Xiaomi India gets its first dual-camera smartphone, nicknamed as the Xiaomi Mi A1. This must be a major landmark for Xiaomi, but it has waged a war against the HMD Global’s comeback smartphone, Nokia 6 (Review).
Both smartphones have got competing features and specifications, and retail for the same price. Moreover, both phones are guaranteed to get Android Oreo by the end of the year. So which stock Android phone should you buy?
Also Read: Xiaomi Mi A1 Vs Moto G5s Plus Specs Comparison
Xiaomi Mi A1 vs Nokia 6 Specs Comparison
| Model | Xiaomi Mi A1 | Nokia 6 |
| Display | 5.5-Inch, Full HD IPS LCD display, 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 | 5.5-inch, Full HD, IPS LCD, 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass |
| Processor | 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 625 | 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC |
| RAM | 4GB | 3GB |
| Internal Storage | 64GB, expandable to up to 256GB | 32GB, expandable up to 256GB |
| Software | Android Nougat 7.1.1 | Android Nougat 7.1.1 |
| Primary Camera | 12MP+12MP (Telephoto + wide angle lens) | 16MP (main), PDAF, f/2.0 aperture Dual Tone LED Flash |
| Secondary Camera | 5MP, 1080p Videos | 8MP front-facing camera |
| Battery | 3,080 mAh | 3,000mAh |
| Others | 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/A-GPS, USB Type-C port, and 3.5mm audio jack, fingerprint sensor, IR Blaster | 4G VoLTE, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, NFC, 3.5mm audio jack, Fingerprint sensor |
| Price | Rs. 14,999 | Rs. 14,999 |
Design and Build
The Mi A1 takes inspiration from iPhone 7 Plus and looks quite familiar at this point in time. Xiaomi is using a full-metal body with U-shaped antenna bands (a pretty standard affair). There is 2.5D glass on the front, IR remote on top and fingerprint sensor on the rear.
Whereas, the Nokia 6 has gone for something new and original. The phone packs an aluminum unibody, combined with 2.5D glass on top and flat and sharp edges on the corner. It has a front-mounted fingerprint sensor aptly placed in between the navigational buttons.
Both phones look beautiful and are solidly built. Since the beauty lies in the eyes of an individual, we are leaving this section entirely up to you to judge which device has got more premium feel.
Display
Both – Nokia 6 and Mi A1 – sports a 5.5-inch full-HD IPS LCD display with 1920X1080 pixel resolution. However, if we had to strictly choose between the two, we would side with the Nokia 6 display that seems to be a tad better calibrated. It shows vivid colors and wide dynamic range.
Software and Performance
Enough of comparing them from the outside. Let’s get inside. Performance-wise, there is a substantial difference. Meanwhile, both handsets run on Android Nougat, a stock ROM, out of the box with Android Oreo update gauranteed.
The Nokia 6 retracts its power from Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC clocked at 1.4 GHz, and an integrated Adreno 505 GPU. The processor is backed by 3GB RAM and 32GB storage – expandable via hybrid sim slot to up to 256GB.
Its opponent, Xiaomi Mi A1 flashes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor clocked at 2.0GHz, paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.
If you ask us to single out the processor, we will pick Xiaomi Mi A1’s Snapdragon 625 processor. The processor is well-suited for heavy tasks (like gaming) and is more power efficient than the Snapdragon 435 processor on Nokia 6. Mi A1 wins this hands down.
Camera and Battery
The camera performance on both the smartphone also differs from one another.
The Mi A1 uses a dual-rear camera setup at the back. The phone includes two 12MP sensors with 26mm, f/2.2 aperture, and 50mm, f/2.6 aperture, lenses respectively. On the front, it has a 5MP selfie shooter.
The dual-camera on Mi A1 really plays well. The sensors on the phone deliver great images in good light and reasonable ones in dim light.
On the other hand, Nokia 6 sports a single 16MP sensor at the back with LED flash, and an 8MP sensor on the front. The camera on Nokia 6 should be backed by good lighting conditions to snap quality images.
The power backup on both the smartphone is pretty much the same. The battery is capable to last for one whole day on moderate to heavy usage.
Also Read: Best Dual Camera Smartphones Under 20,000 INR
Verdict
Throughout the comparison, both – Nokia 6 and Xiaomi Mi A1, stood at neck to neck and just didn’t submit that easy. Both smartphones offer something for everyone. So, we are concluding this comparison on this final note:
Who should buy the Xiaomi Mi A1? The Mi A1 offers a more powerful chipset, puts Google at the software helms, and has a better set of cameras. For most people, that should be the reason enough to choose Mi A1 over Nokia 6.
Who should buy the Nokia 6? The HMD Global’s Nokia 6 is for those who are really into style game and are basic users. The phone looks gorgeous and benefits from iconic Nokia branding. Besides, Mi A1 isn’t expected to be readily available for many more weeks to follow.
Also Read: Top 7 Phones With Best Displays Under 18,000 INR In 2017
