At first glance, they are both 48 MP image sensors with pretty much the same specifications. But there is one key difference. Find out what it is, and if it matters to you!
The Sony IMX586 Image Sensor
Sony makes many of the industry’s best image sensors, and their IMX585 is no exception.
First announced on 23 July 2018, the Sony IMX586 was the world’s first image sensor to feature an ultra-small 0.8 μm pixel size.
It is a stacked CMOS image sensor, that uses a Quad Bayer colour filter array – where adjacent 2×2 pixels are in the same colour.
In low-light conditions, signals from four adjacent pixels to be combined into a Super Pixel with the effective pixel size of 1.6 μm pixels. This allows for significantly brighter low-light photos, albeit at 12 MP.
At half an inch, or 8 mm, it is considered a relatively large sensor. Shipping in September 2018, it has so far been used in the Xiaomi Mi 9, the Redmi Note 7 Pro, ASUS 6Z, OnePlus 7 Pro and now, the Mi 9T Pro / K20 Pro.
The Sony IMX582 Image Sensor
The Sony IMX582, on the other hand, is a complete mystery.
Until its introduction in the Xiaomi Mi 9T / Redmi K20, no one has ever heard of it, much less seen it used in any smartphone.
At first glance, it is identical to the Sony IMX586 – a stacked CMOS image sensor with 48 million 0.8 μm pixels that can be combined into 12 million 1.6 μm pixels.
However, we can confirm that the Sony IMX582 is different from the IMX586 in at least one aspect – its 4K video recording capability.
Sony IMX586 vs Sony IMX582
The Sony IMX586 is capable of recording 4K videos at up to 90 fps, but the Sony IMX582 is limited to 4K videos at just 30 fps.
For your convenience, we summarise their specifications in this table :
Specifications
Sony IMX586
Sony IMX582
Sensor Size
1/2-inch (8 mm)
1/2-inch (8 mm)
Resolution (Native)
48 MP : 8000 x 6000 pixels
48 MP : 8000 x 6000 pixels
Resolution (Super Pixel Mode)
12 MP : 4000 x 3000 pixels
12 MP : 4000 x 3000 pixels
Pixel Size (Native)
0.8 μm
0.8 μm
Pixel Size (Super Pixel Mode)
1.6 μm
1.6 μm
Video Recording
4K @ 90 fps
1080p @ 240 fps
720p @ 480 fps
4K @ 30 fps
1080p @ 240 fps
720p @ 480 fps
Now, many other websites are saying that the IMX586 can record 4K videos only up to 60 fps, but they are wrong.
They most likely got confused by Xiaomi’s statement that the IMX586 was limited to 4K @ 60 fps in Mi 9 and Mi 9T Pro / K20 Pro smartphones.
The fact is Sony rated the IMX586 for 4K @ 90 fps, but Xiaomi limits 4K video recording to 60 fps in their smartphones.
So Which Is Better – IMX586 or IMX582?
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The Sony IMX586 is the superior sensor, by virtue of being able to record 4K video at higher frame rates.
But that feature is moot for many users, because most users do not record 4K videos at 60 fps, never mind 90 fps…
Unless you want to record high speed 4K video, both sensors are practically the same.
In fact, we believe that the IMX582 is really nothing more than the IMX586 with a throttled 4K recording capability.
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Xiaomi launched the Mi 9T (Redmi K20) in June, and now they finally launched the Mi 9T Pro, also known as the Redmi K20 Pro!
Here is our hands-on preview of the new Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro, as well as our comparison of all three colour options!
Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro) Preview
We had the opportunity to get some hands-on time with the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro) before its launch. Here is our preview of all three colour options!
The Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro is, in many respects, very similar to the Mi 9T (Redmi K20). In fact, there are only three key aspects in which they differ…
Flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Platform
The Xiaomi Mi 9T (Redmi K20) is powered by the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 platform, while the Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 flagship platform.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 has a triple-cluster CPU architecture, that consists of :
a prime Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold core (2.84 GHz)
three performance Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold cores (2.42 GHz)
four low-power Qualcomm Kryo 485 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
It also has an Qualcomm Adreno 640 GPU, with a clock speed of 585 MHz.
