Xiaomi Mi 3

Xiaomi Mi 3 (2013) — The Phone That Made Xiaomi a Household Name

The Xiaomi Mi 3 was unveiled at Xiaomi’s New Product Launch Event on September 5, 2013, and was officially released in China in October 2013. It went on to become a defining moment in Xiaomi’s history, becoming the fastest-selling smartphone in the company’s history at the time, with 200,000 units sold in the Philippines within just 3 minutes of launch.

The phone featured either a 2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor or a 1.8 GHz quad-plus-one-core Nvidia Tegra 4 processor, depending on the network variant. It came with 2GB of RAM and either 16GB or 64GB of non-expandable internal storage, delivering flagship-level performance for its time.

The Mi 3 sported a 5.0-inch Full HD IPS display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and a sharp 441 ppi pixel density. On the camera side, it featured a 13MP rear camera and a 2MP front-facing camera for selfies, with the rear sensor using a Sony Exmor BSI sensor, an f/2.2 aperture, and support for 1080p Full HD video recording.

Built with an internal frame of aluminum-magnesium alloy and a polycarbonate body, the Mi 3 combined a premium feel with everyday durability. It ran on Android KitKat with MIUI 5 on top, and was powered by a 3050mAh battery, rounding out a device that helped cement Xiaomi’s reputation for offering flagship specs at a fraction of the price.

Specs