Xiaomi launched the Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 in China on June 12th. Up until the launch, there were rumours that Xiaomi would launch three smartphones, with the Redmi 6 Pro being the third device. However, that did not happen as Xiaomi confirmed that the Redmi 6 Pro will launch on June 25th. The company has released official renders of the soon to be launched smartphone on its Weibo page, revealing the design of the device.
The renders are not accompanied by any other information about the display. They do, however, confirm that the Redmi 6 Pro will have a notch. Thankfully, it appears that the leaked photo of the smartphone was of an early prototype and Xiaomi would not go for white-coloured bezels. The bezels are black in colour which means that users might be able to hide the notch if the software allows them to.
While the notch is nothing new, the presence of thick bezels despite the notch is a bit disappointing. The back of the smartphone is similar to every other 2018 Xiaomi smartphone with a dual-camera setup. The two cameras are laid down vertically on the top-left corner which is eerily similar to the iPhone X. The design is a definite upgrade over the Redmi 5 even though the notch seems a bit unnecessary.
According to a listing on TENNA, the Redmi 6 Pro will have a 5.84 inch display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. This will be the first Redmi smartphone to sport a 19:9 aspect ratio.
In its promotional poster, the company confirmed that the Redmi 6 Pro will run on the Snapdragon 625 chipset. The Snapdragon 625 SoC is Xiaomi’s favourite when it comes to budget smartphones and the Redmiu 6 Pro is no different. Powering the device will be a 4000 mAh battery which was also confirmed in the promotional poster.
With every Xiaomi launch in China, there are question marks around its launch in India. With the Redmi 6 Pro as well, it appears that the smartphone will remain a China-exclusive. With the Indian budget smartphone packed to the rafters, a Xiaomi Android One smartphone is what it needs.
Xiaomi has launched two new budget smartphones in China today. The Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A succeed the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5A which were launched in 2017. The Redmi 5 and Redmi 5A both have been launched in India at different times but, it’s unlikely that Xiaomi would launch the new budget devices in India. The Redmi 6A is priced at CNY 599 (Rs 6,500 approx.). The Redmi 6, on the other hand, will retail for CNY 799 (Rs 8,500 approx.) for the base model, and the higher end variant will cost CNY 999 (Rs 10,500 approx.).
Both the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A sport a 5.54 inch IPS display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. It was rumoured that Xiaomi would launch a Redmi device with a notch but, that turned out to be a hoax. The smartphones have an 18:9 aspect ratio and it’ll be tough to find going forward that will have the age-old 16:9 aspect ratio.
Under the hood, the Redmi 6 runs on the MediaTek Helio P22 chipset. The smartphone will be available in two configurations – one with 3GB and 32GB onboard storage and the other with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage. The storage will be expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. The Redmi 6A, on the other hand, runs on the MediaTek Helio A22 SoC. The device will only be available in one variant with 2GB RAM and 16GB onboard storage.
Powering both the smartphones is a 3000 mAh battery which charges via a Micro USB port. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the Redmi 6 while the Redmi 6A misses out on one. For convenience, Xiaomi has also added Face Unlock, which is not as secure, but, is an easier way to unlock your phone.
Another differentiating factor between the two smartphones in optics. To the back of the Redmi 6 is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture paired with a 5MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. The Redmi 6A, meanwhile, has a single 13MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. Both the devices feature a 5MP front-facing camera with an f/2.2 aperture.
The Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A are another entrants to China’s ever-growing budget segment. It seems unlikely that these devices will launch elsewhere.
Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Y2 in India at an event in New Delhi today. The smartphone succeeds the Redmi Y1 which was launched in late-2017 along with the Redmi Y1 Lite. The Redmi Y2 is a part of Xiaomi’s selfie-centric lineup of budget smartphones. At a starting price of Rs 9999, the Redmi Y2 will go on sale on 12th June via offline retailers. The 4GB RAM variant is priced at Rs 12999.
