We compare the popular mid range phones with the latest Chinese warrior, the Xiaomi Mi3 and see how it stacks up
The smartphone market is being flooded with new devices on a daily
basis, specially the mid-segment smartphone market has seen its fair
share of new entrants with some taking the comp
etition to an entirely
new level by incorporating high end premium features.
Xiaomi recently forayed into the Indian market with its Mi3 flagship. Mi3 opened a whole new multitude of features at an ultra-low price and set the benchmark for what a mid-ranger should look like.
Hugo Berra, the vice president of Marketing, Xiaomi is sure that its lineup will be well accepted by the customers and they would make the competitors bite the dust. We were impressed with the bunch of high end features and hardware Xiaomi is throwing in its Mi3 and all for the price of a Moto G. The situation conspired us to pit some of the well-known mid rangers against each other and check out which will take away the cup.
Design & Build Quality
The Desire 816 has inherited the typical sleek HTC design elements including the bezel that blends into the screen seeming like one unit. Fit and finish is top notch with no ugly bits here and there. The rear panel is devoid of any fancy elements like a chrome strip and is simple and bold with a HTC logo in grey.
Xiaomi Mi3 is thin at 8.8mm and it has a certain unique sleekness associated with it which makes the design bold and elegant. The front facade looks like a Chocolate bar with slightly tapered edges and the thin bezel holding the 5-inch screen. The capacitive buttons are backlit and sit at the bottom. The rear is finished in metallic and it houses the camera lens along with the LED flash at the corner.
Galaxy Core 2 looks just like any other Samsung phone except the fact that the edges are a bit sharper. The single physical home button is associated with the usual capacitive button. Home button has a chrome strip running along its boundaries. The speaker grill and the entire device as a matter of fact has a chrome strip adorning its boundaries. The rear panel is beveled at the edges and it has a three fin grill next to the camera lens and the flash unit. The rear panel is not glossy and has a quasi-matte finish.
Display and Audio Performance
When it comes to display HTC Desire 816 has the largest screen at 5.5 inches followed by Mi3 with 5 inch screen and the Core 2 with a 4.5 inch display unit. Xiaomi Mi3 is the only complete HD screen here with the resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels followed by the HTC Desire that has a 720p screen with the least resolution being the Galaxy Core 2 at 480 x 800 pixels. Pixel densities are a measure of how well defined a pixel is and thus the resulting quality of the display.
The more the pixel the more is the clarity. Xiaomi again takes the glory as it has a breathtaking pixel density of 440ppi which is more than the Apple iPhone 5S. HTC has a not so impressive pixel density of 267ppi with Galaxy Core 2 sitting even lower than 207ppi. Xiaomi had very good viewing angles with the brightness and the color reproduction remaining intact even at an angle of 180 degree.
Audio and music options galore in the HTC Desire 816 which has surround sound options along with Dolby inbuilt. It also features the Boom Sound system which is bliss for watching movies. The Xiaomi has an impressive Music player overlay and it is somewhat similar to the Nokia Mix Radio interface. Galaxy Core has the usual single speaker setup with the bunch of default equalizers. Loudspeaker is the best in HTC 816 followed by the Xiaomi Mi3 and the Samsung Galaxy Core 2 comes at last.
Hardware Performance
This is the test that checks out which of the following handset packs the punch. Xiaomi Mi3 has a Quad Core Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at 2.3GHz coupled with a 2GB RAM. We were extremely overwhelmed to see such high end hardware on a mid-range phone costing just around 14k. Xiaomi further impressed us with the Snapdragon 800 chipsets which we usually come across only in high end flagships.
The HTC Desire 816 hosts a 1.6GHz Snapdragon 400 processor which is no match for the Xiaomi Mi3s Snapdragon 800 but if we set aside that fact it is a pretty decent processor. RAM stands at 1.5GB which again will pose no problem for the performance.
Samsung has incorporated a 1.2GHz Quad core processor which now seems dated. The Galaxy Core 2 has a strange 768MB RAM which we feel is an absolute pittance. In performance sector Xiaomi has a clear sweep and it just gobbles up anything you throw at it with sheer diligence.
Xiaomi recently forayed into the Indian market with its Mi3 flagship. Mi3 opened a whole new multitude of features at an ultra-low price and set the benchmark for what a mid-ranger should look like.
Hugo Berra, the vice president of Marketing, Xiaomi is sure that its lineup will be well accepted by the customers and they would make the competitors bite the dust. We were impressed with the bunch of high end features and hardware Xiaomi is throwing in its Mi3 and all for the price of a Moto G. The situation conspired us to pit some of the well-known mid rangers against each other and check out which will take away the cup.
