- Analysis by KJ David
Not exactly an upgrade over the plain Mi 9, the unlocked Xiaomi Mi 9T steps down from its base model's robust 8GB RAM to only 6GB this time, which we consider a con, at least coming from a 2019 Q2 flagship wannabe. It also downgrades the Mi 9's premium-class (as of this technical Phonerated review) 2.84GHz eight-core processor to an eight-core chip that peaks at only 2.2GHz , hurting its chances of joining our list of the leading octa-core smartphones on the market.
Its somewhat unimpressive specs also include a 6.4-inch AMOLED screen that settles for a 2340 x 1080 (FHD definition only, seeing that a few of its closest high-end rivals bluster with 1440p QHD/QHD+ screen resolutions.
Where the Mi 9T does flex some ultra-high-end muscles is on the photography front, reminding us of some imaging-driven flagships with its AI-powered triple rear camera setup , which consists of a high-resolution 48-megapixel primary lens, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens that enables 2x optical zooming, and a 13-megapixel wide-angle lens for scenic shots -- up to 124.8 degrees wide.
Its imaging pros and cons also include a 20-megapixel pop-up selfie camera that calls up our list of the best selfie phones in town, at least when it comes to raw pixel resolution. Just like its rear cam, this motorized pop-up selfie cam features a bunch of AI optimizations and it comes with a sapphire glass lens cover.
Still on its pros, the Mi 9T banks on a 4000mAh battery coupled with an 18W fast-charging system, which is obviously more promising versus its mother model's 3300mAh-only battery pack. It also offers NFC (Near Field Communication) support, Bluetooth 5.0, and the Android 9.0 Pie platform overlaid with MIUI 10.
Rounding out its pros and cons is a non-expandable 128GB or 64GB memory as well as a finish of either Carbon Black, Glacier Blue, or Flame Red.
Summing up, the Mi 9T seems like a solid choice for budding mobile photographers who do not mind dealing with less-than-premium hardware components.
On-paper Review rating:
It's all well and good that the Xiaomi Mi 9T can record high-resolution 3840 x 2160 movies, but we were disappointed not to find any evidence of the Mi 9T featuring an HDMI port (which is convenient to watch HD videos on your shiny HDTV.)
- We recommend: The latest HDMI phone models
We didn't see a memory expansion slot.
It's disappointing that we could not find its weight information.
- Recommended alternative: Photo gallery of the latest slim phones
Its 2.2GHz processor speed running on 8 cores is part of the fastest in recent phones.
- Also read: List of the latest octa-core smartphones
NFC is becoming increasingly important for electronic payments and other applications.
- See also: The latest NFC-enabled phones
It carries the Miracast technology, a system that lets you share your display with a TV
We're dealing with a hefty display here, making it a phablet: 6.4 (actual diagonal size is 6.39 inches) inches and a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels means about 15.57 square inches and an image quality of at least 403 dots per inch (DPI)!
The Mi 9T is one of the rare phones to feature a 48-megapixel (combined with an 8-megapixel telephoto cam and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide cam) camera. It also sports these features: AI lens flare, AI studio lighting, Background blurring, Beautify, Burst, Group photo face correction, HDR, Motion tracking, Panorama, Portrait, Pro Mode, Short video editing, Smart slimming, Smart ultra-wide-angle mode, Steady handheld night photography, Timer, Video stabilizing, Watermark.
The 20-megapixel (pop-up) selfie cam offers an above-decent resolution.
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