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They forayed into the smart speaker segment last year with their speakers running XiaoAI assistant and were restricted to just the China market. Now with their latest Mi Smart Speaker, the company is eyeing international markets and their first stop is India.
The new Mi Smart Speakers is powered by the Google Assistant, has a fairly refreshed design, and promises to deliver exceptional audio in its price segment while sticking to a current sticker price of INR 3,499.
We used the Mi Smart Speaker for a little over a week and here’s our full review.
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- 360° omnidirectional output 3-unit acoustic configuration / Small body, big volume* Powerful bass "visible"
- Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker Mini Supports Xiaomi HyperOS Connect Dual-device stereo playblack Group playback from up to 8 devices
- Acoustic algorithm developed by Xiaomi Great sound starts on the inside . 2000mAh (typical)
- Acoustic unitFull-range speaker x2 Passive radiator x1 / Rated power 3W x2 / Bluetooth 5.3 NFC connection for a seamless listening experience PortsType-C charging port PluginsSupports the Mi Home/Xiaomi Home app plugins to adjust lighting and sound effects, and perform OTA upgrades
Box Contents
- Mi Smart Speaker
- Power Adapter
- User Manual
- Other Documentation
Design
Starting with the design, with the Mi Smart Speaker, Xiaomi seems to have taken design inspirations from a number of speakers which isn’t bad. The nearest lookalike for this is from Sonos which is a much more premium brand per se. The construction here is done in part with Aluminium and Plastic. We get to see a mesh grill covering the speaker which does flex a bit, but it isn’t that much of a deal, since the speaker will be sitting in a fixed placed and not tossed around.
The two halfs on the top and bottom are made out of plastic which isn’t that much premium looking but is passable when looking at the price. The touch controls placed on the top for volume, microphone mute, and play, pause are responsive. Additionally, we get to see an LED ring that runs around the top of the speaker to indicate when the speaker is listening to voice commands. The colors on this change depending on the function being carried out.
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- 【Portable Design】Weighing only 200g, this compact speaker easily fits in a pocket or bag. The included anti-loss lanyard keeps it secure during travel, workouts, or outdoor adventures like hiking and picnics
- 【Advanced Bluetooth 5.4】Features the latest Bluetooth 5.4 for faster pairing, a more stable connection, and lower latency. Enjoy seamless wireless audio streaming from your devices without annoying dropouts
- 【Balanced Sound】Despite its small size, the speaker delivers clear vocals and balanced bass. It enhances your music, movies, and podcasts, creating an immersive atmosphere anywhere
- 【Long Battery Life】Built for all-day use. The rechargeable battery provides hours of continuous playtime on a single charge, ensuring your music lasts through long trips or daily activities
- 【Reliable After-Sales Support】We offer comprehensive support. If you have any questions, our team aims to respond within 24 hours to ensure a satisfactory experience with your purchase.
On the front bottom we get to see the Xiaomi logo while turning to back, we find a barrel connector for power. Honestly, a USB connector would’ve been great instead of this barrel connector. The base of the speaker has chunkier rubber feet which add a sturdy grip and further help with vibration dampening. Coming to the weight, we see a 853g complete package which is okay considering the size of the speaker.
Sound Quality
The Mi Smart Speaker comes packed with a single 2.5-inch driver that delivers 12W of audio output. This is on-par with other Smart speaker in the market right now, factoring in both the Google Home and Amazon Echo. In typical Xiaomi fashion, the audio performance is decent for the most part.
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- 【Powerful 30W Output & Wireless Stereo】The portable speaker Bluetooth features dual large passive bass radiators on both sides, providing fuller, richer bass, enhancing your music with vibrant and lively percussive sounds. Connect two identical Bluetooth speakers to create a smart stereo combination for a more immersive audio experience, filling any room with crisp, clear sound
- 【Portable & Hands-Free Calling】Our outdoor Bluetooth speaker easily fits into your backpack for travel or outdoor activities, ensuring you can enjoy your favorite music anywhere. Enjoy hands-free communication with a built-in microphone that allows you to take clear calls from up to 100 feet away, making conversations easy and convenient
- 【IP67 Waterproof and Dustproof】Our waterproof speaker Bluetooth is designed to withstand rain, dust, snow, and splashes, ensuring complete resilience against the elements. Perfect for showering, hiking, and camping, enjoy high-quality music wherever your adventures take you. It's your ultimate companion to elevate any outdoor experience, rain or shine
- 【12-Hour Playtime & Bluetooth 5.4 Signal】Enjoy up to 12 hours of non-stop music playback or talk time with the Xiaomi Portable Speaker Bluetooth, ensuring your entertainment never stops from day to night. Experience superior audio quality with the latest Bluetooth 5.4 technology, providing fast and reliable connections for an extraordinary listening experience
- 【Perfect Gift & Professional Service】Ideal for music lovers and adventurers, this stylish and portable Bluetooth speaker is a thoughtful gift for birthdays, holidays or special occasions. Enjoy peace of mind with our dedicated customer support team. If you have any questions or suggestions about our products before, during or after use, please feel free to contact us! We will respond to you within 24 hours and do our best to help you
The speaker gets loud enough to fill a mid-sized room very easily. The driver leans toward mids, hence the vocals and acoustic tracts sound good. The bass seems to be toned down a bit, a factor which is thoroughly enjoyed by Indian audiences. It easily satisfies people looking for some decent bass but is certainly not for bass-heads.
