Xiaomi, on 8 August, launched the Mi A2, successor to its Android One-powered smartphone Mi A1, with significant design updates, improved cameras and processor.
The Mi A2 is priced at Rs 16,999 in India starts for the 4GB RAM/ 64GB inbuilt storage variant. The 6GB RAM/ 128GB inbuilt storage variant was also launched, but, the smartphone will be coming soon and no price has been revealed yet.
The Mi A2 will be a mid-range smartphone and provides an authentic stock Android experience. But comparing the A2 to its predecessor is not fair as the phone came out a year ago and technology has come quite far since.
So let's see how it fares as compared to another mid-range phone, the Nokia 7 Plus, which is also an Android One device.
Design
Xiaomi has kept the Mi A2 slimmer than its predecessor with a 7.3 mm thickness. The good part about the design is that the Mi A2 has ditched the in-trend notch and has really slim bezels around the 6-inch screen.
The phone looks sleek and well built. It has a metallic body and the fit and finish seems well-packaged.
The vertical dual cameras placed at the top left corner on the back are something we are used to seeing in Xiaomi phones now.
The fingerprint sensor on the back is also well placed, but the back of the phone looks rather empty.
The Nokia 7 Plus, on the other hand, is a much better looking device. This one also doesn't have a notch and does away with slim bezels – a welcome decision.
The thin golden outline on the front adds to the premium look of the phone. On the back as well, the centre-placed vertical dual cameras with the golden outline look much better. Design-wise, the Nokia takes it home.
Performance
The Mi A2 comes with an octa-core Snapdragon 660 processor paired with two RAM options – 4GB and 6GB. Both options are enough for moderate to heavy usage. Xiaomi has also given three storage options with the Mi A2 – 32 GB, 64 GB and a 128GB option and all are expandable.
The Nokia 7 Plus is also powered with a Snapdragon 660 processor and comes in one variant with 4GB RAM, with onboard storage of 64GB, which is also expandable. The phone is really smooth when it comes to processing and manages multitasking quite effortlessly.
Display
The Mi A2 comes with a full HD 6-inch 18:9 display and seems quite crisp, judging from the 2160x1080 resolution. The display even looks much brighter than the older Mi A1.
The Nokia 7 Plus, on the other hand, uses a six-inch screen with a 1980x1080 resolution. The display is crisp and bright enough to be used hassle-free in daylight. However, there have been complaints of the phone being too big to hold due to the bigger screen. This issue might show up with the Mi A2 as well.
Camera
The Mi A2 will be using a 12 megapixel and 20 megapixel dual camera setup with AI integration that will make low light pictures better (a problem with the Mi A1).
On the front, the Mi A2 houses a 20 megapixel sensor and this time around Mi has given a flash for the front camera as well. According to Xiaomi, the 1.75 aperture of the rear cameras enhances the detail in photos and makes low light pictures better. The phone uses Sony sensors on the back.
The Nokia 7 Plus gets dual 12-megapixel shooters at the back. These lenses have been designed by Zeiss Optics, offered with f/1.8 and f/2.6 aperture respectively. What this delivers is a bag of mixed results, depending on when you’re clicking pictures with the phone.
The Nokia 7 Plus is a great phone and arguably the best option in this price range in the Indian market. But will the Mi A2 rain on Nokia's parade? That depends on how Xiaomi decides to price its second generation Android One phone in the country.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)