ All Around Liquid OLED 120Hz,
HD+, 460ppi, 3000nits, Xiaomi Shield Glass
CPU/GPU CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm)
1x 3.3 GHz Cortex-X4
3x 3.2 GHz Cortex-A720
2x 3.0 GHz Cortex-A720
2x 2.3 GHz Cortex-A520
GPU
Adreno 750 1GHz
Memory/Storage 12GB LPDDR5X
512GB UFS 4.0
Camera Main Camera
LEICA VARIO-SUMMILUX
50MP Light Fusion 800, ƒ/1.7, OIS, Wide Angle
50MP OV60A, ƒ/2.0, Leica Floating Telephoto
Leica Authentic Look, Leica Vibrant Look
Master-lens
Selfie Camera
32MPƒ/2.021mm
4780mAh battery
67W HyperCharge
PD3.0, PD2.0, Mi-FC 2.0
SIM/Nano Telephony/5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof None
Scan System Side fingerprint scanner
AI face scan
Selling Price RM4,999 (12/512 GB
MIX Flip's design is bold because it doesn't use a flat design on the back like competitors. Xiaomi chose to use a design as if there were two different modules combined with magnets. At first, holding this device feels strange but after more than a week and then using the protective frame given – holding this device feels more comfortable as it provides a good grip.
The design of the device also attracted a lot of attention because of the giant OLED All Around Liquid external screen. It has a 4.01-inch size with 120Hz refresh rate support and a brightness of 3000 nits. This large screen is however not comprehensive as there are two main cameras on it. It's also not actually one full panel but instead seems to have two different screen panels with software that matches colors and content to give the illusion that it's one panel.
The internal screen is also quite large, a 6.86-inch OLED CrystalRes with a 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, 3000 nits brightness and Dolby Vision support. The folding effect is not as visible compared to the Galaxy Z Flip6. It's one of the prettiest flippable font screens I've ever used.
Of course, don't forget the collaboration between Xiaomi and Leica for the MIX Flip. The device uses a LEICA VARIO-SUMMILUX lens system with 50MP wide-angle and 50MP ultra-wide-angle sensors. Meanwhile, a 32MP sensor is used for selfies. Leica Authentic Look, Leica Vibrant Look color profile support and the same Master-lens portrait mode on the Xiaomi 14 are also provided.
FIRST USING EXPERIENCE OF XIAOMI FLIP
I am very satisfied with the screen in the MIX Flip. In fact, Samsung which already has six generations is not able to offer colors as beautiful as Xiaomi's first generation device. Its 3000 nits brightness and dynamic HDR display are very satisfying for video/photo editing, playback and streaming video content. The refresh rate of 120Hz is also smooth because it supports the LTPO adaptive system between 1 and 120Hz depending on the application that is opened.
The external screen of the MIX Flip feels safe to use with the Xiaomi Shield Glass protector. Usage on external screens is good, with plenty of app and widget support. Once the application is opened, its use continues to change as if using the Oppo Find N3 Flip. This is because HyperOS is smart enough in handling the display resolution of applications for screens that have two large cameras. This makes the application seem to be displayed in dual-screen mode, one application in a small screen and another special area of widgets.
Xiaomi MIX Flip still runs HyperOS based on Android 14. Many AI features are given same as Xiaomi 14T. Added to it is the external screen feature to change the widgets, number of apps and background image options. Xiaomi doesn't offer much in the way of multi-tasking features or interesting flex modes on this device.
Among the good multi-tasking features is dual-application because of the display of two equal boxes. It's just that there aren't many apps that are fun to use in such a small size compared to the Galaxy Z Fold6 or MIX Fold. The MIX Flip doesn't have many unique features compared to what Samsung has to offer.
I understand that the MIX Flip is a first generation device, but the selling price has reached almost RM5,000 so Xiaomi should provide more features and more useful functions. The feature of turning the device into a video recorder has long been introduced by Samsung, the AI features on this device are also not very diverse and other features are limited to the camera only.
