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You can't buy the Xiaomi MI2 outside of China, but as smartphones go it's such a remarkable product that we felt that it was worth some serious coverage. Indeed, Xiaomi itself is a fascinating company: little-known outside its homeland, it commands the same kind of reputation and customer commitment that Apple enjoys in the West. There's certainly a synergy in terms of company ethos: Xiaomi builds great products, satisfying and indeed exceeding the expectations of its ever-growing fanbase. The MI2 exemplifies that philosophy. On a physical level, it offers up a state-of-the-art product that holds its own against the likes of the HTC One, but it packs all of that power into a much smaller, more iPhone-like chassis. This is backed up by an innovative, custom OS that ranks as one of the best Android experiences money can buy.First impressions on opening the box are positive. The MI2 has a very solid, robust chassis that feels dependable and long-lasting although it is clearly built to a cost. The kind of premium finish you get with the iPhone 5 and the HTC One isn't here - what we're dealing with is more akin to the Samsung Galaxy S3, particularly in terms of the plastic rear of the unit. The front of the device is another story though, consisting entirely of Dragontail glass - a competing Japanese version of the industry-standard Gorilla Glass.
The screen itself is a highlight. Sharp provides the 4.3-inch 1280x720 IPS display that offers up a retina-beating 342 pixels per inch. The picture is moderately bright, rich in colour, with temperature and saturation selectables available in the settings menu. It's up there with the iPhone 5's display, though white balance looks a touch off and the gamut isn't quite as wide. Under the screen you'll find three Android navigation buttons (not backlit but fashioned from highly reflective material - so easy to find in most lighting conditions). Under the home button is a multi-colour LED, illuminating for notifications and charging - again, the colours here can be adjusted in the settings. In addition to the front-facing camera, light and proximity sensors are also found here.
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