Introduction
Do we have a good one for you today – the Google Pixel XL goes up against the Xiaomi Mi MIX. This flagship from Google has a polished glass and metal back where the fingerprint sensor resides. The Mi MIX is made entirely of zirconia ceramic, which is gorgeous to look at and is highly resistant to scratches and smudges. Both devices have a solid build and a nice, clean, design, although the Mi MIX would definitely win in the looks department. Let’s look at some of the similarities between these two devices before we look at each one individually.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX and the Google Pixel XL have a few things in common. At 5.5-inches, the Google Pixel XL is considered a phablet but the Mi MIX is wielding a 6.4-inch display, and could be regarded as a small tablet. However, Xiaomi has made the Mi MIX without bezels on three sides, and the physical dimensions are close to the Pixel XL’s. Besides the screen size, the Mi MIX uses IPS LCD technology and an FHD resolution, whereas the Pixel XL uses an AMOLED display and a QHD resolution. Both use a Snapdragon 821 processor and Adreno 530 GPU for graphics. They both pack 4GB of RAM and both offer non-expandable memory. The Pixel XL has a great camera area, and it will satisfy any photo buff, whereas the Mi MIX has a rather disappointing camera according to our review. They both have a large enough non-removable battery to get you through the entire day and both offer rapid charge. They both have a fingerprint sensor for unlocking your phone or authorizing mobile sales as well. The usual suspects are there – WiFi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, NFC, and a reversible Type-C USB port for charging and data transfer.
Please take a careful look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the “View Full Comparison” link at the end of the chart to expand the details. After that, we will look at each device in greater depth and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information, we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.
Specifications
Google Pixel XL
The Google Pixel smartphones are the first to include Goggle Assistant in the device. The Google Pixel XL allows you to communicate directly with Google’s new Home products. Google is hoping that if you buy one device, you will want them all. As Google leaves Nexus in the past, the new Pixel models add a newly polished glass and metal design with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The price is steep for both models, but sales seem to be doing well. For this comparison, we will be looking at how well the high-end Google Pixel XL stands up to the new Xiaomi Mi MIX.
The Google Pixel XL comes with a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels with 531 pixels-per-inch (PPI.) Google used the newly revised Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 quad-core processor with a dual-core clocked at 1.6GHz and a dual-core clocked at 2.15GHz. The Snapdragon 821 and the powerful Adreno 530 GPU work together to provide the device with great graphics capabilities. It packs 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 32GB or 128GB of the faster UFS memory. There are no means to expand the built-in memory on either of these devices. Google did include a large 3450mAh battery for power, and it has rapid charge capabilities.
After the Nexus 6P, we were hoping that Google would include an excellent camera in the flagship Pixel XL – here, it turns out they included it in both models. The primary camera has a 12.3MP sensor, with an aperture of f/2.0, phase detection autofocus (PDAF,) a dual-tone LED flash, and opting to use EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization.) It all works as DxOMark tested the camera and awarded it the highest rating yet for a smartphone camera. Google also included an 8MP front-facing camera (FFC) that comes with a f/2.0 aperture, a 1.4µm pixel size and 1080p video support that will give you some great social media selfies to share with your friends as well as video chatting.
Google Pixel smartphones are well received by the critics and public, but one thing they all agree on; they are not a great value. The pricing is rather high for a device without a lot of ‘bells and whistles’ such as a heart rate monitor, waterproofing, or memory expansion. Google Assistant is built into the device that will work with other Google products such as Google Home. It will be running Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box and receive the fastest software updates. It does have an IP53 rating against dust and splashing water. The Pixel XL measures in at 154.7 x 75.7 x 8.6mm and weighs in at 168 grams. There are three different colors available: Quite Black, Very Silver, and Really Blue (a limited edition color.) The Pixel XL comes with either 32GB or 128GB of storage, and it will cost you about $770 for the 32GB model.
Xiaomi Mi MIX
After being the ‘Apple-Clone’ manufacturer for the past few years, Xiaomi has finally put out a design of their own. It is so different it will take you a moment to realize that there is only one bottom bezel on the Xiaomi Mi MIX. The display simply wraps around the top and the sides, leaving a bezel on only the lower portion of the device. The entire device is engulfed in ceramic, that adds both a toughness to the device, but also a slippery handle – and should it fall, it can be a little brittle-like. But kudos on the design as it looks beautiful and it allows Xiaomi to include a 6.4-inch display in the package size of the Google’s Pixel XL…well, slightly larger. Let’s see just how it holds up to the flagship Pixel XL.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX comes with a 6.4-inch FHD IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2040 x 1080 pixels with 362 PPI. Xiaomi waited to use the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 quad-core processor with a dual-core clocked at 2.19GHZ and a dual-core clocked at 2.35GHz that is said to increase performance by 10-percent. For graphic demands, the Mi MIX includes the powerful Adreno 530 GPU. It packs 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 128GB of the faster UFS memory, as there are no means to expand the built-in memory. Xiaomi also has a model listed with 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It packs a massive 4400mAh battery for power, and it has rapid charge capabilities.
We were optimistic for the camera on the Mi MIX but came away with mixed results in our test. It starts with a 16MP sensor for the primary camera along with an aperture of f/2.0, phase detection autofocus (PDAF,) a dual-tone LED flash, and opting to use EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization) – the same used on the Pixel XL. Xiaomi also included a 5MP FFC that should offer up some great selfies to share with your friends on social media as well as video chatting.
The Xiaomi Mi MIX is a beautiful design and step forward for the company as they prep themselves to start selling globally. Even their new Mi Note 2 is a spitting imagine of the Galaxy Note 7. If they can refine them and make them US ready, they may give Samsung, Lenovo, and LG a run for their money. The Mi MIX offers 24-bit sound for the earphone, and the huge battery will easily last over a day. The Mi Mix measures in at 158.8 x 81.9 x 7.9mm and weighs in at 209 grams. It comes in our favorite color – Black – and it will cost you about $515 for the 128GB model and $590 for the 6GB/256 of internal storage.
…And The Winner Is…
The Final Word
There are many good reasons to pick the Xiaomi Mi MIX as the winner, mostly based on design and pricing. However, with all of its good looks – and there are plenty of them – there is just something about a device not working on all the key US carriers in the US. This is another case of only GSM networks and bands, so I am picking the Google Pixel XL as the winner of this comparison.
While it is true, they both have the same processor, GPU, and RAM, the Pixel XL comes out on top by having a QHD AMOLED display, a much better camera, Google Assistant on board, IP53 Splash resistance, Android 7.1 Nougat and the fastest updates. Its drawback is a rather high pricing for only a base of 32GB of internal memory. The only option is to jump to 128GB for an added cost.
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