PERFORMANCE AND BENCHMARKS
Just like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6, Xiaomi also uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Interestingly, HyperOS optimization is seen to be more efficient than One UI. This gives Xiaomi better performance, high benchmark scores and truly provides a lag-free and overheating-free usage experience.
AnTuTu 3D
Xiaomi MIX Flip – 1,631,242
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 1,361,432
OnePlus 12 – 1,579,634
iQOO 12 – 2,075,821
Xiaomi 14 – 1,773,520
3DMark – Wild Life Extreme
Xiaomi MIX Flip – 4,330/25.93 FPS
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 4,574
OnePlus 12 – 4632/27.74 FPS
iQOO 12 – 5045/30.22 FPS
Xiaomi 14 – 4499/26.94 FPS
Geekbench 6
Xiaomi MIX Flip – 2,074/6,130
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 – 2,061/5,760
OnePlus 12 – 967/5020
iQOO 12 – 2181/6631
Xiaomi 14 – 1741/6313
I don't really like playing games with valveable font devices, but I play Marvel Snap and Asphalt Legends regularly. The first two have satisfied me with their smooth and fast performance. Game Turbo initially still displays ads but after updating the ads keep disappearing. One good compliment I give to Xiaomi.
CAMERA
With the introduction of the Xiaomi MIX Flip which uses a Leica camera, it has indirectly become a flip phone with the most beautiful camera in the Malaysian market. As usual, there are several flex modes that can be used such as video recorder mode, video recording mode and take pictures by yourself using the outer screen entirely or still using control from the inner screen but the probe screen becomes the viewfinder. The problem is that there is no gesture control, and have to rely on the timer alone.
The photo and video results for a device that costs almost RM5,000 are not on par with their cheaper flagship devices such as the Xiaomi 14. On the other hand, the camera quality is just between the Xiaomi 13 and the Xiaomi 13T but with better detail preservation.
Melee mode.
Leica Vibrant auto mode
Taken via front screen mode
Master-lens at night.
Leica Vibrant night mode
Auto mode with Leica filter
Auto mode with Leica Authentic
Normal auto mode
2x zoom mode with Leica Floating Telephoto
VIDEOS
Video quality also looks good with Dolby Vision recording capabilities. It's just that 4K video recording easily makes the device heat up and stabilization results are sometimes inconsistent. For color, focus and details it is quite good but in my opinion video recording is still ahead of Samsung.
BATTERY
Earlier I said the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 is the flip phone with the longest battery life but this Xiaomi MIX Flip has beaten it. It can reach 8 hours SOT which is one hour longer than Z Flip6.
This is for light use, while heavy use can reach up to 7 hours. Not forgetting that Xiaomi also supports the fastest charging for devices in this category, where 67W takes only 30 minutes for the device to be fully charged.
AUDIO
One of the weaknesses of MIX Flip is the speaker because of the unbalanced and inconsistent sound. It's good because of Dolby Atmos, but the audio profile is not satisfactory so the best audio for devices in this category is still held by Samsung.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
1x Xiaomi MIX Flip
1x Protective Frame
1x HyperCharge 67W Charger
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable
1x Set of manual/safety book
1x SIM Pin
CONCLUSION
The Xiaomi MIX Flip offers an engaging user experience for a first-generation flip phone. But it is not complete enough for a device sold at a premium price of RM4,999. It's just a Xiaomi clamshell phone and nothing more. The flex features provided are limited, the AI features are not many and the updates are limited to 4 years only when compared to the Z Flip6 device.
The strength of the MIX Flip is only on the Leica camera, otherwise I would suggest users buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 or if you really want to save you can try the Tecno Phantom Flip or Nubia Flip.
Pro
Large and useful outdoor screen design.
A very nice camera for a flip phone.
Long lasting battery and fast charging.
Smooth and fast HyperOS.
The design of the device is different.
Very satisfying screen.
Cons
The camera is not worth the price of the device.
The flex feature is limited to the camera only.
Not very good audio.
Suspicious hinges.
AI features and limited updates.