Xiaomi Redmi Note review

The phone is very well-built, it feels premium in the hand, and the notification light is one of the best ones I’ve seen in ages. Thing is though, you still have to make the decision that I quoted above: a slightly underpowered, future-proof phone vs a powerful phone that may not get all the updates you’d like.

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G is already available in the market for a price tag of INR 9,999. The phablet is undoubtedly one of the most affordable 4G LTE offerings out there.

To be honest, we are quite surprised to know that Xiaomi hasn’t managed to make the most out of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset. The performance is surely not on par with the original MediaTek model, but is it a trade-off for the additional radios on board? Well, we hope that’s not the case.

While the Redmi Note 4G may not be as solid as its 3G sibling, the device is clearly one of the best when you compare it with its competition. After all, it’s very hard to beat Xiaomi when it comes to pricing. 

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Yes, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G's performance is considerably weaker than the competing phablets. Yes, 8 GB of storage space is small, and a resolution of 1280x720 pixels isn't much for a big smartphone. But at a price of less than 200 Euros (~$227), you'll get more bang for your buck than you might expect: A removable battery, a micro-SD slot, LTE speed and quick WLAN according to the 802.11 ac wireless standard, a stable case, a satisfactory display, good cameras and a respectable speaker. Xiaomi's lead in China isn't based exclusively on the fact that they're a home-grown company; they also manufacturer respectable products.

Interestingly, the Chinese company currently seems to consider sales in Europe and America utterly unimportant. The software is translated into German, but the speech assistant is only available in Chinese, the music streaming offers mostly Eastern artists, and Baidu is hardly the right search engine for customers in the West. Other oddities like the low quality power supply adapter, a non-functional search widget and potentially expensive warranty claims are also concerns to weigh in the balance. We deducted a percentage point from our overall rating for these issues.

If none of those things matter much to you, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G may be the smartphone for you. It's a solid phablet that offers some great features, with the added allure of the new and unknown. 

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The Redmi Note 4G's popularity is quite obvious; flash sales do conform the same as well. However, apart from the camera and battery, I do not find the Redmi Note extraordinary in any other department. True when it was launched in India, it had the charm owing to its 4G connectivity while decent storage and performance added to its charm. But now in terms of performance, storage, connectivity, and display features, the Redmi Note 4G is like many other devices in its segment. In terms of design, there are infact much better devices in the market now. In a nutshell, get Redmi Note 4G if you can but if you are unlucky, don't be disheartened, the Yu Yureka and Lenovo A6000 are there which are even better than this in many other departments.

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So should I buy it? If you’re looking for a phablet with good battery life and future-proofing, then definitely. You might want to also take a look at the Micromax Yu Yureka before making your decision. But if 5.5 inches is too big for you, then there are better phones for Rs 10,000. If you want to buy a 4G phone, again, consider your options among the 4G smartphones in India. The Note 4G is great, but the large size might be a bit too much for some people.

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We like the Redmi Note 4G, but we have to say that we liked its predecessor a bit more. The price tag is still extremely reasonable, but to be honest 4G isn't widespread, affordable or compelling enough to make that Rs. 1,000 extra outlay worth it - not just yet, at least. This year should be very interesting in terms of 4G rollouts across the country, so if you have a long-term view in mind, there's no problem at all in picking up this phone. For most people though, the slight reduction in performance and the loss of dual-SIM functionality will not be worth the tradeoff. Anyway, as it stands right now, the original Redmi Note is not available any longer. Xiaomi continues to rely on weekly online flash sales, and the chances of being able to snag one are slim, leading to considerable frustration.

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The budget segment was missing a phablet till now and the Redmi Note fills that gap. If you want a phablet within a below 10k budget, then go ahead and buy this, but don't expect it to be a premium device for a low price. The Redmi Note is strictly a value for money smartphone and one that was missing in the lower price range till now. There are other devices in and around this range (Zenfone 5, Canvas Nitro, Moto G- 2nd Gen), which provide similar performance and the Redmi Note isn't the runaway success that the Xiaomi Mi3 was.

Overall, the Redmi Note is a good device and one that offers value for money, but we have come to expect more from the Chinese startup.

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Xiaomi looks like it has another winner on its hands with the Redmi Note. For those of you who were waiting for a phablet with good specs at an affordable price point, it does not get more economical than t. Sure, there are some drawbacks on the Redmi Note, but at Rs 8,999 for the 3G variant, they aren’t major deal-breakers. (Xiaomi is also planning to come out with a 4G variant for Rs 9,999 which is exactly similar except for the fact that it houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC which has a quad-core processor.)

Performance is quick and it has a good overall battery life. The camera is great for sharing images online, but not meant for those looking at getting good low light photographs. The Redmi Note suffers in that department. The Android 4.2.2 OS is a big chink in the armour. Not that it takes away from the performance or the other good aspects of the device, but I would have liked to see Xiaomi bundling the Redmi Note with a 4.4 update at least. 

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The Xiaomi Redmi Note offers great value for money, no doubt. However, be sure about the size and obviously Android 4.2.2 OS, before buying. If you want a large-screened smartphone then this is the only option under Rs 10,000.

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The Xiaomi Redmi Note is a solid package but we would've expected nothing less from a phablet based on the credible Redmi 1S. Xiaomi's prices are hard to beat and that stands for the phablet as well. The bigger screen and octa-core processor have made it clearly more expensive than its smartphone counterpart, but if you count the upgraded cameras the markup isn't all that big.

The Redmi Note comes with a big and reasonably good 720p display, an octa-core processor, quality imaging including a high-res selfie camera, dual-SIM capabilities and a robust 3,200 mAh battery, all for less than 200 euros. As always you need to factor in the shipping and complicated support, but even then the price is certainly tempting.

Xiaomi has consistently shown uncompromised performance and fewer hidden catches than most people may be wary of with Chinese makers. The Xiaomi Redmi Note is a cheaper but capable enough alternative to even already affordable phablets. It is among the cheapest devices in its class and yet it has so much to offer. 

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