Xiaomi Mi3 almost a stunner

SINGAPORE — While Xiaomi’s budget Redmi smartphones sold out within minutes of becoming available online, those looking for a device with more power could have been waiting for Xiaomi’s flagship smartphone, the Mi3. It comes with one of the most powerful mobile processors currently on the market and is priced at only S$419 without a contract.

But does that make it a compelling deal?

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset with a quad-core 2.3Ghz processor and backed by a 3,050 mAh battery, the full-HD 5-inch Mi3 packs all this into a magnesium-alloy body that is only 8.1mm thick.

All this power shows. The normal interface is obviously snappier than the Redmi’s. Every app I tried ran without a hitch and the phone battery easily lasted a full day of regular use. If you are looking for power balanced with battery life in a great-looking body, the Mi3 is a great choice.

The Mi3, like the Redmi, also comes with Xiaomi’s MIUI, which is a great interface for Android phones. I have come to appreciate it as a great balance between the simplicity of iOS and the configurability of Android. One key difference is that the Mi3 does not have a Lite mode, unlike the Redmi. But if you are getting the Mi3, you are not likely going to be using it anyway.

The smartphone also comes with a 13-megapixel camera with dual LED flash. Photos captured come out pretty sharp — with obvious muddiness only when zoomed in all the way — and the HDR mode is great fun to use. It is one of the better smartphone cameras out there. If you are fond of selfies, the Mi3 comes with a 2-megapixel front camera.

However, there are some caveats for the Mi3. For starters, the phone comes with only 16GB of storage that is not expandable and the battery is not removable.

As these two options are available in the Redmi, it is odd not to see them in the Mi3 too. If you need lots of space for your photos and apps, the Mi3 might not be a good fit.

The Mi3 also does not come with 4G. That helps with battery life, but if you spend most of your time surfing the Web on the move, this might be an issue.

First launched in China in September last year, the Xiaomi Mi3 is a very powerful phone. Coupled with the MIUI interface and packing a huge battery, the Mi3 is a compelling buy.

However, with only 16GB of space — and no expansion slot — and the inability to swap in a spare battery, the flagship Mi3 does not have some of the benefits of the budget Redmi. Add the lack of 4G to that and it becomes important to decide what you really need your phone for before buying it.

Still, there is a lot of technology packed into a budget-priced smartphone and Xiaomi remains one to watch in the smartphone market.

The Xiaomi Mi3 will be available online at http://www.xiaomi.com/sg/ at noon today for S$419 without contract.

UPDATE: The Xiaomi Mi3 sold out in two minutes, the phonemaker announced this afternoon at 12.42pm.