- Home
- Cell Phone Reviews
- You are here
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 Review
20

Introduction
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 review unit provided by our friends at EuDirect.Shop
For the second year in a row, Chinese phone maker Xiaomi has produced a device that takes the word “phablet” to another level. Much like its predecessor, the recently-released Mi Max 2 employs a massive 6.44-inch screen, but also packs improvements in several key areas.
While undoubtedly welcome, these enhancements also come hand in hand with a bigger price tag, so let's put this exotic smartphone under scrutiny and see if it's worthy of your attention.
Design

As we live in the year of “all-screen” phones, we can't really say that the bezels on the Mi Max 2 are all that slim. Still, the phone works out a good screen-to-body ratio of 74.13%.
Compared to the first iteration, there's a big improvement in terms of build quality. This year's model is larger and heavier, but it does feel more premium and comfortable to hold thanks to its all-metal unibody and rounded edges. The power and volume keys feel sturdy and responsive.
The fingerprint scanner is fast and reliable, and we're happy to say that Xiaomi has included a type-C USB port this time around.
Overall, we like the design of the Mi Max 2, but it's important to remember that a device of this stature is not suitable for everyone.

Dimensions
7.08 x 3.49 x 0.42 inches
179.83 x 88.57 x 10.7 mm
Weight
9.14 oz (259 g)

Dimensions
7.08 x 3.49 x 0.42 inches
179.83 x 88.57 x 10.7 mm
Weight
9.14 oz (259 g)
Compare these and other phones using our Size Comparison tool.
Display

The obvious highlight of the Mi Max 2 is its humongous 6.44-inch LCD display. Its 1,080 x 1,920 resolution works out a pixel density of 342ppi, which is not ideal, but sufficient. Viewing angles are good and the screen seems to be a bit less reflective than the original Mi Max, but the maximum brightness level has been reduced for some reason. As such, outdoor visibility isn't a strong point of this display.
With a color temperature of 7500K, most colors and shades appear bluer than intended, but we do have to note that the situation is better than with the original Mi Max which had an even colder screen. All in all, we're happy with the display's performance, given the fact that the phone costs about $300.
Display measurements and quality
Maximum brightness Higher is better | Minimum brightness (nits) Lower is better | Contrast Higher is better | Color temperature (Kelvins) | Gamma | Delta E rgbcmy Lower is better | Delta E grayscale Lower is better | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 |
496 (Good) |
1 (Excellent) |
1:2523 (Excellent) |
7517 (Average) |
2.27 |
4.84 (Average) |
4.8 (Average) |
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra |
619 (Excellent) |
13 (Poor) |
1:1444 (Excellent) |
7493 (Good) |
2 |
3.82 (Good) |
5.69 (Average) |
Lenovo Phab 2 Pro |
428 (Good) |
5 (Excellent) |
1:1251 (Excellent) |
8314 (Poor) |
2.22 |
5.72 (Average) |
7.62 (Average) |
Huawei Mate 9 |
677 (Excellent) |
5 (Excellent) |
1:1662 (Excellent) |
8113 (Poor) |
2.3 |
5.76 (Average) |
7.37 (Average) |
The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set (area) of colors that a display can reproduce, with the sRGB colorspace (the highlighted triangle) serving as reference. The chart also provides a visual representation of a display's color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The 'x: CIE31' and 'y: CIE31' values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. 'Y' shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while 'Target Y' is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, 'ΔE 2000' is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.
The Color accuracy chart gives an idea of how close a display's measured colors are to their referential values. The first line holds the measured (actual) colors, while the second line holds the reference (target) colors. The closer the actual colors are to the target ones, the better.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.
The Grayscale accuracy chart shows whether a display has a correct white balance (balance between red, green and blue) across different levels of grey (from dark to bright). The closer the Actual colors are to the Target ones, the better.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.
These measurements are made using Portrait Displays' CalMAN calibration software.

Things that are NOT allowed: