Design and Build Quality

Long story short, it’s just like any other Mi4, just without 4G. The design is identical and so is the rest of the spec.

The Mi4 is built around a metal frame, with Corning glass at the front and a replaceable, scratch-proof back cover. It measures 139.2 x 68.5 x 8.9mm, but the curved sides make it look a bit thinner. It’s not a thin phone, but it sports a 3080mAh battery (non-removable) and some pretty good camera optics.  At least we know the extra millimetres didn’t go to waste.

We’ve come to expect exquisite build quality from Xiaomi, and the Mi4 Overseas Edition does not disappoint. It looks and feels like a proper Mi4 flagship, nothing has changed on the outside.  Build quality is second to none.

The finish on the metal frame is smooth and impeccable. The back can be removed using a suction cup, and you can replace it with any of a number of different designs, ranging from scratch-proof plastic to bamboo. It does not feel like a removable back cover.

The overall design is subtle and nothing really stands out. Xiaomi did not want to experiment with its flagship, and the Mi4 has been around for a while (the Mi5 should launch in a couple of months or so).

The layout is more or less standard. The micro USB port and side-firing mono speaker are at the bottom.

The 3.5mm audio jack is on top.

The volume rocker and power button are located on the right.

The SIM tray is on the left. It can accommodate a single micro SIM card, there’s no microSD storage.

There’s not a lot of action on the subtly textured back. The 13-megapixel camera with single LED flash is located at the top centre, while the carved Mi logo sits in the lower half of the cover.

At the end of the day, it looks and feels like a flagship device through and through. Considering the low price, there’s no room for complaints.