Many users are wondering why Xiaomi should not be taken in 2026-2026, despite attractive price tags and high-profile advertising promises. At first glance, the Chinese giant offers an incredible ratio of characteristics to cost, but behind the facade of accessibility there are many nuances that are not discussed in official stores.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the technical and software aspects that make you think about the feasibility of acquiring devices from this brand. MIUI and its new version of HyperOS have a number of features that can become critical for certain use cases. We will not talk about banal advertising, but delve deeper into the architecture of the system and hardware features.
If you're looking for stability and predictability, you should look carefully at the arguments against buying. A significant problem is that some banking applications are incompatible with unlocked downloaders, which is critical for payment security. Let's look at what exactly the owner will face.
Aggressive optimization and notification issues
One of the main reasons users regret buying is aggressive shell memory management: MIUI and HyperOS are designed to maximize battery life, often at the expense of functionality, which leads to important notifications from instant messengers, mail or work chats simply not coming until you reopen the app.
You have to manually configure each software, preventing the system from "killing" processes in the background. It takes time and technical knowledge that the average person does not have. Unlike a Pixel or an iPhone, where notifications work out of the box, here you have a long struggle for stability of communication.
- 🚫 Notifications come with a delay or are lost completely without manual settings.
- 🔋 Energy saving stifles background processes more than necessary.
- 🛠 Setup requires a deep dive into the developer menu.
Making matters worse, after each update, the settings can reset, and you'll have to go through the permission-issuing hell again, and it's not just a minor inconvenience, it's a fundamental approach to operating system management that puts cost savings over user comfort.
It is important to understand that even the presence of Google Services does not guarantee the correct operation of push notifications on these devices. The mechanisms of operation of background services in the shell of the Chinese manufacturer often conflict with standard Android protocols, which creates chaos in data synchronization.
Advertising integration and intrusive software
The second big argument against buying is that it's built into system applications, and even in expensive flagship models, you might find banner ads in a standard conductor, calculator, or security app.
While advertising can be turned off, this process is not obvious to the beginner and requires turning off many switches in different menus, and there is a huge amount of bloatware — unnecessary software that can’t be removed by standard means — preinstalled on the device, and this takes up space and consumes the CPU’s resources.
⚠️ Note: Some system applications require a connection to servers in China to work properly, which can cause delays and data privacy issues.
Let’s look at the main sources of irritation in the software:
- 📢 Advertising in system folders and applications.
- 📦 Bloatware from third-party developers that takes up memory.
- 🌐 Telemetry and collection of user data by default.
The user pays not only with money, but also with privacy, and collecting data about usage habits, geolocation and preferences is the price you pay for the low cost of a device, which is a nasty surprise for many after they buy it.
How to minimize advertising?
Problems with updates and software support
The third critical point is the policy of updates. Xiaomi is known for its unpredictability in the release of security patches and Android updates. While for global versions (Global ROM) updates are still relatively regular, for the Chinese versions (CN ROM) or re-imbroidered devices, the situation can be disastrous.
Often users buy a device with the expectation of long-term support, but after a year or two, the manufacturer simply forgets about the model. Bootloader on new devices becomes more difficult to block, and unlocking requires expectations and binding to the account, which creates barriers for enthusiasts.
Compare the situation with updates from different brands:
| Parameter | Xiaomi (Middle Segment) | Google Pixel | Samsung (Flagships) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android Updates | 2-3 years | 5-7 years | 4-5 years |
| Security patches | Irregularly. | Monthly | Monthly/quarterly |
| Support for the model | Short. | Long-term | Long-term |
The lack of timely security patches makes the device vulnerable to viruses and hacking.In today's world, where a smartphone stores access to bank accounts, it's an unacceptable risk. HyperOS promises to improve things, but the brand's history makes us skeptical of promises.
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When buying Xiaomi, always check the model’s release date. If the smartphone is more than 2 years old, chances are it won’t get major Android updates anymore.
Quality of assembly and materials of housings
In the low-end and mid-range segment, Xiaomi often uses low-quality plastic that scratches quickly, cracks when falling and looks cheap. Even some flagships have glass backs that beat with the slightest careless movement.
Screen problems are a separate topic: In pursuit of a high hertz (120 Hz), color reproduction, viewing angles and brightness in sunlight often suffer, and low-quality panels are used that can burn out over time or have uneven backlights.
- 📉 Plastic in the design of even expensive models.
- 🔨 Fragile glass and lack of protection from water (IP68 not everywhere).
- 👁 Screens with low brightness and poor viewing angles.
Often, there is a manufacturing defect, which manifests itself in the form of backlashes of buttons, uneven gaps between the screen and the frame. Quality control in Xiaomi factories is inferior to competitors from Japan or Korea, which makes the lottery when buying quite real.
⚠️ Attention: Lack of full water protection (IP68) In most models, it means that even an accidental hit in the rain can be fatal for the device.
In the long run, savings on purchase result in the need to replace the case or screen frequently, negating the initial benefit, and cheap materials age faster, losing their appearance after a year of active use.
Cameras: Marketing vs. Reality
Xiaomi's marketing likes to brag about the number of megapixels (200 MP, 108 MP), but in practice it often has nothing to do with photo quality. Image processing algorithms work aggressively, blurring details, overdoing with HDR and creating unnatural colors. Night shooting often turns into a porridge of noise and artifacts.
Video shooting is another weak point: Stabilization can work in jerks, and switching between lenses during recording causes noticeable jumps in exposure and color. For bloggers and those who value mobile photography, this can be a decisive factor in refusing to buy.
☑️ What to watch in the camera Xiaomi?
Comparisons with competitors show that for the same money, you can find devices with a more honest and quality camera.The Google Pixel or Samsung in the middle segment often give a more predictable and pleasing result, despite having fewer megapixels.
Liquidity and resale value
The last but important argument is the resale price: Xiaomi smartphones lose value catastrophically quickly. 30 In a year, its market value may fall to thousands of rubles. 15-18 That makes it a very bad investment.
The high saturation of the market with used devices and the constant release of new models with similar characteristics but lower prices blur the cost of old models. It is almost impossible to sell the flagship Xiaomi in two years for a good price.
- 📉 Price drop to 40-50% first-year.
- 📦 Excess of supply in the secondary market.
- 💸 Low demand for used models compared to Apple or Samsung.
If you plan to change your phone once a year or two, the low liquidity will come as a surprise, and you won’t be able to raise enough money to buy a new model, unlike Apple’s hardware owners, whose devices have been holding the price for years.
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Xiaomi is a great choice for a temporary device or for those willing to put up with flaws for the sake of a low price, but a poor investment for long-term use.