It looks like Xiaomi is attempting a record of sorts in India, of having the most smartphones variants in a single market. And with that it also has the most number of confused customers!
On one hand the Chinese smartphone maker is offering so many models that customers won’t run out of options, while on the other hand there are so many Xiaomi phones in the budget segment that customers are befuddled about which phone to go for. Not a big fan of this strategy.
Now, Xiaomi has launched three new Redmi Note phones... Oh Wait.. Mi phones... Aarrghhh! Three new Xiaomi phones, the Xiaomi Redmi 6A, Redmi 6 and Redmi 6 Pro. Huff.
At first glance, they look like any other phone out there barring the “MI” logo on the back. I got to play with the three for a few minutes and here’s quick look at the three new Xiaomi Redmi 6 series phones.
Xiaomi Redmi 6A Specifications
- Display: 5.45-inch HD+
- Processor: Helio A22 octa-core
- RAM: 2GB
- Storage: 16GB/32GB (expandable)
- Rear camera: 13MP
- Front camera: 5MP
- Battery: 3,000mAh
- Price: Rs 5,999 (16GB) / Rs 6,999 (32GB)
Xiaomi Redmi 6 Specifications
- Display: 5.45-inch HD+
- Processor: Helio P22 octa-core
- RAM: 3GB
- Storage: 32GB/64GB (expandable)
- Rear camera: 12MP+5MP
- Front camera: 5MP
- Battery: 3,000mAh
- Price: Rs 7,999 (32GB) / Rs 9,499 (64GB)
Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Specifications
- Display: 5.84-inch HD+
- Processor: Snapdragon 625 octa-core
- RAM: 3GB/4GB
- Storage: 32GB/64GB (expandable)
- Rear camera: 12MP+5MP
- Front camera: 5MP
- Battery: 4,000mAh
- Price: Rs 10,999 (32GB) / Rs 12,499 (64GB)
Design & Display
The Redmi 6A and the Redmi 6 come with very similar specs. Take the display for instance. Both sport a HD+ 5.45-inch display that offer an 18:9 screen ratio. They are similar in terms of contrast and picture quality too.
The 6A being a budget phone offers a lot of simplicity with very moderate specifications. A plastic body and a very flimsy form factor suggests that this phone is mostly for the one who wants utility and not looks.
The Redmi 6 offers better ergonomics and feels more premium in the hand. Though, it still looks very... meh.
The Redmi 6 Pro stands out in this trio with a notch at the top of the 5.84-inch HD+ IPS display. Expect better colour reproduction with this Xiaomi phone. The design too feels more refined than its predecessor. Still nothing out-of-the-box.
Performance & Hardware
Where Redmi 6 and 6A come powered by a quad-core Helio processor, the Pro variant comes with an octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor. It’s clearly a statement that the former two are meant for heavy multi-tasking.
Xiaomi hasn’t been that generous with RAM as the Redmi 6 and 6A come with 3GB and 2GB RAM respectively.
The 6 Pro packs 4GB of RAM, but only with the 64GB storage variant. For that you’ll have to shell out Rs 12,999.
All these phones offer expandable storage and hybrid-SIM slots. A basic requirement in today’s phones.
Camera & Battery
There are a lot of AI additions in the camera department that Xiaomi says is deemed to make the camera experience better. The Redmi 6 and 6 Pro come with a dual 12+5-megapixel camera setup on the rear and Xiaomi is offering a 5-megapixel front camera.
I haven’t tested the camera on either so will not comment on that for now.
The Redmi 6A comes with a single lens 13-megapixel camera on the rear that now comes with EIS (electronic image stabilisation) and a 5-megapixel camera on the front, which supports a software enabled Portrait Mode. There are many phones with this feature already in the market.
The Redmi 6 and 6A offer 3,000mAh batteries that are not removable while the 6 Pro comes with a 4,000mAh battery pack. Xiaomi has done well in the battery back-up department and we can expect these phones to deliver ample juice.
Honestly, it’s getting too monotonous now. There is hardly anything new that the ‘new’ 6 Series from Xiaomi is offering. These are just incremental updates to appease the Xiaomi fans and give the aspiring Xiaomi buyers something different to look at.
Since Xiaomi needs to keep consistently refreshing their portfolio unlike other competing brands, we’ll keep seeing more phones like the new Redmi series in the market.
But, all said, for their respective price points, the Redmi 6A, Redmi 6 and the Redmi 6 Pro are very good options to consider if one is looking for phones in the budget segment.
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