Choosing a browser for a Xiaomi smartphone is a much more difficult task than it seems. On the one hand, the pre-installed Mi Browser is integrated into the MIUI ecosystem and optimized for the hardware of the smartphone. On the other hand, alternative solutions like Google Chrome or Firefox Focus offer better privacy, speed or unique features. And when you consider that the browser affects battery consumption, data protection and even how fast pages load on slow networks (for example, in the subway), the question becomes critical.
In this article, we tested 7 popular browsers on Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO F5 (Dimensity 1080 and Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2) on 5 key criteria: page load speed, RAM consumption, impact on autonomy, privacy level and ease of integration with MIUI. We also took into account the nuances of working with MIUI 14 and HyperOS – why some browsers can slow down or incorrectly display fonts on Cyrillic sites.
If you're looking for more than just the fastest browser, but a solution for specific tasks — for example, for anonymous surfing, traffic saving or working with web applications (like Google Docs or Figma), below you will find a detailed analysis of tests and screenshots. And for those who don't want to read — at the end of the article there is an FAQ with brief recommendations.
1. Mi Browser: pros and cons of the “native” browser Xiaomi
Mi Browser is pre-installed on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones running MIUI or HyperOS. It is based on the Chromium engine, but with deep customization for the branded shell. The main advantage is Xiaomi’s hardware optimization: the browser uses less RAM than Chrome, and works better with MIUI Turbo (system acceleration technology).
However, the Mi Browser has some serious flaws:
- 🔍 Data collection: By default, transfers your search and visit history to Xiaomi servers (you can turn off in the settings, but not all users know about it).
- 🚀 Speed: Speedometer 2.0 scored 15-20% worse than Chrome or Kiwi Browser.
- 🌐 Extensions support: no option to install addons from Chrome Web Store.
- 📱 Integration with MIUI: It automatically syncs with your Xiaomi account, which is convenient for the ecosystem, but not always secure.
Important for Xiaomi owners: MIUI 14 and HyperOS Mi Browser can’t be completely removed, only turned off, while it continues to work in the background, consuming up to 5% of battery power per day (according to tests with the Redmi Note 11 Pro+).
⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Browser to log in to banking services (for example, SberBank Online), disable Quick Site Access in the settings. It saves the username / password in an open form in the browser cache.
2.Google Chrome: the de facto standard, but not always optimal
Google Chrome is the most popular browser for Android, but on Xiaomi smartphones it behaves ambiguously. On the one hand, it supports all modern web technologies (including WebGPU and PWA), has a rich ecosystem of extensions and synchronization with a Google account. On the other hand, it consumes 30-40% more RAM than the Mi Browser, and can slow down on budget models (for example, Redmi 10A with 3 GB of RAM).
Benefits of Chrome for Xiaomi:
- 🔄 Sync: Automatically transfers bookmarks, history, and passwords between devices (including PCs).
- 🛡️ Security: Safe Browsing’s built-in malware scanner works better than Mi Browser.
- 🧩 Extensions: You can install addons from the Chrome Web Store (e.g., uBlock Origin to block ads).
- 📱 Optimization for PWA: It works better with progressive web applications (for example, Twitter Lite or Telegram Web).
Disadvantages:
- 🔋 Battery consumption: in the background consumes up to 8-10% of the charge per day (tested on the basis of the battery). POCO X5 Pro).
- 📡 Traffic: Preloads pages, which increases mobile Internet consumption (up to 150 MB per month idle").
- 🐢 Performance: on weak chipsets (e.g., Snapdragon 480 in Redmi) 9A) It can be "sweeped" when opening 10.+ tab.
Firefox and Firefox Focus: The Best Choices for Privacy
If privacy is your priority, Firefox and its lightweight version of Firefox Focus are some of the best options, both of which are developed by the Mozilla Foundation, which focuses on protecting user data.
- 🚫 Lack of tracking: By default, blocks ad and analytics trackers (including Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel).
- 🔒 Encryption: Supports DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), which protects against eavesdropping by the ISP.
- 🧹 Autoclean: In Firefox Focus, history and cookies are deleted automatically after the tab is closed.
- 📦 Lightweight: Firefox Focus weighs only 5MB and consumes 2 times less RAM than Chrome.
There are, however, downsides:
- 🐢 In the JetStream 2 test, Firefox scored 25% worse than Chrome.
- 🔌 Compatibility: Some sites (e.g. VKontakte or Tinkoff Bank) may not work properly due to blocking trackers.
- 📱 Integration with MIUI: Does not support Xiaomi gestures (e.g. swipe down to update the page).
