Remember the China-only Xiaomi Mi CC9? Well, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite is the global variant of the device, and it is coming to Malaysia on 1 November. Starting from RM1,199, the Mi 9 Lite is a reasonably good option for those looking to get a mid-range smartphone.
Design wise, the Mi 9 Lite looks very similar to the flagship Mi 9, right down to the notched display and camera arrangement on the back of the phone. In fact, the Mi 9 Lite also has a triple camera system, but it’s not quite as sophisticated; it loses the telephoto lens.
Instead, the Mi 9 Lite’s triple camera setup is made up of a 48MP f/1.79 primary sensor, an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle shooter, and a 2MP depth sensor. Not having a telephoto lens does limit the camera’s utility, but we imagine most folks will get more use out of the ultra-wide angle sensor anyway.
Besides that, the Mi 9 Lite is also powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM. While it’s not quite as capable as, say, the similarly priced Xiaomi Mi 9T‘s Snapdragon 730 SoC, the Snapdragon 710 should still be able to offer relatively good level of performance, especially for everyday use.
Just like the rest of Xiaomi’s Mi 9 smartphones, the Mi 9 Lite also features a 6.39-inch 2340 x 1080 AMOLED display. You can expect to get deep blacks and vibrant colours with this screen, and under the panel is an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
Other specifications of the Mi 9 Lite include 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, a 32MP f/2.0 front-facing camera, as well as a generous 4,030mAh battery,
The Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite will be available in two variants for the Malaysian market: the 64GB model retails at RM1,199, while the 128GB variant goes for RM1,299. Interestingly, the 64GB model will only be available online on Shopee and Lazada; physical Authorised Mi Stores will only carry the 128GB variant.
At these price points, the Mi 9 Lite sits in the same price range as another Xiaomi smartphone: the Mi 9T. In fact, the 64GB variant of the latter costs exactly the same at RM1,199. For the same asking price, the Mi 9T offers a lot more value for your money, including better performance, sleeker design, and a more versatile camera system, thanks to the telephoto lens.
The Xiaomi Mi 9T
Granted, the Mi 9T does not have a microSD card slot, and the Mi 9 Lite sports a 32MP selfie camera rather than the Mi 9T’s 20MP motorised front-facing shooter. On top of that, if you want 128GB of storage, you’ll have to pay RM100 more for the Mi 9T (RM1,399) over the Mi 9 Lite (RM1,299).
Nonetheless, the Mi 9 Lite will be available for purchase in Malaysia from 1 November onwards. Three colours of the device are available: Aurora Blue, Pearl White, and Onyx Grey.