All phones are Chinese.

No, your mum blocked it

recently picked up the 4gb ram 128gb version for £315 on Ebay, to replace my 3 year old Samsung Note 3. Pleasantly surprised at how efficient it is. The idea of spending twice as much or more from now on for a Samsung seems pretty ridiculous. I've also put s 200gb sd card in.

I have the 'Pro' version of this (SD652/4gb/128gb) and am currently typing from it. Bought in China over summer. My thoughts:

- Great value for performance - the 650 will still be enough for most. GPU is the same in all variants. Runs Real Racing 3 et al just fine.

- Massive battery that lasts days. Usually 2-3 days for me depending on usage or 6-12 hours screen on (gaming vs general online stuff). Supports Quick Charge 3 but standard charger supplied in the box.

- Nice IPS display. Good colour balance and decent in sunlight. 326ppi looks good as you don't hold it as close as smaller phones.

- Outstanding finger sensor. Never fails.

- No NFC so no Android Pay.

- Some vendors put their own modded MIUI room with malware. Just reflash official ROM or from xiaomi.eu for Google framework.

- Unlocking bootloader requires making a xiaomi account then requesting unlock. Took a few days (I did it on the phones from the UK)

- Around 2gb free (on my 4gb version) be it on MIUI 8 or custom CM ROM.

- Usual FDD LTE support so 4G on EE but not o2.

- Dual SIM or one SIM plus SD card.

- Camera is good-to-OK in good light (except for some blown highlights) but gets noisy quickly in lower light. Does 4k video which is decent but camera tends to seek focus a bit.

- Could be prone to bending as per some user reports. Not my experience as I don't sit on my phone. Feels solid enough and plenty of metal in the build.

Overall, for just over the £200 I paid, nothing comes close. The internals are great and it doesn't lag or stutter at all be it on stock MIUI or CM13 Resurrection Remix that I run (see XDA).

I guess the 3gb/650 variant will suffice for many people as long you want a monster media phone. There's much to like here.

Video review here from a guy after using one for a week (in case you think a 6.4 screen is WAY too big!); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQqWqk75g74

Still rockin' my Z Ultra!

Is there a global rom for this yet?

Tempting, VERY tempting!

It seems like they would flash the global rom with miui 8 for you, but would mean the phone comes unsealed

I'm new to these Chinese phones. what android system is it running? very interested in buying it. and does it come with a card slot??

Mi Max runs on a customised version of Android Marshmallow called MIUI 7

recently picked up the 4gb ram 128gb version for £315 on Ebay, to replace my 3 year old Samsung Note 3. Pleasantly surprised at how efficient it is. The idea of spending twice as much or more from now on for a Samsung seems pretty ridiculous. I've also put s 200gb sd card in.

Is £155 the total this would cost or is there the customs/VAT to be added? Hardly seems worth the risk buying from China if you end up paying nearly £200 in the end.

My Nexus 7 tablet is slowing down. For £155, I think I might just replace it with a big phone like this rather than another tablet.

eBay has UK based stock. Not sure how much the mark up is on this price though.

back of the phone looks great but then they ruined it with the diamond shaped camera

From reading many threads on Xiaomi phones from aliexress, it seems if you choose the Free shipping option then more likely not incur further fees than any other option. If you select DHL then you 99% will.

Read through thisrecent thread and other as alot of talk about shipping options and fees

thanks for the low down, appreciate it!

Recommended

its a gamble, just use the normal postage, dont select the DHL option, I have bought 3 phones and 1 tablet and not been hit with customs charges etc.

oos of global version. Sorry another question - can you get email updates on when stock comes back in at all?

totally agree, but its only seen with the white version, the black version blends in with the bezel.

If you want something slightly smaller (because size isn't everything??), Xiaomi have new handsets due out at the end of this month. Most with 5.7 inch screens and with on board memory up to 128 gig!!!

This looked awesome just about to get it but no nfc. Real shame, heat anyway for ppl who dont need it

It's not showing as £155 for me!
I'm getting £165 with the warranty included while using the Aliexpress app.

Hello wise user, could anyone let me know is the a phone compatible to IPhone SE in the market? Looking for a similar size screen ideally.

Hello wise user, could anyone let me know is the a phone compatible to IPhone SE in the market? Looking for a similar size screen ideally.

I've a Xiaomi Mi3, which may have just kicked the bucket after I dropped it in the bath, but up until then, it was an excellent phone, and it's more than 3 years old. Highly recommended brand.

Have this phone after waiting ages for a decent large phone after I gave up on the Xperia Z ultra's camera. Exactly the same size screen but the actual phone is smaller height and width wise, though a bit thicker. After 3 months still really liking it and would definitely consider another Xiaomi in the future

No band 20 4g sadly

Does anyone know how you delete the "warranty" option/cost ?
Thanks

any battery feedback on this?? onscreen time?

Ok thanks

Does it run Pokemon Go, or is it blocked by Google?

Ridiculous with this size phone that Xiaomi could even possibly think that it was a good idea to have dedicated menu bar soft keys.

