Xiaomi MIX 2 and MIX 2S: A Comparison of Flagship Features

Xiaomi MIX 2 & Xiaomi MIX 2S

English Full Names: Xiaomi MIX 2; Xiaomi MIX 2S

Category: Premium flagship smartphones (concept-driven, full-screen focused)

Brand: Xiaomi Inc.

Launch Dates:

Xiaomi MIX 2: September 11, 2017 (Beijing, China)
Xiaomi MIX 2S: March 27, 2018 (Shanghai, China)OS: MIUI (based on Android; upgraded to Android 10 for official support)

1. Xiaomi MIX 2

Positioning

The successor to the groundbreaking Xiaomi MIX, optimized for practicality while retaining the iconic full-screen design. It targeted tech enthusiasts and users pursuing minimalist aesthetics.

Key Specifications

Display: 5.99-inch 18:9 ratio Full HD+ (2160×1080) IPS LCD screen, 403 ppi pixel density, 80.7% screen-to-body ratio (improved from the original MIX).
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (10nm FinFET process, octa-core architecture: 4×Kryo 280 Gold @ 2.45GHz + 4×Kryo 280 Silver @ 1.9GHz), Adreno 540 GPU.
Camera System:
- Rear: 12MP Sony IMX386 sensor, f/2.0 aperture, PDAF phase detection autofocus, 4K video recording.
- Front: 5MP sensor, f/2.0 aperture (placed at the bottom chin due to full-screen design, leading to upside-down selfies in some scenarios).
Battery & Charging: 3400mAh non-removable lithium-polymer battery, 18W QC 3.0 wired fast charging (no wireless charging support).
Body & Design:
- Unibody ceramic back panel (optional titanium alloy frame for the limited edition), aluminum alloy middle frame.
- Thickness: 7.7mm; Weight: 185g.
- No 3.5mm headphone jack (adopted USB-C audio solution).
Storage & Connectivity:
- Storage: 6GB/8GB RAM + 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 storage (no expandable storage via microSD).
- Connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC (supports Xiaomi Pay), 4G LTE Cat.16.
Pricing (Launch, China): 6GB+64GB: ¥3299; 8GB+128GB: ¥3999; Ceramic Limited Edition: ¥4699.

2. Xiaomi MIX 2S

Positioning

The refined upgrade of Xiaomi MIX 2, focusing on camera performance and chipset enhancement, bridging the gap between concept design and daily usage experience.

Key Specifications (Differentiated from MIX 2 Highlighted)

Display: Same 5.99-inch 18:9 Full HD+ IPS LCD screen as MIX 2, with consistent screen-to-body ratio and pixel density.
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (10nm LPP process, octa-core architecture: 4×Kryo 385 Gold @ 2.8GHz + 4×Kryo 385 Silver @ 1.8GHz), Adreno 630 GPU (30% performance boost and 30% power efficiency improvement vs. Snapdragon 835).
Camera System (Major Upgrade):
- Rear: Dual-camera setup – 12MP Sony IMX363 main sensor (f/1.8 aperture, 1.4μm pixel size, OIS optical image stabilization) + 12MP Samsung S5K3M3 telephoto sensor (f/2.4 aperture, 2× optical zoom), supporting 4K 60fps video recording and portrait mode with background bokeh.
- Front: 5MP sensor (unchanged from MIX 2).
- Imaging Partnership: Co-tuned with Xiaomi’s AI imaging algorithm, achieving DxOMark score of 97 (top-tier level in 2018).
Battery & Charging: 3400mAh battery (same as MIX 2); added 10W Qi wireless charging (a key new feature) while retaining 18W QC 3.0 wired fast charging.
Body & Design:
- Ceramic back panel (standard edition) with a matte finish option; thickness and weight remain 7.7mm and 189g (slightly heavier due to wireless charging coil).
- Added a vertical dual-camera layout on the back (vs. single camera of MIX 2).
Storage & Connectivity:
- Storage: 6GB/8GB RAM + 64GB/128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 storage; added 8GB+512GB top-tier version.
- Connectivity: Upgraded Wi-Fi to 802.11ad (supports WiGig high-speed wireless transmission) on higher-end models.
Pricing (Launch, China): 6GB+64GB: ¥3299; 8GB+256GB: ¥4299; 8GB+512GB Ceramic Edition: ¥4999.

Series Significance

Balancing Concept and Practicality: Compared with the first-generation MIX (which had issues like poor front camera quality and large body size), the MIX 2/2S optimized screen ratio, camera layout and weight, improving daily usability while retaining the iconic design.

Full-Screen Popularization: The MIX 2 and 2S further promoted the 18:9 full-screen design trend in the smartphone industry, making it a mainstream form factor from a niche concept.

Design Innovation: The ceramic unibody design set a benchmark for premium aesthetics in Xiaomi’s flagship lineup, distinguishing it from traditional metal-body smartphones.