It is possible to create a stereo pair using two Mi Smart Speakers, something that Xiaomi touched on extensively in their launch presentation. In this configuration you get dedicated left and right audio channels. This can be somewhat achieved on the Google Home as well but for the price of one Google Home, you will get two Mi Smart Speakers.
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- Protable pocket design: Excellent Sound Quality The exquisite design of the internal structure of the Xiaomi portable Bluetooth speaker utilizes dual magnetic speakers, which uses rare earth, Canadian long fiber membrane and passive radiator, so that the mini body releases an incredible musical passion. You can hear exceptional sound quality and enjoy the beauty of music.
- Easy to carry: The Xiaomi outdoor portable Bluetooth speaker has a small body that can be held in your pocket or simply in your hand. The weight of the entire machine only corresponds to that of a Mi 9Pro mobile phone, which does not increase the load of travel and makes the music travel easily
- Strong battery life: Bluetooth speaker-long battery life, long battery life and music accompany longer. The Xiaomi portable Bluetooth speaker can last up to 10 hours of battery life. The battery has a high capacity of 2Ah and can play up to 10 hours of music when fully charged. The Bluetooth speakers use Type-C charging interface, which supports positive and negative sockets, making charging more convenient.
- True wireless stereo sound: Connect two identical speaker models to create s smart stereo combo for even more immersive music experiences. Hands-free calling: Answer incoming calls with a single tap for easy hands-free conversations.
- IP67 dustproof and waterproof: IP67, easy to use in the complex outdoor environment, play without fear of rain or dew. The dustproof and waterproof speaker supports dustproof level 6 and level 7 waterproofing. It can effectively prevent sweat, rain splashes and damage caused by dust accumulation on the components, so you can easily play with the complex outdoor environment.
Google Assistant Performance
Lets now touch upon the ‘Smart’ part of the speaker. For picking up your commands, the speaker has two far-field microphones at the top, while we would have liked even more, but these get the job done.
Since it’s a Google Assistant speaker, you get Chromecast built-in which further open possibilities. The setup process using the Google Home app is smooth as a butter. The app gives you a plethora of options, ranging from volume controls, setting up Assistant routines, checking up on your smart devices and more.
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- 🔴Reddot winner 2024: "Alive" is a design concept full of vitality. Infuse it with the rhythmic. ⚡Full range power sound: Uniquely designed to give you a strikingly full sound experience.
- 🎶Unexpectedly powerful connectivity - up to 100 devices can be expanded to experience extraordinary sound : The multi-speaker pair feature enables you to create a powerful audio system that fills every corner of your space with captivating melodies by connecting up to 100 other smart speakers to play simultaneously.Hold down the 3s key on each speaker and all speakers will be automatically paired. All speakers will play the same content.
- 🌈30W High-quality sound: Outstanding sound output, powerful sound in all directions. Dual sound modes: Normal & Deep Bass, two modes so that you can tailor your sound experience.
- ✔️True Wireless Stereo - Immerse yourself in music: The wireless interconnection technology supports series connection of two speakers, allowing you to create your own surround sound experience. 🔶Bluetooth 5.4 - Stable connection, smooth music flow: Bluetooth 5.4 offers the latest connectivity option for more stable connection and better range, enjoy your favorite beats even at a distance.
The Mi Smart Speaker also can act as a smart device center, letting you control other smart devices. Additionally, Xiaomi already has a bunch of smart devices available in the Indian market, ranging from Smart Bulbs, LED lights, lamps, and more. So, you don’t need to get out of the whole ecosystem with your smart home setup.
Verdict- Should you buy it?
The Mi Smart Speaker should be the go-to choice for someone looking at a smart speaker. The build is sturdy, the audio is great, and you get the goodness of Google Assistant. It is louder and better sounding compared to both the Nest Mini and Echo Dot, its nearest competitors in terms of pricing.
This also opens up the possibility for Xiaomi to expand their smart devices ecosystem, something that an average Indian couldn’t have thought of getting into a while back. For the current promotional price of INR 3,499, the Mi Smart Speaker gets a wholehearted recommendation from us.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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