Design & Build Quality
The Desire 816 has inherited the typical sleek HTC design elements including the bezel that blends into the screen seeming like one unit. Fit and finish is top notch with no ugly bits here and there. The rear panel is devoid of any fancy elements like a chrome strip and is simple and bold with a HTC logo in grey.
Xiaomi Mi3 is thin at 8.8mm and it has a certain unique sleekness associated with it which makes the design bold and elegant. The front facade looks like a Chocolate bar with slightly tapered edges and the thin bezel holding the 5-inch screen. The capacitive buttons are backlit and sit at the bottom. The rear is finished in metallic and it houses the camera lens along with the LED flash at the corner.
Galaxy Core 2 looks just like any other Samsung phone except the fact that the edges are a bit sharper. The single physical home button is associated with the usual capacitive button. Home button has a chrome strip running along its boundaries. The speaker grill and the entire device as a matter of fact has a chrome strip adorning its boundaries. The rear panel is beveled at the edges and it has a three fin grill next to the camera lens and the flash unit. The rear panel is not glossy and has a quasi-matte finish.
Display and Audio Performance
When it comes to display HTC Desire 816 has the largest screen at 5.5 inches followed by Mi3 with 5 inch screen and the Core 2 with a 4.5 inch display unit. Xiaomi Mi3 is the only complete HD screen here with the resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels followed by the HTC Desire that has a 720p screen with the least resolution being the Galaxy Core 2 at 480 x 800 pixels. Pixel densities are a measure of how well defined a pixel is and thus the resulting quality of the display.
The more the pixel the more is the clarity. Xiaomi again takes the glory as it has a breathtaking pixel density of 440ppi which is more than the Apple iPhone 5S. HTC has a not so impressive pixel density of 267ppi with Galaxy Core 2 sitting even lower than 207ppi. Xiaomi had very good viewing angles with the brightness and the color reproduction remaining intact even at an angle of 180 degree.
Audio and music options galore in the HTC Desire 816 which has surround sound options along with Dolby inbuilt. It also features the Boom Sound system which is bliss for watching movies. The Xiaomi has an impressive Music player overlay and it is somewhat similar to the Nokia Mix Radio interface. Galaxy Core has the usual single speaker setup with the bunch of default equalizers. Loudspeaker is the best in HTC 816 followed by the Xiaomi Mi3 and the Samsung Galaxy Core 2 comes at last.
Hardware Performance
This is the test that checks out which of the following handset packs the punch. Xiaomi Mi3 has a Quad Core Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at 2.3GHz coupled with a 2GB RAM. We were extremely overwhelmed to see such high end hardware on a mid-range phone costing just around 14k. Xiaomi further impressed us with the Snapdragon 800 chipsets which we usually come across only in high end flagships.
The HTC Desire 816 hosts a 1.6GHz Snapdragon 400 processor which is no match for the Xiaomi Mi3s Snapdragon 800 but if we set aside that fact it is a pretty decent processor. RAM stands at 1.5GB which again will pose no problem for the performance.
Samsung has incorporated a 1.2GHz Quad core processor which now seems dated. The Galaxy Core 2 has a strange 768MB RAM which we feel is an absolute pittance. In performance sector Xiaomi has a clear sweep and it just gobbles up anything you throw at it with sheer diligence.
Software & UI
The HTC 816 runs on Android KitKat 4.4.4 and the UI feels butter smooth on the 5.5 inch display. The addition of Sense UI 6 is something that adds substantial value to the Desire 816. It lets you control the phone with some simple Sense gestures and it has the Blink feed which is literally a HUB which aggregates all your Social signals and the news you are interested in and then it also has an option wherein you can download the news when you have Wi-Fi and then read it offline.
Xiaomi on the contrary still runs on the ancient Android Jellybean and is not going to get a KitKat update soon which we feel is a major blooper otherwise in this perfect machine. It has its Mi overlay which is a teeny bit similar to the Gionee Amigo UI overlay.
The good thing is that overlay doesn’t make the device sluggish by feasting on the RAM, Just like how the Samsung’s TouchWiz UI does. The icons are flattened out and have a edged approach rather than a rounded off one. I feel the Xiaomi interface is excessively colorful with the notification center being detailed with extended customizable options.
