[Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Guides, News, & Discussion] Desmanto:
I prefer Stock Android, but I don't mind using MIUI 9 either. I have specific need, that Automagic must be working 95% perfectly in the ROM and MIUI 9 passed the test. I am planning to wait until MIUI 10 stable, testing it for at least a month, before deciding whether to continue on MIUI path or moved to AOSP-ish path.

Then last month, ARP hit the deck. I immediately try to save myself from the trap and have decided to move to AOSP-ish and never looked back. Even though there are firmwareless ROM available before I switch, but the decision is final and I move to RR, never look back. Ironic, Xiaomi probably using ARP to scare the users to stay at MIUI, but in my case, it scares me away from MIUI.

I am now at RR 6.1 20180723, experiencing high battery drain during deep sleep if wifi connected. I am thinking to switch to bootlegger ROM, which has customization almost as complete as RR, if the drain persist. Even then, not a single thought I will go back to MIUI. If this bug is solved, I can easily achieve the same SOT I got in MIUI. Sure I lose some MIUI features such as long screenshot, dual apps feature and maybe other. Long screenshot can be done using 3rd party app. Dual apps too, but I don't use it, so I don't miss it. In exchange, I have much more customization I can do here, so no reason to lookback at MIUI anymore.

Sorry to say this, but all gesture implementation so far is still inferior. GMD gesture has been doing this since several years ago. I wish google will adopt it last time when they decide to use gesture navigation. It is one of the reason I still root till dates, totally worth it. So if it is gesture that makes you stay in MIUI, then you should try GMD gesture. You can use GMD gesture to completely mimic the same gesture you use in MIUI or any other ROM. You can even create your own custom path or record gesture. I don't use any gesture feature from the RR, as GMD gesture is much better. The impact to battery life is almost negligible, as I have stated in other post. (I have Automagic & GMD gesture running 24/7, and still easily achieve 10+ hours SOT in MIUI 9.5.x.0).

One minus though as I have experienced recently. For certain games, we need to exclude it from GMD gesture. Or the multitouch event will be consumed by GMD gesture and never sent to the game. So far, in all other app, it is working fine. But I am not the one who go full gesture. I use them both. I still use navbar along with gesture.

As for Android Pie, we are reaching the stage where updating the OS version only give minor changes to the user experience. Sure, usually it is better, but almost not noticeable anymore for most users. Especially if you use Custom ROM, most of the features have been there already. So I won't push the dev, just let them have their own schedule to pick the Pie ROM. I would rather have a stable minimum bug Oreo ROM, than buggy Pie ROM. Battery life probably won't change much, as it is mostly affected by kernel. Unless it is the ROM that have bug and drain too much (as in most LOS based ROM currently, wifi deep sleep drain).

To wait for MIUI based on Pie, maybe we need to wait until next year, MIUI 11. And by the time it is based on Pie, you probably won't notice any pie feature there, as it is overlayed by the MIUI. So if you choose the MIUI path, don't hold your breath for android Pie.