[section label=”Unboxing”]
Inside The Box Of Xiaomi Redmi Y2
Xiaomi Redmi Y2
Documentation
Sim Ejector Tool
Wall Charger
Micro USB Charger
[section label=”Initial Impressions”]
The Redmi Y2 takes a lot of design cues from other Xiaomi smartphones launched in 2018. It has the same vertically place dual-camera setup found on the Mi MIX 2s and Redmi Note 5 Pro. The design is also familiar along with a circular fingerprint sensor placed on the back of the smartphone. The horizontal lines on the top and bottom of the device give it a distinct look compared to devices like the Redmi Note 5 Pro or Redmi Note 5.
The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio which has become the norm for even budget smartphones.
Under the hood, the Redmi Y2 runs on the Snapdragon 625 chipset, a tried and tested SoC for Xiaomi. That chipset is coupled with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM along with either 32GB or 64GB of storage which is expandable via a microSD card. Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery, which will charge via a micro USB port.
To the back of the smartphone is a 12MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture along with a 5MP depth sensor. To the front is a 16MP AI-powered camera which is capable of clicking portrait mode selfies using just the software. There is also a front-facing LED flash for better low-light images which has a 4500K brightness.
The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 at a price of Rs 9999 will make sense for people whose primary function is to take a lot of photos. The front-facing camera is the device’s highlight and the company believes this is what differentiates the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Y2 users. How the smartphone does against devices like the Honor 9 Lite and Redmi Note 5, only time will tell.
Xiaomi has launched yet another budget smartphone in the Indian market. This time around, it is a part of Xiaomi’s selfie-centric Redmi Y lineup. The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 succeeds the Redmi Y1 which was launched in late-2017 along with the Redmi Y1 Lite. The Redmi Y1 Lite won’t see a successor right now. The Redmi Y2 will retail for Rs 9999 for the base model with 3GB of RAM. It goes on sale via offline retailers on June 12th.
The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 is targeted at the selfie-loving consumers in India. At a price of Rs 9999, the smartphone has an identical price as the Redmi Note 5 which offers a FullHD+ display and the same chipset.
The Redmi Y2 takes a lot of design cues from other Xiaomi smartphones launched in 2018. It has the same vertically place dual-camera setup found on the Mi MIX 2s and Redmi Note 5 Pro. The circular fingerprint sensor is also placed on the back of the smartphone.
The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio which has become the norm for even budget smartphones.
Under the hood, the Redmi Y2 runs on the Snapdragon 625 chipset, a tried and tested SoC for Xiaomi. That chipset is coupled with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM along with either 32GB or 64GB of storage which is expandable via a microSD card. Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery, which will charge via a micro USB port.
The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 runs Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 9 on top. With MIUI 9.5, the Redmi Y2 will have features like Face Unlock and gestures for navigation. Xiaomi’s implementation of gestures has been impressive and they feel quite natural compared to other Android OEMs implementation of the same.
To the back of the smartphone is a 12MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture along with a 5MP depth sensor. To the front is a 16MP AI-powered camera which is capable of clicking portrait mode selfies using just the software. There is also a front-facing LED flash for better low-light images which has a 4500K brightness.
The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 has a peculiar price. Xiaomi believes that there are people who would prefer the Redmi Y2’s camera capabilities over the Redmi Note 5’s bigger battery and better display. One thing in favour of the Redmi Y2 is its accessibility. Since it will be available offline, people won’t have to wait for flash sales in order to purchase it.
Xiaomi will launch the Mi 8, Mi 8 SE and the Mi band 3 on May 31st, celebrating its eight-year anniversary. While the Mi 8 has become one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2018, the company has not lost sight on its budget smartphones. The company became famous in the first place for launching quality budget smartphones. A new budget device from the company that appears to be in the pipeline is the Xiaomi Redmi 6A.
The specifications of the Redmi 6A were leaked via TENNA which means it is on its final stages and should be launched soon. According to the listing, there are three model numbers of the Redmi 6A, the M1804C3CT and the M1804C3DT/M1804C3DC. The only difference being that the M1804C3CT has a single 8MP camera, while the M1804C3DT/M1804C3DC have dual cameras, possibly a 12MP+8MP setup.
The rest of the specifications are identical for all the model numbers. The Xiaomi Redmi 6A will have a 5.45 inch display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution.
