Ulefone Mix Review — Affordable Bezel-Less Smartphone with Impressive Sound Quality

Joining the expanding family of Xiaomi Mi Mix clones, the Ulefone Mix emerges as a fresh contender. While it follows the same design blueprint as many Chinese bezel-less smartphones released this year, it boasts several appealing features that set it apart.

When Xiaomi introduced its first bezel-less smartphone, few anticipated the ripple effect it would create. Today, we can confidently say that this innovation gave birth to a new smartphone form factor characterized by ultra-thin bezels on three sides of the display.

The Ulefone Mix is far from the first Chinese smartphone of this kind. Previous reviews have covered devices like the Doogee Mix, Bluboo S1, and Maze Alpha. This makes evaluating the newcomer and comparing it with competitors even more intriguing.

Technical Specifications

Body	Metal frame with plastic back
Display	5.5-inch HD (1280 × 720), IPS panel
Processor	MediaTek MT6750T, Octa-core (4 cores at 2.5 GHz + 4 cores at 1.4 GHz), Mali-T860 MP2 GPU
RAM	4 GB
Internal Storage	64 GB, expandable via microSD up to 256 GB
Cameras	Dual rear: 13 MP (Sony IMX258) + 5 MP; Front: 8 MP
Connectivity	Dual SIM slots: microSIM and nanoSIM + microSD; 2G (GSM): 850/900/1800/1900 MHz; 3G (WCDMA): 900/2100 MHz; 4G (FDD-LTE): Bands 1/3/7/8/20
Wireless Interfaces	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, A-GPS
Expansion Ports	3.5 mm audio jack, microUSB, microSD slot (shared with second SIM slot)
Sensors	Accelerometer, fingerprint scanner, geomagnetic sensor, gyroscope, ambient light sensor
Operating System	Android 7.0 Nougat
Battery	Non-removable 3300 mAh, 5V/1.5A charging
Dimensions	143 × 75 × 8.7 mm
Weight	173 grams

Examining the Ulefone Mix’s specs reveals a typical mid-2017 mid-range smartphone. It is equipped with a modern processor, ample memory, and a decent battery capacity.

The MediaTek MT6750T is an entry-level octa-core chipset that handles everyday smartphone tasks smoothly. Notably, the memory configuration—4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage—is impressive for this price segment.

However, there is a downside: the absence of a proximity sensor. This is the third bezel-less smartphone reviewed that lacks this feature. Instead, the screen turns off during calls based on gyroscope detection when you bring the phone to your ear, but this workaround is unreliable. Users will need to manually turn off the screen using the power button during calls.

Packaging and Design

The Ulefone Mix comes in a simple white cardboard box, emphasizing functionality and minimalism without any elaborate packaging.

Inside, the smartphone rests on a cardboard tray, with accompanying documentation, a screen protector, a silicone case, charger, and cable beneath. Additionally, a special ring sticker is included for attaching to the back cover to facilitate one-handed use.

The device’s metal frame is paired with a plastic back cover featuring a stunning pearlescent finish that beautifully refracts light. The blue variant we tested looks especially attractive.

The display occupies almost the entire front surface, with bezels measuring just 3–4 millimeters on three sides. However, the bottom bezel is nearly 2 centimeters wide, housing the capacitive fingerprint sensor and front camera, so the term “bezel-less” is used somewhat loosely.

The power button and volume rocker are positioned on the left edge, which is slightly unconventional but still convenient.

The bottom edge houses the external speaker, microphone, and charging port, while the headphone jack is located on the opposite side.

The SIM tray on the right side supports both nanoSIM and the older microSIM format, an unusual but useful feature.

Overall, the Ulefone Mix boasts an excellent build quality and attractive design, although the volume buttons feel slightly loose.

Display and Audio

Like many recent Chinese smartphones, the Ulefone Mix features a quality Sharp-manufactured IPS display.

The screen delivers vibrant colors, excellent viewing angles, and sharp images. The MiraVision feature allows users to customize color temperature to their liking. Additionally, adaptive brightness ensures comfortable use even in bright environments.

For night reading, the LiveDisplay feature applies a scheduled red filter to reduce eye strain in low-light conditions.

The smartphone is equipped with an AW8737S audio chip, theoretically delivering superior sound quality compared to many competitors.

In practice, the Ulefone Mix produces very good audio. Music playback through quality headphones is enjoyable, while the loudspeaker, though less refined, is sufficiently loud to ensure you never miss calls or notifications.

Performance

Powered by MediaTek’s entry-level processor, the Ulefone Mix was not expected to break performance records. Nevertheless, it delivers satisfactory performance.

The device handles the Android operating system and most applications smoothly. The only limitation is with the latest mobile games, which can only be played at low graphics settings.

Notably, the 4 GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking without the need for memory cleaners. Switching between numerous apps remains swift and fluid.

Battery Life

The 3300 mAh battery capacity sounds promising, but in real-world usage with moderate daily activity, the phone lasts only until evening. This is typical for budget Chinese smartphones, so battery life is neither a strong advantage nor a major drawback.

Camera

The primary camera uses the Sony IMX258 sensor, which raises hopes for quality photos since this sensor is also found in more expensive models like the Samsung Galaxy J5 Prime, LG G6, and Xiaomi Redmi Pro.

However, a good sensor alone is insufficient; effective software optimization is crucial, and this remains a challenge for many Chinese manufacturers.

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Under good lighting conditions, the Ulefone Mix can capture decent images, though far from perfect. However, in low-light environments, photo quality deteriorates noticeably.

Software

The Ulefone Mix runs on Android 7.0 Nougat with a clean, stock interface free of bloatware or additional modifications. Interestingly, some common apps like the music player are missing by default.

Users can easily install all necessary applications themselves. The system is stable and free from unnecessary services or utilities.

Conclusion

The Ulefone Mix is comparable to many other budget bezel-less smartphones—not better, but not worse either.

It offers typical mid-range performance and battery life, combined with an eye-catching design, excellent display, and commendable audio quality that music lovers will appreciate. Another significant advantage is its generous RAM and storage capacity.

On the downside, the lack of a proximity sensor and inconsistent camera performance are notable. However, considering the price—approximately $110 USD at the time of this review—these compromises may be acceptable to many users.

The author thanks Ulefone for providing the review unit.

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