In just a week, three of the most important smartphone manufacturers announced three amazing upper-midrange devices which have all the specifications necessary to become best-sellers. We are talking about the Xiaomi Mi CC9 from the brand new CC line-up, the Lenovo Z6 which boasts the best display in the whole midrange segment, and the Vivo Z1 Pro with a huge battery and a punch-hole design. All of them come with impressive hardware departments and prices, but which is the best choice for this second half of 2019 for everyone who does not have a high budget? This comparison will clear your ideas and establish a winner among these three potential best-sellers.
Xiaomi Mi CC9 vs Lenovo Z6 vs Vivo Z1 Pro
| Xiaomi Mi CC9 | Lenovo Z6 | Vivo Z1 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 156.8 x 74.5 x 8.7 mm, 179 grams | 157 x 74.5 x 8 mm, 159 grams | 162.4 x 77.3 x 8.9 mm, 201 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Super AMOLED), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED | 6.53 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 395 ppi, IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 712, octa-core 2.3 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, MIUI | Android 9 Pie, MIUI | Android 9 Pie, Funtouch OS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 48 + 8 + 2 MP f/1.8 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 24 + 8 + 5 MP f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP front camera |
Triple 16 + 8 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2 and f/2.4 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4030 mAh, fast charging 18W | 4000 mAh, fast charging 15W | 5000 mAh, fast charging 18W, reverse charging |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot |
Design
None of these devices jokes when it comes to beauty and builds quality. Xiaomi Mi CC9 looks like the most impressive one because it comes with premium materials as well as an impressive design. Its back cover is made of glass and it shows different light effects depending on the reflection, while the frame is made of aluminum. The main advantage of the Lenovo Z6 is its very high screen-to-body ratio: it is almost a full-screen phone except for the waterdrop notch and a very thin lower bezel. Vivo Z1 Pro is another device with an amazing design thanks to its punch-hole display, but my favorite one is the Xiaomi Mi CC9 due to its suggestive glass back. Which one do you prefer?
Display
As mentioned above, Lenovo Z6 has the best display you can expect on a midrange phone to date. It is the only mid-ranger coming with a smooth 120 Hz refresh ratio, it boasts the HDR10 technology for an amazing color reproduction as well as DCI-P3 coverage. And it is even a Super AMOLED panel with an in-display fingerprint reader. The second place goes to the Xiaomi Mi CC9, but on the paper, the color reproduction seems less impressive and it has also a lower refresh ratio. Vivo Z1 Pro has a classic IPS display just like every phone sporting a punch-hole panel, except some devices by Samsung.
Specs & Software
As it features the fastest SoC (Snapdragon 730 by Qualcomm), Lenovo Z6 should be the fastest and smoothest device. It even has a variant with 8 GB of RAM, unlike Xiaomi Mi CC9 and Vivo Z1 Pro (to be accurate, the Meitu Custom Edition of the CC9 has 8 GB of RAM). Further, Lenovo Z6 allows expanding the internal storage up to 1 TB with a micro SD. Right after, there is Vivo Z1 Pro equipped with a Snapdragon 712 that is an upgrade of the Snapdragon 710 found on the Xiaomi Mi CC9.
Camera
The most amazing cameras belong to the Xiaomi Mi CC9. It is the only to sport a main sensor with a 48 MP resolution, so at least basing on the specs on the paper, it should be able to shoot way better photos. The sensor is paired with an ultrawide lens and a depth sensor, and it even supports super slow motion videos at 960 fps. The front camera is as amazing as the rear camera with its 32 MP resolution and Meitu’s advanced selfie algorithm. Lenovo Z6’s main sensor is just a 24 MP sensor, but the phone features 2x optical zoom, unlike its rivals. So it still deserves some respect.
Battery
Vivo Z1 Pro wins the battery life comparison due to its bigger lithium unit: a mammoth 5000 mAh battery which can also be used as a power bank thanks to reverse charging.
Price
Xiaomi Mi CC9 vs Lenovo Z6 vs Vivo Z1 Pro: PROs and CONS
Xiaomi Mi CC9
PROs
- Good design
- Big battery
- Nice cameras
- Good display
CONS
- Nothing particular
Lenovo Z6
PROs
- Better performance
- Better display
- Big battery
- High screen-to-body ratio
CONS
- Average camera
Vivo Z1 Pro
PROs
- Great design
- Bigger battery
- Reverse charging
- Wide display
CONS
- Worse display quality