The Xiaomi Redmi 6A will likely run on the Snapdragon 625 chipset with 2GB/3GB/4GB of RAM. The storage variants could be 16GB/32GB/64GB with an option to expand the storage via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor, as visible in the images, will be placed on the back of the device in a central position.
To the front of the smartphone will be a 5MP camera. The back of the device will either house an 8MP sensor or a combination of a 12MP and 8MP sensors. The type of sensors that will be used is not clear as of now. Powering the Xiaomi Redmi 6A will be a 3000 mAh battery which will charge via a micro USB port (this is an educated guess considering we haven’t moved on to USB C ports on budget devices yet). Out of the box, it will run Android 8.1 Oreo with MIUI 9.5 on top. This means the smartphone is likely to come with gesture support as well.
The Redmi 6A could launch sometime in June, a few days after the company launches the Mi 8. Whether it’ll make its way to the Indian shores is yet to be seen.
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 was launched in China on the 10th of May. It appeared that the Redmi S2 would remain a China-exclusive or at least not make its way to India. Xiaomi has a plethora of budget smartphones, especially in the sub 10K category with the Redmi 5A, Redmi 5 and the Redmi Note 5. However, that assumption has not held true, as the company has confirmed a June 7th launch event.
As the invite highlights, the soon to be launched smartphone will be camera-centric. Xiaomi’s Redmi Y series is all about the front-facing camera and the Redmi S2 has been tipped to launch as the Redmi Y2 in India. The device is expected to be priced under Rs 10,000 and will succeed the Redmi Y1 which was launched in November 2o17. The Redmi S2 will slot between the Redmi 5 and Redmi Note 5.
The S2 takes a lot of design cues from other Xiaomi smartphones launched in 2018. It has the same vertically place dual-camera setup found on the Mi MIX 2s and Redmi Note 5 Pro. The aluminium unibody design is also familiar along with a circular fingerprint sensor placed on the back of the smartphone.
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio which has become the norm for even budget smartphones.
Under the hood, the Redmi S2 runs on the Snapdragon 625 chipset, a tried and tested SoC for Xiaomi. That chipset is coupled with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM along with either 32GB or 64GB of storage which is expandable via a microSD card. Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery, which will charge via a micro USB port. The Xiaomi Redmi S2 runs Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 9 on top.
To the back of the smartphone will be a 12MP primary sensor along with a 5MP depth sensor. To the front is a 16MP AI-powered camera which is capable of clicking portrait mode selfies using just the software.
The Redmi S2 will be a yet another sub-10K smartphone from Xiaomi in India. The price category seems to be flooded by Xiaomi devices and the S2 will be another addition to it.
The Apple iPhone X’s design appears to have become the template for Xiaomi smartphones in 2018. The Redmi Note 5 Pro, Mi MIX 2s and the Redmi S2, all have a vertically placed dual-camera setup that looks uncannily similar to the iPhone X. The Mi 8 is also expected to have a vertically placed dual-camera setup. New images leaked of another Xiaomi smartphone, allegedly, the Redmi 6, also reveal a similar dual-camera setup. Oh, there is also a notch on the display.
The leaked images reveal that the Redmi 6 will have a notch very similar to the Huawei P20 Pro. This design differs from the Mi 8, which is expected to have a bigger notch, similar to the iPhone X. One thing that sticks out like a sore thumb in the images is the white colour of the bezels. The notch and the bezels are white in colour, which means they are more prominent than black coloured bezels. Not many people would be pleased with this colour combination.
A white coloured notch also means that users don’t have an option to hide it via software. Devices like the OnePlus 6, P20 Pro, LG G7 ThinQ, all have an option to hide the notch because it is black in colour. With the Redmi 6, that probably won’t be an option. The vertically placed dual-camera setup is reminiscent of previous 2018 Xiaomi devices.
A listing on TENNA revealed a few details about the Xiaomi Redmi 6. A device with the model number M1804C3DE was certified with a 5.45 inch screen. The smartphone will be powered by a 3000 mAh battery which confirms that this is not a Redmi Note device. Redmi Note smartphones tend to have bigger batteries. The dimensions of the smartphone listed are 147.46 x 71.49 x 8.3 mm which is smaller than the Redmi 5.
