Xiaomi announced a 4G version of the Redmi Note with pretty much similarity to its 3G sibling. However, some key differences under the hood make it better than the previous version. Let us have a detailed discussion on its main features and functions that makes it well compared to other budget smartphones in the market.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G, a big phablet with thick bottom and top sides, is almost similar to the Note 3G. The smartphone with thickness of 9.45 mm and weight of 185 grams, is not a lightweight phone. But, just like the 3G version, it also has rounded edges that help the users to hold easily in hand. However, using Redmi Note 4G with single hand is difficult. Made of glossy plastic, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G is stable and has a good build quality, even though it’s glossy backside makes smudges and fingerprints visible easily. However, it has enough grips to protect the phablet from falling out of your hand. The metal buttons are little soft, but don’t feel loose. Overall Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G is a faily decent looking phablet and the company has tried to ensure the finishing that we can see on more expensive devices.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G comes with a black front and white back. The touch buttons under the display that marked in red provide a touch of color to the phone’s case. You can see a small silver Mi logo on the lower back, which is the only branding on the phone. The right edge occupies the buttons, leaving the left side blank. The Micro-USB port is positioned on the bottom, while the headset socket is placed on the top. The removable battery, microSD slot and the SIM slot are covered by the removable back cover.
Display
XIaomi Redmi Note 4G, besides the decent build quality, also has an excellent display. The 5.5-inch screen of the phone is fairly sharp screen with a resolution of 720p. If you have a close look at text, you can see pixels. However, we rarely notice pixels while using it. The display is sharp enough with rich and oversaturated colours, which is a good thing. You can get a nice view of colorful photos and videos on the phone. The viewing angle is also appreciable.
Brightness is the only feature where the screen of Redmi Note 4G falls short. It cannot maintain good contrast in outdoor situation, particularly if the sun is shining bright. Reading something is also difficult at this situation. However, Redmi Note 4G offers the best display, comparing to the other smartphone of this price range.
Camera
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G packs with a very good rear camera of 13 megapixel, which provides sharp clear and colorful images when clicked in daylight. The rear camera has an LED flash and auto-focus on board. It also offers punchy images in good light and steady holding of the phone. But, it low light, it does not present much good performance. However, it is not terrible. The level of detailing is also not up to the level that we expect from a 13 megapixel. However, it is not a significant drawback while considering the price of the device. Other main amiss of the camera performance is regarding metering that the device tends to underexpose images. But, editing apps can rectify this problem.
Redmi Note 4G has a 5-megapixel camera that helps click nice selfies in good light. It has a fairly wide angle lens and so selfies taken with the front camera look respectable even at somewhat larger sizes. But it may not give good result, if you try to shoot your group selfies during a party in a dimply-lit bar. The device also records the fullHD videos at 30 frames per second. While considering the price, the video quality is good with clear and grain-free visuals.
Battery
Xiaomi Redmi 4G has a big battery of 3100mAh that ensures excellent battery life. The phone lasts around 14 hours with heavy use including two social media accounts, two email accounts, web browsing for around an hour, gaming, little of photography and calls for almost an hour. Many users claim that the device offers around 16 to 18 hours of normal use.
Available at a price of Rs 9,999, the Xiaomi Redmi 4G is an excellent value for money. This capable device with good performance and decent look is a perfect choice for those who are looking for a smartphone that costs less than Rs 10,000.
Speaker
Xiaomi Redmi 4G has the little speaker on the back side, which is inconspicuous. However, you can hear a reasonably loud sound at maximum volume. Moreover, the sound is good and is not disturbed even at full volume. But, if you place the phone with its back side against a table, the sound will become dull and muddy. Using external speakers or headphones will help you get better noise-free audio.
Multimedia
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G produces quality sound, even though the output is quite low compared to the most phones. But the company does not provide earphones. The in-built player is capable for quality video playback. You can also get a good third-party app like MXPlayer and VLC.
Software
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G that uses the MiUI operating system, which is based on Android KitKat 4.2, is completely different in features and user interface from that you get in stock Android. MiUI has an easy to use interface with lots of features, which are quite handy. Even though it has no regular app drawer, you can install a third-party launcher. All the installed apps are occupied in the homescreen. It also provides tens of various options to customize the interface. You can select custom themes. Some apps, which have become standard on the phones sold by Chinese smartphone companies are available in Redmi Note 4G, You get a security app and app to manage memory and performance in the device. The SwiftKey app is also bundled with Note 4G. MiUI is good enough compared to stock Android 4.2 or even Android 4.4.
Performance
The only difference in the specification of the Redmi 4G from its previous model is that 4G version uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, while the previous one was based on an octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor. The device also offers 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage space, which can be expanded up to 64 GB using MicroSD card.
The processer has four cores running at 1.6GHz and it enables the device handle all sorts of tasks easily. You don’t feel significant lag in any part of the software. It offers quick openings of apps, instantaneous changing of settings, smooth scrolling and easy switching between open apps without any lag. You can also browse web smoothly on the device. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G is also. Most of the demanding games like Asphalt 8 are running smoothly on Xiaomi Redmi 4G. Moreover, the device neither heat up like a few other smartphones nor create any performance issues due to prolonged gaming.