A couple of days ago Xiaomi launched Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker. And it isn’t a simple speaker we are talking about. Apart from the sound, the speaker features a six-microphone array and works as a hub for Xiaomi’s smart home devices. It’ll control connected products and has its own personal assistant that’ll relay weather, traffic data, etc.

But Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker is simply more than that. Let’s find out why:

Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker – The First Chinese AI Voice Assistant

Design & Appearance

Looking from the front, Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker appears to be a simple speaker. The color is white and the overall look is plain, simple yet elegant. We really love the top blue LED ring on the surroundings.  It occupies a space of only 21.16 x 8.8 x 8.8 cm and weighs 636 grams. It’s relatively lightweight considering the size and hardware. Thanks to the ABS material that makes up the chassis. The reason for giving the AI speaker a slender shape is to match it with the rest of the Mi family products such as Xiaomi Air Purifier. To make it always look like a new, there’s also an Anti-scratch coating as well.

The front pattern along the Mi logo also makes a great first impression. On the top, there is a six-microphone array along with the five buttons. Xiaomi smart AI speaker uses the beamforming technology. This allows the device to hear the voice of the user even from long distances via effective shielding interference.

There are a total of six speakers present in the product, three at the top and three at the button. When combined they produce a stereo effect. Looking at the Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker, it’s a perfect response to Alexa Smart Speaker or Amazon Echo.

Hardware & Connectivity

The Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker has integrated a 64-bit processor with a Cortex A53 SoC running @1.2 GHz, which will be able to ensure a constant connectivity and performance.  The impedance of the speaker is 4 ohm, frequency ranging from 60 Hz to 18 kHz and the sensitivity is 82 dB. To operate it must be connected to a power source and for that, it includes its charger of 12 Volts. The sound capacity is so good, it can easily be placed in a spacious room, even in an open environment (patio or garden), of course, that will require an extension.

The sound capacity is so good, it can easily be placed in a spacious room, even in an open environment (patio or garden), of course, that will require an extension. Common speakers feature either a Bluetooth module or a WiFi module, but Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker integrates both of them.

In order to connect with the smart devices in the house, we have the dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1 to connect it to the App or play Bluetooth music. This includes a long list of compatible devices such as Computer, iPhone, iPod, Laptop, Mobile phone, MP3, MP4, MP5, PC, PSP, Tablet PC, XiaoMi Mi TV 3, XiaoMi Mi TV Mainboard. These are the devices that connect via Bluetooth. The WiFi ones are all Xiaomi Smart Home products such as Air filter, LED lights, Smart Table Lamp and so on. Most of all, the company says:

Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker can connect up to 60 million devices

Function & Features

Xiaomi Mi AI speakers highlight an intelligent control as a brain. You can connect all your home smart home equipment. The functions including are numerous Internet contents control, such as music, fiction comic dialogue, children’s stories, radio stations and so on. Moreover, it has a human-computer interaction, such as check the weather, set the alarm clock, real-time exchange rate and so on. All is done via Voice Assistant. That is why it has 6 microphones array like we told you earlier.

The speaker can also be paired with other smart devices that are commonly present in homes like curtains, lights, air conditioners, water heaters etc., to control the features of these devices. You might be thinking that as a Chinese product the app and the voice assistant might be in Chinese. But, that’s not true. Xiaomi made Mi AI speakers for not only China but for international use as well. That is why we have a dedicated English app and English voice recognization.

Apart from all these, the top multi-colored LED ring is also customizable from the phone’s app. You can install add-ons and plugins to add additional functionality. Extra add-ons and plugins will be added with the passage of time and will come in the app updates.

The sound quality coming from those six speakers is amazing. It’s loud like other Chinese speakers but has so much clarity and details. It can easily compete with a $190 Amazon Echo.

Specification Sheet

Model	Mi AI Speaker
Dimensions	21.16 x 8.8 x 8.8 cm
Weight	636 grams
Material	ABS (Plastic), anti-scratch
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.1, Dual Band WiFi
Compatibility	Computer, iPhone, iPod,Laptop, Mobile phone, MP3, MP4, MP5, PC, PSP, Tablet PC, Xiaomi Mi TV 3, XiaoMi Mi TV Mainboard
Support	Bluetooth, Hands-free Calls, Volume Control
Cable Length	1.8 meters
Speaker Impedance	4 ohm
Speakers	6 in numbers, Two-channel (stereo)
Frequency	60Hz-18KHz
S/N	82dB
App Support	Yes, Chinese and English, Multi-Language
Contents	1 x Original Xiaomi AI Bluetooth 4.1 Speaker, 1 x Power Adapter, 1 x English Manual
Price	Original: $45 (299 yuan) International: May vary (currently $79.99)

Pros

• Great clear, surrounding Sound
• Six Microphones array and Six Speakers
• AI Device controlled Hub
• Elegant Design
• Global Support
• Budget-Friendly

Cons

• Some Chinese functions
• Functions still in development
• Beta Product

Our Verdict

You can now join the smart home revolution without breaking the bank thanks to the Xiaomi Mi AI Affordable Smart Speaker. This intelligent device bridges the gap between you and your devices. With the Mi AI Speaker, you can use simple voice commands to get what you need. In fact, the device features a whopping six microphones to cover 360 degrees of audio pickup. It’s smart, Artificial Intelligence and the best alternative to Amazon Echo, 2.5x lesser the price.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mijia Camera Mini 4K Hits Rock Bottom – Now for $106.99

Price & Availability 

If you want to purchase Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker, it available on GEABEST with the best price tag $79.99. However, the original price of the Mi AI speaker is only $45 (299 yuan). Because of the huge global demand, it’s priced around $80. Still, it’s way cheaper than Amazon Echo.