The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE debuted as the first Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 smartphone in May last year. Today, its successor, the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE, gets the distinction of being the first handset to be powered by the new Snapdragon 712 chip.

The 712 is an iterative upgrade of the 710. The clock speed goes a bit higher from 2.2GHz to 2.3GHz. The charging speed is Qualcomm 4+ instead of just 4. And there are newly supported audio technologies.

Just like the Mi 9, the higher-specced sibling that launched along with it, the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE boasts a 48-megapixel main sensor, but this time, it’s paired with 13-megapixel, f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle camera and a telephoto one with 8 megapixels. On the front is a 20-megapixel lens for selfies.

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi Mi 9 launched with high camera rating. Price, specs here

The phone is also smaller, with the same form factor as the Apple iPhone XS. The 5.15-inch Mi 6 also comes to mind — same size, yet the screen is bigger at 5.97 inches. The display comes with a waterdrop notch at the top and features an in-screen fingerprint sensor.

Powering the assembly is a 3,070mAh battery that supports fast charging up to 18 watts. It ships with Android 9.0-based MIUI 10 out of the box.

Xiaomi Mi 9 SE prices and availability

The smartphone has two memory configurations. One matches 6GB of RAM with 64GB of internal storage, and the other features the same amount of RAM but with 128GB of native storage.

The cheaper model is priced at ¥1,999 (around P15,457 or $298). Add ¥300 (P2,320 or $45) for the ¥2,299 (P17,777 or $342) if you need more space.

Available in violet, blue, and gray, the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE will go on sale in China starting February 26. We’ll probably know more about its international release at the company’s event at the mobile-focused MWC 2019 technology show in Barcelona, Spain.

Xiaomi Mi 9 SE specs

• 5.97-inch Super AMOLED screen, 2,340 x 1,080 resolution (19.5:9)
• Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 processor
• 6GB RAM
• 64GB/128GB memory
• Triple 48-megapixel, f/1.8 camera; 13-megapixel, f/2.4 ultra-wide camera; 8-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto camera
• 20-megapixel front camera
• Fingerprint reader (in-display)
• 3,070mAh battery with fast charging
• MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 Pie

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