10 Best Xiaomi Phones in 2024: Top Mi UK Mobiles for Various Budgets

The best Xiaomi phones have a lot going for them, including excellent cameras, stunning displays, and great battery life, and they can work without any problem for more than five years. However, with so many Xiaomi phones on the market, the sheer number of choices can be a bit overwhelming – and it can be tough to work out which version of which model offers the best value for money for you.

That’s why we’ve put together this in-depth guide that will provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision on the best Xiaomi phone for you.

The Best Xiaomi Phones in 2024 Ranked

Here’s our shortlist of the top 10 Xiaomi smartphones for 2024:

1. Xiaomi 13 Pro — Overall, the best Xiaomi phone in 2024, with a professional-grade 50Mp rear camera and a super-fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor.
2. Redmi Note 12 Pro+ — Excellent performance for the price and a powerful 200Mp rear camera for great photos, even in low light.
3. Xiaomi 12T Pro — A solid choice for mobile gaming, with a bright 120 Hz display, powerful speakers, and a fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor.
4. Redmi Note 12 — A very budget-friendly model with decent performance, a solid 50Mp camera, and excellent battery life.
5. Poco X5 Pro — Great mid-range phone with a gorgeous POLED display, a 108Mp camera, and Turbo Charge support to go from 0% to 100% in under 40 minutes.
6. Xiaomi Black Shark 4 — The best Xiaomi mobile gaming phone, with a powerful Snapdragon 870 processor, 12 Gb of RAM, and a 144 Hz Super AMOLED display.
7. Poco F5 — Great all-purpose phone under £500, with fast charge and wireless charging support.
8. Redmi Note 11 — Super-affordable Xiaomi model, which is great for kids and older people, with a bright AMOLED display, great screen resolution, and over 24 hours of battery life.
9. Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE — A reasonably priced phone with 5G support, fast charging, and truly excellent specs for the price.
10. Poco X3 Pro — A great mid-range alternative to Redmi phones, with excellent dual stereo speakers and high touch sampling rates for rapid responsiveness.

Are Xiaomi Phones Good?

Xiaomi is a trusted brand, and the company’s phones have proven to be quite reliable. The design of the brand’s phones, especially newer models, is sleek and modern, and they’re equipped with powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, so they’re incredibly fast as well.

That said, Xiaomi phones aren’t without their flaws. They often come with a lot of bloatware that takes up the limited storage space, the Android updates can get quite messy, and the phones tend to slow down after around three years of use.

To help you decide whether Xiaomi phones are a good option for you, here’s a quick summary of the pros and cons of this mobile phone brand:

Do You Get Google Apps With Xiaomi Mobiles?

In other words, you get the same app package with Xiaomi phones as you would with other brands of Android phones. You’ll also be able to quickly download any additional apps you might need from the Play Store.

Key Factors to Consider When Buying a Xiaomi Phone

When you’re looking to buy a new phone, you should look beyond the price. While Xiaomi phones within a given price range typically have similar performance levels, some models are better suited for particular use cases.

For instance, some phones have better cameras, while others are more optimised for streaming online content or mobile gaming.

Here are the key factors you should consider before making the final decision:

The Phone’s Specifications

The first thing you should look at are the phone’s specifications. This includes the processor, RAM, operating system and software, and the amount of storage.

When it comes to processors, newer is almost always better. Most Xiaomis feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, with the 8th generation being the latest and the fastest. In addition to the processor, the amount of RAM will directly impact how fast your phone loads and runs apps and games.

Regarding the software, ideally, you’d want a phone with Android 13 out of the box or one that can be upgraded to this version. On the software side, MIUI 13 and 14 are good choices.

Storage-wise, you want at least 256 Gb to be able to store all your apps, music, photos, and videos. Another thing worth considering is the upgradeability of the storage, so if you anticipate you’ll need a lot of space, it’s best to go for a phone with a microSD card slot.

Display Type and Screen Refresh Rate

Xiaomi phones come with one of three types of displays — OLED, POLED, or AMOLED.

• OLED screens are the most common in modern smartphones, and they’re characterised by high brightness, vivid colours, and fast response times. They’re also very thin, which gives them a premium look but also makes them more fragile than the alternatives.
• POLED screens are more flexible and durable, so they are typically used in foldable phones due to these properties. Another advantage is that POLED screens allow for more narrow bezels since they can be folded under the edge of the display.
• AMOLED displays offer the best of both worlds, retaining the flexibility and versatility of POLED screens while simultaneously offering true-to-life colours and using less battery charge to power the screen. They also enable larger phone sizes and, subsequently, higher display resolution.

