What does Xiaomi Mi 9A look like: photos, design and features of appearance

Xiaomi Mi 9A: The First Look at the Design

The Xiaomi Mi 9A (also known as the Mi 9 Lite in some regions) is a 2019 model that combines premium design and affordable price. Its appearance is often compared to the flagship Mi 9 series devices, but with some simplifications: the body is made of Gorilla Glass 5 glass front and rear, and the frame is made of aluminum alloy, which gives the gadget a premium look at a relatively light weight (just 179 grams).

The main feature of the design is the gradient coloration of the rear panel, which shimmers at different angles of lighting. Xiaomi offered three main colors: Aurora Blue (blue-purple gradient), Pearl White (white with a pearl hue) and the classic Midnight Black.

The smartphone has a compact size of 153.4 × 74.2 × 8.7 mm, making it comfortable for one hand. For comparison, it is slightly smaller than the Mi 9T, but slightly larger than the Redmi Note 8. The screen occupies 86% of the front panel thanks to the thin bezels and a small “drop-shaped” notch for the front camera.

Location of buttons and connectors: where is it located

Xiaomi has traditionally adhered to the standard layout of controls. On the right side are:

• 🔘 Power button (with red accent in some versions)
• 🔊 Volume buttons (two separate keys)

On the left side is a tray for SIM-Hybrid: either 2 nano-SIM or 1 nano-SIM + microSD. There's a microSD at the bottom:

• 🎵 3.5 mm audio jack (rare for flagships of the time)
• 🔌 USB-Type C (version 2.0, no video output support)
• 🎤 Microphone and speaker (mono, no stereo sound)

On the top side, there's a second noise-cancellation microphone and an IR port for control.

• 📸 Triple camera module (48 MP) + 8 MP + 2 MP) (c) LED-flash
• 👆 Fingerprint scanner (optical, under glass)
• 📡 Xiaomi logo at the bottom

Materials of the case: glass vs plastic

Unlike the Redmi budget models, which often use plastic, the Mi 9A has a glass body on both sides.

The aluminum frame gives the structure a stiffness, but does not save from chipping when hit hard. Importantly, the original rear panels for the Mi 9A are not sold separately - if the glass is damaged, a complete replacement of the module is required.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use abrasives to clean glass, this will lead to micro scratches, optimally use wet wipes for electronics or special sprays.

Comparison with other Xiaomi models of 2019

In 2019, Xiaomi released several smartphones with similar designs, and here’s how the Mi 9A differs from its closest relatives:

• 🆚 Mi 9T: It has a retractable front camera (without a monobra, no more powerful processor) and a more powerful processor (Snapdragon 730 vs 710). AMOLED-screen
• 🆚 Mi 9 SE: smaller (4.7) but with a smaller chipset (Snapdragon 712) and a smaller battery
• 🆚 Redmi Note 7: plastic back, less premium look, but better autonomy
• 🆚 Mi 9: flagship with Snapdragon 855, but without a 3.5 mm connector and with a higher price

The main visual difference of the Mi 9A is the drop-shaped cutout (the Mi 9T does not have it at all, the Mi 9 has a small monobrae), and the model has a unique gradient pattern on the blue version – it is smoother than the Redmi Note 7 Pro.

Screen: size, resolution and design

Xiaomi has equipped Mi 9A 6.39-inch AMOLED-resolution-screen 2340×1080 (Full HD+). This is one of the key advantages of the model, as similar smartphones are often received. IPS-Matrixes, display features:

• 🌈 Support HDR and a wide range of colors DCI-P3
• 🔦 Brightness up to 600 nits (enough for sunny weather)
• 🖤 Always on display (AOD) clock-notice
• 👁️ Protection against blue light (Reading mode")

The cutout for the front camera ("drop") occupies a minimum area - only 3.6 mm in diameter. The frames around the screen are symmetrical: ~1.85 mm on the sides and ~3.5 mm on the top / bottom. The sensor supports multi-touch up to 10 touches.

⚠️ Attention: If you use protective glass thicker than 0.3 mm, you may have problems with the sensitivity of the sensor at the edges.

Correction of all pixels (no broken points)|Uniform lighting (no yellowness at the edges)|Sensitivity of the sensor at the corners|Automatic brightness control|Absence of “memory effect” (baked images)-->

Cameras: what modules look like and what they can do

The rear of the Mi 9A draws attention with a vertical three-camera unit located in the upper left corner, with modules slightly protruding above the body (~1 mm), which requires caution when placing the smartphone on the table.

The camera block is designed in a minimalist style: the lenses are located in a metal rim, and the flash is integrated into the same module. The 48MP AI TRIPLE CAMERA inscription is in small print under the cameras.

And the interesting thing is that when you shoot 4K video, the main camera uses electronic stabilization, but without optical stabilization, which is shown by the little jitter in the motion, and the front camera is hidden under a drop-like cutout and supports face unlocking.

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To avoid glare on the camera glass when shooting against the sun, wipe the lenses with a dry microfiber before use. Fat marks from the fingers greatly spoil the quality of the photo.

Accessories and cases: what is suitable for the Mi 9A

Thanks to the popularity of the model, there are many accessories available for the Xiaomi Mi 9A. The original cases from Xiaomi come in three types:

• 📱 Silicone (soft, with texture "under the skin")
• 🛡️ Transparent solid (shows design, but is prone to yellowing)
• 💼 Magnetic lock leather (with support for smart opening")

Important nuances in the selection:

• The notch under the camera must be accurate - many versatile cases cover the flash
• For wireless charging, only thin silicone (up to 1.5 mm thick) is suitable.
• Metal cases can block the NFC signal

Among the non-original accessories are popular:

• 🔋 External batteries with Quick Charge 3.0 (18W)
• 🎧 Mi AirDots wireless headphones (automatically connected to Mi) 9A)
• 📸 Clip lenses (macro, wide-angle) with magnetic fastening

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The original Xiaomi cases for the Mi 9A have a special protrusion around the camera (~0.5 mm), which protects the glass of the lenses from scratches when placing the smartphone on the table.

Frequent questions about the appearance of Xiaomi Mi 9A