Xiaomi Mi 9T unboxing and hands-on

The Xiaomi Mi 9T is finally official and this is the international version of the Redmi K20. Ahead of the Malaysian launch event that’s happening next week, we managed to get our hands on a unit thanks to Mobile2Go.

The Mi 9T is identical to the Redmi K20 that’s sold in China. The biggest visual difference is that you get a “Mi” branding on its curved glass back. During the global launch, Xiaomi had only unveiled the Mi 9T which runs on a Snapdragon 730 processor.

There are only two variants available – 6GB RAM + 64GB storage and 6GB RAM + 128GB storage. Unfortunately, Xiaomi didn’t announce the Mi 9T Pro which was speculated to be the global variant of the flagship killing K20 Pro. And nope, the Mi 9T doesn’t come with a microSD card expansion.

In Europe, the 64GB storage model is officially priced at 329EUR (about RM1,549), while the 128GB storage variant is going for 369EUR (about RM1,738). Do note that European pricing is typically higher than Malaysia, so do it to be priced lower when the Mi 9T is announced locally on 20th June 2019.

The Mi 9T comes with a 6.39″ Full HD+ AMOLED display which is similar to the Mi 9 but it doesn’t come with any notches or punch-holes. This is thanks to its pop-up selfie camera mechanism that houses a 20MP sensor. Similar to Oppo, the pop-up module will automatically retract itself when it detects a free fall. For instant unlocking, it also comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor.

At the back, it comes with a triple-camera setup consisting of a 48MP f/1.75 main camera, a 13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle unit and a 8MP f/2.4 telephoto camera that offers 2X optical zoom. The main camera is capable of shooting 4K videos at 30fps.

Powering the device is a large 4,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging via USB-C. However, it doesn’t come with wireless charging. The device also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top which is an added bonus. Out of the box, it runs on MIUI 10 that’s based on Android 9 Pie.

The device is available in three colour options – Gracier Blue, Red Flame and Carbon Black. If you can’t wait, you can buy the Mi 9T from Mobile2Go for RM1,798. Do note that this is an import set and it is available only in Carbon Black with 6GB RAM + 128GB storage.

Related reading