Xiaomi Mi 3 Review and Buying Guide

The Xiaomi Mi 3 is a powerhouse of a smartphone that's packed with impressive features. It's powered by a 2.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, making it one of the fastest Android devices on the market at the time of its release.

The Mi 3's display is a stunning 5-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, delivering vibrant colors and crisp visuals. This is a significant upgrade from the previous Mi 2, which had a lower-resolution display.

With 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, the Mi 3 is capable of handling demanding tasks with ease. This is especially useful for gaming and multitasking, where a lag-free experience is crucial.

The Xiaomi Mi 3 has a reputation for making good-quality Android devices, and it shows in its design and build. It looks and feels like an expensive phone, with a metallic-looking body and glass front.

The phone's construction is impressive, with machined speaker holes and a seamless joining of the plastic and metal parts. I'm also a fan of the square camera hole on the rear, which is a nice touch of design attention.

Weighing just 145g, the Mi 3 is surprisingly light in your hand, making it comfortable to grip.

The Xiaomi Mi 3's design is a major highlight of the phone. It's a beautiful device that looks and feels premium.

The phone's build quality is impressive, with a metallic-looking body and glass front that gives it a solid feel. The designers at Xiaomi have clearly paid attention to the details, from the machined speaker holes to the seamless joining of the plastic and metal parts.

You'll notice that the phone is surprisingly light, weighing in at just 145g. This is despite its solid build quality and 5.2-inch screen. The phone's dimensions are 144 x 73.6 x 8.1mm, making it comfortable to hold and use.

The phone's design is also notable for its attention to detail. For example, the camera hole on the back of the phone is a square shape, rather than the usual circular shape found on most smartphones. This small touch adds to the phone's premium feel and suggests that Xiaomi is committed to creating high-quality devices.

Here are some key design features of the Xiaomi Mi 3:

The Xiaomi Mi3's design and build quality is impressive, but let's take a look at what's inside the box. The phone itself is the star of the show, but you'll also find a few other essentials to get you started.

The box contains a USB-microUSB cable, which is great for transferring files or charging your phone on the go.

The Xiaomi Mi 3 has a 13-megapixel camera, similar in pixel count to those found in other flagship phones.

The image quality is good, and the shutter is rather snappy, making it a pleasure to take photos with.

However, the camera struggles in low-light conditions, resulting in some noise and shake, as you might expect from even the best cameras.

The phone also has a feature called Slow Motion Video Recording, which is essentially fast motion videography, but it's still a fun and useful feature to have.

This feature allows you to capture unique and creative videos, and it's one of the most enjoyable features of the Xiaomi Mi 3.

The Xiaomi Mi 3 has a 13-megapixel camera, similar in pixel count to those found in other flagship phones.

The image quality is good, and the shutter is rather snappy, making it a great camera for everyday use. However, it's not the best camera to be used in low-light, and you can expect some noise in photos taken in such conditions.

The phone supports a range of camera features, including panorama, HDR, and filters, which can be used to enhance your photos. The phone also supports video recording in full HD 1080p, as demonstrated in a sample video shot and uploaded on the phone.

A neat feature of the Xiaomi Mi 3 camera is its ability to record slow motion video, although it's worth noting that this feature is more accurately described as fast motion videography.

In terms of technical specifications, the phone's SAR value of 1.29 W/kg is a reasonable and low value, well within the standard limit of 2 W/kg.

The phone's SAR value is a measure of how much radiation it emits, and a value of 1.29 W/kg is considered safe and low.

This is a great aspect of the phone, especially for those who spend a lot of time using their device.

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The Xiaomi Mi 3 can be prone to overheating. This issue can be caused by the device frequently getting hot.

To mitigate this problem, consider disabling or uninstalling apps and features that consume large quantities of RAM or processing power. This can help reduce the device's temperature.

Turning off radiowave-transmitting features like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi can also help prevent overheating.

If your Xiaomi Mi 3 is not charging, try plugging it into a charging unit to see if it becomes responsive.

You might need to try another charger if the phone remains unresponsive.

The battery and logic board should be examined to ensure they're in good working order.

For information on replacing the phone's battery, check out the Xiaomi Mi 3 Battery Replacement guide.

This guide has been contributed to by four other experts.

If your device is overheating, it can be a real problem. The Xiaomi Mi 3 is a prime example, as it frequently gets hot.

Disabling or uninstalling apps that consume large amounts of RAM or processing power can help. This is especially true for devices that are prone to overheating.

Turning off radiowave-transmitting features like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi can also help reduce heat. This is a simple step that can make a big difference.

If the phone won't vibrate, first make sure that vibrate is enabled in the phone's settings.

The phone's settings are where you can turn the vibrate feature on or off, so it's worth checking there first.

If the phone's side control buttons cease to work, try resetting the phone first. This simple step can often resolve the issue.

After a reset, if the side control buttons still don't work, it's likely time to consider replacing them. A guide for replacement can be found online, specifically for the Xiaomi Mi 3 phone.

To keep your Xiaomi Mi 3 in top shape, a little maintenance goes a long way. Regularly wipe the screen with a microfiber cloth to prevent dirt and grease from affecting the touch screen.

Make sure to clean the screen without using water, as this can damage the phone.

Phone calls were crisp and clear, and I had no issues with the phone.

The speaker volume is adequate, but you'll need to cup your hand to direct the audio towards your ears when watching video.

A dirty screen can really hinder your phone's performance. It's a common issue, but easily fixed.

Using a microfiber cloth is the best way to clean your screen. Make sure to wipe it gently to avoid any scratches.

If there's water or grease on the screen, it's best to start again with a clean cloth.

The Xiaomi Mi 3 is a comprehensive smartphone that was first discussed on August 12, 2014.

The Mi 3 was started by Amruth Pillai, who initiated the discussion about this device.

The tags associated with this review include "comprehensive", "mi3", "review", and "xiaomi".

The Xiaomi Mi 3 has been impressing users with its durability and performance, with one user still using their device in April 2025, four years after posting a review.

This phone was purchased in December 2013, and the user has been consistently impressed with its performance over the years.

The Xiaomi Mi 3 has been the subject of a comprehensive review, which was started by Amruth Pillai on August 12, 2014.

Tags associated with this review include "comprehensive", "mi3", "review", and "xiaomi".

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The Xiaomi Mi3 16 GB Edition is priced at Rs. 13,999, a significantly lower price point compared to its competitors.

For example, the LG Nexus 5 costs Rs. 27,234, which is almost twice the price of the Xiaomi Mi3.

Xiaomi's business model allows them to save on commissions by not using middlemen or high-rate marketing schemes.

Instead, they promote their products through social media and bloggers who review devices as a profession or hobby.

This approach not only saves Xiaomi money but also allows them to keep the cost low for the consumer.

The phone is only available for purchase on Flipkart, which means Xiaomi saves on showroom and retail store commissions.

As a result, the Xiaomi Mi3 16 GB Edition costs Rs. 13,999, a price that would normally be around Rs. 24,999 with all the taxes and commissions included.