Unveiled on August 11, Xiaomi’s second foldable phone, the MIX Fold 2 is here and it offers big improvements over its competitors and its predecessor. The new model not only features a hardware upgrade, but also a more useful design. It offers many innovations compared to the Mi MIX Fold, which was introduced in 2021.
The new foldable model is powered by Qualcomm’s latest 8+ Gen 1 chipset and has 12GB/256GB, 12GB/512GB, 12GB/1TB storage options. The flagship-class chipset and high storage options prove that the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 is no ordinary device. The device’s first screen is 6.56 inches and FHD resolution, while the second screen is 8.02 inches.
Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 vs Mi MIX Fold: What are the innovations?
Foldable phones, considered useless at the time of their introduction, are popular today. Xiaomi’s first foldable phone, the Mi MIX Fold, was quite thick when folded and could feel uncomfortable to use. With the new MIX Fold 2, the thickness has been greatly reduced and the screen is wider. When folded, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 is almost as thick as a regular phone. It also has notable improvements in the camera.
Screen
Both models have high-quality screens, but the new model is more useful with some innovations. The main screen of the Mi MIX Fold is quite small, while the MIX Fold 2 has a very large main screen. The Mi MIX Fold features a 6.52-inch HD main screen with a screen to body ratio of 67.83%. The screen with rather thick bezels looks small. The MIX Fold 2, on the other hand, has a 6.56-inch FHD main display with a screen to body ratio of 83.96%.
The technical specifications of the secondary screens are quite similar, Mi MIX Fold comes with a secondary screen with 8.01 inch 1860×2480 pixels resolution, while Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 comes with 8.02 inch 1914×2160 pixels screen. The biggest new feature of the screen is the 90HZ refresh rate, which is increased to 120HZ on MIX Fold 2.
Body
The bodies of the devices are similar, both have glass backs and aluminum frames, but the device thickness has been greatly improved with the new model. The unfolded version of the Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold has a thickness of 7.6 mm. When folded, it reaches a thickness of 17.2 mm. You may find it difficult to use the Mi MIX Fold, which is about 2 times thicker than a regular phone, but the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 is very ergonomic.
The unfolded version of the MIX Fold 2 has a thickness of 5.4 mm, and when folded, it reaches a thickness of 11.2 mm. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, which is quite thin for a foldable phone, is also thinner than other foldable models except for its predecessor.
Platform
Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, this chipset was announced in 2020 and is still quite powerful. The chipset, which consists of Cortex X1, Cortex A78 and Cortex A55 cores, can overheat because it is manufactured by Samsung. This chipset has a 5nm manufacturing process and has the Adreno 660 GPU. Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold comes with 12/256GB and 12/512GB RAM/storage options.
Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, on the other hand, is powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Qualcomm’s latest chipset introduced in 2022. With TSMC’s 4nm manufacturing process, the new chipset in MIX Fold 2 offers high energy efficiency and heats up much less than Snapdragon 888. The new chipset features Cortex X2, Cortex A710 and Cortex A510 cores. Its biggest difference compared to Snapdragon 888 is that it supports ARMV9. SoC with Adreno 730 GPU is much more stable than Snapdragon 888 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. In addition, Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 has 12GB/256GB, 12GB/512GB and 12GB/1TB RAM/storage options.
Camera
A new era in rear cameras has begun with the MIX Fold 2. The LEICA optics that Xiaomi uses in its new flagship models are also included in the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2. There are great innovations not only in the optics, but also in the camera sensors. The main camera of Mi MIX Fold is Samsung’s ISOCELL HM2 sensor with a resolution of 108 MP, the second camera is a 13MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with a 123-degree viewing angle, and the third camera is an 8MP telephoto sensor. With Mi MIX Fold, you can record videos up to 8K with the rear camera. The front camera has a resolution of 20 MP.
Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, on the other hand, has a 50MP resolution Sony IMX 766 sensor as the primary camera sensor, this sensor can provide more vivid colors than Samsung ISOCELL HM2. The second camera of the new model is a 13MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with 123-degree viewing angle, which is almost identical to its predecessor. The third camera on the back of the MIX Fold 2 is an 8MP telephoto sensor. The front camera is 20 MP, just like the Mi MIX Fold, and the rear camera can record video at up to 8K. While the MIX Fold 2 doesn’t seem to come with a major camera upgrade, the LEICA-tuned optics are a big improvement.
Battery
As for the battery, the first-generation MIX foldable model is obviously better than the new one. Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold has a 5020mAh capacity battery, while Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 has a 4500mAh battery. The reason for the lower battery capacity of the new model could be that the device is thinner, because there is a big difference in thickness between Mi MIX Fold and MIX Fold 2. Both models support 67W fast charging.
Conclusion
Xiaomi’s new foldable product, MIX Fold 2, comes with a much better screen to body ratio, more powerful SoC and LEICA signed rear cameras compared to its predecessor. Only the battery capacity is lower compared to the Mi MIX Fold, but it is a negligible minus. The new model is more useful because it is much thinner than the old one. The new MIX Fold 2 comes with notable innovations.