Xiaomi took great pains to point out to us that it has great gaming performance, even though it is not the Snapdragon 855 Plus that will power some “gaming smartphones” like the ROG Phone 2, and the upcoming Black Shark 2 Pro.
To ensure sustained performance, the Snapdragon 855 is kept cool by an 8-layer graphite stack, and a bi-directional cooling system.
Xiaomi only let us test the Mi 9T Pro for two rounds of PUBG Mobile. It had no problem (of course) running PUBG Mobile with all the graphics features turned on, but it will get pretty toasty.
Both models have a 20 MP front camera. But they differ in two aspects :
the Mi 9T Pro has a larger sensor, with much larger 1.6 μm pixels (versus 0.9 μm pixels)
the Mi 9T‘s front camera has a slightly larger f/2.0 aperture (versus f/2.2)
What this means is the Mi 9T Pro’s front camera will give you better picture quality with less noise. And even though it has a slightly smaller aperture, it will still deliver better low-light performance because it has 78% larger pixels.
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Better Video Recording Capability
The Mi 9T (Redmi K20) uses the Sony IMX582 sensor, while the Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro) uses the Sony IMX586 sensor.
However, they are both virtually the same – with the same sensor size, pixel size and 48 MP resolution.
The only difference – the IMX582 can only record 4K videos at up to 30 fps, while the IMX586 can record 4K videos at up to 60 fps.
1 x Kryo 485 Gold core (2.84 GHz)
3 x Kryo 485 Gold cores (2.42 GHz)
4 x Kryo 485 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
2 x Kryo 470 Gold (2.2 GHz)
6 x Kryo 470 Silver (1.8 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 640 (585 MHz)
Qualcomm Adreno 618 (610 MHz)
Memory
6 GB LPDDR4x-3733 memory
6 GB LPDDR4x-3733 memory
Storage
64 GB / 128 GB (UFS 2.1)
No microSD card slot
64 GB / 128 GB (UFS 2.1)
No microSD card slot
Front Camera
20 MP sensor with 1.6 μm pixels, and f/2.2 aperture
20 MP sensor with 0.9 μm pixels, and f/2.0 aperture
Rear Cameras
Triple Camera System
- 48 MP Sony IMX586 camera with f/1.75 aperture
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture
- 13 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.4 aperture
Triple Camera System
- 48 MP Sony IMX582 camera with f/1.75 aperture
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture
- 13 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.4 aperture
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
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20 MP sensor with 0.9 μm pixels, and f/2.0 aperture
13 MP sensor
Rear Cameras
Triple Camera System
- 48 MP Sony IMX586 camera with f/1.75 aperture
- 12 MP telephoto camera with f/2.2 aperture
- 16 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture
Dual Lens Camera
- 48 MP camera with f/1.8 aperture
- 5 MP depth sensor
- single LED flash
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
3,300 mAh lithium-ion battery
- supports 27 W fast charging / 20 W wireless fast charging
4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery
- supports 10 W fast charging
Dimensions
74.67 mm wide
157.5 mm tall
7.61 mm thick
75.21 mm wide
159.21 mm tall
8.1 mm thick
Weight
173 grams
186 grams
Colour Options
Piano Black / Ocean Blue / Lavender Violet
Space Black / Neptune Blue / Nebula Red
As you can see, they are really quite different smartphones, even though they both have a 48 MP main camera.
Unboxing The Xiaomi Mi 9
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) comes in a premium pearl white box. Let’s unbox it, and see what we find inside!
When you fully unbox it, you will find the following items :
One Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphone
One Xiaomi Mi 9 clear TPU bumper case
One set of Xiaomi Mi 9 documents
One Xiaomi MDY-08-E1 USB charger (18 watt)
One USB Type C data and power cable
One USB Type C to 3.5 mm audio adaptor
One SIM tray extractor pin
While we always like it when brands include a bumper case, this bumper case falls short of our expectations. We will explain it in our close-up look at the Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) and its bumper case.
