Xiaomi Redmi 4 Review: This is Your ‘Bang for the Buck’ Phone

This year, Redmi phone borrows its design and camera from the Redmi Note 4.

Xiaomi Redmi 4. (Photo: The Quint) 

Xiaomi is back with yet another budget device in India – the Redmi 4. This sub 10K phone succeeds Redmi 3S Prime in the market, with prices starting from Rs 6,999.

Xiaomi claims that Redmi 4 fixes the minors chinks that were seen on the Redmi 3S, with some design refinements, making it even better. But does the Redmi 4 stand the test of time and live up to its billing?

Pros:

• With improved design, easy to use
• Sunlight-friendly bright display
• Long battery life
• Decent cameras in tow
• Value for money

Cons:

• Still running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• No backlit soft keys
• Stock issue persists

What’s Good?

Let us be honest here, the Redmi 3S didn’t have a lot of issues to begin with, but we did feel that some minor changes could make the phone better. Much to our delight, Xiaomi has done that with the Redmi 4, making it a polished product this year.

The matte black finish variant of the Redmi 4. (Photo: The Quint)

The rough and bulky edges of the Redmi 3S have given way to sleek, and razor-edge finish with the Redmi 4. You won’t find a noticeable difference in the weight department, but the size of the phone has reduced, making it easier to hold and use. We found the design traits similar to that of the Redmi Note 4, with the only difference being in the size.

Redmi 4 comes with a 5-inch display. (Photo: The Quint)

The 5-inch display continues to pack HD 1280x720, which is good enough for the size, with nothing much to complain about. The viewing angles are suited to all angles that user would prefer to watch. We did find a colour palette difference between Redmi 3S and Redmi 4, where the latter offers true reflection of the colours.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 3S vs Redmi 4: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

The fingerprint scanner is placed at the back, which offers features like unlocking the device, clicking pictures, etc. It is quick to respond to finger IDs which is a much needed security measure these days.

Redmi 4 is thinner in size than the Redmi 3S. (Photo: The Quint)

The 13-megapixel camera fitted on the Redmi 4 has been borrowed from the Redmi Note 4. As you can see, the colours delivered by Redmi 4 are much more sober as compared to the high contrast pictures that we got from the Redmi 3S. The change of display panel might have done the trick.

Macro shot with the Redmi 4. (Photo: The Quint)

13-megapixel camera at the back. (Photo: The Quint)

Wider shot from the Redmi 4. (Photo: The Quint)

When it comes to the battery life, the Redmi series has been a consistent performer, and with the Redmi 4, Xiaomi promises to keep it the same way. The phone gets a marginally bigger battery unit (4100mAh) that neither bogs down the Redmi 4, nor adds up few more hours of life.

Matte black on the Redmi 4 looks good. (Photo: The Quint)

While using the phone with multiple SIMs, running on Wi-Fi/4G, we managed to get more than 15 hours of battery on heavy usage. For basic users, this usually translates into battery life of more than a day and half. For Rs 6,999/7,999 and 10,999, the Redmi 4 in three variants stands as a capable successor to the Redmi 3S, still offering excellent value for what you pay.

What’s Bad?

Xiaomi still hasn’t found time to cook up the Android 7.0 Nougat version over MiUi 8. This doesn’t stand well, especially when Android 8 is coming out later in 2017. The company is one of the few to heavily customise its Android skin, but that ends up hitting them, rolling out new Android flavours.

Redmi 4 doesn’t have backlit soft keys. (Photo: The Quint)

They still can’t offer backlit soft keys on the front, which poses issues, especially in the evening. Not a big deal-breaker, but in 2017, we expect backlit keys to be the norm.

While the battery remains effective. The use of Snapdragon 435 hasn’t worked out any better than what the Snapdragon 430 managed on the Redmi 3S.

Why Buy It?

Xiaomi Redmi 4 is an all-round package for a value that most buyers in India would readily pay. The Redmi 3S successor has taken its design cue from the Redmi Note 4, making it easier to hold and use than the Redmi 3S.

Xiaomi Redmi 4. (Photo: The Quint)

The camera has improved to some extent, you still get more than a days battery life, with reliable performance to boot. Yes, you’re still getting a device with 2-year Android Marshmallow running out of box. Although, you might have deal with the whole ‘out-of-stock’ issue with this phone, something that has become synonymous with the brand.

For a phone starting from Rs 6,999 (available in three variants this year), Redmi 4 is yet another budget offering from Xiaomi that ticks more boxes than the Redmi 3S.