Xiaomi Takes Aim at Apple With New MacBook Pro and iPhone X Rivals

[MacRumors]

Chinese company Xiaomi today held an event in Beijing, where it unveiled new products that will rival the MacBook Pro and iPhone X.

First up was the new Mi Notebook Pro, with a fully metal enclosure that looks virtually identical to Apple's latest MacBook Pro in Space Gray.

Mi Notebook Pro is equipped with a 15.6-inch display with narrow bezels, a full-sized backlit keyboard, custom Harman Infinity speakers with Dolby Atmos sound, and seven ports: USB-C, data-only USB-C, dual USB 3.0, full-sized HDMI, a 3-in-1 SD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The notebook is equipped with up to Intel's new eighth-generation Core i7 quad-core processor, up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics card, and 256GB of SSD storage. It will run Windows 10 Home Edition out of the box, with support for Windows Hello fingerprint authentication.

Mi Notebook Pro pricing ranges from about $850 to $1,075 based on current exchange rates, which is under half the price of the latest 15-inch MacBook Pro, but The Verge found it only has a 1080p display.

Next up was the Mi Mix 2 smartphone, which has a nearly edge to edge 5.99-inch display on the front of the device, beyond a small bottom bezel or "chin" that is 12 percent slimmer than the original Mi Mix.

Mi Mix 2 is equipped with a 64-bit Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with four-axis optical image stabilization, and a rear fingerprint scanner. An earpiece speaker is hidden along the top edge, while the front-facing camera is housed in the bottom bezel.

Mi Mix 2 will likely ship with Xiaomi's MIUI operating system, based on Android. Pricing starts at about $500 at current exchange rates.

Like other Xiaomi products, the Mi Notebook Pro and Mi Mix 2 will be available soon in China, followed by other global markets. The devices will likely be available through resellers only in the United States.

Other announcements included a special ceramic edition of the Mi Mix 2 and a new Mi Note 3 phablet with dual cameras.

Xiaomi's event took place just one day before Apple's first-ever event at the brand new Steve Jobs Theater at its new Apple Park headquarters.

Article Link: Xiaomi Takes Aim at Apple With New MacBook Pro and iPhone X Rivals

 

[826317]

I just find it sad that they're blatantly ripping off entire designs from Apple.

 

[RightMACatU]

I think the word "Chinese" in Chinese means "Copy" /s

 

[Nik]

Proves that Apple did not get rid of SD card et al. cuz of thinness alone. Adapters worth 150$ are built into this Xiaomi thing. Amazing! Apple should copy them now...

 

[MrGimper]

Didn't think I'd see someone out-Samsung Samsung.....

 

[826317]

Yes, copying parts of designs to make your own design better. This is taking a MacBook Pro and adding your own internals into it.

 

[TimeSquareDesi]

"Hey, let's produce products that look like other companies products and make a company out of it!"

 

[x0vash0x]

I just find it sad that they're blatantly ripping off entire designs from Apple.

Why? Do what works and sells. Chinese love the industrial design of Apple but hate the price. Build something's that looks like an Apple, feels like an Apple, but costs half as much and it's gonna sell.

Hell, if I didn't abhor Windows I'd buy one. But alas, I hate, hate, hate, windows.

 

[andreyush]

this is just pathetic.

 

[keysofanxiety]

That quote doesn't mean what you think it does, unless you take it completely at face value. Sick of reading it whenever somebody blatantly rips off Apple's design.

 

[stanman64]

Surely they can't get away with this level of blatant copying? I'm sure Apple's lawyers will be in touch

 

[Sunny1990]

First up was the new Mi Notebook Pro, with a fully metal enclosure that looks virtually identical to Apple's latest MacBook Pro in Space Gray.

These companies are even worse then Samsung at copying Apple :-
Look how closely these phones are resembled to iPhone 7 Plus

Xiaomi mi a1

Oneplus 5

 

[NIKKG]

This is what I have been talking about with the Chinese changing tech into a cheap commodity. Prices are going to drop hard. The Chinese are making very decent gadgets nowadays that are almost as good but less than half the price of an equivalent Samsung or Apple device. Makes you really think twice by dropping $1000 on a Note 8 or iPhone 8 when you can pocket the 500 bucks.

 

[jafingi]

Xiaomi is the new Samsung.

 

[Cronowerx]

Announcing a new phone one day before the iPhone X is suicide.

 

[A MacBook lover]

Too bad it doesn’t run MacOS, have a gorgeous display, or have the amazing speakers.


Oh yeah - it’s a chinese knock off.

 

[x0vash0x]

This is what I have been talking about with the Chinese changing tech into a cheap commodity. Prices are going to drop hard. The Chinese are making very decent gadgets nowadays that are almost as good but less than half the price of an equivalent Samsung or Apple device. Makes you really think twice by dropping $1000 on a Note 8 or iPhone 8 when you can pocket the 500 bucks.

Exactly. Chinese aren't brand loyal. They'll buy Apple only because it's a luxury good, not because they actually like Apple better. There are a couple of good articles about WeChat and other APPs that are ecosystem independent, so there's zero reason to stick within a brand.

The only ones with iPhones are Samsung are the rich, not because they want them, but because it's a status symbol.

 

[nexesnex]

The phone looks cool. I do like how the to is so sleek. But, having a front facing camera at the bottom stinks. OH, AND ALSO.... least we forget, you have to run Android. I started with an Android phone. Really liked it... that is, until I joined the Apple ecosystem and started to use iOS. I've been in technology for 20 years, and nothing compares to the fluid feel of iOS devices and how they just work.

 

[Zachari]

Why would I want a 3rd rate Apple copycat? I thought Apple made it clear that being first to the game is never wise.

 

[Avieshek]

Well, it means, Apple would get serious with Mac again than just iOS devices from now (including shifting away from Intel, maybe I hope). If there hadn't been Samsung, we might would still be using an iPhone 4 with LCD being the latest display.

 

[StevieD100]

So, the MacBook Pro 'replacement' is half the price of the real thing...
Ah yes, it runs Windows 10 Home. Been there, done that for 20+ years.
Sorry, no sale.
Your iPhone announcement spoiler didn't spoil.

 

[mikefj2004]

The design copying part is rather irrelevant here. What's more surprising is the bang that you get for the buck. That alone says a ton. You can give me the ugliest computer ever but if the specs are there, they're there. Is what's under the hood that truly counts. Screw the design

 

[Juan007]

Runs Windows? Nope not interested, thanks.

 

[Hermes Monster]

Shame they're missing the biggest and best features: MacOS and iOS

 

[Crash0veride]

Hell yeah. More challenges to Apple is great. Someone needs to push them. Intel processor, and nvidia. I wonder how easy it is to get MacOS running on these. Maybe next year's version will top it off with a good screen.