We took control of the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3, an attractive folding smartphone which is notably equipped with four photo sensors on the back. The opportunity to realize its full potential and to be even more frustrated not to see it arrive in France.
The Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 caught many eyes. This folding smartphone has no shortage of assets to highlight and therefore necessarily comes to mess with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 which prides itself on being the benchmark in the segment.
We had the opportunity to take this Mix Fold 3 in hand to share our impressions of its design and to get a glimpse of its photo performance. In particular at the level of its periscopic telephoto lens offering a zoom factor x5. On this point, Xiaomi has achieved a great technical feat since it is far from obvious to integrate such an element into a folding smartphone where, more than ever, the slightest millimeter of bulk represents a major issue.
Can the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 claim the title of technological jewel?
An attractive design despite some concessions
The Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 opts for a format… Fold. That is to say that we are dealing with a smartphone capable of opening like a book to turn into a tablet. Here, the device can rely on several qualities to catch the eye. First of all, its front screen is large enough to pass for a slab of a conventional telephone.
We can therefore take full advantage of this Amoled screen of 6.56 in Full HD + and 120 Hz. An element that the Mix Fold 3 can assert against a Galaxy Z Fold 5 which I blame for an external panel that is still too narrow to be completely comfortable . Xiaomi’s smartphone, when folded, also offers a grip quite similar to that of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Imposing dimensions therefore, but not abnormal in the high-end market today.
It should be noted that some members of the editorial staff of Frandroid told me that they preferred the grip of the folded Galaxy Z Fold 5, because they preferred its tube appearance, which is more compact and pleasant in the hand. Like what, this kind of assessments really depends on the preferences of each one. It should be noted, however, that a majority of my dear colleagues have nevertheless indicated their inclination for the feeling of the Mix Fold 3.
Who says wider external screen says, in general, internal screen also quite imposing. 8.025 inches diagonally await us on the large fold-out slab with a 120 Hz Oled display at 2160 x 1916 pixels. It’s beautiful, it’s big, it’s good. In tablet format, we can also admire the finesse of the device: 5.26 mm. It has its little effect casually.
Also note that the crease in the middle of the screen, if it is still visible depending on the viewing angle and the reflections, is greatly reduced under the finger. Those who attach importance to this detail have something to enjoy.
The Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 therefore advances pretty pawns on the chessboard to seduce our eyes. However, there are a few downsides to note. As soon as it is unfolded, the smartphone displays concessions. The edges around the big screen are plastic, which affects the refined DNA it wants to suck on. The feeling under the fingers suffers from the comparison with the Fold 5 on which this small detail is more careful.
Let us also allow ourselves a word on the hinge. This promises to be able to be used up to 500,000 times without breaking. It is enormous. And yet, during this week of use, I was less reassured than by the Samsung hinge. There is, in fact, a fairly marked resistance at the start of the unfolding gesture which then fades a little too much during the rest of the stroke. The movement therefore lacks a bit of homogeneity.
In comparison, on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, opening the smartphone is done with the same resistance from start to finish. This gives a better impression of robustness, I am more serene than on the Mix Fold 3. The relevance of my feelings is obviously to be tempered. Ideally, I should be able to use the smartphone for months for a more precise opinion. However, I have to return the device to the brand a few days after the publication of this article.
Finally, there are still two notable differences with the Samsung champion: no cameras slipped below the internal screen for the Mix Fold 3 and no IPX8 protection index which ensures a certain tightness.
The quality of the optical x5 zoom
Aaaaaah! We have arrived at the photo part and it is worth the detour. A block of four cameras awaits us at the back:
- 50MP main sensor, 23mm equivalent (f/1.77);
- 12MP ultra-wide-angle, 15mm equivalent (f/2.2);
- 10MP 3.2x telephoto lens, 75mm equivalent (f/2.0);
- 10MP 5x telephoto lens, 115mm equivalent (f/2.92).