How would this compare to the Elephone P20?
http://www.coolicool.com/elephone-p20-6gb-ram-64gb-rom-helio-p20-mtk6757-23ghz-octa-core-55-inch-fhd-screen-android-60-4g-g-43770
I messed up by not ordering it.. Have to hope it comes back in stock now as it's only on Aliexpress for £200 next best price :disappointed:

I've been using it for 3 months....Great job for the money....EE and 3 work fine but o2 only had 2g.....You get used to the size but definitely not a one handed device!!! Camera and sound is grand can't complain and I also like the MIUI 8 easy to use.

No, your mum blocked it

Really tempted to buy myself this for Chrimbo. Can anyone explain how you install the global rom thing so it will work ok in UK as I'm hopeless with phones and technical stuff. Is it easy? Appreciate any help :-)

​just message the seller and he will put global rom on it for ya, ordered a redmi note 3 off this seller myself.

best read this first: http://thehackernews.com/2016/09/xiaomi-android-backdoor.html

So do you pay in dollars then? Says delivery in 60 days !

​yeah, that's the amount of time Aliexpress allow for delivery, you get a refumd if it's not delivered within that time, mine took 2 weeks and was really well packaged to be fair.

You use the internet don't you, guess what your ISP can read everything you've ever looked at........

​there's an option to change the currency to £; 4 week minimum shipping is the only downside, you can get it earlier, though you have to then pay an additional fee for that, and also to the tax man (probably another £40)

Thanks for reply. Can't decide whether to get this or wait for the ZenFone 3 ultra which is a bit bigger at 6.8". The Zen will probably be much dearer I think. Decisions !

Are you buying it Anthony? Definitely don't want to pay another £40. Can't make up my mind :-)

Awww, global one is gone already :-(

did u even read first line? ''Note — Don't miss an important update at the bottom of this article, which includes an official statement from Xiaomi.''

I'm glad there still are manufacturers putting physical soft keys on phones, it's considered a premium feature now! It's such a cop out to put the menu keys on the screen and in essence it takes away part of the screen size. Just them being cheap saving on a few led's and reducing the touch sensor area.

Very tempted!! just holding out to see what other comments come up but over all I love the sound of the spec of this phone.

Voting hot ..

ok for 4g giffgaff?

Whilst I prefer having menu keys, it is far from a cop out on large phones, take the LG G3...a 5.5 inch screen in a body that is smaller than a good number of 5 inch phones.

When it comes to this size it is totally impractical....screen to body ratio is very important on phablets.

voted hot tempted myself but can't see if it has gorilla glass at all?? and USB type c or micro
not looking to use as a phone just to play games/ movies etc for bedside

cheers - would have bought this but after reading that, n oway

What courier delivered yours and did you get stung for import taxes?

I have a 64gb version for about 2 months now, replaced my old note3. Doing very well, has 7-8 hours SOT and does everything well as expected. Put a 128gb sd card, and using BT headphones heavily with it (primarily in the gym) and distance is pretty darm good. 4G also works well with 3, can reach over 70mb in some places. Screen/color quality is very impressive, being an hobby photographer found this very pleasant to use. I can highly recommend it to anyone who looking for an all in one phone/tablet. Feel free to ask anything, happy to help

​ Is there a phone with same screen size with better screen to body ratio? As far as I've seen this is the best on the market for this size (screen to body wise) but would be interested to hear if there is any better (I have the phone and have thought the physical buttons were a good feature)

Used to have the Xperia Z ultra and the body was much bigger and it didn't have physical menu keys

Why compare a phone with a 5.5" screen with one with a 6.44" screen? If you want a 5.5" phone there's a huge selection to choose from.
I've had an elephone p7000 since it was launched, no big problems with it, but I'd be wary of buying an elephone model again without seeing some good reviews.
Big advantage for me is elephone are one of the few manufacturers that have dual SIM plus SD card capability, on most you have to choose between a second SIM or SD card.
Elephone have launched a whole range of new phones recently, I'm hoping to choose one to replace my p7000 once they're available and reviews are out.

I was thinking about processor mainly I.e. whether this phone would perform better.
I'm not that bothered about screen size, I'd happily buy a 6.4/6.8 screen if it's better spec than a 5.5 for similar money.
Is this processor similar performance in real world to something like 810?

That's me out. Waiting for Google Pixel Phone. :smiley:

No

Anyone want to buy a brand new
XiaoMi Redmi 3 16GB ROM 4G Smartphone GOLD
£100? don't have to wait for Chinese shipping and import taxes?

The warranty is not added If you order via your mobile browser (possibly app too)

So this doesn't have the 4g band? Im on Voda, will I get 4G?

I am ordering by via the app. How do I exclude the warranty?

​Nope.

Somebody on another post said it removes with app but could be wrong sorry,
I just tried on mobile browser and it definitely excluded it there for me

Can anyone tell me what the customs charge please? Is it basically 20% so would be just over £30? Quite a bit extra to pay isn't it, not sure whether to risk or not.

Can you install app data to the SD card on this phone? I'm not talking about adopted storage just the standard moving of some of the data over and leaving the rest on the rom. I heard it can't be done on Xiaomi's because MIUI doesn't have that function.

