Xiaomi Redmi Note review: Warning note

Introduction

The Redmi Note is Xiaomi's first phablet based on the solid Redmi 1S, which learnt from the Moto X and tried to repeat its success. We cannot think of a better example to follow in terms of sales potential and, with the right touches, the phablet can hope of a similarly warm reception.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note is undeniably related to the Redmi 1S and one fringe benefit of the bigger screen is the phablet doesn't feel as thick as the phone. The flipside is lower ppi and lack of screen protection. The whole thing is powered by MediaTek's MT6592 chipset with an octa-core processor, capable of running as many cores as needed instead of handling them in fours. A 5.5" IPS display of 720p resolution goes with a 13MP rear and a 5MP selfie camera.
Now, let's take a closer look at the Redmi Note key specs.

Key features

• 5.5" IPS 720p capacitive touchscreen with 267pi pixel density
• Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with MIUI v.5
• 1.7GHz octa-core Cortex-A7 CPU; 2 GB of RAM; Mali-450MP4 GPU; MediaTek MT6592 chipset
• 13MP camera with LED flash, 1080p video capture
• 5MP front-facing camera; 720p video recording
• 8GB of built-in memory, expandable via a microSD card slot (up to 32GB)
• Dual-SIM
• Active noise cancellation with a dedicated microphone
• 3,200mAh battery

Main disadvantages

• No KitKat yet
• Thick and heavy
• Sub-300ppi pixel density
• No hardened glass for screen protection
• No LTE (single-SIM 4G version available)

The Redmi Note phablet is a first for the up-and-coming maker but so was the Mi Pad tablet. For that, Xiaomi went squarely after the iPad mini while this time they're more willing to play it safe. That said, the Note in Redmi Note can certainly be taken the wrong way.
The truth is, the Redmi Note is a midrange phablet with a 5.5" display, decent processing power and a capable camera. An upscaled version of the Redmi 1S, with a few changes to the hardware package and a due resize of the highly customizable MIUI launcher. The Xiaomi Redmi Note is a dual-SIM device just like the smartphone it's based on. You can trade the dual-SIM support for LTE connectivity in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G.
We are losing no more time with introductions. The shrink wrap's about to be torn to get a closer look at Xiaomi's first phablet, the Redmi Note.

Unboxing the Xiaomi Redmi Note

All Xiaomi retail boxes look alike - made of recycled paper and said to support up to 300 pounds (136kg) of weight - you know, in case you need to put a fridge on top.
Unfortunately, the box contents cover just the basics - an A/C adapter and a USB cable. There is no headset in the box.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 360-degree view

Xiaomi Redmi Note spreads at 154 x 78.7 x 9.5 mm - that's 5mm taller and just 1mm thicker than the Galaxy Note 3 Neo. The Redmi Note is a lot heavier though - at 200g it is among the heaviest phablets we've met so far.

Design and build quality

The Xiaomi Redmi Note, being an affordable phablet, isn't expected to be a good looker. Its entire front is painted in black, with nice red accent on the capacitive keys. The removable rear cover is made of glossy plastic, which is prone to fingerprints and smudges.
We never expected high-quality and fancy materials at this price point, but we would have appreciated matte finish rather than glossy plastic. On the other hand, the glossy materials aren't that bad as long as you can keep the device clean of smudges - in this particular case that's not an easy task.

Xiaomi Redmi Note
There glass over the screen isn't boasting a special protection layer (Gorilla Glass, Dragontrail), so you should be extra careful if you want to protect your Redmi Note from scratches. But the all black front looks great indeed and the red keys definitely make the Redmi Note stand out.

Handling the Xiaomi Redmi Note
Xiaomi Redmi Note is a massive and heavy phablet. It is well built, without any squeaks or creaks, but the 200g weight make it a bit unwieldy. The glossy plastic and the extra slippery feel that comes with it don't help either.

Controls

Xiaomi Redmi Note doesn't bring any surprises when it comes to its controls. We've already mentioned the capacitive keys below the display, marked with red icons. Above the massive 5.5" IPS display we find the earpiece, a couple of sensors and the 5MP selfie camera.

A peek below and above the display
There is nothing on the left of the Xiaomi Redmi Note. The power/lock key and the volume rocker are on the right.

The left is completely bare • the lock key and the volume rocker on the right
As usual the top of the Xiaomi Redmi Note houses the 3.5mm audio jack and the secondary microphone intended for active noise cancellation during calls and stereo sound recording for your videos.

The top and bottom of the Xiaomi Redmi Note
The bottom of the Redmi Note has the microUSB 2.0 port and the primary microphone.
The 13MP camera lens is at the back coupled with a LED flash. The loudspeaker grille is also around, at the bottom left corner. The camera module projects about a millimeter.

The 13MP projecting camera module at the back • the loudspeaker grille
The Redmi Note's rear cover is removable and gives you access to the also removable 3,200 mAh battery, the two mini-SIM beds and the microSD card slot. None of the cards is hot-swappable, you'll need to remove the battery if you need to pop up the memory card.

The two SIM slots and the microSD card slot

Posted in I Pad