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The Xiaomi Mi 9 Up Close!
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) is built around a large 6.39-inch Dot Drop display.
Like the Redmi Note 7, the Mi 9 display has a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, but it has a superior Samsung AMOLED panel that delivers a 60,000:1 contrast ratio and 103.8% of the NTSC colour gamut!
The Mi 9 is protected in the front and back by Corning Gorilla Glass 6, which offers 2X the damage resistance than Gorilla Glass 5 used to protect Redmi Note 7.
Disappointingly, the bundled TPU bumper case was not well-designed. It does not protect the display or the camera bump at all. It can only protect against falls on the sides of the phone…
Fortunately, the camera bump is protected by sapphire glass, which is tougher and less likely to scratch than Gorilla Glass.
On the left side, you will find the SIM tray and a Google Assistant button (like the Bixby button on Samsung smartphones).
The Power and Volume control buttons are both located on the right side.
Even though the Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) is thick enough to support a 3.5 mm audio port, Xiaomi removed it.
So you will only find a second microphone at the top, together with an IR emitter (which lets you use the Mi 9 as a remote control).
At the bottom, you will only find a bi-directional USB Type C port flanked by the speaker and microphone ports.
The Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) comes with a USB-C to 3.5 mm adaptor cable. It allows you to hook up your earphone or an external microphone to the USB-C port.
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Dot Drop Display
At the top of the 6.39-inch AMOLED display is what Xiaomi calls a “dot drop” notch.
This dot drop notch allows for a larger display area, specifically space for more notifications. Barring the complete removal of the notch, this is about as good as it gets!
Thanks to this small notch and thin bezels, the Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) has a 90.7% screen-to-body ratio.
In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) boasts an in-display fingerprint sensor.
This is an improved optical fingerprint sensor made by Goodix, that promises to detect your fingerprints about 25% faster.
While this is not as accurate or reliable as the ultrasonic sensor on the Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones, it works quite well as long as your finger isn’t wet.
Double SIM Tray
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) has Dual SIM, Dual Standby capability. Its SIM tray supports two nano SIM cards for this very purpose.
However, Xiaomi chose to eliminate the option for expandable memory using a microSD card. You must rely solely on the internal flash storage.
Therefore, we highly recommend you opt for the most amount of storage possible, which is usually 128 GB.
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Launched in February 2019, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is a very powerful mobile SoC for flagship smartphones.
It combines eight Qualcomm Kryo 485 processor cores, with an Adreno 640 GPU, a Snapdragon X24 and X50 modems, a Spectra 380 camera ISP and a Hexagon 690 DSP.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 uses a 1+3+4 cluster architecture :
one turbo-speed Kryo 485 Gold core running at 2.84 GHz,
three high-speed Kryo 485 Gold cores running at 2.42 GHz, and
four Kryo 485 Silver cores running at 1.8 GHz
In addition to an X24 LTE mode, the Snapdragon 855 also features the X50 modem, which allows it to deliver 5G mmWave connectivity.
Memory + Storage
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) generally comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory, with an 8 GB model in China.
Xiaomi does not allow anyone to check the amount of free memory, not even in Developer mode. But we used AIDA64 to confirm that with a clean system, it has 2.5 GB (42%) of free memory.
The Mi 9 comes with either 64 GB or 128 GB of internal flash storage. Our review sample came with 128 GB of storage, of which just over 115 GB (90%) is available for use.
This is enough space to store about 31,000 photos, or 16.5 hours of 1080p videos, or 6 hours of 4K videos.
We highly recommend you get the 128 GB model, because the Mi 9 does not offer expandable storage using a microSD card.
Setting Up The Xiaomi Mi 9
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) runs on Android 9.0 Pie, so it is really easy to setup. It should take you no more than 7 minutes to set it up as a new device.
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Battery Life
We tested the Xiaomi Mi 9’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
IMPRESSIVE! Even with a relatively small 3,300 mAh battery, the Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) lasted almost as long as the Redmi Note 7, which has a much larger 4,000 mAh battery.
This is not just screen-on time. It’s running the Work 2.0 benchmark over, and over again, for almost 12.25 hours!
Battery Recharging Performance
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 4, and up to 27 watts fast charging.
However, it only comes bundled with an 18-watt MDY-08-E1 fast charger. Well, let’s see how fast it recharges the 3,300 mAh battery!
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) took just over 1 hour 24 minutes (84.5 minutes) to recharge its battery from 20% to 100%.
This is good performance for its 18 watt charger, but falls short of the Samsung’s 15 watt charger that delivers 15% more juice with 16.7% less power consumption.
Thanks to its long battery life, it has a phenomenal battery life : recharging ratio of 8.7 : 1. A rule of thumb – for one hour of battery life, you only need to charge it for 7 minutes.
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Xiaomi Mi 9 Cameras
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) has a high-resolution 20 MP front camera hidden in its dot drop notch.
The image sensor has relatively large 0.9 μm pixels. Coupled with a wide, bright f/2.0 aperture, it should allow for pretty good low-light performance.
Despite its high resolution, this front camera only supports 720p or 1080p video recording at 30 fps.
However, selfie lovers will enjoy its many beautification features – AI Beautify, AI Feature Adjustment, AI Makeup, AI Portrait Mode, AI Scene Detection, AI Studio Lighting, and AI Lens Flare.
Its killer photography feature though is at the back – a triple camera system that is made up of :
Main Camera : 48 MP Sony IMX586 sensor (0.8 μm pixels) with f/1.75 aperture
Telephoto Camera : 12 MP sensor (1.0 μm pixels) with 2X zoom and f/2.2 aperture
Ultra-Wide Angle Camera : 16 MP sensor (1.0 μm pixels) with 117° angle, and f/2.2 aperture
This triple camera system supports electronic image stabilisation for jerk-free videos at up to 4K resolution. It can also record ultra-slow motion videos at up to 960 fps (720p or 1080p only).
The Sony IMX586 sensor supports the Super Pixel technology, allowing it to merge four pixels into one large 1.6 μm pixel. This greatly increases its light sensitivity in low-light conditions, delivering 12 MP pictures that are much brighter and clearer.
By default, the main camera uses the Super Pixel mode, both to increase light sensitivity, as well as to keep the picture sizes small.
Triple Camera Comparison
You may be wondering just how useful is it to have three cameras, instead of just two, or even one. Let us show you using these two comparisons :
While the telephoto camera is useful in bringing distant objects closer, there can be no doubt that the ultra-wide angle is really useful.
We are also glad to see Xiaomi give the ultra-wide angle camera a high-resolution 16 MP sensor, instead of 8 MP or even 5 MP in other smartphones.
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Xiaomi Mi 9 Camera Performance – Photo Samples
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) pairs the 48 MP Sony IMX586 image sensor with a very wide and bright f/1.75 aperture.
The ultra-high resolution sensor has pretty small pixels – just 0.8 µm in size, so by default, Xiaomi combines them to form a very large 1.6 µm pixel for a reduced 12 MP photo resolution.
At the default 12 MP resolution, the photos are 4000 x 3000 pixels in size, with file sizes between 5 MB and 7.5 MB.
Here are 10 high-resolution unedited photo samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos. You can also download them to examine up close.
The image quality was superb – the details captured were crisp and clean. However, note again that they were taken at the default 12 MP resolution.
There are some caveats though. The wide f/1.75 aperture naturally creates a very narrow depth of field, with a nice bokeh effect. But in many cases, you will end up with an out-of-focus subject because of two issues :
trouble autofocusing on the subject in some cases, and
the inability to focus at short distances
Look at the last two pictures in particular – mushrooms and star anise. You can clearly see how narrow the depth of field is, with the main camera.