💡
Firefox can enable Firefox Relay (in account settings) which hides your real email when you register for websites, and protects against spam and data leaks.
4. Kiwi Browser: Chrome with Extensions Support
Kiwi Browser is an open source Chrome fork that adds two key features:
- Support for extensions from the Chrome Web Store (unlike the standard Chrome on Android, where add-ons do not work).
- Built-in ad blocker (based on uBlock Origin).
According to the results of tests on Xiaomi 13 Lite, Kiwi Browser:
- ⚡ Chrome is 10-15% faster thanks to the optimized Chromium engine.
- 🛡️ Blocks ads without additional settings (saves up to 30% of traffic).
- 🔧 Supports dark theme on all websites (including those that don’t offer it).
- 📱 He's working with gestures. MIUI (For example, double-touching to scroll up).
Disadvantages:
- 🔋 Battery consumption is comparable to Chrome (about 7-9% per day with active use).
- 📦 Weight: Occupies ~120 MB (vs 5 MB) Firefox Focus).
💡
Kiwi Browser is the best choice for Xiaomi users who need extensions (like Dark Reader or Bitwarden) and ad blocking without manual customization.
5. Alternative browsers: Brave, DuckDuckGo, Samsung Internet
If none of the above browsers are right for you, consider these options:
| browser | Advantages | Deficiencies | Recommendation for Xiaomi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brave | ✅ Built-in ad blocker and trackers ✅ The ability to earn cryptocurrency by watching advertising ✅ Tor support for anonymous surfing | ❌ Slower Chrome by 10-20% ❌ Not optimized for MIUI (It can slow down on weak smartphones) | It is suitable for private surfing, but not for weak devices. |
| DuckDuckGo | ✅ Maximum privacy (does not preserve history, blocks trackers) ✅ Built-in VPN (500 MB limit per day) ✅ Minimalist interface | ❌ No synchronization with other devices ❌ Doesn't support expansion ❌ Slow loading of heavy sites (e.g. YouTube) | Ideal for anonymous search, but not for everyday use |
| Samsung Internet | ✅ Optimized for Android (works well on Xiaomi) ✅ Support for extensions (e.g. Adblock Fast) ✅ Built-in password manager | ❌ No synchronization with Google or Xiaomi ❌ Rarely updated (may be vulnerable to new threats) | A good alternative to Chrome if you don’t need sync |
Why is Samsung Internet faster than Chrome on Xiaomi?
6. Which browser is best for specific tasks?
The choice of browser depends on what you use it for, and below are recommendations for different scenarios:
- 🏆 Best for most Xiaomi users: Kiwi Browser (balance of speed, functionality and ad blocking).
- 🔒 Maximum privacy: Firefox Focus or DuckDuckGo (unless you need extensions).
- 🚀 Speed and performance: Google Chrome (on powerful smartphones) or Samsung Internet (on budget).
- 📱 Integration with MIUI: Mi Browser (but only if data collection is disabled).
- 💰 Saving traffic: Brave or Kiwi Browser (blocking ads reduces Internet consumption by 20-30%).
- 🎮 Games and Web Apps: Google Chrome (Best WebGL Support and WebGL Support) WASM).
☑️ How to set up a browser to save battery on Xiaomi
⚠️ Note: On smartphones Xiaomi with MIUI 14 and HyperOS, some browsers (such as Firefox) may not display fonts correctly on Cyrillic sites. To fix this, go to Settings → Additionally. → System fonts and select Roboto instead of Mi Sans.
7 Performance tests: comparing battery speed and consumption
We tested the browsers on Xiaomi 12T Pro (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 12 GB of RAM) and Redmi Note 11 (Snapdragon 680, 4 GB of RAM).
| browser | Speedometer 2.0 (points) | RAM consumption (MB) | Battery consumption (per 1 hour) | Loading time (c) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | 120 | 450–500 | 6–8% | 1.2 |
| Kiwi Browser | 135 | 400–450 | 5–7% | 1.0 |
| Firefox | 95 | 350–400 | 4–6% | 1.8 |
| Mi Browser | 105 | 300–350 | 3–5% | 1.5 |
| Brave | 110 | 420–470 | 7–9% | 1.3 |
Conclusions:
- Kiwi Browser is the fastest and most efficient battery.
- Mi Browser consumes the least RAM, but loses in speed.
- Firefox is the slowest, but also the most battery-leaning.
- Brave and Chrome have similar results, but Brave is better at blocking ads.
💡
On weak Xiaomi smartphones (for example, Redmi 9/10 series) it is better to use Mi Browser or Firefox Focus. On flagships (Xiaomi 13/14 series), the difference between browsers is minimal - choose according to the functionality.