Brought to you by Xiaomi.
The Xiaomi Mi 9T is Xiaomi’s latest addition to the their line of mid-range devices. But the thing about the phone is, that while the price ranges in mid-tier lineup, it’s specs are comparable to flagships. The fact is, this is Xiaomi’s flagship killer for a reason. The Mi 9T starts off at RM 1199 for 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, making it one of the more affordable, powerful devices out in the market right now. And just for a fun fact, the retail price of the Mi 9T in Malaysia, is the lowest globally, making it a better deal for us Malaysians. Not to mention that the Mi 9T boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, which is also makes it the first in Malaysia with the processor.
The new chips are based on the power-efficient 8nm manufacturing process which makes it power-efficient as well as using two powerful Cortex-A76-based Kryo 470 cores, which gives it a 35% performance boost over the Snapdragon 710. That’s why it’s such a powerful mid-range device, and makes it one of the best in the market right now.
With first come first, Xiaomi certainly is upping their game with their devices, especially bringing it to Malaysia with that price point, making it stand out amongst the rest of the mid-rangers. And that’s not all the device has to offer. Some of the main flagship level features and specs that make it stand out are:
1. A Fiery, Unique Design
The first thing you’ll instantly notice about the phone is the screen and the back of the design. The rear has a ‘fire’ like design pattern that instantly makes it stand out amongst other mid-tier devices which have already succumbed to being the same design, over and over. They call it a ‘Fiery dynamic rear finish’, which I’m inclined to agree with. Check out the video above, and you’ll know what we mean.
As the light hits the back of the Mi 9T, it’s almost shimmering, and changing the look of the phone completely. It really is something that instantly catches people’s attention, and for a phone to do that in this day and age, is quite impressive. The phone got me some looks, so that’s an added bonus. I mean, the first time I saw it, even I was somewhat taken aback at how cool it actually looked. It does feel like there’s a fire in the rear of the phone, crystalised and encased in your smartphone. It’s like something out of Harry Potter.
2. Beautiful Full-view Display
The Mi 9T does not skimp out on the display, as it comes with a 6.39-inch AMOLED FHD+ display, and no notch. What more could you ask for? Because of the pop up camera, you get a 85.94% screen-to-body ratio, which makes it ideal for gaming, watching videos, and basically anything you do on a smartphone. That, coupled with a scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 5 makes it a durable, dapper looking device.
Another feature the Mi 9T has, is called Sunlight mode 2.0. This essentially enables an extra bright mode, when there’s intense light around. You can enable the bright mode for a screen that is 39% brighter than normal. So even in your day to day activities in the Sun, you can still see that AMOLED display. I noticed that this was actually a feature that I ended up using quite a bit. Using a phone directly under sunlight is never a fun time, so the way the Mi 9T handles it, it’s quite well implemented.
3. Triple Rear Cam Setup and Pop Up Selfie Camera
The Mi 9T comes with a triple rear cam setup, with 48MP f/1.75 main camera, a 13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide angle lens and a 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens that allows for the 2X optical zoom. On the front you’ve got a 20MP AI-assisted pop up camera. But the thing about pop up cameras, everyone always speculates on the durability of it all. Well, Xiaomi assures that the selfie motor can retract and pop up, up to 300,000 times.
And for those of you who aren’t great at maths (like me), that’s a lot of selfies. So rest assured, the pop up camera will work as intended, and also, the Mi 9T has a fall detector, so the camera knows to retract if it detects that the phone is falling. A neat little feature that shows Xiaomi has thought their designs and plans through.
Check out some pics taken with the phone, and you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about. It’s a solid camera, and especially at that price, who can argue with it?
4. Impressive Battery, Processor & Software Integration
To add on to the package, the Mi 9T is the first in the Mi 9 series to come with a massive 4000mAh battery. That’s impressive considering that you usually find a battery that size on devices that cost RM 2000 and above. And with that, they’re saying the phone is capable of lasting up to 18 hours on a single charge, making it capable of all day use. That matched with an 18W fast charging (18W fast charger included), you’ll definitely be able to last all day, and a fast charge time to boot. I didn’t have much problems with the battery, so I think that’s another win for the phone.
I mentioned the processor before, but it really does make a difference being the first player in the country. In a way, Xiaomi has cemented their place in the mid-range because of their efforts of being the first. Not only is the Snapdragon 730 powerful, but it comes with a Mi Turbo and Game Turbo mode as well. The Game Turbo mode essentially gives you a boost to game sensitivity and responsiveness, and has tools like visual enhancement which allows you to play with a customised configuration.
The Mi Turbo essentially reduces file fragmentation and keeps your system running smooth for up to 18 months. So the software optimisations support the hardware in a way that creates a good synergy between the two.
5. Price And Colour Variants
As I mentioned before, the price of the Mi 9T is lowest globally in Malaysia. It comes in two variants, 6GB + 64GB for RM 1199 and 6GB + 128GB for RM 1399, making it quite a steal for what it’s offering you. The phone comes in three pretty unique colours; Carbon Black, Glacier Blue, and Flame Red. So you’re spoiled for choice really, and the fact of the matter is, the phone is a steal.
If you’re looking for a flagship specs, great cameras, at an attractive price point, the Xiaomi Mi 9T is for you.
