Xiaomi may have confirmed many of the specs and features of the Mi 9 before its launch, but it doesn’t make the smartphone less exciting now that it’s official. Especially for mobile-photography enthusiasts.

Update, March 23: We have the Philippine launch date! Read Xiaomi Mi 9 to be launched at Lucky Chinatown branch opening. Update, February 27: We’ve tinkered with the phone at MWC 2019. Read Hands-on with our favorite Xiaomi Mi 9 variants.)

The Xiaomi Mi 9 notched 107 on camera-quality rating site DxOMark. That’s just two points shy of 109, which is the score of current leaders Huawei Mate 20 Pro and P20 Pro.

The camera system is composed of three sensors protected by a sapphire glass lens cover. A 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 with f/1.75 aperture lens is paired with a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle, f/2.2 Sony IMX481 one and a 12-megapixel telephoto Samsung S5K3M5 sensor with f/2.2 aperture.

Where the Xiaomi Mi 9 really shines is in shooting videos. Its video rating of 99 is the best DxOMark has seen thus far.

And while it is indeed great at taking still pictures, where the Mi 9 really shines is in shooting videos. Its video rating of 99, as seen in the score breakdown below, is the best DxOMark has seen thus far. Impressive. This makes us want to get our hands on the device at MWC 2019 in Barcelona, Spain, even more.

We would have wanted to see how the 24-megapixel selfie camera fared, but DxOMark has not rated the front sensor just yet.

Of course, being the flagship phone that it is, the Xiaomi Mi 9 is a beast in other areas as well. You get Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 855 chip, up to 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, and the Chinese tech giant’s answer to Huawei’s GPU Turbo, the Game Turbo mode.

SEE ALSO: Huawei, Xiaomi fastest-growing smartphone brands in 2018 — IDC

The battery may be rated at 3,300mAh, but the handset’s support for 20-watt wireless charging is the fastest you’ll find at this time. For wired quick charging, there’s what the company calls Charge Turbo, and it can deliver up to 27 watts over USB Type-C.

Its Samsung AMOLED full-HD+ screen measures 6.39 inches and is secured by Corning Gorilla Glass 6. The small notch, the thin bezels, the 3.6-millimeter-wide chin, and the under-display fingerprint sensor contribute greatly to its high screen-to-body ratio of 90.7 percent.

Xiaomi Mi 9 prices and availability

So how much is the newly announced smartphone and when is it going to be available?

Pricing is competitive for the value it offers (at least on paper), we tell you. Check out the prices of each variant:

• 6GB/128GB: ¥2,999 (roughly P23,222 or $446)
• 8GB/128GB: ¥3,299 (P25,545 or $491)
• 12GB/256GB (Transparent Edition): ¥3,999 (P30,966 or $595)

Available in a transparent cover and Lavender Violet, Ocean Blue, and Piano Black color variants, the Xiaomi Mi 9 will go on sale first in China starting February 26. We’ll probably know about its international release at its February 24 press conference. Hopefully, the Philippines will be one of the first countries to have it.

Xiaomi Mi 9 specs

• 6.39-inch AMOLED display, 2,280 x 1,080 resolution (19:9)
• Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor
• 6GB/8GB RAM
• 64GB/128GB/256GB memory
• Triple 48-megapixel, f/1.8 camera; 16-megapixel, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera; 12-megapixel f/2.2 telephoto camera
• 20-megapixel front camera
• Fingerprint reader (in-display)
• 3,300mAh battery with fast charging
• MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 Pie

---