Xiaomi Mi 9T: Why this smartphone is still relevant in 2026?

Xiaomi Mi 9T (He's a Redmi. K20 The company launched in 2019, but it remains one of the brand’s most talked-about budget flagships. It's a combination of top-end specs, a unique design with a retractable front camera, and a price that even today looks attractive in the secondary market. AMOLED-display without cutouts became the main trump card of the model.

But is Mi so good? 9T In 2026, should you buy it now, whether it's new stock from warehouses or second-hand? In this guide, we'll look at the key benefits of a smartphone, compare it to today's public sector, evaluate the relevance of firmware and performance, and tell you what to look for when buying. If you need a reliable device for social networks, photos and mid-level games – this Xiaomi may still surprise.

1. Design and Ergonomics: Why Mi 9T It still looks modern.

The first thing that catches your eye when looking at Xiaomi Mi 9T — This is a retractable front camera, and in 2019, this was an innovation, and today, when most brands have moved to the "holes" in the screen or thick bezels, Mi is a big name. 9T It's not only aesthetically pleasing, it's practical, because there's no dead zone that interferes with watching videos or playing games.

The body of the smartphone is made of glass with 3D-The gradient, which shimmers with the angle of light, is officially available in three colors: Carbon Black (black), Flame Red (red), and Glacier Blue (blue), the latter being a particularly popular one, which creates a holographic glow. At the same time, the smartphone does not slide in the hands thanks to slightly rounded edges and matte inserts on the frame.

• 📏 Dimensions: 156.7 × 74.3 × 8.8 It is conveniently in one hand, despite the large screen.
• ⚖️ Weight: 191g - not the lightest, but balanced.
• 🔄 Retractable mechanism: tested on 300,000 cycles (according to Xiaomi), which is equivalent ~5 years of active use.
• 🛡️ Gorilla Glass 5 front and rear, but without an official waterproof rating (IP-certificate).

⚠️ Attention: Retractable cameras are not only a plus, but also a potential risk, and if the mechanism gets clogged with dust or damaged by a fall, repairs will cost 30 to 50 percent of the cost of a smartphone on the secondary market. Before buying a used device, be sure to check the smoothness of the module (it should be pushed out without creaking and delays).

2. AMOLED-Screenshot: Why it's better IPS even in 2026

Mi 9T fitted 6.39-inch AMOLED-resolution-screen 2340 × 1080 (Full HD+) side-relation 19.5:9. Compared to IPS-Matrices, which are often put in budget smartphones, AMOLED There are several key advantages:

• 🌑 Deep black: The pixels simply turn off, giving you infinite contrast (1:∞). Ideal for watching movies and games with dark scenes.
• ☀️ Brightness up to 600 nits: the screen reads well in the sun, although it is inferior to the flagships of 2023-2026 (800-1200 nits).
• 🎨 Support HDR10: It allows you to watch content with extended dynamic range on Netflix, YouTube and other platforms.
• 🔋 Energy efficiency: Black pixels do not consume energy, which has a positive effect on battery life.

Another plus is the built-in underscreen fingerprint sensor, which was a rarity in the mid-range segment in 2019, and is now available in almost all smartphones over 20,000. ₽, but in Mi 9T It's done surprisingly quickly and accurately. ~0.3 seconds and error response is minimal.

The main disadvantage of the screen Mi 9T — This is not a high refresh rate (only 60 Hz). In 2026, even budget smartphones for 15 000. ₽ They offer 90 or 120Hz, which makes scrolling and animation smoother. However, unless you're a gamer and you're used to fast screens, the difference can be subtle.

3. Performance: Snapdragon 730 vs. Modern chips

The heart of Xiaomi Mi 9T Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor is an eight-core chip with Kryo 470 architecture (2 cores) Cortex-A76 at 2.2 GHz and 6 cores Cortex-A55 At the time of its release, it was one of the best chips in the mid-range, and today it can be compared to low-end solutions like the Snapdragon 680 or Helio. G99.

In everyday tasks (social networks, instant messengers, watching videos) 9T It works without any complaints, but with modern games, it's more complicated:

• 🎮 PUBG Mobile: Medium-sized settings, ~40 FPS (stable, no lags).
• 🎮 Genshin Impact: Low Settings, ~30 FPS (Possible slackening in battles).
• 🎮 Call of Duty: Mobile: High Settings, ~60 FPS (but with rare drawdowns).
• 🔥 Heat: During a long game session, the back panel is heated to ~42°C (not critical, but noticeable).

For comparison, modern smartphones on Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 or Dimensity 1080 cope with the same games at high settings with a frequency of 60.+ FPS. However, unless you’re an avid gamer, the Snapdragon 730 still pulls most of the work, especially after optimization. MIUI.

⚠️ Note: When buying a used Mi 9T Check the battery and heat conductor paste. Over time, the paste dries out, leading to overheating and trottling. If the smartphone warms up a lot even in simple tasks, you'll need to replace the paste (cost). ~1 500 ₽).

💡

The Snapdragon 730 in 2026 is suitable for everyday tasks and games in medium settings, but inferior to modern chips in performance and energy efficiency.

4.Cameras: What is the 48-megapixel sensor capable of in 2026?