Samsung Galaxy Core 2 employs Touch Wiz and also hosts the rounded icons just like in its elder brother the Galaxy S5. Samsung has finally put the TouchWiz under the knife and thankfully its much faster and more efficient now. The bloat ware like behavior of the TouchWiz has been toned down and along with the KitKat it doesn’t gobble up the RAM like before. I was impressed actually with the Samsung’s entire UI structuring and functionality.
Connectivity and Battery Life
Androids has a shady reputation of being power guzzlers just like those big V6 Sports Utility Vehicles. The battery life lies on how well the phones software is fine-tuned with the hardware. The HTC has a 2600mAh non removable battery stacked inside its unibody which on an average lets you use the device for a day but however due to the large screen the battery sometimes struggles through the entire day.
Xiaomi on the other hand has a mammoth 3050mAh battery which ensures that even with mixed usage you get a battery life of an entire day. We feel that if Xiaomi rolls out the ultra-efficient Android KitKat for the Mi3 then the battery backup will improve further. Samsung Galaxy Core owing to its smaller processor and a descent 200mAh battery lasts for an entire day without much niggles.
Pricing and Value
The devices we featured today have different characteristics and features. The mid segment battle has turned into a war with the manufacturers going overboard and introducing better features at attractive prices. Xiaomi has struck the right chord with its Mi3. Mi3 will surely shake down the domestic manufacturers like Micromax, Lava along with mid-range devices from international brands.
HTC is a good bet specialy if you are looking for a mid-ranger in sub 25k category that is classy and comes from a reputed manufacturer.
Samsung seems to be in a deep slumber as they are still churning out outdated phones with hardware specs that are too old. Design aspect is another issue with Samsung, they should move out of their usual egg shaped device to much slimmer and sleek approach.The chrome treatment is a good thing but these small tweaks won’t suffice for long unless Samsung completely overhauls their lineup.
The HTC 816 runs on Android KitKat 4.4.4 and the UI feels butter smooth on the 5.5 inch display. The addition of Sense UI 6 is something that adds substantial value to the Desire 816. It lets you control the phone with some simple Sense gestures and it has the Blink feed which is literally a HUB which aggregates all your Social signals and the news you are interested in and then it also has an option wherein you can download the news when you have Wi-Fi and then read it offline.
Xiaomi on the contrary still runs on the ancient Android Jellybean and is not going to get a KitKat update soon which we feel is a major blooper otherwise in this perfect machine. It has its Mi overlay which is a teeny bit similar to the Gionee Amigo UI overlay.
The good thing is that overlay doesn’t make the device sluggish by feasting on the RAM, Just like how the Samsung’s TouchWiz UI does. The icons are flattened out and have a edged approach rather than a rounded off one. I feel the Xiaomi interface is excessively colorful with the notification center being detailed with extended customizable options.
Samsung Galaxy Core 2 employs Touch Wiz and also hosts the rounded icons just like in its elder brother the Galaxy S5. Samsung has finally put the TouchWiz under the knife and thankfully its much faster and more efficient now. The bloat ware like behavior of the TouchWiz has been toned down and along with the KitKat it doesn’t gobble up the RAM like before. I was impressed actually with the Samsung’s entire UI structuring and functionality.
Connectivity and Battery Life
Androids has a shady reputation of being power guzzlers just like those big V6 Sports Utility Vehicles. The battery life lies on how well the phones software is fine-tuned with the hardware. The HTC has a 2600mAh non removable battery stacked inside its unibody which on an average lets you use the device for a day but however due to the large screen the battery sometimes struggles through the entire day.
Xiaomi on the other hand has a mammoth 3050mAh battery which ensures that even with mixed usage you get a battery life of an entire day. We feel that if Xiaomi rolls out the ultra-efficient Android KitKat for the Mi3 then the battery backup will improve further. Samsung Galaxy Core owing to its smaller processor and a descent 200mAh battery lasts for an entire day without much niggles.
Pricing and Value
The devices we featured today have different characteristics and features. The mid segment battle has turned into a war with the manufacturers going overboard and introducing better features at attractive prices. Xiaomi has struck the right chord with its Mi3. Mi3 will surely shake down the domestic manufacturers like Micromax, Lava along with mid-range devices from international brands.
HTC is a good bet specialy if you are looking for a mid-ranger in sub 25k category that is classy and comes from a reputed manufacturer.
Samsung seems to be in a deep slumber as they are still churning out outdated phones with hardware specs that are too old. Design aspect is another issue with Samsung, they should move out of their usual egg shaped device to much slimmer and sleek approach.The chrome treatment is a good thing but these small tweaks won’t suffice for long unless Samsung completely overhauls their lineup.
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