The ideal flip for those who like the confidence of Xiaomi versus the boring confidence of Samsung. A flagship-level phone in performance and reliability with the pros and cons of a flip design at a confident price tag. Compared to flagships, it lacks IP coverage, a wide-angle sensor and wireless charging. But it takes great photos and videos for a V, and the battery lasts all day with normal operation and extended battery life (charging only to 80%). Performance and smoothness are top-notch (however, under heavy long-term usage, typically PD charging + AndroidAuto + YT Music, it gets so hot after half an hour that it limits performance to the point where I have to choose either navigation or music). Under average load, warming up is not a problem. Displays and haptics at Xioami's top level.
The full screen external display is simply stunning both technically and in design. In fact, it represents the gro of this device, all the more pity that it does not support all applications, only selected ones, although unlike Samsung and Motorola it has the best prerequisites for this. The solution (at your own risk) is the MixFlipTool from GitHub, but only for those who are not afraid to turn on developer options, use Shizuku and above all know what they are doing - it is not an ordinary user task. Samsung at least provides an admittedly quiet but officially equivalent app.
Capturing tiny particles around and especially between the camera circles is a tax on the design, but the real challenge for obsessive-compulsive individuals like me is the internal display. In the closed state it is not sealed tightly, probably for design reasons, a tiny (in tenths of millimetres) symmetrical slit wide enough to let small particles and dust through is deliberately provided across the entire surface (except for the location of the magnetic segments). Magnetic segments do not help, but the biggest pain is the space between the end of the protective film and the display rantle, it is a trough around the perimeter in the width of almost half a millimeter and a depth of min. tenths of mm. Simply wiping the display dry just piles dirt into the trough and the premium feel of the device is instantly gone. Tearing off the film could damage the folding display and according to the manual it should only be wiped with a dry cloth. Caked on dirt doesn't blow away. I don't follow the manual, I use wet wipes and Whoosh products. In this case, it would be enough for the foil to be flush with the display edge. It's that little thing that Xiaomi always has, a slight imperfection that ultimately brings down the user experience.
But the first generation Mix flip has two of them. The second is the hinge - it definitely does not belong to the premium class, it is not evenly stiff, it does not hold so surely and moreover, it has a different stiffness and reliability in each specific angle depending on whether the phone is closed or opened. Besides, it has a side-to-side wobble when closed, it's nothing significant, but if I grab the phone between two fingers on the opposite side from the hinge, I can feel the closed halves rubbing together. That probably shouldn't be the case at this price point for a flip.
Despite these shortcomings, I can recommend the Mix Flip to anyone who wants an exceptional and beautiful phone with top display(s), compact but with a large display at the same time, and doesn't require top cameras and high performance for long periods of time without heating up, and doesn't want or can't wait for the second generation that will bring IP coverage and hopefully a redesigned hinge.