In addition to the type of display, you should pay attention to the screen refresh rate. A 120 Hz refresh rate is the golden standard in smartphones today, offering a smooth scrolling, viewing, and gaming experience.

Cameras

If you’re not an avid photographer, you don’t need to concern yourself too much with the phone’s camera — every model we recommend in this guide will let you take decent-quality photos.

However, if you want to capture breathtaking images and videos of your travels or snap stunning selfies, you should carefully compare the capabilities of different models. In general, the more megapixels the camera has, the better quality photos and videos it will produce, but software and additional features can also play a significant role.

So, apart from the megapixels, you should check if the cameras have Night Mode, optical zoom, automatic image stabilisation, and other auxiliary features that will make your photos pop. You should also pay attention to the image brightness, contrast, and colour accuracy.

This is next to impossible to discern from the product descriptions alone, so you’ll have to read through a handful of user reviews to get a better idea of the overall camera quality.

Battery Life

If you know you’ll be using your phone throughout the day, you should opt for a model with good battery life. Ideally, the phone should be able to easily last a full day on a single charge, so you don’t have to carry the charger with you wherever you go.

On top of that, you should take charging speed into consideration. Some models support fast charging and can go from 0% to 100% battery in under an hour, so they’re generally a better choice for people who spend a lot of time on their phones.

Primary Use

Your choice of Xiaomi phone should also be impacted by your intended primary use. For example, if you’re planning on gaming on your phone, it’s best to opt for a model with a powerful processor and a lot of RAM. If you’re primarily going to use the phone to binge TV shows after work, you’ll want one with a decently high screen resolution, fast screen refresh rate, and good speakers.

Budget

This will give you a solid framework and narrow down your options, making it easier to compare the specifications and performance of similarly priced phones. As a result, it’ll be easier to find a phone that best fits your needs and provides great value for money.

Now that you know what to be on the lookout for, check out our in-depth reviews to see how the best Xiaomi models compare.

Reviews of the Best Mi Phones on the Market

Here are detailed reviews of the 10 best Xiaomi models on the market, so you can see how different phones compare and choose the one that best meets your needs while aligning with your budget.

1. Xiaomi 13 Pro — Overall, the Best Xiaomi Phone in 2024

The Xiaomi 13 Pro is a premium phone with an incredibly powerful camera, a stunning 6.7″ AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a super-powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor – and it’s Xiaomi’s latest phone.

The design of the Xiaomi 13 Pro is very slick and modern. With super-narrow bezels and a front camera punch hole, you get more screen space and a fully immersive experience whether you’re streaming online content, gaming, or participating in video calls.

On the back, you’ll find a protruded rear camera module, which perhaps takes away from the phone’s overall look and feel, but it’s more than worth it if you want to take photos that are on par with pro cameras in terms of quality.

The triple 50Mp rear cameras all feature a Leica professional optic lens with a 1″ ultra-large sensor, so you can take breathtaking photos in a variety of different modes. You can expect excellent brightness, vivid colours, and impressive colour accuracy, even if you take snapshots in low light.

The Xiaomi 13 Pro features the latest and fastest 8th-gen Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, so it will easily handle any task you can throw at it. You can have dozens of apps and multiple Chrome tabs with video playback open at the same time without the phone slowing down. This powerful processor also handles the most demanding mobile games with ease, so you can play titles like PUBG mobile at high frame rates without any lag or stuttering.

Another great thing about this model is that the 4,800mAh battery will easily last you a full day, even if you don’t put the phone down. Thanks to 120W wireless charging, you can go from 0% to full battery in just 20 minutes. We’d say it’s definitely the best Mi phone for the money.

2. Redmi Note 12 Pro+ — Excellent Performance for the Price

The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is another Xiaomi model often praised for its camera quality. The 200Mp rear camera features a 1″/1.4″ sensor that lets you capture high-detail photos in low light, while the 16Mp front camera allows you to take high-quality selfies.

The design of the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is fairly similar to the Xiaomi 13 Pro, with one key distinction: the camera bump on the rear side is much less pronounced. This makes it look less bulky and feel a bit better in your hand.

The Full HD AMOLED display has a 120 Hz refresh rate for a smooth scrolling experience. With a 1080p maximum resolution, it’s excellent for streaming your favourite content on Netflix and YouTube.

With an octa-core processor and 8Gb of RAM, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ offers excellent performance for the price, so you can expect all apps to load quickly and run smoothly. Another thing worth mentioning is that this model features a smart RAM manager that kills background processes to preserve battery life, letting you squeeze more usage out of a single charge.

