In the league of flagships, the China-based smartphone maker OnePlus had introduced the OnePlus 5 in June this year, taking the spotlight away from Samsung and other high-end smartphones in the market. Just one month later, it had good competition in the name of Nokia 8 by HMD Global. Now, Xiaomi has launched its most expensive flagship smartphone in the country – the Mi Mix 2 (first impressions).
On paper, the Mi Mix 2 comes with some powerful specs but when stacked against each other, which one of these three smartphones will come out as a winner? Let’s find out.
Display and Design
Starting off with the Mi Mix 2, the handset comes with a bezel-less 5.99-inch IPS LCD display with Full-HD+ resolution and features a full ceramic body carved out of 7-series aluminium alloy. The OnePlus 5 does not come with a bezel-less display but bears an uncanny resemblance to the iPhone 7 Plus with its 5.5-inch Full-HD display and a fingerprint sensor doubling as the home button. Just like the OnePlus 5, the Nokia 8 comes with a unibody metal design and sports a 5.3-inch Quad-HD IPS display encased within the thick top and bottom bezels.
Hardware
All the three phones pack the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC under the hood, that is also found in high-end flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S8. Storage-wise, the Mi Mix 2 offers 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and there have been rumours about an 8GB variant which may or may not make an appearance in the Indian markets. The OnePlus 5 processor is paired with either 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Meanwhile, Nokia 8 only comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of inbuilt storage.
Software
The Mi Mix 2 runs the company’s own MIUI 9 skin on top of the Android Nougat operating system. The Nokia 8 also runs on Android Nougat but is confirmed to receive the Android Oreo and Android P by the company. One of the highlights of the Nokia 8 is that unlike OnePlus 5 and Mi Mix 2, the device offers a stock Android experience to the users. As for the OnePlus 5, it runs on Android Nougat with the company’s Oxygen OS on top. The OnePlus 5 and the Mi Mix 2 are to soon receive the Android 8.0 Oreo as well.
Cameras
In the optics department, the Mi Mix 2 falls behind with its single 12MP Sony IMX386 camera when compared to the dual-camera setups found in OnePlus 5 and the Nokia 8. The main camera in the Mi Mix 2 comes with 4-axis optical image stabilization while a 5MP front-facing selfie-snapper unusually sits on the bottom bezel of the device.
The OnePlus 5 comes with dual rear cameras – one Sony IMX398 sensor with f/1.7 aperture lens and a secondary 20MP telephoto Sony IMX350 sensor with a f/2.6 aperture. The device also sports a 16MP camera on the front for capturing selfies.
The Nokia 8 brings its dual-camera module backed by Zeiss optics. The handset flaunts dual 13MP cameras and another 13MP snapper on the front for selfies.
Battery and Pricing
A noticeable downgrade from its predecessor Mi Mix, the Mi Mix 2 houses a 3400mAh battery. The OnePlus 5 ships with 3,300mAh battery and the Nokia 8 is backed by a 3,090mAh battery.
When it comes to the pricing, the Mi Mix 2 is placed on the shelf at Rs. 35,999. On a close second comes the Nokia 8 with its price tag of Rs. 36,999. The OnePlus 5 is available at the cost of Rs. 32,999 for its base model while the 8GB variant is priced at Rs. 37,999.
Verdict
All three smartphones are quite distinct spec-wise and hold appeal to different customers each. If you prefer the stock Android experience, you might lean towards the Nokia 8 but if you are looking for a power-packed smartphone, then OnePlus 5 is the one for you. However, if bezel-less display and sleek design draws you in, you have the Mi Mix 2. Having said all that, all three smartphones are one of the best in the market and you will not be disappointed with either choice.
