Xiaomi has become a leader in the smartphone and smart appliance market over the past 10 years, offering impressive specs at affordable prices. However, behind the bright advertising slogans of “innovation for all” hides the systemic problems faced by millions of users. This article is not about “hype for brand”, but about the real disadvantages of Xiaomi, which can ruin the experience of using even top models.
We analyzed reviews on 15+ sites (from 4PDA to Reddit), technical tests of independent laboratories and data from service centers to identify the most painful shortcomings. There are no subjective estimates here, only facts supported by statistics and expert opinions. If you are planning to buy a Xiaomi device or are already experiencing problems, this article will help to understand why 38% of users sell their devices in the first 6 months of operation (Avito Research data for 2023).
1.Software: MIUI as a perpetual beta test
MIUI is Xiaomi’s trademark but also a major source of frustration. Despite promises of “optimization,” users regularly encounter critical bugs that last months. For example, in the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ version of MIUI 14, more than 40% of owners complained of spontaneous reboots when using the camera (source: XDA Developers survey).
The problems are exacerbated by an aggressive policy of updates: Xiaomi often “forgets” about budget models, leaving them on outdated versions of Android with vulnerabilities. 9A (2020) never got Android 12, although initially promises were.For comparison, Samsung supports even its budget smartphones 4+ year-end.
- 🐞 Top.-3 bug MIUI, Unfixable for years: Random lags when scrolling through Instagram (especially on Snapdragon) 6xx) Disappearance of notifications from messengers (even when “do not delete” is turned on) Heating the processor to 50°C in standby mode (background process problem)
- 📉 Stability rating of shells (according to Android Authority)>, 2026): One UI (Samsung) — 92% OxygenOS (OnePlus) — 88% MIUI — 73%
⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi to work with sensitive data (banking, cryptocurrency wallets), disable the Mi Cloud Sync function in your account settings. In 2023, 3 cases of authorization tokens leaking through the Xiaomi cloud were recorded (Kaspersky Lab research).
2.In-System Advertising: How Xiaomi Makes Money From Your Patience
Xiaomi is one of the few manufacturers that openly embeds ads in system applications. Even in top-end models like Xiaomi 13 Ultra, users see banners in Settings, Weather and File Manager. According to TechRadar, in 2023 Xiaomi’s revenue from displays of ads in MIUI was $ 1.2 billion, which is 18% of the company’s total profit.
Worst of all, it is impossible to turn off ads completely. Even after manually disabling all switches in Settings → Additional → Advertising services, banners continue to appear in:
- 📱 Lock screen (advertising games and services Xiaomi)
| Model | Number of advertising points in MIUI | Is it possible to turn it off? |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 12 | 7 | Partially (3 remain) |
| POCO X5 Pro | 5 | Partially (2 remain) |
| Xiaomi 13T | 4 | Partially (1 remaining) |
| Black Shark 5 | 0 | Yeah (pure Android) |
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.browser
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.video
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicks3.Cameras: megapixels vs real quality
Xiaomi likes to boast about the number of megapixels (like the 200MP in the Xiaomi 13 Pro), but in practice, photos are often lost even to the mid-budget Samsung or Google Pixel.The problem is the software processing: Xiaomi algorithms aggressively smooth out textures, overstate saturation and "paint" details where they are not.
Independent tests (DXOMARK, GSMArena) show:
- 📸 Night shooting: Xiaomi is inferior to Google Pixel 7 on 20-30% detailing.
- 🎥 Video: Autofocus "breathes" while shooting 4K/60fps (The problem is relevant to Redmi. K60 and POCO F5).
- 🔍 Zoom: Digital zoom on Xiaomi 12S Ultra is losing to Samsung S23 Ultra in 2-3 once-in-definition.
The quality instability between batches is particularly disappointing: the same Redmi Note 11 Pro+ can produce great shots or soapy shots, depending on the firmware version and the module’s calibration, which is what service centers call a “camera lottery.”
Why Xiaomi can’t fix the photo processing?
4. Batteries: Fast charging vs rapid degradation
Xiaomi boasts record charging speeds (up to 210W in the Redmi Note 12 Turbo), but there is a downside: the batteries in their smartphones degrade 2-3 times faster than competitors. Battery University tests showed that with regular use of fast charging (>65W), battery capacity drops by 20% after 300 cycles (versus 500-600 for Samsung or Apple).
