Xiaomi Mi 8 SE review: Perhaps the best value quasi-flagship

On May 31, Lei Jun walked onto the stage slowly with Xiaomi Mi 8, showing us what a new generation flagship should look like. I still remember the moment when the price was announced, countless audiences applauded, and the price of 2,699 yuan amazed everyone.

But the real killing is yet to come.

When Xiaomi 8 SE with Qualcomm 710 appeared on the big screen, another highlight of the conference was finally unveiled.

The starting price of 1,799 yuan, the 5.88-inch full screen, and the AI ​​super-sensitive dual cameras all seem to herald the birth of the strongest king in the thousand-yuan field.

So what is its real experience like? Don’t worry, I was lucky enough to get this new product before it went on sale. Next, let’s take a comprehensive look at the Xiaomi 8 SE.

Small size but big vision

Strictly speaking, it is unfair to call Xiaomi 8 SE a small-screen flagship. After all, the 5.88-inch irregular full screen on the front is not small at all. However, compared with Xiaomi 8, which was launched at the same time, the size has indeed been reduced.

For many people, a wider field of view is often accompanied by a larger body. Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is different. Its dimensions of 147.28 mm x 73.09 mm x 7.5 mm make it stand out among a number of new products. Its body size is close to that of a traditional 5.2-inch screen mobile phone, which has won unanimous praise from small size enthusiasts in the editorial department.

From the perspective of appearance, this Samsung AMOLED special-shaped full screen has good quality, bright colors and transparent appearance. The corners of the screen are curved, which echoes the R angles around the body, and looks very harmonious. However, it must be noted that due to the large area of ​​the forehead, information such as battery percentage can only be seen by pulling down the notification bar, and relatively few elements are displayed in the corners.

Similar to Xiaomi Mi 8, this phone also has a chin on the front. This problem may be difficult to overcome at present, but looking at all the Android models on the market, the width of the chin area of ​​Xiaomi Mi 8%SE is definitely the narrowest.

Similar to the front, the back of the Xiaomi Mi 8% SE also looks tough. However, thanks to the 2.5D glass back panel and the rounded fingerprint recognition/dual camera area, the overall shape is a little softer and more comfortable to hold.

People are always accustomed to pursue the beauty of symmetry unconsciously, which is also reflected in the Xiaomi 8 SE. There are openings on both sides of the Type-C interface at the bottom, and the right side is the speaker body. Such small details not only reflect the design team's intentions, but also meet the subconscious aesthetic needs of most consumers.

It is worth mentioning that Xiaomi Mi 8 SE retains the infrared function this time. The infrared interface on the top ensures that we can use it to replace various remote controls. In the hot summer, wouldn’t it be great to use Xiaomi Mi 8 SE to control the air conditioner at home and at work? Not to mention the remote control that disappears from time to time in the university dormitory... No more such troubles in the future!

In general, the appearance of Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is full of style. Whether it is the overall style of squareness with roundness, or the clever combination of small body and large screen, we can hardly see any redundant elements in this product. I think this is also the original intention of Xiaomi to develop this product - not to ignore the needs of every user.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.