The entire photo experience of the Mix Fold 3 benefits from the expertise of the specialist in the field, Leica. I will not dwell on the intrinsic photo quality of the smartphone. You will find below some shots taken with it to give you an idea. It’s technically quite clean and precise despite some colorimetric treatments that will not always be unanimous.
On portrait photos for example, if there is not much to complain about the bokeh and the sharpness, the skin tones can be a tad too pale depending on the shooting conditions.
Comparison of x5 zooms (Mix Fold 3 vs Galaxy Z Fold 5)
However, what really interested me was the quality of the x5 optical zoom. This is THE great photo strength of this smartphone which can thus boast of having great versatility in this exercise for a folding smartphone. So I wanted to compare the x5 optical zoom of the Mix Fold 3 to the x5 digital zoom of the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Attention : this comparison is obviously to qualify since even if we use a magnification factor x5 on both sides, the reference focal length is not the same between the Mix Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The exercise does not is no less interesting, because it allows us to draw some conclusions that we will analyze at the turn of three scenes that caught my attention.
Example 1: I took a picture of a small Realme car lying around in the open space. Here, the observation is quite obvious: the x5 optical magnification of the Mix Fold 3 better retains the details of the miniaturized vehicle. The digital zoom is beaten.
Example 2: what I believe to be chimneys captured my attention. Notice how the photo of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 benefits from a more homogeneous and luminous treatment. The Mix Fold 3 makes less effort to deliver a cohesive atmosphere. On the other hand, it is more precise and the small details of its shot drool less than on the Samsung side.
Example 3: hop, we take a picture of a microphone placed on the table of our Twitch studio. The conditions are difficult between the dark background and the light of the spotlights. It does not take more for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to do better on this particular exercise. The central subject of the photo is better highlighted and the background better managed, while the Mix Fold 3 clearly struggles with this scene.
This mini test is unpretentious, but it tends to confirm a postulate: the algorithmic processing of photos taken with smartphones will always have a key role given the very restrictive size of the products. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 3’s 5x telephoto lens undeniably unlocks new capabilities, but the software processing behind it can still be tweaked here and there.
A high-end smartphone
Moreover, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 is solid on its achievements. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 brings it top performance. It thus obtains a score of 1,548,122 on AnTuTu 10, thus even doing a little better than the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (1,502,474) equipped with the same chip. The SoC is accompanied here by at least 12 GB of RAM and a storage of at least 256 GB in UFS 4.0.
The 4800 mAh battery has the good taste of being compatible with 67 W fast charging. On the interface side, our model under MIUI 14 based on Android 13 with Chinese firmware. I therefore did not find the experience that we are used to in Europe, since there were no Google services, for example. I can however attest to the fact that there is a kind of Flex Mode allowing the phone to be used while seated.
At least two apps benefit from this: the camera and Bilibili, a Chinese video platform similar to YouTube.
A major defect: the unavailability in France
Overall, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 therefore leaves a good first impression and shows that it could come to annoy Samsung in the field of folding smartphones. Alas, this phone will not be released in Europe… and this is undoubtedly its biggest flaw.
A player such as Xiaomi, solid number 3 in France, could however claim to move the lines and force Samsung out of its comfort zone. The latest Galaxy Z Folds often come under fire for their lack of innovation. However, in the face of fiercer competitors, we could see these reference models work out a little more to continue to amaze the public.
Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 // Source: Chloé Pertuis – Frandroid
Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 // Source: Chloé Pertuis – Frandroid
Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 // Source: Chloé Pertuis – Frandroid
Also remember that the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 sees its price in China start at 8999 yuan or around 1140 euros excluding tax. Even adding the taxes for an introduction in Europe, one can imagine that the smartphone would succeed in offering a cheaper price than that of the Z Fold 5 (1899 euros).
Dear Xiaomi, your product has potential. Don’t hesitate to take it out with us. THANKS. Sincerely yours, best regards.
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