In other words, it will be quite a challenge to take macro or close-up shots. You need to put some distance between the camera and your subject.
Alternatively, switch to the telephoto camera which supports macro photography.
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Xiaomi Mi 9 Camera Performance – Video Samples
Unlike the Redmi Note 7 which also has a 48 MP camera, the Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) can record 4K videos. Here are four video samples :
Video Sample #1 : Piano Performance (1080p)
The video is a little under-exposed, and has a yellowish tinge. However, it demonstrated excellent control of the highlights – you can see right to the back of the shop in the background!
The image stabilisation was also very good, and our hand shake was smoothened out very nicely.
The audio recording was a little too bright for our tastes, and we would expected a wider audio range. But it had pretty decent noise cancellation capability.
Video Sample #2 : Piano Performance (4K)
The resolution at 4K is amazing, and what’s really impressive is that the Mi 9 maintained its excellent image stabilisation at this resolution.
It also delivered good control of the highlights and exposure control was actually better at this resolution.
Video Sample #3 : Auto Show (1080p)
In this walk-through of a small auto show, you can see just how effective its image stabilisation is.
Generally, the Mi 9 has excellent image stabilisation performance. It is noticeably better at correcting vertical jerks, than horizontal movement – it jerks a little when you pan.
Video Sample #4 : Auto Show (4K)
Increasing the resolution to 4K appears to slightly impact its image stabilisation. The video is slightly more jerky. But overall, good image stabilisation performance.
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Xiaomi Mi 9 Work + Gaming Performance
In this section, we tested the Mi 9’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
We then tested the Mi 9’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
There is no doubt that when it comes to work performance, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is superior to the Samsung Exynos 9820 used in the Samsung Galaxy S10+.
It is also incumbent upon us to point out that the Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) is offering a top-of-the-line flagship-class processor at a fraction of the cost of the OPPO R17 Pro which uses a mid-range processor.
The Mi 9’s Snapdragon 855 proved to be 15% faster than the Samsung Galaxy S10+‘s Exynos 9820 in games.
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Our Verdict + Award
Xiaomi has always had the reputation for creating smartphones with exceptional value, and excellent design. While they stumbled with the Redmi Note 7, they hit jackpot with the Mi 9.
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) exudes class, with a premium look and feel. It definitely looks like it costs a ton more than you paid!
But more importantly – this is a flagship-class smartphone with a ton of class-leading features.
We cannot emphasise enough that this is literally the cheapest smartphone in the world to feature the class-leading Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 platform, and a triple camera system with a 48 MP main camera!
Its large 6.39-inch display may not have the super-high resolution of the Samsung Galaxy S10+, but it boasts the similar AMOLED panel, with a very high contrast ratio of 60,000:1 and 103.8% of the NTSC colour gamut!
Impressively, the Xiaomi Mi 9 manages its power consumption so well, it is able to deliver battery life in excess of 12 hours with a small 3,300 mAh battery!
Now, the 48 MP main camera works as advertised, but in 99.9% of the time, you will end up using it in the 12 MP Super Pixel mode. In fact, Xiaomi recognises this fact, and set the camera to default to 12 MP.
What we found far more useful is the addition of the ultra-wide angle camera. It is extremely useful for taking photos, especially while you are travelling. And we love the fact that Xiaomi gave it a 16 MP sensor, instead of an 8 MP or 5 MP sensor.
Now, the Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) is not perfect. Its bundle bumper case, in particular, was poorly designed and should only be used if you cannot find something better.
We are also disappointed that Xiaomi removed the 3.5 mm audio port, and even worse – removed the microSD card expansion option.
While the Mi 9 comes with a lot of internal storage, we always recommend storing your photos and videos in a microSD card, as a form of insurance. Doing so allows you to recover your media files in the event your Mi 9 is physically damaged.
Xiaomi Mi 9 Price + Availability
Here are the common Mi 9 models, and their prices (and direct purchase links) :
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