Display
The display is gorgeous on Mi3. The color reproduction, sharpness, viewing angles and outdoor visibility is all impressive on 5 inch IPS LCD Full HD display panel. Several users have reported some manufacturing defect with the display, but that is not a defect you have to remove the thin plastic display protector before you start using your Mi3, it’s not a scratch guard and you don’t need one either thanks to Gorilla Glass3. The thin film on top will also interfere with proximity sensor and might even lead to call dropping and other weird stuff. Remember to get rid of it. The touch is also quite sensitive.
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
There has been lot of confusion on this part, but Xiaomi has officially confirmed on social media channels and to us that all units shipped in India come with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. This is good news and the absence of Gorilla Glass 3 could have been a deal breaker for many. — Mi India (@MiIndiaOfficial) July 22, 2014
Internal storage
The internal storage is not expandable on Xiaomi Mi3. Since Xiaomi will be retailing only 16 GB variant in India for now, you will have to remain content with 16 GB of internal storage out of which 11.5 GB is available on first boot for apps and data. Will this be sufficient? For most basic users yes, if you plan on keeping oodles of multimedia content and games on your phone, you might want to rethink. USB OTG support is also present to take care of Multimedia part.
Limited Stocks
Even if you register before purchase, you might not get your device on the sales day. Xiaomi Mi3 went out of stock in less than 40 minutes on July 22. You don’t have to pay any price to register, but it’s essential to register if you wish to purchase on the next sale’s day. Many users are crying foul after their orders didn’t get placed. Even to dismay of many who placed their orders, Flipkart has canceled several random orders. Like Moto G and Moto E, stock crisis will eventually end but it will take several weeks.
Android KitKat
Initial reports suggested Mi3 to be running on Android 4.2 jelly bean based MIUI, which cast several aspersions on the future proofing of the device. In India Xiaomi Mi3 is shipping with Android 4.4.2 KitKat which means you will be able to run all apps on play store and can also connect with Android Wear smartwatch, should you buy one.
SIM Tray
After you buy the Xiaomi Mi3, be sure to properly eject your SIM tray using SIM ejector tool. Do not insert SIM card without the tray. Read instructions before you do so. If you damage your SIM card tray (which many have in the past) repairing cost will be 9,500 INR, so it’s better to take expert advice before you proceed. You can also watch Xiaomi’s official Video tutorial for the same.
Non Removable Battery
Although we are quite happy with the battery backup which lasted one day with moderate to heavy usage, the battery is not removable. This doesn’t mean that you can’t get it replaced. You will have to visit Xiaomi Service center to get the battery replaced.
Service Centers
Xiaomi announced 36 service centers in 20 major cities of India. Two service centers in Delhi and Banglore will be operated directly by Xiaomi and will have turnaround time of only 2 hours. Xiaomi will train personnel in all service centers and increase this number in coming years. It’s advisable to inquire service center nearest to your location before you place your order.
Performance
The performance is one of the best that you can buy at this price range. GPS locking takes no time and you can sail through MIUI with ease. The Snapdragon 800 chipset at 13,999 INR is a steal and one of the most alluring hardware feature of Mi3. It does heated after 20 to 25 minutes of intensive gaming like most other phones which can be a deal breaker for high end gaming, for other practical purposes and moderate gaming it won’t be an issue.
Xiaomi Mi3 Hardware Benchmarks, Gaming Review with HD Games and Heating Problem Overview
Camera Quality
Both front and rear camera’s are very good in Quality. The 13 MP rear shooter is a good point and shoot camera with natural colors and good low light performance. Take a look at the image samples in different lighting conditions and Video Samples.