Xiaomi have been garbage this year, the way they lock the bootloader is pretty annoying, enough for me to never buy another xiaomi.

There's be import duty (around 12% I think) and then VAT on the top of all that. Those that have been caught by it say it's somewhere around £40.
As long as you don't have it shipped DHL (who will all ways change you as they have to) and ship it post you'd very unlucky to get hit. Most of the sellers mark phones as 'MP3 player. $30'...

I would have snapped this up were it not for the backdoor issues. Maybe someone will eventually work out how to unlock the bootloader and flash CM13?

you will need to root the phone to do that as far as I am aware

Nope - Samsung is South Korean and Sony is Japanese

Thanks Steve :smiley:

is there an SD card slot in this?

Yes but if you need both sims like me you will need to sacrifice one of them for the sd card.

John Holmes, giddup theeeere.

​That function was removed by Google from version 4.4 KitKat, I think. It prevents writing to the SD card, unless you are writing to a folder that was created by the app you are trying to use, for example, some file explorers. You can root and use an app from the play store to re enable the function so any app should be able to write to it.

There are ways to install custom roms and TWRP to flash them. Here's the XDA link; http://forum.xda-developers.com/mi-max/development

Did you go through with the purchase? It seems to add it on sooner or later whichever method I've tried.
I thought I got around it but then deeper into the checkout process sure enough they added it on!

I think this is what I meant by Geeky HUKD. I was explaining the phone to someone who's never bought a Chinese phone before, doubt he cares about a bootloader (i don't even know what one is myself)

I'm on my 3rd xiaomi device, and I've been happy to keep than all entirely stock, so a locked bootloader makes no difference to me .

Although technically you are liable for import duty and VAT, I have never had a package intercepted, And I have bought many items from China, and I know of lots of people who have also.

I think the attitude of the buyers like myself is, "we might get intercepted, chances are we won't and if we do, then you are only paying your fair due to your country. Overall we are still making a lot of saving."

​I agree. I've been stung once. It was a Cube tablet that I bought from Tinydeal for £170. Charges were £16 if I remember correctly. I still saved £200 on what it would have cost on the high street for similar spec, so I wasn't too worried.

t'big

Can't wait to own a top-end Xiaomi phone - but not until they come to Europe officially.

Ones I got Lenovo from Chinese market preloaded with malware -of course android phone. Would never ever again put in risk my bank and email details. . Finally my screen crashed and I was forced to get normal Samsung.
Just saying.

I bought a Redmi Note 3 Pro recently and have been very impressed. I flashed it with CM13 and it has been rock solid and has superb GPS and battery life. The bootloader was already unlocked but I applied and got permission to unlock it anyway just in case I accidentally lock it!

​And you think Samsung don't 'spy'?

​Don't hold your breath.

this is a profoundly depressing thing to read. In fact what depresses me most about the utter lack of security, either by design or by negligence, being done by tech companies is the apathy and the seemingly wilful ignorance of users. As is witnessed in the quote above.

Ignoring for a second the difference between an ISP that is bound by regulation and law and an untrusted hacker or company that operates within different legal jurisdiction, what you are saying is simply untrue. An ISP cannot, legally, decrypt https traffic.

Does the phone work for Pokemon Go? Very tempted but i know they have stopped rooted phones and custom roms for accessing it? I have a nexus 5, is it worth the upgrade or worth waiting for a new one? Will it be updated to Android 7? Sorry for all questions lol.

Thanks for this, I may be back in! Do you happen to know if the rooted stock ROMs have the backdoor app removed? If not, I assume it's just a matter of removing it with Titanium Backup or will it keep coming back?

​i just ordered standard free shipping, no didn't get stung for Import duty, it was marked up as an mp3 player on the parcel.

Wow that's a lot of battery. nearly twice as much as my S4!

Trying to find out that myself. Once you've flashed a custom the only way for it to come back (that I can think of) would be if there was a hook in the hardware to reinstall it. I can't see that, but it is remotely possible.

I think I'm going to get one anyway, my son's working in HK and can buy them even cheaper from the Xiamoi shops there (just like Apple stores)...

Did it come with the international version and MIUI 8? HOw's the day to day use of a phone this size?

Really there needs to be a big warning on Chinese phone deals.

If you buy it you need to check what ROM it has. If it's a vendor one you need to flash it yourself.

​When I buy, I just ask them to leave the box factory sealed.

Are you getting money for selling this crap?
?
Difference is Samsung have to deliver CoA on EU market after passing security audit . This No Name China don't.

​Haha. Would this be the Google security audit that found a ton of holes in the Galaxy S6? No, I don't earn money, and to be honest, I don't really care anyway. I was trying to point out that ALL smartphone manufacturers have in-built apps that 'phone home'. There was an article mentioned further up, and it named 3 other makers, one of which was Samsung. Why are people pointing their fingers one in particular, when they are all guilty of the same rhing?

I noticed there was a CM13 ROM on the link you posted so that might be an option to minimise the likelihood of malware

Then you run the (small) risk of getting a phone DOA. I think flashing the phone is simpler than exchanging it.

​Ah, true. I've always preferred to flash the rom myself if needed. I'd never considered DOA.

