Choosing a mid-range and flagship smartphone always comes with a lot of tradeoffs, and Xiaomi’s lineup of devices is no exception in 2019. Many users still face the dilemma of buying a full-fledged Xiaomi Mi 9 flagship or saving money by taking a lightweight version of the Mi 9 Lite. At first glance, model names can be misleading, creating the illusion of minor differences, but in practice they are two completely different devices in their philosophy, hardware and target audience.
The main difference lies in the balance between performance and cost. Xiaomi Mi 9 was created as an uncompromising flagship with top features at the time of release, while the Mi 9 Lite (known globally as the Mi 9T) was positioned as a “flagship killer” with an emphasis on bezel-free screen and the lack of bangs.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the technical aspects of both devices so you can make an informed decision, and we will cover the issues of performance, quality of photography, autonomy and ergonomics of the case.
Design and ergonomics of housings
The look of smartphones is the first thing that catches the eye, and here Xiaomi engineers have taken diametrically opposite approaches. Xiaomi Mi 9 received a classic design for 2019 with a cutout in the screen ("drop") for the front camera. The body is made of metal and glass with rounded edges, making it very pleasant to touch, but slippery without a case. The screen size is 6.39 inches, and the weight of the device is only 173 grams, making it one of the lightest flagships of its time.
In turn, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite (or Mi 9T) offers a fully bezel-free AMOLED screen with no cutouts or holes. This is made possible by the introduction of a mechanical retractable front camera. This design looks more futuristic and provides a full immersion in the content. However, the presence of moving mechanisms adds thickness and weight to the device - 191 grams versus 173 grams for the older brother. The dimensions are also different: the Mi 9 Lite is larger and feels more massive in the hand.
Both smartphones are deprived of a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which for some users can be a critical moment. In the package Xiaomi Mi 9 often came the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, but rely on its presence in the used versions is not worth it. Protection against water and dust according to the IP68 standard, none of the models officially has, although the basic protection against spray manufacturers often declare.
⚠️ Attention: The retractable camera mechanism in the Mi 9 Lite is sensitive to dust and impact.Do not force the tray to close or open with your fingers, this can cause the plume or engine to break.
In terms of available color options, the Xiaomi Mi 9 offered iridescent gradients that change hue depending on the angle of incidence of light. the Mi 9 Lite also received bright colors including red, blue and black, but with a matte texture of the rear panel, which reduces the number of fingerprints.
Screens: technology and image quality
Both devices are equipped with AMOLED-type matrices, which guarantees deep black, high contrast and saturated colors. However, the quality and resolution of the screens differ. Xiaomi Mi 9 uses a panel from Samsung with a resolution of 2340×1080 pixels and a pixel density of 403 ppi. The screen brightness reaches 600 nits in manual mode and up to 1000 nits in HBM (High Brightness Mode) mode under direct sunlight, making the picture readable even in bright sun.
Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite got a larger screen — 6.39 inches vs. 6.39 in Mi 9 (diagonals are visually similar, but the proportions are different due to the lack of bangs), with a resolution of 2340×1080. The density of pixels here is slightly lower, but the difference is almost invisible to the eye. The main advantage of the Mi 9 Lite is the lack of “bangs”, which allows you to watch movies without black stripes or cropping. However, the maximum brightness here is lower, which can affect the comfort of use on the street.
Both screens support Always On Display technology and Gorilla Glass protection (5th generation in Mi 9 and 5th in Mi 9 Lite). Color rendering in both cases is customized via a menu where you can choose warm, standard or saturated mode. You can use special profiles to calibrate white in the engineering menu or through third-party applications, but by default the settings are quite balanced.