The main module of Mi 9T — it 48 Sony's MP sensor IMX582 aperture f/1.75, supplemented 8 wide-angle (f/2.4, angle 124.8°) and 13 MT telephoto lens (f/2.4, 2× Optical zoom. Front camera — 20 MP with aperture f/2.2 (It sounds impressive on paper, but how are the cameras showing themselves today?

During the day, the pictures are detailed with good color reproduction, especially in the mode. HDR. However, in comparison with modern smartphones (even budget) there are noticeable disadvantages:

• 🌙 Night shooting: without a tripod, photos are noisy, and processing algorithms are inferior to Night Mode in new models.
• 🔍 Details: 100% magnification shows "soap" (blurring) due to aggressive noise reduction.
• 🎥 Video: Maximum resolution — 4K@30fps or 1080p@60fps, but without stabilization (only electronic, which cuts the frame).
• 🤳 Selfie: Retractable camera gives good detail, but portrait mode does not work perfectly (sometimes eats away at hair or ears).

For example, the budget Redmi Note 12 Pro (2023) with a 50MP main camera and optimized Night Mode shoots better in the dark. 9T They still have the job to do with social media.

5. Battery and autonomy: how long does the battery live in 5 years?

Xiaomi Mi 9T I got a 4,000 mAh battery, which is not bad for 2019, and even low-end smartphones today often have 5,000 mAh batteries, but it's important to consider the optimization and wear.

In the new conditions (without wear) the smartphone shows the following results:

• 📱 Screen: ~7-8 hours of active use (YouTube, social networks, instant messengers).
• 🎮 Games: ~4-5 hours in the PUBG Mobile on Medium Settings.
• 📞 Standby: Up to 2 days with moderate use.
• ⚡ Charging: 18W (Quick Charge 4.0), full charge over ~1.5 hours.

However, if the battery was in use for 3-4 years, its capacity could fall to 70-80% of the original capacity.

• Working hours will be reduced by 20-30%.
• The battery will discharge faster at low temperatures.
• Sudden shutdowns may occur at 10-15% charge.

⚠️ Note: If you are buying a used Mi 9T, Check the battery status through the AccuBattery app or in the engineering menu (#4636###). Capacity below 3000 mAh is an excuse to bargain or refuse to buy. ~2 000 ₽ (original ~1 200 ₽ (analogue).

Software: MIUI 14 on old iron

Officially Xiaomi Mi 9T received an update MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11. However, enthusiasts ported to it MIUI 14 (Android 12) and even custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience?

Pros:

• 🔄 Security Updates: Unofficial firmware often gets patches even for older devices.
• 🎛️ Customization: MIUI 14 offers more themes, animations and gestures settings.
• 🚀 Performance: Android 12 is better optimized for multitasking than Android 10.

Cons:

• 🛑 Stability: Unofficial firmware may contain bugs (e.g., non-functioning firmware) NFC or camera problems).
• 🔋 Autonomy: Newer versions of Android sometimes increase power consumption.
• 📱 Functionality: Some features (such as Game Turbo) may not work properly.

If you are not ready to mess with custom firmware, it is better to stay on the latest official version (MIUI It is stable, supports all functions of the apparatus and does not brake.

💡

To speed up Mi 9T on MIUI 12.5, disable animations in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times) → Window animation = 0.5x).

7. Comparison with modern state employees: is it worth buying in 2026?

The question is whether it makes sense to buy Xiaomi Mi. 9T Now, when there are new smartphones on the market for the same money? Let's compare it to the popular public sector workers of 2023-2026:

When to choose a Mi 9T:

• 💰 Your budget is up to 15,000. ₽, And you're looking for a smartphone with AMOLED-cut-out.
• 🎨 You are interested in design (retractable camera, glass case with a gradient).
• 🎮 You don’t play heavy games (or are willing to put up with average settings).
• 📸 You need a good camera for daytime photography, but not a professional camera.

When is better for new models:

• 🔋 You need a two-day battery or quick charge.
• 🎥 You make a lot of videos (especially in the video). 4K@60fps or stabilizing).
• 🔄 Long-term support for updates is important (MIUI 12.5 - The latest official version).
• 🕹️ You play Genshin Impact, Diablo Immortal or other demanding games.

💡

Mi 9T In 2026, it is a smartphone for those who appreciate design and AMOLED-It's a cut-out screen, but it's ready to put up with outdated performance and cameras.

8.What to look out for when buying a used Xiaomi Mi 9T

If you are buying a Mi 9T hand, here's a checklist for checking:

Pay special attention to the retractable mechanism of the camera. Ask the seller to push and remove the module several times - it should work silently and without delay. If you hear creaks or the module "snags", this is a sign of wear and tear, and soon may need repair.

Another critical point is the state of the screen. AMOLED-The matrices lose their brightness over time and may get "burned out" pixels (especially if the previous owner often used static wallpaper:

1. Open a completely black image (e.g. in Google Photos).
2. Light the flashlight at an angle - there should be no spots or stripes.
3. Check for “broken” pixels with a YouTube test video.

The price of the Mi 9T 2026:

• 🆕 New (stocks): 15,000–18,000 ₽ (Rarely, most gray importers).
• 🔄 B/w in perfect condition: 10,000-13,000 ₽.
• 🔴 Wearing B/W: 6,000-9,000 ₽ (gamble).