Mi A3 FAQ – 4K Video Recording, Gorilla Glass, Fast Charge

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 23 Aug 2019

Mi A3

After being announced in India earlier this week, the Mi A3 went on sale in the country today. There’s a lot to like about this phone and if you are planning on buying the Mi A3, check out our detailed FAQ surrounding the phone to know more about it.

Mi A3 FAQ

Q) What are the full specifications of the Mi A3?

A) The full specs of the handset are as follows:

  • Dimensions: 153.48 x 71.85 x 8.475 mm
  • Weight: 173.8g
  • Display: 6.08-inch 19.5:9 aspect ratio, HD+ (1560 x 720), 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 5
  • Chipset: Octa-core Snapdragon 665 chipset clocked at 2GHz
  • GPU: Adreno 610
  • RAM: 4/6GB
  • Storage: 64/128GB, UFS 2.1 NAND, Hybrid microSD card slot
  • Rear camera:
    48MP Sony IMX 586 sensor, f/1.8 aperture, LED flash, 4K video recording, EIS
    8MP ultra wide-angle sensor
    2MP depth camera
  • Front camera: 32MP, f/2.0 aperture
  • Sensors: In-display fingerprint scanner, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient light sensor, eCompass, IR Blaster
  • Connectivity: LTE, (Hybrid) Dual-SIM, GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C
  • Battery: 4030mAh non-removable
  • Others: Android 9.0 Pie

Q) Is the HD+ display of the Mi A3 a problem?

A) Not really. The HD+ resolution might seem like a disappointment on paper but in real-life use, you are not going to notice much of a difference.

Q) Is the battery of the handset removable?

A) No, since the Mi A3 features a unibody glass build, the battery and back cover is not removable.

Q) Between the Mi A3 and the Redmi Note 7 Pro, which one is worth buying?

A) The Redmi Note 7 Pro is the more powerful of the two phones here but it can be argued that the Mi A3 is a better package since it has a better design, a triple-camera setup, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

Q) What kind of SIM card slot does the Mi A3 feature? Can one use two SIM cards and a microSD card at the same time?

A) The Mi A3 features a hybrid SIM card slot. This means that you can either 1 SIM card and microSD card or 2 SIM cards at any given time. Both SIM slots accept nanoSIM cards.

Q) Is there an IR blaster on the Mi A3 that can be used to control TVs and other devices?

A) Yes, the Mi A3 features an IR blaster. Coupled with Mi Remote, one can use the IR blaster on the device to control TV, ACs, and other electronic items.

Q) Do you get face unlock on the Mi A3?

A) Nope.

Q) Can one record calls on the Mi A3?

A) No, the MI A3 lacks call recording functionality. You cannot get call recording by downloading third-party recorder apps on the device from the Play Store as well.

Q) Is there Widevine L1 support on the Mi A3?

A) Yes. However, that really should not make much of a difference since the Mi A3 has an HD+ resolution display.

Q) Can one click photos in 48MP on the Mi A3?

A) Yes, though one will need to switch to a dedicated 48MP mode for this.

Q) Does the Mi A3 feature FM radio?

A) No, the Mi A3 lacks FM radio.

Q) Is the display on the Mi A3 protected by Gorilla Glass?

A) Yes, the 6.08-inch AMOLED display on the Mi A3 is protected by a 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

Q) Can you lock apps using the fingerprint scanner on the Mi A3?

A) There’s no native app lock feature in Mi A3. You will have to use a third-party app from Google Play for this.

Q) Where is the fingerprint scanner on the Mi A3 located?

A) The Mi A3 features an in-display fingerprint scanner. Its performance is not as good as the capacitive fingerprint scanners but its relatively good.

Q) How many fingerprints can one register on the phone?

A) 5.

Q) Can you record slow-motion videos on the phone?

A) Yes. It can record slow-mo videos in 1080p@120fps or at 720p@240fps.

Q) What about 4K videos?

A) Yes, the phone is capable of recording 4K videos but at 30fps. There’s no option to record 60fps videos on the Mi A3 in any resolution.

Q) Is there EIS on the Mi A3 while recording videos?

A) Yes, the phone has EIS but it is limited to only Full HD videos at 30fps. It is not available while recording 4K videos.

Q) Can one make native video calls on Mi A3 without using a third-party app?

A) Yes, but using Google Duo which is pre-installed and integrated into the Phone app of the device.

Q) Which version of Android does the handset run on?

A) Android 9.0 Pie.

Q) Does the Mi A3 support LTE and VoLTe networks? Will a Reliance Jio SIM work on the phone?

A) Yes, it does support LTE and VoLTE out of the box. It also has dual-VoLTE support which means one can use two Jio or any two VoLTE networks on the device at the same time.

Q) What about VoLTE support on AirTel’s network?

A) Yes, the Mi A3 supports Airtel’s VoLTE network. Xiaomi will also add support for Vodafone’s VoLTE network on the handset with a future software update.

Q) Is fast or Quick charging supported on the Mi A3?

A) Yes. The Mi A3 supports 18W fast charging. However, Xiaomi continues to bundle a 10W charger with the device which means one will have to separately investment in a fast charger.

Q) How much free storage space does one get on the Mi A3 out of the box?

A) Almost 51GB of free space

Q) Can you uninstall or disable pre-installed apps on the handset?

A) Only a handful of them. Being an Android One device, the Mi A3 does not come with any kind of bloatware whatsoever.

Q) What colors are the Mi A3 going to be available in?

A) The handset will be available in Black, Blue, and White.

Q) What contents do you get inside the retail box of the Mi A3?

A) You get the phone, a 2A charger, a USB cable, SIM ejector tool, and some regulatory papers. Xiaomi is also bundling a free plastic case with the A3.

Q) Does the handset support USB OTG?

A) Yes, the Mi A3 supports USB On-The-Go. This allows you to directly connect pen drives, external hard disks and more using an adapter to the device.

Q) What’s the price of the Mi A3?

A) The Mi A3 is available in India in two variants: 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/128GB storage. The base variant is priced at Rs 12,999, while the 6GB variant is priced at Rs 15,999.

Q) When will the Mi A3 launch in India?

A) The Mi A3 goes on sale in India from August 23rd. You can buy the phone from here.


Have any other questions about the Mi A3? Drop a comment and we will answer them for you.