The smartphone looks like another budget Redmi offering. The design is peculiar and we hope Xiaomi gets rid of the while coloured bezels before the device is launched.
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 was launched in China on the 10th of May. In China, the base model is priced at RMB 999(Rs 10500 approx.) and the other one is priced at RMB 1,299 (Rs 13800 approx.). The Redmi S2 appeared to be another China-exclusive device but, it might soon launch in India. Redmi India has taken to Twitter to announce that another selfie-centric Redmi device will launch in India on the 7th of June.
Every step in your life is defined by a selfie. Find yourself, #FindYourSelfie
The teaser confirms that the soon to be launched smartphone will be a part of Redmi’s Y series. The Xiaomi Redmi Y1 and Y1 Lite were launched in November and were the first “selfie-centric” devices from the company. The Redmi S2, which is expected to launch as the Redmi Y2 will be the third iteration in the series. We expect the RedmS2 (Redmi Y2) to be priced at about Rs 9000. The smartphone will slot between the Redmi 5 and Redmi Note 5.
The Redmi S2 takes a lot of design cues from other Xiaomi smartphones launched in 2018. It has the same vertically place dual-camera setup found on the Mi MIX 2s and Redmi Note 5 Pro. The aluminium unibody design is also familiar along with a circular fingerprint sensor placed on the back of the smartphone.
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio which has become the norm for even budget smartphones.
Under the hood, the Redmi S2 runs on the Snapdragon 625 chipset, a tried and tested SoC for Xiaomi. That chipset is coupled with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM along with either 32GB or 64GB of storage which is expandable via a microSD card. Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery, which will charge via a micro USB port. The Xiaomi Redmi S2 runs Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 9 on top.
To the back of the smartphone will be a 12MP primary sensor along with a 5MP depth sensor. To the front is a 16MP AI-powered camera which is capable of clicking portrait mode selfies using just the software.
The Redmi S2 will be a peculiar launch by Xiaomi. It appears that the company is flooding the sub-10K category with its own smartphones. After the Redmi 5, Redmi 5A and the Redmi Note 5, the Redmi S2 will try to impress the average consumer.
Xiaomi has launched a yet another budget smartphone in China, the Xiaomi Redmi S2. The smartphone from Xiaomi will be available in two variants, one with 3GB RAM/32GB storage and the other with 4GB RAM/64GB storage. The base model is priced at RMB 999(Rs 10500 approx.) and the other one is priced at RMB 1,299 (Rs 13800 approx.).
There have been rumours that the Xiaomi Redmi S2 might launch in India as an Android One smartphone. The Mi 6X could launch as the Mi A2 while the Redmi S2 will be a more affordable offering from Xiaomi, both running stock Android OS. However, these are all speculations so far and nothing can be said for certain.
Redmi Note 5 Pro
The Redmi S2 takes a lot of design cues from other Xiaomi smartphones launched in 2018. It has the same vertically place dual-camera setup found on the Mi MIX 2s and Redmi Note 5 Pro. The aluminium unibody design is also familiar along with a circular fingerprint sensor placed on the back of the smartphone.
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio which has become the norm for even budget smartphones.
Under the hood, the Redmi S2 runs on the Snapdragon 625 chipset, a tried and tested SoC for Xiaomi. That chipset is coupled with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM along with either 32GB or 64GB of storage which is expandable via a microSD card. Powering the device is a 3080 mAh battery, which will charge via a micro USB port.
Mi MIX 2s
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 runs Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 9 on top.
To the back of the smartphone will be a 12MP primary sensor along with a 5MP depth sensor. To the front is a 16MP AI-powered camera which is capable of clicking portrait mode selfies using just the software.
The Redmi S2 appears to be another impressive budget smartphone from Xiaomi’s sub-brand. It will be interesting to see if Xiaomi decides to launch the Redmi S2 in India as an Android One smartphone. If priced at under Rs 10,000 the device could be a great contender against the likes of Honor 9 Lite.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched in India on the 14th of February. At the time of its launch, the smartphone received great reviews and many hailed it as the best budget smartphone currently. Over the course of time, devices like the Asus Zenfone Max Pro have launched in India at a competitive price and similar specifications. The Redmi Note 5 Pro, however, hasn’t seized to amaze us as we recently discovered that the smartphone has Wi-Fi repeater.