The 5,000mAh battery charges over USB-C and supports 120W fast charging, so it comfortably lasts for 24 hours or more and charges to full in about 25 minutes.

3. Xiaomi 12T Pro — A Solid Choice for Mobile Gaming

The Xiaomi 12T Pro is another model with a 200MP primary rear camera, and it comes with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) and Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), as well, meaning it delivers great image quality.

It offers better performance than the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, and it has a slightly higher screen resolution for crisp video playback and enhanced gaming.

One thing to note is that the 1,220 x 2,712 display isn’t a significant upgrade compared to 1080p, and the slight improvement in resolutions also comes with a drawback — lower screen brightness. On top of that, the Xiaomi 12T Pro is over £100 more expensive than the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, which is one of the main reasons why it’s lower on our list.

That said, the Xiaomi 12T Pro has a few obvious upsides as well. For starters, it doesn’t heat up nearly as much as other models, even during long gaming sessions, so it’s a great option if you’re an avid fan of mobile games.

The speakers on this model are also among the better ones as far as Xiaomi phones go, so you can blast your favourite tunes and watch movies and TV shows on your phone without having to use earphones. This model also features a fingerprint reader for that additional level of security and convenience when unlocking the phone.

4. Redmi Note 12 — Super Budget-Friendly, With Decent Performance

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 is the line-mate of the Note 12+, and although it’s slightly less powerful, it’s still an excellent budget option. With this model, you still get a decently powerful Snapdragon processor and a smooth 120 Hz AMOLED display at half the price.

The tradeoff for affordability is the storage space and RAM. You get 128 Gb of storage and 4 Gb of RAM, but that’s still more than decent for a phone under £200. Also, this model features a dedicated SD card slot, so you can always upgrade the storage with up to 1 Tb of additional space.

The cameras on the Redmi Note 12 are quite good as well. While not in the same ballpark as the 200Mp rear camera of the Note 12+, you’ll still be able to take stunning daylight photos with Redmi Note 12’s 50Mp primary lens.

The ultra-wide and macro cameras are also excellent, so you’ll be able to snap bright, clear photos with vibrant colours. One thing to keep in mind is that the zoom levels range from 2x to 6x for daylight photos, while the Night mode is limited to just 2x zoom.

Another thing worth mentioning is that the Redmi Note 12 features a 5,000mAh battery and supports 33W fast charging. You can expect the battery to last a full day, and it will take a little over an hour to fully charge it from 0% battery.

5. Poco X5 Pro — Great Mid-Range Phone With a Gorgeous POLED Display

The Poco X5 Pro is a great option if you plan on spending a lot of time watching YouTube videos, movies, or TV shows on your phone. It has a gorgeous 6.67″ Full HD POLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, so it provides a fully immersive viewing experience.

You can also use the Poco x5 Pro for mobile gaming, given that it features a powerful Snapdragon processor and 8 Gb or RAM, so it’ll have no problem running any modern smartphone games at high FPS.

Another thing worth noting is that the Poco x5 Pro comes with a 108Mp rear camera, so you can take professional quality photos and capture every detail, even in low light. The 16Mp front camera is also quite decent, so you’ll be able to enrich your Instagram feed with superb selfies.

The 5,000mAh battery provides over two full days of charge with average use. Additionally, this model supports 67W Turbo Charge, so you can fully charge its battery in under 40 minutes.

6. Xiaomi Black Shark 4 — Best Xiaomi Mobile Gaming Phone

The Xiaomi Black Shark 4 is the best choice on our list for mobile gamers, provided you have the budget for this high-end phone. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870, 12 Gb of RAM, and a Super AMOLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate, Xiaomi Black Shark 4 provides a desktop-level gaming experience.

On top of the extraordinary performance, the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 has a sleek and modern build, so it looks great. An additional advantage over other Xiaomi models is that the camera module doesn’t protrude as much, so the phone not only looks incredible but also feels great in your hands.

Speaking of cameras, the 48Mp main camera is quite impressive, letting you snap great quality photos and breathtaking videos at 60 frames per second. On top of that, the 5Mp telephoto lens allows you to zoom in and capture your subject in stunning detail.

Other praise-worthy aspects of the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 include its powerful stereo speakers that further enhance your gaming experience, as well as a 4,500mAh battery powered by the company’s proprietary eSports Dual Cell Battery Technology, which lowers battery usage during gaming.

