Hands-on: Xiaomi

I don’t remember where I read it, but at least one line stuck with me as pretty reasonable.

“A lot of people gradually realize that their devices — everything except Apple — have almost all been replaced by Xiaomi.”

I don’t use Apple, but looking back, there’s quite a bit of Xiaomi around me too.

Mi Band, Redmi phone, Mi Power Bank, Mi batteries, Mi Piston earphones, Mi power strip, and… a Mi latex pillow.

Here’s how I’ve always seen Xiaomi stuff: pay less than 50% of what the competing product costs, get 60–70% of the experience.

For someone like me who doesn’t chase details in every area, that works out fine. At least buying Xiaomi beats buying knockoffs on eBay, right?

I don’t find anything special about the Mi batteries, but the little box they come in is great — so great I want to praise it. Sometimes I think I buy Mi batteries purely for the box.

The Mi power strip isn’t special either, but there’s nothing wrong with it. At least it’s narrower and looks nicer.

Mi rechargeable batteries — whatever. I’ve got a pile of rechargeable batteries; I grab one and use it. Who the hell cares if it’s Xiaomi?

As for the Mi latex pillow… well, Xiaomi doesn’t actually make it. It’s OEM.

Oh, I’d never used a latex pillow before. Before that I was using beat-up cotton pillows, or ones filled with sand or something I can’t even name. My first reaction to a latex pillow was, “This thing isn’t going to collapse under me, is it?”

Two weeks in, I don’t feel anything good about it, and I don’t feel anything bad either. It hasn’t collapsed. Lots of people go on about how fresh the latex smells — I didn’t smell a thing. Could also be that I’ve been too tired lately and pass out the moment I lie down, with no time to properly experience the pillow.

But I bought three, and my parents both say they’re good, so it was worth it.

Thinking about it, Xiaomi really is suited to being a department store. The phones are just so-so, but at least it’s done some serious work in areas where “I might otherwise have bought a no-name brand.”

Compared to buying some unknown no-name thing on eBay, I’d rather spend the same money on a Xiaomi one.

I don’t know how far I still am from becoming a MiBoy.