CM13 or a rom based on it would be my first choice too. Then a good virus/malware package just to be sure.

Is there a 'how to' on flashing a rom onto this phone?

ROM and guide - http://en.miui.com/download-302.html#450

6.44"? That is a phone for giants. :confused:

173.10 x 88.30 x 7.50 mm (H, W, D)

That is an absurd 17.3 cm tall

@Josh Rogan: I'm with you. Education is the answer.
@badboyofrock: the issue here isnt that built in apps "phone home", you're right, they probably all do, but that this app appears not to check that it is downloading/installing its expected content, just its signature. Which is why, according to the article, it might just be able to get it to silently download and install anything at all - assuming you control the signatures. Couple that with being able to target a specific device and using a secure channel for the actual download and you have a very discrete way of altering a phone without its user knowing. Possibly its all fuss over nothing but for those of us without the ability to check, it becomes a matter of trust in Xiaomi's intentions and security arrangements.

Will these run Pokemon Go with the latest update getting rid of custom roms?

Thanks OP, couldn't resist the temptation. I've had an LG G2 for about 3 years which has cyanogenmod on it during that entire time, constantly updated (weekly) so I look forward to installing it on this hardware and enjoying a nice big screen.

Those asking about import fees, it's 20% plus a handling charge by customs, usually £12.

I've imported a few musical instruments over the years and you're basically paying the government the VAT that they're missing out on (even though the instrument I bought aren't available over here...), so if your new phone gets stopped and the value has been marked down by the seller as £155, then you'll be paying £31 plus the handling charge.

I'm wondering if the website will be marking them down at under £28 though, as I think (could be wrong) that anything under that sails through without charge.

This is news to me! I always thought it every version of Android allowed you to simply click 'Move to SD Card' in settings which would put some of it on external memory. My current phone is below Kit Kat so I didn't know about this. I thought it was a MIUI specific limitation.

So is it true that every Andriod phone after Kit Kit doesn't let you split app data across ROM and SD? If so that's utter stupidity! I thought it was a standard Android feature since the beginning of time!.

​You are quite correct, but as you said, I think it's all a load of fuss over nothing, which is why I'm not too bothered.

​​​​I could be wrong about the android version, but that's basically it. I believe it was to do with security, but also because of the belief that SD cards harm performance. This is the reason that some phone makers don't include a card slot. If you root, you can use the app I mentioned to re enable the functionality. Also, there is an app called directory bind which moves the .obb file to the SD card, but again, you need to be rooted.

​Which browser ?.Every time I order I get a warranty charge !

how difficult is it to get global rom on this with updates ota?

​Dead easy. There is a link to the rom and a guide further up the thread.

Just reading the reviews for the phone and this one made me laugh :smiley:


(1)
Color: Silver Logistics: AliExpress Standard Shipping
The best seller!!! Best seller! The first time I write a positive review. did as requested: firmware which requested put gifts as in the description came services google installed. Goods come in 11 days! Happy as an elephant))

​But be honest, we'd all like to be as happy as an elephant...

The only thing that is disuading me from hitting the buy button is no 4G on O2, from what I've researched anyway.

what am I missing? aliX review bad, delivery time 20-40-60 days?

​also keep in mind slow delivery and warranty claims back to China usually at your own cost. I learnt the hard way

The seller normally lists the item on the customs form as 'MP3 player. $30'. You only get a problem if customs open the package to check which is about the same chance as winning the lottery. . .

Found THIS PLACE selling it from Europe warehouse so would be safe from import charges.
Anyone bought from here before?

I was also looking at other sellers. The problem i have, is that i dont think you can use AndroidPay with these nor pokemon go. If anyone could confirm this? Would of bought if it wasnt for that.

Not sure about this handset, but normally Pokémon Go not working is due to the phone being pre-rooted and Pokémon Go has measures put in to stop cheating that also cause problems for anyone with root access. From what I have read, using an app like hidemyroot to stop Pokémon Go from seeing it has root access does work however.

Do these come pre-rooted or with custom roms? I did a quick search and Pokemon Go are using the same security as google do for AndroidPay and its a lot more complicated to get around. Few posts on Reddit on how to but don't think im smart enough figure out how to do all that lol. If someone has this phone can they confirm this? Been looking for a new phone and kind of liking how big the screen is, but i play pokemon go whilst on the go and use android pay a lot.

To those more technically minded, does this phone get 4g on ee?

​

The iPhone SE is the best 4" phone you can buy.

Yes

Would be interested in seeing any offers on this but with the Snapdragon 652 processor.

​I've used them before with no problems.

How do you get the mobile site to charge you in £?

too big this phone is!

Iphone SE is the worst phone for your money. Great power but tired design, old, old screen tech, rattling home key, poor camera.

I have the 'Pro' version of this (SD652/4gb/128gb) and am currently typing from it. Bought in China over summer. My thoughts:

- Great value for performance - the 650 will still be enough for most. GPU is the same in all variants. Runs Real Racing 3 et al just fine.

- Massive battery that lasts days. Usually 2-3 days for me depending on usage or 6-12 hours screen on (gaming vs general online stuff). Supports Quick Charge 3 but standard charger supplied in the box.

- Nice IPS display. Good colour balance and decent in sunlight. 326ppi looks good as you don't hold it as close as smaller phones.

- Outstanding finger sensor. Never fails.

- No NFC so no Android Pay.

- Some vendors put their own modded MIUI room with malware. Just reflash official ROM or from xiaomi.eu for Google framework.

- Unlocking bootloader requires making a xiaomi account then requesting unlock. Took a few days (I did it on the phones from the UK)

- Around 2gb free (on my 4gb version) be it on MIUI 8 or custom CM ROM.

- Usual FDD LTE support so 4G on EE but not o2.

- Dual SIM or one SIM plus SD card.

- Camera is good-to-OK in good light (except for some blown highlights) but gets noisy quickly in lower light. Does 4k video which is decent but camera tends to seek focus a bit.

- Could be prone to bending as per some user reports. Not my experience as I don't sit on my phone. Feels solid enough and plenty of metal in the build.

Overall, for just over the £200 I paid, nothing comes close. The internals are great and it doesn't lag or stutter at all be it on stock MIUI or CM13 Resurrection Remix that I run (see XDA).

I guess the 3gb/650 variant will suffice for many people as long you want a monster media phone. There's much to like here.

Thanks for that, really useful info (: Nobody can seem to answer my one question tho, does it work with Pokemon Go after the update? I don't want to have to do any changes to the phone as im not good at that sort of stuff =/

Price now seems to be £161.77 with only the Factory Chinese rom available from this seller

Its still £155 (dollar conversion) and global gold still available

Stock update I suppose.
I can only see it as £165.76 inc warranty which I can't seem to remove

Change the currency to USD at the top corner. Works out cheaper that way.

Warranty is excluded if ordered via your mobile browser

See the link if the opening post, you should also be able to get a further $4 dollars off

Does 4g work on EE? Can't find a definitive answer on the linked website.

Yes

Whats better, Nexus 6 (motorolla) or this? You get pure android and Android 7. Is the mi max a lot better performance wise?

Price is almost £170 to get the Google Play version. Not sure where £155 is coming from.

£153 for me, Gold global rom, found this case also http://www.banggood.com/Original-Luxury-Leather-Protective-Lenuo-Case-For-Xiaomi-Max-p-1070579.html

​Yes. I'm using it myself.

Bit the bullet and ordered one. Was a choice between this and the redmi pro. Have I made the right decision?

You tell us when it arrives... would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Where did you order from? The Grey with the global rom seems to be £162.07 at the moment. Think I'll wait till the magic under £150

I really want to but just worried about no warranty and having all the hassle of posting it back to China etc. Wish they had a European centre to deal with aftercare and I would get one. Come back and let us know if customs got you and what you think of it :-)

I'll find out myself soon too. I've already bought two non special edition Redmi Pro 3 Prime's for presents and the build quality was absolutely amazing. Decided to get Redmi Pro 3 Special Edition and Mi Max. Will compare both and sell on the one I like less. Hope 6.44" isn't too big and I am not going to miss band 20 too much. Been using a non-band 20 phone (LG G3 dual sim) for the past year on 3 network and started using another one with band 20 recently and I can really see that 800 MHz gets utilised by 3 a lot. Not that it makes a lot of difference in terms of network speed or signal quality but I do get 4G in a lot of places I didn't before.

So how do you get it for that price?

that comes to ￡164.41 for me.

I've just ordered it. Hope i made the right move and hope my pokemon go works! lol

How much did you pay?

I paid £167 as did it in sterling instead of USD in case my bank charged me a conversion fee. Probably would of worked out the same either way. It's cheaper doing it on your mobile as it excludes the warranty

​If you like your phones with large screens (like my female cousin), then this would definitely suit you better - even if it proves too large to handle with one hand (it has never put her off).

This is small to me. My present phones are 8 inches and 6.3 inches. Ideally looking for another 8 but nothing going as yet.

This is what I am getting on the mobile app, not seeing a way to remove warranty though.

I used the browser on my mobile phone to order and NOT the app, also used the $4 discount. Quidco also offer 7.5% cashback

Is there a way of changing the dollars to pounds via going through your mobile (not the app)?

I couldnt find a way, so just paid the extra. Says uk year warranty, just in case anything goes wrong.

You would still have to post it insured to China though which is probably quite dear and no doubt it would be away for weeks before you got it back. I wonder why this brand doesn't set up in Europe.

I am tempted by this phone but like others concerned about the distance. Can anyone recommend any other large phones like this (ie 6"+)? I recently lost my tablet and am considering just getting a large phone instead.

Yeah but for the sake of a few quid, not really fussed. Would of paid a bit extra just to order from Europe one.

I'm currently waiting for the Asus ZenFone 3 ultra
Its not been released here yet but I so want one!!
Large screen phones are very hard to get in UK and I had to buy my current 8 inch from Europe. The only other one I'd consider is the Huawei p8 max. Both of these phones are 6.8 which is s bit small but the best of what's on offer in the UK sadly.

I got my wife a Lenovo Phab Plus a few months back, at just shy of 7 inches. She seems to love it. She had an Asus Fonetab before that...

http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_phab_plus-reviews-7557.php

Specs

Hi Ralph, I was looking at this a few weeks ago but someone I spoke to on a forum said it was awful, very slow browsing the web which is what I use mine for, and they returned theirs. Due to that I dismissed it as I need fast web browsing. It's a shame as it's dual sim too which is a must for me. Has your wife found this problem with hers when browsing? Also where did you buy it from if you don't mind me asking?

Not that I'm aware of. she seems quite happy with it. There are two models. One with an even larger screen but less ram and a slower processor. We got the one with 2GB ram and a 6.8" diaganol.

It was bought from a seller on eBay UK. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/eDirectz

Lenovo PHAB Plus 32GB Dual SIM LTE 4G Mobile Tablet Unlocked 6.8" Metal Grey £184.99

Hope that helps.

Ralph

Thank you :smiley:

There is 1 more you may want to consider - the Huawei Honor 8

Comparison specs with the Zenfone 3 Ultra & Mi Max: http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8231&idPhone2=8130&idPhone3=8057

Does the 4g work with giffgaff?

That looks good crossbow, wonder how much it will be over here.

​No.

Trying to order using my mobile.
Open Quidco, link to Aliexpress website.
Can't find the phone that this deal links to (Xiaomi Dreami Store) , can only find other stores selling it.
Their search engine is dire. Typing in Xiaomi mi max doesn't bring this deal up, or indedd other words in the title.
How are people finding this phone deal via their mobile?
Thanks

Create an account on your PC and add the phone to cart (or your wishlist). Login to your account on your mobile and you can either try to checkout or if the warranty is still there then remove it from the cart and add it again using mobile browser. Once you do, you can even use your PC to go to Quidco and then finish the checkout process using Aliexpress website on your PC and your cashback will still track.

Has anyone received theirs yet?

So I was surprised to find mine had arrived today already, from Singapore not HK. No tax incurred possibly because it was labelled as "Gift". Won't get time to set it up till the weekend though. I have to say though it is huge (in a good way) and much thinner than I had anticipated.

No !! We cant wait till the weekend, you need to set it up now.

Oh.... the suspence..:stuck_out_tongue:
Was the box sealed, or opened and flashed rom ?

What did they say when they messaged you? Mine said they were labeling as a low value mobile to avoid more high tax. Did they say the same to you?

open but that is how I expected it as they will have flashed the EU ROM on it. Surprisingly though there is no UK Locale (I couldn't resist turning it on) so I guess I will have some Googling to do.​

​Cellphone, value 70.69.......dollars!

I ordered from here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Xiaomi-Mi-Max-6-44-Snapdragon-650-Hexa-Core-4G-LTE-Smartphone/32705624435.html

I have the p8 lite. I'm really disappointed with the smart lock feature. It's hidden in the settings menu and only appears when you add a new bluetooth/nfc device. No option to set up a geo fence at home to keep it unlocked. I wouldn't buy another huawei for that reason though if smart lock is not a big issue for you then I'm sure it's a decent phone.

I did the same but didn't get the $4 as an existing customer. Got about £15 quidco I think.

I'm vaguely tempted to try one of these jumbo phones. Has anyone seen any good deals on the one rocking the 652 processor rather than 650?

​There is no UK locale. I always use India. Not sure why.

Are you not sure why you use India or not sure why there is no UK ?
If there is no UK does that affect the phones use in the UK or doesn't it matter?

Didnt know there was two different models.
I promise you, once you've had a big one you can never go back :smiley:

Thats pretty good. Did it track ok for you?

Use Morocco as locale if from the Uk...

Where are you ........... come back!
How is it then? Do you like it? Is it fast browsing the web? Is the volume ok , loud enough? Call quality ok? Does it run everything ok, whatsapp, play store etc? Is the screen and text nice and clear? What colour socks are you wearing today? Any lag while using it at all? Does it seem pretty robust?

We are all waiting :smiley:

​I don't know why I use India. I guess there is no UK because of the phones intended country of use, but I'm not sure. I always use India and I've never had a problem. Google services work perfectly, as do the in built xiaomi apps. Works fine with my 3 sim and my old EE one. Good call quality and 80 meg data speed on both Sims. WhatsApp, Twitter and stuff, all fine.

For any owners of this phone - is it just too big??

For example - you are out in town carrying a shopping bag, someone rings you, can you answer the call and clamp the phone to your ear all with one hand? I am tempted by this phone but a simple task like that should be a one handed operation in my opinion for a phone to be practical. I know size matters but I usually have something in my other hand (innuendo alert)

Dom Joly may have upgraded to this once Trigger Happy TV comes back.....

LOL, hard to resist a smutty reply but I'm saying nothing !

