The competition in the budget smartphone market is becoming more cut-throat with each passing day. Brands such as Realme, Nokia, Motorola, and ASUS have enjoyed good positions in this space with some incredibly affordable but powerful offerings. Xiaomi has already been one of the leading phone makers to have made a considerable dent in this scene, especially with the Redmi line of smartphones. With the launch of the Redmi Note 7, we now have a phone that yet again challenges the definition of a “mid-range smartphone”. Let’s take a look at the top five reason why this new smartphone has the potential to be the next budget king.
Affordability
The first and most obvious criteria that determines the value of a smartphone is its price relative to the specifications offered. The Note 7 exceeds expectations when it comes to assessing its price-to-performance proposition. Not only is one of the main highlights of the phone is its massive 48MP rear camera, but there is also the fact that this is the most affordably priced Snapdragon 660-equipped phone we have seen yet.
The starting price for the Redmi Note 7 is just 999 yuan which roughly translates to INR 10,300. This price beats the ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2 which costs INR 12,999 for its base variant with the same storage configuration (3GB RAM+32GB storage). Then we have the Realme 2 Pro which costs INR 13,990 for its 4GB RAM + 64GB storage option, while this same configuration for the Redmi phone is priced at 1199 Yuan which equates to INR 12,500. Although it is likely the final prices will be slightly higher than these estimates, the Redmi Note 7 has a lot going for it in other aspects as well.
Impressive Cameras
The Redmi Note 7 comes with a 48MP Samsung ISOCELL GM1 half-inch sensor at the rear, which is accompanied by a 5MP depth sensor. With this setup, Xiaomi says you will be able to capture poster-quality HD images when the lighting conditions are ideal. Moving into a low-light scene, the camera will implement a 4-in-1 pixel binning technique to obtain a 12MP shot that should still retain enough detail. The 5MP secondary camera is likely to assist in capturing crisp bokeh shots. Selfies should be just as good on the Note 7 as the phone offers a 13MP sensor which boasts all the usual AI enhancements including beauty mode, HDR and bokeh.
Premium Aesthetics, Robust Build
Xiaomi has moved on from the metal unibody design and has adopted the trend of glossy gradient backs for the Redmi Note 7. Not only does this make the exterior look significantly more premium, but extra care has also been taken to ensure the phone is just as durable. The corners of the device have undergone a “microcrack” polishing process to offer four times more resistance than standard glass. The front of the device even comes with a 2.5D Glass with Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The entire phone has been treated to withstand moisture and dust as well.
Large Battery with Quick Charge Support
The Redmi Note 4 boasts a large 4000mAh battery. Pit this against the Zenfone Max Pro M2, and you will indeed get a larger 5000mAh cell, but you will be missing out on fast charging. Meanwhile, the Note 7 supports Quick Charge 4.0. Then there is also the fact that this phone is one of the few in this part of this side of the market to come with a USB Type-C charging port.
IR Blaster, 3.5mm Audio Jack Features
Something which has become difficult to take for granted these days is the 3.5mm headphone jack. Thankfully, the Redmi Note 7 still offers this option despite the existence of its USB Type-C port. Furthermore, this is one of the few phones out there to offer an IR blaster. Devices such as TVs and set-top-boxes can easily be controlled directly with your phone.
What do you think of the Redmi Note 7? Are you looking forward to getting your hands on this phone when it comes to India? Let us know in the comments below.
