Less than a year ago, the Chinese Xiaomi announced the Xiaomi Mi A2, powered by the Android One operating system, which started in 2017 with the successful Xiaomi Mi A1. And now, the manufacturer brings the new Xiaomi Mi A3.
Although Xiaomi says the new version is the best to date, the Xiaomi Mi A2, released in 2018, has become the world's best-selling Android One mobile, combining high-end specs with modern design and an extremely competitive price.
All Xiaomi Mi A line smartphones have as a common denominator the Android One, a clean operating system that delights the most purist fans of Google's operating system. However, with the passage of time, differences place the new Mi A3 (it could not be otherwise) as the most advanced smartphone in the series. But does that mean he's worth more than his previous generation?
Xiaomi Mi A3 vs Mi A3: Specifications
More size and less resolution for the screen
One change that is likely to be a disappointment to those who have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Mi A3 is the lowering of the screen resolution. From the Mi A5,99's 2-inch Full HD IPS panel, we now have an AMOLED screen produced by Samsung, with a diagonal of 6,08 inches and a resolution of "only" 1,560 x 720 pixels.
The display, however, adds a few extras, such as the optical fingerprint reader integrated into the display, and a drop-shaped notch, which replaces the pronounced frames that surrounded the Mi A2's panel.
We also found differences in their construction. For the first time in the Mi A range, it's time to say goodbye to aluminum, as it's a Gorilla Glass 5 panel that takes up the back of the phone. However, this does not mean that the device has received wireless charging support and water resistance is still not present.
A more powerful processor... but not by much
The best Xiaomi phones in 2022 The Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, despite not being one of the latest chips, has been able to deliver an excellent result over the years and, without a doubt, it was one of the strengths of the Mi A2 in relation to its rivals. On this occasion, Xiaomi decides to make the leap to the new generation, and start using the recent Snapdragon 655, a little more efficient than its predecessor, being manufactured in an eleven nanometer format, with eight Kryo 220 cores.
What doesn't change, however, are the internal memory settings. 64 or 128 GB of internal storage are still the only options available, although the battery has significantly improved, now with a capacity of 4.030 mAh. On the other hand, now only a 4GB RAM configuration is offered, so the top 6GB version is gone.
The triple sensor arrives and the selfie camera with 32 megapixels
We also see an important leap forward in terms of photography. From two they went from three sensors on the back of the phone, 48, 12 and 2 megapixels. The former is the same Sony IMX586 that's been on most smartphones this year, while the 12-megapixel is a wide-angle lens that lets you capture more of a scene's information, and the latter can only capture depth information. Then disappears the telephoto lens that so pleased Mi A2 users.
The changes also affect the selfie camera, as we go from 20 to 32 megapixels. While the leap is considerable, perhaps the software will determine whether or not a higher resolution sensor is worth it.
On paper, the Xiaomi Mi A3 doesn't look like an extreme evolution. We see interesting changes, such as the better processor, a higher capacity battery and a more advanced photographic system. However, other aspects, such as the lower screen resolution, may lead users to opt for a competitor.
And the prices?
If we take the price into account, the Mi A2 is currently costing around R$900 here in Spain, but as the Mi 3 is not yet released in Spain, let's consider the price in China, which is around R$ 650. Bearing in mind that the Xiaomi Mi A3 starts from R$ 1.050 (import value), the difference is too big to be worth it, given that the new Xiaomi Mi A3 doesn't bring big and significant improvements in general.
In fact, not that the Mi 3 is not worth buying, the truth is that in terms of values, the Mi 2 is much more worth it, for the price. Remembering that it is very likely that, when launched in Spain, the Xiaomi Mi A3 will cost much more than the approximately R$ 1050 it is costing in conversion. This is because Spanish import duties and taxes are not considered.
Watch our Xiaomi MI A2 review:
