Meet the handset claiming to be the 'world's fastest smartphone'

Meet the device claiming to be the 'world's fastest smartphone'
Is this the best phone in the world right now?

Xiaomi may not be particularly well known outside of China, but in its homeland it's a huge company with a dedicated following - and it's just launched a new smartphone in the form of the Xiaomi Mi 4.

With a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor and 3GB of RAM, Xiaomi reckons the Mi 4 is the 'world's fastest smartphone'.

It does ever so slightly trump the 2.3GHz quad-core 801 chip and 3GB of RAM found inside the Sony Xperia Z2, so it has some decent grounding for its claim.

As well as a decent amount of power the Mi 4 also boasts a 5-inch full HD display, the choice of either 16GB or 64GB of internal storage, a 13MP rear camera, 8MP front snapper and a 3080mAh battery.

Apple-like

In terms of design it looks like Xiaomi has taken a leaf out of Apple's book with a stainless steel band encompassing the slender device.

Price wise the Xiaomi Mi 4 is quoted at a rather affordable $320 (around £190, AU$340) for the 16GB model, and $400 (around £240, AU$430) for the 64GB variant.

Xiaomi has previously said that it wants to expand its reach in global markets, although it's not clear how far reaching the Mi 4 will be - it may well be an import only option in many countries.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.