Usually, smartphones use the 4G/3G mobile data to make a Wi-Fi hotspot but, with the Redmi Note 5 Pro, the same can be done using a Wi-Fi connection. For this, ensure that your smartphone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Once connected, head to the settings menu and click on Personal Hotspot and enable the Wifi Hotspot. Once enabled, the smartphone will then use the Wi-Fi connection to create a hotspot. Users can share the password of their hotspot with other people to access the Wi-Fi without requiring a password for the main router’s Wi-Fi.
This feature can also help you get a slightly better signal as the phone can be used as a temporary network booster. Do note however, speeds are not extremely impressive and it dumbed down a 100 Mbps connection to just 7 Mbps when routed though the Red Note 5 pro. This however may not be a problem for those looking for a quick guest network or a wifi boost.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Overview
The Note 5 Pro has a 5.99-inch display with a 2160 x 1080px resolution which translates to an 18:9 aspect ratio.
Under the hood, the device has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset and an Adreno 509 GPU to handle the graphics. The Redmi Note 5 Pro will be available in two variants, 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/64GB storage. The 6GB RAM variant is a great prospect for users who multitask a lot.
The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the phone and it has an aluminium unibody build, similar to the Redmi Note 5. Out of the box, the Redmi Note 5 Pro will also run Android 7 Nougat with MIUI 9 on top.
The Redmi Note 5 Pro will also have the infamous Face Unlock feature. It won’t be available out of the box but, will be introduced via an OTA update in March.
The Redmi Note 5 Pro has focussed a lot on the front camera. It has a 20MP Sony IMX376 camera on the front with an LED light. Unlike the Redmi Note 5, it has Beautify 4.0 software which will result in better portrait mode photos, the company claims. To the back of the smartphone is a vertically place dual-camera setup. It is a 12MP colour sensor f/2.2 and 5MP f/2.0 colour sensor setup. The smartphone will click portrait mode photos from the front and rear cameras.
This new feature unearthed can come in handy in a lot of situations. Have you found any interesting feature in your Redmi Note 5 Pro? Let us know in the comments!
This story was made with inputs from Bharat Nagpal
Xiaomi’s Redmi lineup of smartphones has had an impressive start to 2018. Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 5 Pro in India and has received great reviews so far. The company then launched the Redmi Note 5 Pro as the Redmi Note 5 in countries like China which has also been well received. Now, the company will launch its latest budget offering, the Xiaomi Redmi S2 in China on the 10th of May.
A new leaked poster of the Redmi S2 reveals the antenna lines of the smartphone and the dual-camera setup. This is nothing new as the high-res images of the smartphone were leaked a few days ago. However, the leak has also revealed the possible pricing of the smartphone. The base model of the smartphone could be priced at under CNY 1000 (Rs 10500 approx.).
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution.
Under the hood, the Redmi S2 will run on the Snapdragon 625 chipset, a tried and tested SoC for Xiaomi. That chipset will be coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage which will be expandable via a microSD card. Powering the device will be a 4000 mAh battery, which is an upgrade over the previously suggested 3000 mAh battery.
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 9 out of the box. To the back of the smartphone will be a 12MP primary sensor along with a 5MP sensor. There are no details about the front-facing camera so far.
The launch of the Redmi S2 is just a couple of days away and there have been talks of the Redmi S2 being launched in India as an Android One device. A recent XDA Developers report claimed that Xiaomi might launch two Android One smartphones in India in 2018. One of them will be the Mi 6X and the other could be the Redmi S2 as a more affordable offering for the Indian market.
Xiaomi has just announced that the Redmi Note 5 Pro has received a price hike. The budget smartphone’s base model with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage will now retail for Rs 14999 instead of its original price of Rs 13999. Manu Kumar Jain, MD of Xiaomi India announced the news via Twitter and said that the price hike is an effort to ramp up the supply of the smartphone after recent changes in PCBA import taxes and the depreciation of INR since the beginning of the year.
