Redmi Note 9 Pro First Impressions
Xiaomi is where it is today because of the strengths of
its budget Redmi series and its ability to constantly improve the features and
specifications of phones that don't cost very much. The company boasts of how
its Redmi Note models, in particular, have consistently targeted sensitive price
points with aspirational features such as more and better cameras, bigger
batteries, and higher-quality screens. The Redmi Note 9 Pro has just been
launched, and fans have already been waiting for weeks to find out exactly how
Xiaomi will raise the bar again.
Given the stratospheric success of its predecessors, the
Redmi Note 8 Pro (Review) and Redmi Note 7 Pro (Review), it should be no
surprise that Xiaomi has refreshed the line already. Fresh competition in the
form of the Realme 6 series and Samsung's latest M-series models have resulted
in some interesting choices – the Redmi Note 9 Pro is not about chasing every
little specification to look better than other options, but the package as a
whole improves upon the essentials and keeps prices low.
Let's start with the look of the Redmi Note 9 Pro – Xiaomi
has unveiled its ‘Aura Balance' design philosophy, which ditches eye-popping
patterns and gradients for a simpler and slicker finish. The running theme here
is symmetry – the back has a squared-off quad-camera module, with the flash and
Redmi logo centred below it. According to Xiaomi, weight distribution is also
perfectly symmetrical.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro will be available in Aurora Blue,
Interstellar Black, and Glacier White. The finish is very glossy and
reflective, and we have to say that our Aurora Blue unit is a lot brighter and
lighter than the picture of it on the box makes it look. We found that the
finish was very susceptible to fingerprint marks. The frame is also a matching
colour and is made of polycarbonate.
While it's true that the Redmi Note 9 Pro does not look or
feel like a budget phone at all, it isn't the easiest device to hold and use.
It's 8.8mm thick and weighs 209g which is well over average. The back curves
only very slightly at the sides. Luckily, the rear isn't slippery so it isn't
hard to grip this phone.
The front and back of this phone are made of Gorilla Glass
5. The size and weight are largely thanks to the 6.67-inch screen and 5020mAh
battery, which are both the largest ever in the Redmi Note series. These are
features that look good on paper, but might not be worth the compromises for everyone.
Xiaomi has used a 60Hz 1080x2400-pixel IPS LCD panel on
this phone which is a bit of a surprise considering that competitors are
pushing high refresh rates. Xiaomi told Gadgets 360 that this is a
non-essential feature that many people can't even detect, the Qualcomm
Snapdragon 720G processor isn't high-end enough to drive it in a meaningful
way, and the tradeoff to battery life isn't worth it. The different approaches
taken between Xiaomi and Realme are interesting to note, and our full review of
the Redmi Note 9 Pro will explore this.
The hole-punch front camera is centred at the top of the
screen, and it's fairly large. This is something that will take getting used
to. The power button on the right has an integrated fingerprint sensor, which
somewhat preserves the look of the rear panel but will be awkward for
left-handed users. The volume buttons are unfortunately placed above the power
button, making them completely out of reach when holding the phone normally.
You get a USB Type-C port, speaker, and 3.5mm audio socket
on the bottom. The tray on the left can hold two Nano-SIMs as well as a microSD
card. Xiaomi's trademark infrared emitter is on the top.
As for the insides, Xiaomi says that the new Snapdragon
720G processor runs cool and is a big step up from the 600-series Snapdragon
SoCs saw at this price level. You can buy the Redmi Note 9 Pro with
either 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for Rs. 12,999, or 6GB of RAM and 128GB
of storage for Rs. 15,999.
You get an 18W charger in the box, and the Redmi Note 9
Pro supports standard USB Power Delivery chargers. Another interesting touch is
support for the Indian NavIC satellite navigation system. There's also Wi-Fi ac
and Bluetooth 5. As for software, there's MIUI 11 running on top of Android 10.
Xiaomi has gone with a 48-megapixel primary rear camera,
which uses the new Samsung Isocell GM2 sensor. The company says it has turned
the colour profile of this sensor for Indian sensibilities. This camera has an
f/1.79 aperture and can record 960fps slow-motion video as well as 4K 30fps
video. The other three are an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 5-megapixel
macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. You get a 16-megapixel selfie
shooter on the front.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro has been designed with content
creators in mind, especially those who post stories and TikTok videos
regularly. There's electronic stabilisation for the front and rear cameras, a
21:9 aspect ratio option, and a Pro Colour option to bump up contrast and
saturation.
All of this sounds like a great deal for the price, and we
can understand why Xiaomi chose to forego some of the niceties that others
offer. If you do feel a little underwhelmed, there's the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max
which is almost identical but gives you a 64-megapixel rear camera, 32-megapixel a front camera, 33W fast charging (with an included charger), and more RAM in the the base model for a little more money.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon