Xiaomi launches yet another smartphone which cannot be called a flagship or a budget phone either, but one which in between the two categories. The Mi 4c is the latest offering from Xiaomi which is a mix of its elder sibling the Mi 4 and its younger sibling the Mi 4i. It takes the external features from the Mi 4i and improved internals compared to the Mi 4. Let us have a look at the differences between the Xiaomi Mi 4c and the Mi 4i in detail.
Before we begin, though the Mi 4i is sold in some other countries after its initial launch in India, the Xiaomi Mi 4c is going to be China-specific, and won’t be sold in other countries.
Display
Both the devices have the same display with a 5-inch IPS FullHD display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and 441 ppi pixel density. There is not much of a difference in the appearance as well on the front of the device along with the back of the device which comes in bubblegum colors.
Processor
This is where all the upgrade has been concentrated on, the Xiaomi Mi 4c comes with a Flagship range Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa core SoC with Dual core + Quad Core chips. The same processor was seen in LG’s Flagship LG G4. The Mi 4i sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Soc with Quad-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A53, which is a processor set for a mid-range smartphone. With the flagship level SoC the Mi 4c surely wins it in this segment.
| Xiaomi Mi 4c | Xiaomi Mi 4i | |
| Display | 5-inch IPS FullHD display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and 441 ppi | 5-inch IPS FullHD display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution 441 ppi |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8992 808 with Quad core 1.44 GHz Coretx-A53 and dual core 1.82 GHz Cortex-A57 | Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 with Quad-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A53 |
| RAM and Storage | 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage along with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage variant | 2GB RAM with 16GB and 32GB internal storage variants |
| Camera | 13MP rear camera with dual-Led with dual tone flash and 5MP front facing camera | 13MP rear camera with dual-Led with dual tone flash and 5MP front facing camera |
| OS | Android v5.1.1 Lollipop OS with MIUI 7.0 over it | Android v5.0.2 Lollipop OS with MIUI 6.0 over it |
| Battery | 3120 mAh | 3120 mAh |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, HSPA, GSM, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, FM Radio, microUSB v2.0 and USB host. USB Type-C port for charging | 4G LTE, HSPA, GSM, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, FM Radio, microUSB v2.0 and USB host |
| Price | 1299RMB or $204 for 2GB RAM and 16GB variant
1499 RMB or $235 for the 3GB RAM and 32GB Variant |
$197 for the 2GB RAM and 16GB variant
$225 for the 2GB RAM and 32GB variant |
RAM and Storage
The Mi 4c comes with two variants, the first variants comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB internal storage. The Second variant comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The Mi 4i comes with 2GB RAM and internal storage spaced of 16GB and 32GB. Both the devices do not have option to expand storage space. The 3GB RAM with the Snapdragon 808 SoC will surely be the winner and the Mi 4i is no match for it.
Camera
Both the devices sport the same camera module with a 13MP rear camera with dual-Led and dual tone flash and 5MP front facing camera. The rear camera is capable of capturing Video at 1080p with 30fps and at 480p with 120 fps. There is not much of a difference between the two in terms of camera.
Battery
Both the devices come with similar battery capacity of 3120 mAh which is Non-Removable. But with the Mi 4c there is an option of Fast Charge with the inclusion of the USB Type-C which was seen in the OnePlus Two. The Quick charge 2.0 option helps in charging the battery to 40% in 60 minutes. The talk time and stand by time will vary because of the more powerful Snapdragon 808 in the Mi 4c which takes up more power from the battery.
Connectivity
Both the devices come with similar connectivity features like 4G LTE, HSPA, GSM, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, FM Radio, microUSB v2.0 and USB host. The only difference is the USB Type-C port for charging which is present in the Mi 4c and absent in the Mi 4i.
Some of the other features like the addition of Gesture controls like Edge Tap which lets you take a picture by tapping on the side of the phone. Another feature is by double tapping on the side while browsing take you back to the previous page. Double tap to wake function has also been added with the latest MIUI OS.
Conclusion
Both the devices are equally placed in most of the sections like Display, Camera, Design, Battery, connectivity features and OS. But one main factor puts the Mi 4c on top which is the Processor, with a Snapdragon 808 in the Mi 4c along with 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 615 in the Mi 4i along with 2GB of RAM there is no chance that the Mi 4i can match the processing speeds of the Mi 4c. With the pricing seen in China the Mi 4c is going to be a very strong competitor to the Mi 4i and will affect its sales drastically.
