A Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide on Xiaomi Phones – What you Need to Know
If you’re looking for affordable Android phones, there’s a good chance you’ve come across Xiaomi. Hailing from Beijing, the company was founded by Lei Jun in 2010. During the early days of Android in the early 2010s, Xiaomi produced their first-ever smartphone in 2011 – the Xiaomi Mi 1. In just three years, the company held the largest market share of smartphones in China, and by 2018, they became the fourth largest in the world.
As phone users became more diverse, Xiaomi developed several series to cater to their growing customer base. In 2013, they released Redmi – the brand’s first budget-friendly line, followed by Xiaomi Blackshark for mobile gamers, and Poco to compete against ‘iPhone killers’ like Oneplus.
Xiaomi has a lot to offer in terms of performance, quality, and price. If you’re looking for the hottest Xiaomi phone in Malaysia, here are a few topics to help you get started:
- Why Choose Xiaomi?
- The Best Xiaomi Phones in Malaysia
- What should you Look for in a Xiaomi Phone?
Why choose Xiaomi?
There are tons of reasons why you should choose Xiaomi! They have a huge selection of units depending on your lifestyle at various price points whether you’re a gamer, a student, or a professional. Here’s why we love Xiaomi:
Good quality at an Affordable Price
Xiaomi’s biggest selling point is high performance at a low price. By focusing on entry-level and mid-range phones, Xiaomi uses older and less expensive chipsets which drives down the price. Another strategy is to keep their profit margins at 5% of the hardware cost, with any excess invested into research and development. This low-cost business model makes technology easily available to the masses.
User-Friendly UI
Xiaomi phones use an Android ‘skin’ (Xiaomi’s own version of Android) called the MIUI. Although this wasn’t well-loved in the past, Xiaomi has greatly improved their operating system. And yes, Xiaomi has access to Google Services including Google Play Store, Maps, and more so you can enjoy all your favourite Android apps and games. MIUI is constantly updated for security and to ensure that any bugs or issues are resolved instantly.
Unlike other operating systems, the MIUI can also be downloaded and used on other Android phones; you only need to download the appropriate ROM on the MIUI site. This is helpful if you’re used to MIUI but want to switch to a different smartphone.
Unlimited Options
Xiaomi offers a wide selection of smartphones based on your budget and lifestyle. Although Xiaomi is more well-known for its entry-level models, the brand also offers reliable flagship smartphones with top-of-the-line specs. To better cater to your needs, Xiaomi has developed several series:
- Mi – Xiaomi’s flagship and mid-tier line with three phablet sub-series: Mi Note, Mi Max, and Mi Mix. These models often feature the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, camera sensors, and big batteries.
- Blackshark – the Xiaomi line that caters to gamers, boasting the fastest chipsets, 1080p screens with high refresh rates, big batteries, and special buttons (triggers) for better mobile gaming. Blackshark phones even have a cooling system to help prevent overheating from high processor clock speeds.
- Poco or Pocophone – the phone series that put Xiaomi in the spotlight. The Poco series is named as a ‘flagship killer’ or ‘iPhone killer’ by many tech reviewers. At mid-range price, a Pocophone can compete with high-end models thanks to beefed up internal specs.
- Redmi – the brand’s budget-friendly line that covers the smartphone basics. Launched in 2013, the Redmi series became so successful that it became its own brand in 2019 (though still under the Xiaomi umbrella).
Trusted by Malaysians
Thanks to their popularity, Xiaomi has become the number one smartphone brand in Malaysia*. The brand now has a 25% unit share in the country followed by Samsung and then Oppo.
Although Xiaomi was founded in 2010, it wasn’t until 2014 that they first entered the Malaysian market. Since then, the brand has expanded ambitiously to 80 authorized stores, 9 display zones, 157 shop-in-shops, and 747 preferred partner (programs as of 2022).
Xiaomi’s ‘dual-brand’ strategy like the Redmi has helped skyrocket their popularity through two marketing channels. Its wide variety of options and affordable price ensures there’s always something for everyone.
*Canalys estimates, November 2022
The best Xiaomi phones in Malaysia
Xiaomi is a great choice for mobile phones. Their affordable good quality handsets come in tons of varieties and are trusted by Malaysians. The brand is mostly known for their mid-range and budget-friendly smartphones which are great secondary units. You can use it as a business phone, or you can use it as a contact point if you’re a delivery partner. Regardless, if you’re looking for a good mobile phone, here are some of our favourites from Xiaomi:
The Best Xiaomi Phone So Far – Xiaomi 12 Pro
For the price, the Xiaomi 12 Pro is one of the best Xiaomi phones so far. Starting with the screen, it has a phablet-size 6.73” LTPO AMOLED display with 3K resolution and 120hz refresh rate. The camera also performs well in low-light conditions with its triple-lens 50 MP (wide) + 50 MP (telephoto) + 50 MP (ultrawide) setup. For a smartphone of its calibre, the battery life is impressive with 4,600mAh capacity and the ultra-fast 120W charging is never-before-seen. Although there are problems with MIUI bloatware and the lack of IP Rating and dustproofing are disappointing, it’s still a great phone for gamers and content creators.
Xiaomi 12 Pro Basic Specs
- Release date: December 2021
- Screen: 6.73" LTPO AMOLED (1440 x 3200), 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits
- Main camera: Triple-lens 50 MP (wide) + 50 MP (telephoto) + 50 MP (ultrawide)
- Front camera: 32MP (wide)
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
- Internal storage: 128GB / 256GB
- RAM: 8GB / 12GB
- Battery: 4,600mAh
The Best of 2021 – Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is a great option if you’re looking for a good deal on older models. It has a large 6.81” screen with AMOLED panels and 120hz refresh rate. Powered by Snapdragon 888 and 8GB or 12GB RAM, its specs remain powerful in 2023.
The main camera uses the second-largest image sensor, and this phone provides you with a 67W wireless charging and faster charging wirelessly. This phone also has an IP rating of IP68, making it highly dust and water-resistant. These high-end specs make this Xiaomi phone one of the best Xiaomi phones to choose from.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Basic Specs
- Release date: April 2021
- Screen: 6.81” AMOLED (1440 x 2400) 120hz
- Main camera: Triple-lens 50MP (wide) + 48MP (periscope telephoto) + 48MP (ultra-wide)
- Front camera: 20MP
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
- Internal storage: 256GB / 512GB
- RAM: 8GB / 12GB
- Battery: 5,000mAh
Best Xiaomi Gaming Phone – Xiaomi Blackshark 4 Pro
The Blackshark 4 Pro is considered one of the best gaming phones of 2021. It’s such a great gaming phone that it’s on par with the ASUS ROG and Razer models. Right off the box, this model has a ‘gamer’ aesthetic with a futuristic interlaced ‘X’ design on the back. For functionality, the Blackshark 4 Pro has pop-up gaming triggers as extra buttons for an immersive gaming experience.
Although it doesn’t have the latest Snapdragon chipset, this phone features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G which comes in second in terms of performance. Along with its massive RAM up to 16GB, and cutting-edge ‘sandwich’ and liquid-cooling system, lag and overheating is never an issue with the Blackshark 4 Pro.
Like with most gaming phones, the camera system is not a priority for the Black Shark 4 Pro. The model has a triple-lens 64MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 5MP (macro) system. It performs well but may not be enough if photography is important to you.
Xiaomi Blackshark 4 Pro Basic Specs
- Release date: March 2021
- Screen: 6.67” Super AMOLED (1080 x 2440) 144hz
- Main camera: Triple-lens 64MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 5MP (macro)
- Front camera: 20MP
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
- Internal storage: 256GB / 512GB
- RAM: 8GB / 12 GB / 16GB
- Built-in OS: Android 11, Joy UI 12.5
- Battery: 4,500mAh
Best Budget Phone – Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro
A list of Xiaomi phones is never complete without the mention of any model from the Pocophone series. The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro is one of the best budget-phones with killer specs. For the price, it is equipped with a Snapdragon 860 chipset which is equivalent to a Samsung S20 series. We recommend the 8GB variant if you want to improve performance.
The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro is also a stylish phone. It features a 6.6” IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate – something you don’t see much on budget-tier phones. In terms of the casing, it has a glass front and plastic back with an aluminium frame. It also supports a 3.5mm headphone jack.
This phone also has a big battery with up to 5,160mAh capacity. With minimal use, you can go up to two days without charging! If you do end up losing power, you can always use the 33W fast-charge brick with the phone. Because this is considered a ‘budget phone’ it doesn’t support wireless or reverse charging.
As for camera, the Poco X3 Pro has a quad-lens 48MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (macro) + 2MP (depth) system. It performs well in good lighting conditions. Because this phone lacks an OIS or optical image stabilization, images can appear blurry in low light.
Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro Basic Specs
- Release date: March 2021
- Screen: 6.67” IPS LCD (1080 x 2400) 120hz
- Main camera: Quad-lens 48MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (macro) + 2MP (depth)
- Front camera: 20MP
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 860
- Internal storage: 128GB / 256GB
- RAM: 6GB / 8GB
- Built-in OS: Android 11, MIUI 12
- Battery: 5160mAh
Honorable Mention
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
Offering a 120Hz screen with an AMOLED display, this phone has a 108MP camera that will never disappoint. For a mid-range phone, it is durable and high-quality. Also, the long battery life of the 5,020 mAh battery makes it highly reliable for all-day operation without worrying about recharging it repeatedly. The processing power of Snapdragon 732G along with an 8GB RAM performs decent in everyday conditions and can juggle multiple apps.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Basic Specs
- Release date: October 2020
- Screen: 6.67” IPS LCD (1080 x 2400) 144hz
- Main camera: Triple-lens 108MP (wide) + 13MP (ultra-wide) + 5MP (macro)
- Front camera: 20MP
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G
- Internal storage: 128GB / 256GB
- RAM: 8GB
- Built-in OS: Android 10, upgradable to Android 11, MIUI 12
- Battery: 5,000mAh
What should you look for in a Xiaomi phone?
When looking for the right Xiaomi phone, make sure to find one that suits your lifestyle. For example, if you’re a gamer, you may want a model with the latest chipset, extra trigger buttons, and screen with high refresh rates. If you’re a social media influencer, you would want a camera phone with the high optical sensors. This way, you can prioritize the specs you want and make compromises. 
Make sure to consider a long-lasting battery, good performance with the latest chipset and big RAM. The camera should at least have two optical sensors for better quality photos. Price is also an important factor when choosing a Xiaomi phone so make sure to check out our price list. By comparing offers from stores like Lazada and Shopee, you can find merchants with the cheapest offers! Browse iPrice now and check the latest Xiaomi phone price before buying! 
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Marjorie Mae Mendoza
Marjorie (MJ) is iPrice Tech Writer in Residence. Always on the hunt for the inside scope on the newest smartphones, computers, and electronic devices, MJ provides a no-holds-barred analysis on what’s hot (and what’s not) in the latest tech releases. In her free time, MJ enjoys first-person video games and digital illustrations.