Mi fans! In order to ramp up supply for #RedmiNote5Pro & #MiTV4 (55), we're marginally increasing the prices. This is because of the recent changes in PCBA import taxes & INR depreciation.
The Mi TV 4, Xiaomi’s 55 inch smart LED TV has also received a price hike. The company has cited the same reasons and increased the price of the TV to Rs 44999. This is an increase of Rs 5000 since the original price of the television was Rs 39999. Xiaomi has also announced that it will honour the preorders of the Redmi Note 5 Pro and charge the consumers Rs 13999 only. For new orders and subsequent flash sales, the Redmi Note 5 Pro will retail for Rs 14999.
Mi TV 4
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched in India on the 14th of February at a starting price of Rs 13999. At the time of the launch, it was the only smartphone in India to run on the Snapdragon 636 chipset and is still one of the best budget smartphones in the country. However, we have recently seen strong smartphones being launched in that price category. Asus has launched the Zenfone Max Pro in India at a starting price of Rs 10999 which runs on the same Snapdragon 636 chipset. In fact, the Zenfone Max Pro also runs stock version Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box.
The price hike of Rs 1000 means that Xiaomi wants to get rid of the flash sales and increase the supply of the in-demand Redmi Note 5 Pro. However, in a price sensitive market like India, any sort of price hike can be colossal, especially considering that the Zenfone Max Pro is very able replacement for the Redmi Note 5 Pro.
Xiaomi has recently been launching a lot of mid-range smartphones in China and other major smartphone markets like India. For a while now, a new budget smartphone, part of the Redmi series has been doing the rounds on the internet. New images of the Xiaomi Redmi S2 have been leaked by a Czech Republic publication. However, unlike the usual sketchy looking leaked images that we are used to seeing, these are high-resolution images which have been clicked with a lot of time in hand.
The leaked images remind us a lot of the recently launched Redmi Note 5 Pro and Mi 6X. The smartphone has the 18:9 aspect ratio and a vertically placed dual-camera setup on the back. It appears that this will become a staple design for Xiaomi mid-rangers in 2018. It also appears that just like the Mi 6X, the Redmi S2 will be available in few colourful options as the one in the images is Pink in colour.
The publication has also revealed all the specifications of the smartphones. It has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution.
Under the hood, the Redmi S2 will run on the Snapdragon 625 chipset, a tried and tested SoC for Xiaomi. That chipset will be coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage which will be expandable via a microSD card. Powering the device will be a 4000 mAh battery, which is an upgrade over the previously suggested 3000 mAh battery.
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 9 out of the box. To the back of the smartphone will be a 12MP primary sensor along with a 5MP sensor. There are no details about the front-facing camera so far.
The Redmi S2 should be launched soon considering such detailed specifications and images of the smartphone have been leaked now. Xiaomi, however, has not hinted at any launch event so far.
Asus has launched its latest budget offering for the India market, the Zenfone Max Pro. The newly launched smartphone will go on sale via Flipkart on the 3rd of May at a starting price of Rs 10999. The Zenfone Max Pro, in the beginning, will be available two variants, one with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage and the other one with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The company also announced that a 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant with improved camera capabilities will also launch soon in India.
At such a price range, the Zenfone Max Pro directly competes with the Redmi Note 5. However, in terms of features and hardware, it stacks up against the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched in February of this year and has garnered great reviews so far. The only caveat being its annoying flash sales which is still the only way to buy the smartphone. It starts at a price of Rs 13999 for the 4GB RAM and the 6GB RAM model costs Rs 16999.
In a price sensitive market like India, such a price gap between two smartphones can be telling. But, does the Asus Zenfone Max Pro hold up against highly successful Redmi Note 5 Pro? Let’s find out!
Design
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and Asus Zenfone Max Pro look identical in more than one way. On the front, the bezels have a similar size around the displays of both the phones. On the back, both the devices have a vertically placed dual camera setup with very similar placements as well. However, the LED flash on the Note 5 Pro is placed between the two cameras while on Zenfone Max Pro, it is placed beneath the dual camera setup. The brushed metal finish on both the phones means that the devices can be a bit slippery, especially if you have smaller hands and cannot get a proper grip.