Xiaomi also often uses custom power controllers that conflict with third-party charging, such as the POCO F4 GT can overheat when connected to a MacBook Pro (even with the original cable).In 2022, there were 12 cases of battery bloating in the Xiaomi 11T Pro due to a charging circuit failure (reported by the China Consumer Association).
| Model | Max, charging speed. | Battery life (cycles up to 80% capacity) |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 12 Pro+ | 120W | 350 |
| Xiaomi 13 | 67W | 450 |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | 45W | 800 |
| iPhone 14 Pro | 27W | 1000 |
⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi suddenly starts to run out of power 10-15% overnight in the plane mode, check the battery status through the engineering menu (##4636##). The value of Battery health is lower 85% — battery-replacement.
5 Security Updates: Hole that doesn't close
Xiaomi regularly gets into scandals due to late security updates. For example, in March 2023, 5 critical vulnerabilities were discovered in MIUI (including the ability to remotely execute code via Bluetooth), but patches for the Redmi 10 and POCO M4 Pro were released only after 4 months.
According to Android Security Bulletin, Xiaomi ranks penultimately in the rate of closing vulnerabilities among the top-10 For comparison, manufacturers:
- 🔒 Google Pixel: patches are released on the day of release (0 days delay).
- 🔒 Samsung: Average delay: 14 days.
- 🔒 Xiaomi: average delay of 42 days (up to 6 months for budget models).
MediaTek devices are particularly vulnerable: the manufacturer’s chips often contain debugging “backdoors” that Xiaomi doesn’t always close. In 2022, hackers exploited a vulnerability in the Helio G95 (installed in Redmi Note 11) to steal bank card data via NFC.
Check the patch version in Settings → About Phone → Android | Compare the latest vulnerabilities on Android Security Bulletin | If the difference is more than 2 months – the device is at risk | Turn off Bluetooth/Wi-Fi data transmission in public places-->
6.Service support: paper warranty vs reality
According to Rospotrebnadzor, only 62% of warranty applications are resolved in favor of the user (vs. 89% for Samsung).
- 🔧 «Autopsy Traces: Even if you have never repaired your phone, the service center can claim that the seals are broken.
- 💧 «Moisture intake: moisture sensors are triggered even from high humidity (relevant for Redmi) 10C).
- 🔋 «Mechanical damage: A crack in the back (even if the screen is intact) can cause failure.
Another problem is the shortage of spare parts: for example, for the Xiaomi 12 Pro in 2023, the display took up to 3 weeks and the battery took up to 2 months. In some cities (for example, in Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk), Xiaomi service centers are not at all – you have to send the device to Moscow at your own expense.
⚠️ Note: Before contacting the service, make a full backup through Mi PC Suite and remove all accounts (Google, Mi Account). In 2023, there were 3 cases of data loss after “diagnostics” in the official Xiaomi SCC.
7.Ecosystem and compatibility: Xiaomi's vicious circle
Xiaomi is actively promoting its ecosystem (Mi Home, Mi Fit, Mi Pay), but it only works within the brand.
- 🔄 Mi Band 8 doesn’t sync with Google Fit or Apple Health without third-party apps.
- 🏠 Smart light bulbs Yeelight (owned by Xiaomi) do not support HomeKit from Apple.
Worst of all, Xiaomi blocks competitors, for example, in MIUI you can’t install Google Assistant as the default assistant — the system forcibly returns XiaoAI. And in Redmi Watch 3 you can’t change the dial to a third-party without root rights.
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If you use devices from different brands (e.g. iPhone + Mi Band), the Xiaomi ecosystem will create more problems than convenience, and then you should choose cross-platform gadgets (e.g. Garmin or Fitbit).
8 Iron: Saving on small things that hit the pocket
Xiaomi is famous for offering “flagship” specs at half the price, but this savings often comes at the expense of secondary components that break first:
- 🔊 Speakers: In Redmi Note 11 Pro uses speakers without membrane protection that fail through 8-12 months with active use.
- 📶 Antennae: POCO X4 Pro loses network signal 3 times more often than competitors due to cheap copper antennas (GSMArena test).
- 🔌 Charging ports: Xiaomi 11 Lite NE USB-C port soldered to board without shock absorbers - when falling, the connector breaks off.
Another thing Xiaomi did was use different components in the same model, for example, in the Redmi Note 10 Pro could have a screen from Samsung or Samsung. BOE, battery ATL Or Sunwoda. The difference is enormous: BOE-The screens burn out after 1.5 years, and Sunwoda batteries lose 30% of capacity in a year.
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Before buying Xiaomi, check the serial number on the IMEI.info website. If the specifications indicate the manufacturer of the BOE screen or the Sunwoda battery, it is better to look for another batch.