Xiaomi Mi Note Pro
Xiaomi Mi Note Pro is an Android phablet smartphone developed, marketed and produced by Xiaomi Inc. (Chinese electronics company) and released in China in May 2015.[1] Announced in January 2015,[2] it was intended to be an upgrade to the Xiaomi Mi Note (also announced January 2015[2]). The Mi Note Pro inherited some of its features from its less-powerful predecessor, while upgrading the vast majority such as the screen resolution, amount of RAM, battery capacity, and base operating system version.[3]
This phone is relatively difficult to get your hands on unless you live in China, as the only other way of obtaining it is through third-party carriers where you will have to pay a premium in addition to the cost.[4]
Specifications
Hardware
The Mi Note Pro's design is exactly the same as its Mi Note counterpart as they both have a 5.7" display, Gorilla Glass 3 back panel, Dual SIM, 13MP rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization, auto-focus and dual-LED (dual tone) flash, 3.5mm headphone jack, micro USB v2.0 port, and so on.[3] However, the Mi Note Pro contains a 2K (1440 x 2560) display, as opposed to the Mi Note's 1080p (1080 x 1920) display, 4 GB RAM (3GB in the Mi Note), Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Octa-core CPU (Snapdragon 801 Quad-core 2.5 GHz CPU in the Mi Note), 3090mAh fast-charging battery (3000mAh fast-charging battery in the Mi Note), and comes in a Gold variant in addition to the Black and White variants (only Black and White for Mi Note).[3]
The Mi Note Pro features Xiaomi's Sunlight Display technology, which is meant to adapt the display brightness so that the screen is more visible in the bright outdoors.[4]
The Mi Note Pro comes with 64GB onboard storage. Unlike the Mi Note's 16GB/64GB options, the Mi Note Pro does not come in a 16GB variant.[4]
Software
The Mi Note Pro comes pre-installed with Android 5.0.1 "Lollipop" loaded with the MIUI 6 custom skin. One main change of the new UI includes the removal of the app drawer, forcing all installed apps to appear on the home screen. The OS also includes a Themes application that allows the user to change the look of the UI.[4]
The Mi Note's one-handed mode is also found on the Mi Note Pro, and must be enabled in Settings before use. It can be activated by swiping to the left or right from the home button, at which point the screen size can be configured to 3.5, 4 or 4.5 inches.[4]
Reception
CNET says "that it's a shame" that "the Xiaomi Mi Note Pro will not be officially sold outside of China", further stating that it is "easily the fastest Xiaomi smartphone yet, and that it looks and feels like a high-quality flagship device with mass appeal".
For those who reside outside of China, and "are willing to take the risk of getting one from third-party resellers -- there may be no way to get an official warranty when going through a third-party -- and have the patience to deal with the lack of native Google apps support, you'll find a phone that rivals the Samsung Galaxy S6s and iPhone 6s of the world in both design and performance." CNET also mentioned that the Mi Note Pro "does lack advanced forward-looking features like a fingerprint sensor."
CNET concluded that at the price it goes for in China, which is USD$485, which is "about half the price of the S6 and 6 Plus there", the phone is "a great buy if you're in the country and don't already own a flagship phone."
References
- ↑ "Slim, powerful, and cheaper than expected, the Xiaomi Mi Note Pro officially launches in China". Digital Trends. 2015-05-06. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- 1 2 "Xiaomi's Announces the Mi Note, Mi Note Pro, Mi Box Mini & Mi Headphones | Androidheadlines.com". AndroidHeadlines.com |. 2015-01-14. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- 1 2 3 "Xiaomi Mi Note vs. Xiaomi Mi Note Pro - GSMArena.com". www.gsmarena.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Xiaomi Mi Note Pro review: Flagship phablet gets even better with souped-up specs". CNET. Retrieved 2016-10-15.