It is also worth noting here that the Redmi Note 5 Pro has a camera bump on the back while the cameras on the Zenfone Max Pro are flush along the body.
Display
The display on both the smartphones is identical. It is a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. This translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio. The corners of the displays are curved giving the smartphones a bit more premium look compared to sharp corners found on something like the Honor 7X.
The viewing angles are great and the colour reproduction is exactly what you would expect from an HD+ LCD panel. Considering how smartphones are the primary source of media consumption for a lot of users, both the devices do a great job with their respective displays. Another advantage of a tall display and thin bezels is the ability to fit a larger display in a relatively smaller body.
Hardware
When the Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched, its chipset was one of the highlights. It was the only smartphone to run on the Snapdragon 636 chipset before the Zenfone Max Pro’s launch. The Zenfone Max Pro is available in three different RAM and storage options, while the Note 5 Pro is only available in two RAM and one storage options.
A department where the Zenfone Max Pro hands down one-ups the Note 5 Pro is the battery. The Zenfone Max Pro has a 5000 mAh battery compared to Redmi Note 5 Pro’s 4000 mAh battery. Also, Asus has managed to keep the weight of the Zenfone Max Pro at 180 grams, identical to that of the Redmi Note 5 Pro.
If you are someone who swears by the benchmark scores, here they are for both the devices:
Antutu BenchmarkGeekbench
Camera
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has a 20MP Sony IMX376 camera on the front with an LED light. To the back of the smartphone is a vertically placed dual-camera setup. It is a 12MP colour sensor with an f/2.2 and a 5MPcolour sensor with an f/2.0 aperture setup. The smartphone clicks portrait mode photos from the front and rear cameras.
The Asus Zenfone Max Pro has a 13MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and the depth sensor is a 5MP camera. The front of the device houses an 8MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash. The Zenfone Max Pro records 4K videos at 30fps while the Redmi Note 5 Pro can only record 1080P videos. Both the smartphones have EIS (electronic image stabilisation) when recording 1080P videos.
Xiaomi has launched a few stellar smartphones over the past few months. The Mi A1, for a long time, was the best budget smartphones in India. In 2018, the company launched the Redmi Note 5 Pro which, right now, is probably the best budget smartphone that a lot of people cannot buy. Now, it appears that Xiaomi is preparing to launch another budget smartphone in India.
A report by XDA Developers claims that Xiaomi will soon launch the Redmi S2 in India. Judging by the specifications that have been unearthed, the Redmi S2 will be an entry-level smartphone. The Redmi S2 will be priced cheaper than the Redmi 5 which was launched in mid-march at a starting price of Rs 7999. The Redmi S2 could be priced at Rs 5999 as a replacement to the Redmi 5A.
Redmi Note 5 Pro
According to the report, the Redmi S2 will have an 18:9 IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. The exact size of the display has not been confirmed.
Under the hood, the Redmi S2 could run on the Snapdragon 625 chipset. If true, this will be an interesting move by Xiaomi since the Redmi Note 5 and Redmi 5 also run on the same chipset. The Snapdragon 625 chipset will be coupled with either 2GB or 3GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back of the smartphone just like every other Xiaomi smartphone.
Redmi Note 5
Powering the device will be a 3080 mAh battery which should be enough to power an HD display.
In the camera department is where the Redmi S2 could have a lot to offer. To the back of the smartphone will be a dual-camera setup with a 12MP primary sensor and a 5MP depth sensor. However, it is not yet confirmed if the primary lens will be anIMX486 or an OmniVision OV12A10 sensor. Interestingly, the Redmi S2 will also have EIS and Face Unlock along with the regular portrait mode. On the front will be a 5MPSamsung S5K5E8 sensor.
Mi MIX 2s
The Xiaomi Redmi S2 will be launched in China and India. The date of launch has not been confirmed yet and there are chances that Xiaomi could launch it along with the Mi MIX 2s in India in the coming weeks.