Ok, I have an 8 inch Asus and a 6'3 Samsung. I have average size hands and can hold both fine with one hand. Large phones are very common in other countries but in the UK we tend to see over 5.5 as being huge. I couldn't care less if I look like Dom jolly while holding my 8 incher, and I think us Brits should stop worrying about these things and stop being sheep. Large phones generally have a one hand mode where you can make the display usable with one hand but I type with 2 hands so don't use that feature. I could never accept anything less than 6.5 now as you get so used to watching everything from you tube, catch up tv and browsing on a beautiful big screen and I absolutely love them, the larger the better for me. If I could find another 8 inch with a fast processor at under 200 I would buy it like a shot but there arent any sadly, so I'm probably going to have to settle for a 6.5 to 6.8.

​I too would like to know this

Received mine today, ordered on the 27th, very nice phone and well built

​LOL. I briefly had a play at lunchtime, completed setup (locale US) and so far am really impressed. It isn't full of bloat, the screen is more vibrant than I had anticipated, the camera is better than I thought and the interface has some flair. Browsing was snappy too. Also there was a sizeable update available which I applied. The camera has a cute feature that guesses your sex and age. I was gutted when it guessed mine accurately as most people say I look younger than my years so I think they are lying and the emotionless smartphone is telling me the way it is! This handset is for the Mrs but so far I'm so impressed I'd like to get one, however I'd want 64Gb but the price increase from 32Gb is unjustified. I did find my hand hurt when holding it like a phone so instead tried holding it like a tablet and that was much better. When I put it away and used my current phone (a OnePlus2 5.5") it felt as though it had shrunk as I'd quickly gotten used to the big screen!

​After you use it for a few hours use your regular phone and see how it is as if your old phone has shrunk!

Thank you, it sounds good. :smiley: So tempted now!
The only thing that puts me off is the chance of it telling me I look older !!!

If I get one and it does that, it's going back as I'm not paying £160 to be insulted.

Did yours say it was a gift so customs don't get you?
Do you have any good and bad points about it?

£187-188 for the light grey model at Gearbest: http://www.gearbest.com/mobile-phones/pp_360562.html

Well worth it I guess for the 32Gb extra internal storage as well:

Customs value was $70, only a few minor niggles, battery charging is slow compared to my Ulefone Power and I am having problems transferring data from my NAS to the SD card using ES Explorer

Is that what was marked on the package? How much extra did you have to pay HMRC / the courier? What delivery method did you choose? Thanks.

$70 on the Jiffy bag, I have never had to pay anything when ordering from China and have done about 50+ orders, I always use standard delivery not insured

oh dear http://www.gizmochina.com/2016/09/14/xiaomi-mi-max-mi-4c-explodes-china/

Oh damn, hope mine doesn't blow up!

Please people dont charge your phones overnight its so dangerous. If it went on fire while you were asleep the fumes from the fire could kill you or your family before the fire even gets close and a lot of people dont even realise this.

We charge ours in the kitchen on top of a glass worktop chopping board so there is nothing can catch fire, and they are always unplugged before we go to bed.

I owned both the 650 and 652 version, in terms of performance their is no difference other than benchmarks and even then, the 652 barely beats out the 650, the GPU is the same in both so you will get the same gaming performance. really only go for the 652 if you want 64GB internal storage or if you want the very top tier version which has 128GB storage and 4GB ram.

I Kept the 650 returned the 652 which cost over £60 more at the time

BP - thanks for the insight. In my case I couldn't be doing with less than 64GB storage... but it is expandable so that's always an option I suppose.

New question - is anyone using this phone wth the international ROM with MIUI 8 ? If yes, how is it?

Cheers

Ralph

After installing GTA SA a bunch of emulators and over 80 apps i still have 15GB internal space free, and like you said, a micro SD slot is always there, mine has a 128GB card present.

I did use miui 8 and it was fine, better than 7 but im not a fan of miui overall, i installed Resurrection remix rom which is basically a enhanced cyanogenmod, that rom is great, highly recommended

Does pokemon go work with that rom? or any custom roms count as a lock out

Most custom roms come rooted and pokemon go does not work with rooted phones, there is a work around

http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/09/11/guide-play-pokemon-go-0-37-rooted-android-magisk/

but if your not into the customization scene i suggest just staying on miui, the game should work fine on a stock rom

​It does support QuickCharge 3.0 which is great and much needed given the massive battery - it just doesn't come with a QC3 charger in the box. I use an Anker from Amazon.

​Couple of options:

1. Use More locale 2 from the Play store to add UK GB.
2. Use the xiaomi.eu ROM

or option 3 if you know custom ROMs: CM13 Resurrection Remix. Just remember the SD650 is Hydrogen and the SD652 (4gb model) is Helium.

I am still on the fence on this one - I think I would be able to get used to using two hands with my phone more often, but just hope I could fit the phone in my pocket, and not impale myself when sitting down. But I can understand that once you're used to a screen size that big, you will not be able to go for anything less (happened to me after I started using a 5.5 inch phone - anything smaller seems impossible to type on....)

Considering getting one of these, but slightly concerned over the size of it for when running/cycling. I guess for cycling at least I could get a mount for the bike...

Anybody seen a case with a built in kickstand for this?

how do u get this for 155 pounds the link is showing for me $200 dollars and checkout shows $209 also is the earliest that it comes 20-60 days?