7. Poco F5 — Great All-Purpose Phone Under £500

The Poco F5 is one of the best Poco phones, offering excellent performance for the money. For just £350, you get a super-fast Snapdragon processor, 8 Gb of ram, and 256 Gb of storage, so you can expect the same level of performance you’d get with Xiaomi phones that go for over £600.

Another huge plus of the Poco F5 is its design. Rather than having a protruding camera module, this model features three separate camera rings, so the phone looks and feels better and doesn’t wobble when placed on a flat surface.

What we also love about the Poco F5 is the Full HD Flow AMOLED display. With a tiny punch hole for the selfie camera and super-narrow bezels, the 6.67″ display provides an immersive experience whether you’re watching online content, hopping on video calls, or gaming.

Another thing worth mentioning is that the Poco F5 has an IP53 rating, meaning it’s resistant to dust and the occasional spill.

8. Redmi Note 11 — Super Affordable Xiaomi Model, Great for Kids and Older People

The Redmi Note 11 is one of the most affordable Xiaomi phones. For as little as £165, you get the Snapdragon 680 processor, 4 Gb of RAM, an incredible display, and great battery life.

As an older model, the Redmi Note 11 will hardly impress you with its features, but it’s still an excellent option as a first smartphone for kids who don’t need a super high-end device. It’s also a decent option for older people with its bright screen, vibrant colours, and helpful font options.

As you would expect with such an affordable model, the camera quality isn’t the best, especially in low light. Another shortcoming of the Redmi Note 11 is that it lacks 5G support, but 4G should still be fast enough for the average user.

That said, a redeeming quality of this model is its 5,000mAh battery, which will easily last you for over 24 hours. With 33W charging, you can expect to fully charge the Redmi Note 11 in a little over an hour.

9. Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE — Reasonably Priced Phone With 5G Support

The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE is a slim and lightweight phone designed to be easy to carry around — both in your pocket and in your hand.

The design of this model is very simple and elegant, with smooth edges and a nearly flat camera module on the backside. That said, the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE has slightly wider bezels than newer Xiaomi models, so the effective screen space is 6.55″ instead of the 6.73″ that has become the company standard in recent years.

The difference in screen size is barely noticeable, and you’ll still be able to enjoy crisp video playback with vibrant colours on this phone’s 90 Hz AMOLED screen.

When it comes to performance, the Snapdragon 778G processor and 8 Gb of RAM provide quite a bit of power, so you can expect the phone to load all apps lightning-fast and handle modern mobile games without an issue.

Another thing worth noting about this model is that it features a 4,250mAh battery. So, while it won’t outlast newer models with a 5,000mAh battery, it’ll still easily last a full day. Plus, with fast charge support, you can get it from 0% to full battery in around 40 minutes.

10. Poco X3 Pro — Great Mid-Range Alternative to Redmi Phones

The Poco X3 Pro is another decent mid-range option if you’re looking for an alternative to Redmi phones. It features a powerful Snapdragon 860 CPU and 6 Gb of RAM, which is more than enough to handle everything an average user would throw at it.

The strong suit of this model is its bright display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 240 Hz touch sampling, which decreases touch latency and improves the screen’s responsiveness. This makes the Poco X3 Pro an excellent choice for gaming, especially in multiplayer games, where a millisecond faster response time can make all the difference.

Another reason to opt for the Poco X3 Pro is the surround sound experience provided by powerful dual stereo speakers. You’ll be able to enjoy a fully immersive sound when streaming online content and will be able to hear your friends and family loud and clear both on cellular and video calls.

On top of great performance, this phone offers excellent battery life and supports 33W fast charging, so you won’t have to worry about sitting next to a power outlet.

One thing to note regarding this phone is that it runs on Android 11 out of the box and features MIUI 12, both of which have two faster and better-optimised successors.

Comparison of the Top Xiaomi Mobiles in the UK

Here’s a quick comparison table of the top Xiaomi phones in 2024 to give you a better overview of the specs of different models and choose the one that’s best for you:

Conclusion – Which is the Best Xiaomi Phone to Buy in the UK in 2024?

There are many excellent Xiaomi phones on the market, so the choice should ultimately come down to your needs and your budget. So, consider whether you need a super-fast processor and a ton of RAM, a device optimised for gaming, or just an all-around solid mid-range phone.

That said, if you have the budget for it, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is by far the best Xiaomi model in 2024. With this phone, you get a super-powerful processor, a stunning display with a high resolution, solid cameras, and excellent battery life.

In other words, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is excellent for all use cases, whether you plan on binge-watching your favourite TV show, playing demanding mobile games, taking breathtaking photos, casually browsing the web, or just staying in touch with your friends and family.

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