Xiaomi Mi 9 SE

The Xiaomi Mi 9 SAE is a handy alternative to the Xiaomi Mi 9. Even though it's cheaper, it shares many of the same features including the same display type, fingerprint scanner and camera. But there are some differences. Which ones and if that still makes it interesting to purchase is something we try to find out.

Large screen, compact housing

At the front of the Mi 9 SAE we find a 5.97 inch AMOLED screen from Samsung. You wouldn't immediately think you were dealing with a compact device like that. However, because of the ridiculously thin screen edges, it is. The screen-to-case ratio even exceeds 90%, which makes it very high. Because of this, Xiaomi had to place a drop-shaped notch at the top of the screen for the 20 megapixel selfie camera with built-in Beautify mode. Besides a smaller screen, the Xiaomi Mi 9 SAE also has a slightly less powerful processor, the still powerful Snapdragon 712, and a slightly smaller battery of 3070 mAh.

Modern triple camera

Because of its slender appearance, it looks quite modern. Xiaomi has also built in modern features including a fingerprint scanner under the screen glass. Charging is also modern and fast thanks to the included 18 Watt charger. But the most modern is the camera. It consists of three separate sensors, the most important of which is a 48 megapixel one from Sony. It shoots so many pixels that even after zooming in, there is still enough detail left. Still, it is better to use the 8 megapixel camera for zooming in. This camera is equipped with a telephoto lens that brings images up to 2x closer without loss of quality. Finally, there is a third sensor of 13 megapixels that is equipped with a 123° wide-angle lens. This allows you to capture landscapes, large buildings or the horizon. Plenty of choice for all kinds of situations.

Main Xiaomi Mi 9 SE specifications

• Large bezel-less 5.97 inch Dot Drop Full Screen Display
• Triple rear AI camera with zoom and wide-angle lens
• 20 megapixel Beautify selfie camera
• Triple core processor (Snapdragon 712) at 2,3 GHz
• Fingerprint scanner built into the screen
• Fast mobile 4G internet
• Using two nano SIM cards thanks to Dual SIM support

Models with 64 and 128 GB storage

Xiaomi is the first to use the Snapdragon 712 processor in a phone. Altho it is a bit less powerful than the 855 in the more expensive Mi 9, it still stands his ground. This one is optimised for gaming. More important is that the Xiaomi Mi 9 SAE is equipped with a lot of RAM memory so the processor does not have to calculate everything over and over again. If you are considering a copy, it would be a good idea to opt for the model with 128 GB of storage. The price difference with the 64 GB model is only small. What's more, you can't expand the memory yourself by inserting a memory card. So the amount of storage you buy is fixed.

Pro and cons Xiaomi Mi 9 SE

• Reasonably compact device with large screen
• Versatile camera system
• Modern look with modern features
• Good price-quality ratio

• Consider buying 128 GB instead of 64 GB storage