​Prices go on fluctuating, so get it from elsewhere if you can't wait for it to drop again - examples:

£155.74 - http://m.gearbest.com/cell-phones/pp_449633.html?wid=4

£187.19 - http://m.gearbest.com/mobile-phones/pp_360562.html

2nd link is for the 64Gb version with a better processor (SD 652).

Loving this phone, mine took 9 days for delivery, build quality is great, no slowdown on gaming, trust me don't worry about the size. I have gone from 5.5" to this and now think how did I manage with such a small screen

Its not fluctuating - Its the same price, its due to the exchange rate.
The value of the £ against the $ has fallen badly over the last week or so

Can anyone reccomend a fast charger/cable for this?
I think I've read that it doesn't come with one only a normal slower charging cable.

Starting to get a bit worried now. Ordered on the 28th, dispatched on the 30th and got to the country on the 7th October but still hasn't been delivered :-(

Mine is in arrival at processing center gb, not updated since Sunday? Whats your tracking say?

"2016-10-07 20:50:00 Arrival at Destination (Exchange Office)"

I ordered Redmi Note 3 Special Edition on the 26th Sep from a different seller and received it last Thursday.

Thats odd, mine was dispatched on the 4th and on 9th it went from arrival at destination (exchange office) 10:18 to processing facility at 11:20. Still on that since Sunday. Wonder if customs just holding yours for some reason?

That makes two of us then. The other phone was delivered to me a day after it reached "Arrival at Destination (Exchange Office)" status. Hope we both get them sometime soon.

I'm hoping it comes tomorrow, known my luck will take the full estimated time :/

Suggested these as they are QC 3.0 & come with a cable as well:

Single port:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01GCHU8HE
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A42R46G

Multiple ports (2nd one features 2x quick-charge & 1x std-charge ports):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01DK9P2PU
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01F53YF48

For possible doubters, please view PDF device list for QC 3.0 support with the Xiaomi Mi Max mentioned here

Recieved mine ten days after ordering. Standard shipping.

FWIW I had the "Arrival at Destination (Exchange Office)" message then it was just delivered, so they don't necessarily give you any tracking info after that.

Recieved mine ten days after ordering. Standard shipping.

FWIW I had the "Arrival at Destination (Exchange Office)" message then it was just delivered, so they don't necessarily give you any tracking info after that.

Some people suggesting quick charge as being a cause in overheating and exploding batteries. Any thoughts on whether that could be true?

Got mine today mate.

Got mine also, but was not in, DOH! Got to wait till tomorrow pick it up :disappointed: Bet your relieved at last lol

Sure am. Now it's time to decide. Redmi Note 3 Special Edition or Mi Max? :smiley:

Can you come back with your views on the Mi max please? Thanks :smiley:

Yes please let us know your thoughts on the Mi Max, on the verge of ordering here!!

Well, first thing I thought was jeebus, it's big lol. Went from a Nexus 5 to this. Not seen the redmi notes, are they as big? Also what do I set as locale? Don't have UK option :s

I got that issue - just pick any locale (I went with Bangladesh) and then adjust your clock settings to be BST.

Had ours (my wife's actually) over a week and very impressed. I'd get one for myself but I need 64Gb and the jump in price is way too high. Also the lack of NFC is off-putting given that NFC has finally taken off.

Is it worth taking the shipping insurance from Gearbest?

Yes, could well be true as usually more heat is generated during quick charging.

I posted this a few days ago earlier in the thread when in stock, so if still interested keep checking as it may return...

~£187 for the light grey 64Gb & better 652 SoC model at Gearbest: http://www.gearbest.com/mobile-phones/pp_360562.html

No,take the free option and pay by PayPal

Why PayPal? Isn't it safer to pay with credit card?

Ordered
Does it come with any sort of case?

Why did you order from gearbest rather than Ali?
Is it still the correct WW model you got?

With the Ali , you would of got a case, screen protector etc.

I caved in and went for this phone, despite reservations about its mammoth proportions. Shame we don't get a chance to handle it and see if we like the size before sending ~150 quid to China eh?! I bought with Gearbest, as the link to Ali was coming up with a price of over £180 when I ordered (on Thursday). Gearbest was £157

Decided I want one too but can't find it for approx £150 on Ali or the £157 you paid on Gearbest. :disappointed:

The prices keep fluctuating - and the constantly plummeting pound isn't doing us any favours!

Was an 8 day delivery period in the end. No custom charges.

You like the phone?

Can anyone tell us did it come without chinese apps and did you have to install roms etc. Thats the thing that worries me as im not techy

Mine came with no chinese apps installed and immediately updated itself to Miui8 upon start up. I'm running an app called Novca Launcher on it so it looks and runs exactly as my old Nexus 5 did.

You can download the official Google now launcher so it's same as stock android?

How Do you get rid of the warranty? I heard you have to use the app, but it is still there, i just can't seem to get rid of it?
Any help would be much appreciated.

I just bought it from geek buying for £146 and no warranty was added. See here

Thank you lianne21 i just purchased mine from the link you provided, also bundled it with the Xiaomi mi original headphones for only £4.64 Extra, so with insurance total was £153.20! Thank you again..:smile:

You're welcome, have a nice weekend :smiley: