Xiaomi is well-known for undercutting its western rivals with high-quality goods, so we were naturally excited about its announcement that it was entering the smart speaker product category with Mi AI. However, we were also concerned by how well the Mi AI would fit in with an English-speaking UK audience. Our contact informed us that the Xiaomi smart speaker would support English and should work just fine. Unfortunately, in our experience that is not the case.
Should you buy the Xiaomi Mi AI in the UK?
But cheaper products such as this quickly lose their value if they are unusable by those who purchase them. The Mi AI is accompanied by Chinese instructions, a Chinese app, and no way to switch voice instruction from Chinese to English. So unless you speak Chinese, it’s a no-go. It’s worth pointing out that the Mi AI also functions as a Bluetooth speaker, so if you accept that you won’t be able to use its smart functionality then it does have some potential in this regard. But as Bluetooth speakers go it’s a terrible example, in our tests offering awful sound quality with audio appearing to phase in and out. (Check out our best budget Bluetooth speakers chart for some better alternatives.) So should you buy Mi AI? If you don’t speak Chinese then 100 percent no. And if you do speak Chinese we’d still say no. Right now, while you can get devices such as the Google Home Mini for as little as £34 in the UK, it makes absolutely zero sense to ship in the Mi AI from China.
What is Xiaomi Mi AI?
In design it looks much like a smaller version of Xiaomi’s air purifier, a tall white device with multiple holes in its front fascia, under which sit two audio drivers. Controls for music playback sit on top of the device. Just like Google Home, the Mi AI will let you stream music, including live radio, and integrate with other services using plug-ins, thereby allowing you to do things like get notification alerts and reminders of upcoming events. With a simple voice command Mi AI will also answer your questions relating to the weather, traffic and translations, control your smart-home gadgets, set alarms and take notes. Marie is Editor in Chief of Tech Advisor and Macworld. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our English language, French and Spanish consumer editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
