Xiaomi Mi A1

lfc12345

Hi guys,
Was wondering what your take was on this phone. Seems really good for the price. I know Xiaomi are good but the Android One and stock android make it all the more tempting. Could really do with an upgrade from my Moto G3 aswell as it's starting to act the pr***. Is this the best phone out there in this price range or does anybody know of anything better? Also would you consider it not "officialy" being available in Ireland to be a problem?
Specs (gsmarena):

Network Technology GSM / HSPA / LTE 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 4G bands LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 38(2600), 40(2300) Speed HSPA, LTE GPRS Yes EDGE Yes Launch Announced 2017, September Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2017, September Body Dimensions 155.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm (6.12 x 2.98 x 0.29 in) Weight 165 g (5.82 oz) SIM Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) Display Type LTPS IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors Size 5.5 inches (~70.1% screen-to-body ratio) Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels (~403 ppi pixel density) Multitouch Yes Protection Corning Gorilla Glass (unspecified version) Platform OS Android 7.1.2 (Nougat), planned upgrade to Android 8.0 (Oreo) Chipset Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 CPU Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 GPU Adreno 506 Memory Card slot microSD, up to 128 GB (uses SIM 2 slot) Internal 64 GB, 4 GB RAM Camera Primary Dual 12 MP (26mm, f/2.2; 50mm, f/2.6), phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, dual-LED (dual tone) flash Features 1.25 µm/ 1.0 µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama Video 2160p@30fps, 720p@120fps Secondary 5 MP, 1080p Sound Alert types Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones Loudspeaker Yes 3.5mm jack Yes - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic Comms WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, LE GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS Infrared port Yes Radio FM radio USB 2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector Features Sensors Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass Messaging SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM Browser HTML5 Java No - Fast battery charging
- Xvid/MP4/H.265 player
- MP3/WAV/eAAC+/FLAC player
- Photo/video editor
- Document viewer Battery Non-removable Li-Ion 3080 mAh battery Misc Colors Black, Gold, Rose Gold Price About 240 EUR

Here's the link to it on Xiaomi's site:
http://www.mi.com/in/mi-a1/

Lucas Hood

Looks a great phone.

The xiaomi 5x is exact same phone without stock Android and it's cheaper apparently you can install stock Android to it so might be worth getting that.

g0g

Thinking about this as an upgrade for my RedMi 3S Prime just for a change. Not sure I'd like the bigger screen though. I'm also wondering if Mi5 might be better as if love NFC back and not too concerned about bands living near Dublin. That said, I love the idea of going back to normal android... Anyone pre ordered?

Tar.Aldarion

Looks very good yep

NATLOR

Lucas Hood wrote: »

Looks a great phone.

The xiaomi 5x is exact same phone without stock Android and it's cheaper apparently you can install stock Android to it so might be worth getting that.

Its actually cheaper than the 5X now can be got on presale for €183 but its a 45 day wait!

https://www.geekbuying.com/item/Global-Version-Xiaomi-Mi-A1-5-5-Inch-4GB-64GB-Smartphone-Black-385504.html

Lucas Hood

I might pick one up just to give the dual cameras a try.

Mark Hamill

NATLOR wrote: »

Its actually cheaper than the 5X now can be got on presale for €183 but its a 45 day wait!

https://www.geekbuying.com/item/Global-Version-Xiaomi-Mi-A1-5-5-Inch-4GB-64GB-Smartphone-Black-385504.html

HK stock means it's coming from Hong Kong? How likely are you to get stung by customs?

I'm thinking of getting this as an Xmas present for my OH, to replace her Vodafone Smart Ultra 6, which I imagine it will be a good upgrade from. But how does it compare to a Nexus 5x, which I have? Significant difference in the Chipsets/CPUs?

914

Looks very good indeed. I see it also supports 4g bands in Ireland which was previously an issue with some xiaomi models in the past.

All it seems to be missing is nfc and an FM radio. If neither of them are important to you it looks like a great purchase.

Stock android, camera reviews seem to be good also.

914

Forgot to mention that Honourbuy have available for pre order it with EU shipping so you should not get caught for customs that way.

Soccarboy11

anybody end up ordering one of these from one of these websites? Had issues with gearbest etc in the past so hesitant to order from one! Looks like a great device though and can't find a different alternative to buy from . Which site would you guys recommend?

914

Soccarboy11 wrote: »

anybody end up ordering one of these from one of these websites? Had issues with gearbest etc in the past so hesitant to order from one! Looks like a great device though and can't find a different alternative to buy from . Which site would you guys recommend?

Haven't purchased the miA1 but i would recommend HK Goldway on Aliexpress.

spongerobinson

I have one and I ordered it from HK Goldway. Took about 8 days to get to me. No customs either if you pay for DHL Express delivery. Very happy with it so far, although it's only been a couple of days.

SmallBalls

Bought from Banggood, 206 euro + 4 euro parcel motel, 10 days with standard delivery and it was in my locker. No customs either, happy days.

davegilly

When did you order/receive it?
I ordered two of them from Geekbuying (paid €184 each) about a month ago and it hasn't even shipped yet. The missus is getting more and more annoyed every day waiting as her current phones screen is broken and wrecking her head!
Are you happy with it?

Soccarboy11

thanks for the replies guys!

SmallBalls

Ordered mine on 21st Oct and it landed at my PM locker on the 31st.

quinnd6

This is one of the phones I was thinking of.
Are there any issues with app compatibility?
Do banking apps, netflix and apps that have Android Widevine level 1 DRM work on it?

spongerobinson

quinnd6 wrote: »

This is one of the phones I was thinking of.
Are there any issues with app compatibility?
Do banking apps, netflix and apps that have Android Widevine level 1 DRM work on it?

No idea about the DRM stuff, but it's stock android maintained by Google. I have no problems with my online banking or any other apps I've tried so far.

harpstilidie

Think I'm going to take the plunge and order one of these. Just have a few questions...

Is HK Goldway the best place to order it?

Can I pay with PayPal?

Should I order anything else with it? E.g. Screen protector, case.

I assume the battery is completely non-replaceable? I know my current phone wouldn't have lasted as long if I had not replaced the battery. Thanks.

g0g

Anyone watching the live launch of Spain store/operations? €229 they just confirmed for A1, dunno how much for shipping or if they ship

Ardennes1944

g0g wrote: »

Anyone watching the live launch of Spain store/operations? €229 they just confirmed for A1, dunno how much for shipping or if they ship

Have a link?

Edit: https://www.androidcentral.com/xiaomi-brings-mi-a1-and-mi-mix-2-europe

Amalgam

A feature worth mentioning is up to date security patches.

If you can forego NFC, get the Xiaomi A1 over the Moto G5S/G5S Plus. Update support for Moto phones is nonexistent. Security is still dated July 1, 2017, for the G5S handsets.

Lenovo forum feedback on eventual updates is apathetic at best.

any reports from owners on the actual camera performance?
dual cameras mainly only for bokeh effects.
how is low-light usage on this?

Amalgam

Amalgam wrote: »

A feature worth mentioning is up to date security patches.

If you can forego NFC, get the Xiaomi A1 over the Moto G5S/G5S Plus. Update support for Moto phones is nonexistent. Security is still dated July 1, 2017, for the G5S handsets.

Lenovo forum feedback on eventual updates is apathetic at best.

https://www.androidcentral.com/xiaomi-mi-a1-review

Software updates

The only unknown when it comes to the software side of things is the update situation. Previous Android One devices have received updates directly from Google, but that will not be the case with the Mi A1. As the phone features a dual camera setup, Xiaomi has bundled its own Mi camera app instead of Google Camera. Xiaomi also pre-installed the Mi Remote app, which lets you use the IR blaster to control your TV, air con, or set-top box.

As a result of these additions, Xiaomi will be in charge of software updates for the Mi A1. The brand is committing to quick updates, and Google has stated that the phone will receive Oreo before the end of the year. Furthermore, the Mi A1 will be one of the first devices to pick up the Android P update next year.

Vahevala

glasso wrote: »

any reports from owners on the actual camera performance?
dual cameras mainly only for bokeh effects.
how is low-light usage on this?

From what I read, low light shots are poor.

Soccarboy11

Was waiting for them to launch in spain! Hopefully they will be able to ship to Ireland

spongerobinson

glasso wrote: »

https://www.androidcentral.com/xiaomi-mi-a1-review

Software updates

The only unknown when it comes to the software side of things is the update situation. Previous Android One devices have received updates directly from Google, but that will not be the case with the Mi A1. As the phone features a dual camera setup, Xiaomi has bundled its own Mi camera app instead of Google Camera. Xiaomi also pre-installed the Mi Remote app, which lets you use the IR blaster to control your TV, air con, or set-top box.

As a result of these additions, Xiaomi will be in charge of software updates for the Mi A1. The brand is committing to quick updates, and Google has stated that the phone will receive Oreo before the end of the year. Furthermore, the Mi A1 will be one of the first devices to pick up the Android P update next year.

Thats the first I've heard of that. I know Mi Remote can be uninstalled, as I've done it myself. I've already had two security updates and I've had the phone less then two weeks. That's more security updates then I ever received before with Samung and Motorola phones.

spongerobinson

spongerobinson wrote: »

Thats the first I've heard of that. I know Mi Remote can be uninstalled, as I've done it myself. I've already had two security updates and I've had the phone less then two weeks. That's more security updates then I ever received before with Samung and Motorola phones.

maybe it's just in relation to major releases e.g. next android version as opposed to security patches.

davegilly

Mine arrived today. €21.50 in duty so about €200 all in.
Lovely phone, delighted with it  Very slippery though and the case I ordered 6 weeks ago still hasnt arrived from China

davegilly

davegilly wrote: »

Mine arrived today. €21.50 in duty so about €200 all in.
Lovely phone, delighted with it  Very slippery though and the case I ordered 6 weeks ago still hasnt arrived from China

where did you order?

NATLOR

davegilly wrote: »

Mine arrived today. €21.50 in duty so about €200 all in.
Lovely phone, delighted with it  Very slippery though and the case I ordered 6 weeks ago still hasnt arrived from China

How was the duty so low should have been 23% plus handling fee

davegilly

glasso wrote: »

where did you order?

Geekbuying. They had a prelaunch sale about 6 weeks ago and I ordered it then.

davegilly

NATLOR wrote: »

How was the duty so low should have been 23% plus handling fee

No idea. I didnt ask them
Maybe geekbuying put a low value on the customs form, I didnt look at it to be honest.

TheDriver

Any camera reviews from anyone who has bought one? Is Spain amazon is stocking it, i assume co.UK might stock it

Soccarboy11

TheDriver wrote: »

Any camera reviews from anyone who has bought one? Is Spain amazon is stocking it, i assume co.UK might stock it

Spanish amazon has the black one up for pre-order here, along with the two year warranty, sold and shipped by amazon so its legit! https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B076VLDF6P/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1AT7YVPFBWXBL&th=1

shipping to ireland is about 8 euro but this is a much better option then buying off one of the other sides imo

maximo31

Just purchased from the Spanish Amazon. €240.49 all in.

paddy19

Love the phone and the two-year guarantee with Amazon.es.

Any issues with the Spanish version with the Irish 3g and 4g frequencies.

All operators with physical buildouts in Ireland use both band 3 and band 20 in their LTE networks.

I can't see any technical details on the Amazon site.

Spain seems to use 4G 1800/2600Mhz but no band 20 800MhZ.

NATLOR

There is only one version of the phone, which works with all Irish mobile providers

paddy19

"There is only one version of the phone, which works with all Irish mobile providers"

Not sure about this statement GSMArena is showing 6 versions ("GLOBAL, INDIA, RUSSIA, VIETNAM, HONG KONG and INDONESIA).

https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_a1-8776.php#global

paddy19

Usual story, after some more digging around I found the Mi Spanish site has the bands and it includes the crucial B3 and B20.

http://www.mi.com/es/mi-a1/specs/

GSM B2, B3, B5, B8
UMTS B1, B2, B5, B8
FDD-LTE B1, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B20
TDD-LTE B38, B40

maximo31

Hi , just wondering if a different charger will be required for this phone?
If so could someone please put up a link where i can purchase.

NATLOR

paddy19 wrote: »

"There is only one version of the phone, which works with all Irish mobile providers"

Not sure about this statement GSMArena is showing 6 versions ("GLOBAL, INDIA, RUSSIA, VIETNAM, HONG KONG and INDONESIA).

https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_a1-8776.php#global

If you click on the different countries there is no change in any of the specs, its exactly the same phone

paddy19

Not so Natlor, you may have disabled some script which stopped the site showing the different bands:

Global LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 38(2600), 40(2300)
India LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 40(2300), 41(2500)
Russia LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 38(2600), 40(2300)

onlyme!

There is a seller on ebay, based in dublin selling these phones 196 GBP about 222 euro

Kenny Logins

onlyme! wrote: »

There is a seller on ebay, based in dublin selling these phones 196 GBP about 222 euro

+ £15 postage

...from Singapore?

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/NEW-Xiaomi-Mi-A1-64GB-4GB-Ram-Dual-Sim-Black-UK-SHIP/302508077965

onlyme!

Kenny Logins wrote: »

onlyme! wrote: »

There is a seller on ebay, based in dublin selling these phones 196 GBP about 222 euro

+ £15 postage

...from Singapore?

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/NEW-Xiaomi-Mi-A1-64GB-4GB-Ram-Dual-Sim-Black-UK-SHIP/302508077965

free delivery and its either in dublin or uk

Kenny Logins

onlyme! wrote: »

free delivery and its either in dublin or uk

Link?

it's the ebay link posted earlier.... safer I think to buy from amazon to get an actual warranty for 2 years imo as opposed to a "1 year seller warranty" (whatever that is - no legal basis and specifically says not a manufacturer warranty). worth the extra 15 to 20 euro.

Kenny Logins

glasso wrote: »

it's the ebay link posted earlier....

Sorry, where? I can't find it.

Kenny Logins

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Sorry, where? I can't find it.

It's two posts above this

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/NEW-Xiaomi-Mi-A1-64GB-4GB-Ram-Dual-Sim-Black-UK-SHIP/302508077965

paddy19

Not sure I understand the logic of going with ebay on this phone.

Ebay cost is £195.90 (EUR 221.06) + £15.00 (EUR 16.93) = Eur 237.99

Amazon.se costs 240 euro delivered to Ireland.

Why would you buy a mobile from a ebayer who claims to be in Ireland but is actually in Singapore
when you get it from Amazon with a two year guarantee for an extra two euros.

Very strange.