Mi Mix Fold: a motherboard repair could cost more than a new Mi 11 Pro

Xiaomi introduced its first ever foldable phone at the end of March 2021, although it is only just starting pre-orders in the Chinese market now, with special offers such as a Marriot Hotel limited edition, which consists of the premium phablet in a gift box chosen by its brand-partner in this case.

The OEM has also just released the foldable's out-of-warranty first-party repair costs, presumably in the spirit of allowing a potential customer to make an informed decision. These consumers should indeed know that fixing the Mi Mix Fold in certain circumstances might get pricey, especially in the case of its 16GB RAM/512GB ceramic-backed top-end SKU.

Fixing this variant's 6.52-inch secondary screen costs up to 700 yuan (~US$107) alone, whereas the cost of fixing the marquee internal flexible display might run up to 3,900 yuan (~$595). A need for a new motherboard, on the other hand, requires that one has a spare 5,100 (~$779) yuan lying around, not to mention 40 yuan (~$6) extra for the labor involving.

Combined, this is even more than the starting price for a Mi 11 Pro, the new flagship variant that is exclusive to China. Whether these repair costs are worth it or not may be up to the individual buyer. Nonetheless, a new, intact Mi Mix Fold might be worth its sticker price on its own. 

It starts at 9,999 yuan (~$1526) for a 12GB RAM version, which undercuts competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 and Huawei Mate X2 by quite a bit. For this, it offers a similar book-like design with a punch-hole-free 2K 8.01-inch main AMOLED display, quad speakers, a large enough 5,000mAh battery and a high-end rear camera system with a cutting-edge liquid lens feature.

It could in fact be said its only major mis-step as a 2021 foldable is its standard 60Hz refresh rate. All in all, it is a shame it will probably never see a global launch..someone out there might be prepared to become a (careful) owner of this flexible-tech showcase by Xiaomi.