Something headline-grabbing — though restricted to the tech world — happened last week. Xiaomi came up with a $7,000 transparent OLED TV. It’s mere glass — yes, see through stuff — when the TV is off. No, the article is not about the TV. I was reading the news on another product from the company. Xiaomi India has introduced the Redmi 9 Prime, which costs upwards of Rs 9,999. The idea is to show the reach of the company, not just in terms of audience segments but also innovation.
Forgetting the sales figure game for a moment and focussing on what Xiaomi has managed to offer in the last few years is a range of smartphones that have one thing in common — sensible specs. Of course, there is a lot more to the company than smartphones but that’s a story for another day. Agreed that the Redmi 9 Prime doesn’t pump on all cylinders but not many phones do at this price point. It does what it’s meant to do — offer a good experience without too many compromises.
Display dazzle
Right out of the box, a perfect piece of black slab greets the user. Without cutting corners, Xiaomi has packed in a 6.53-inch FHD+ display, which is a good sign because nobody likes to cringe on video quality while streaming films or playing video games. Not just that, the brightness of the screen is also surprisingly good, enough to read social media feeds under bright sunlight.
Complementing the display is the feel of the phone. Though it weighs 198g, the user really won’t feel it. The body is polycarbonate but it definitely doesn’t feel cheap. There is a slight bump on the rear camera module but it’s much slimmer than what we have seen in other phones. What we don’t like is the round circle around the camera panel, which somehow gives the sense that something is missing.
Something’s gotta give
The one other thing that’s missing is in the camera department. Before coming to the prooblem, let the positives roll out. The primary shooter on the rear is 13MP and keeping it company is an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens, a 5MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. In daylight, there is no problem as such but once the sun is down and one wants to capture a few shots in the garden, the need for a night mode is felt. And a quibble. Once the camera moves into ultra-wide mode, there is a slight distortion around the edges but it’s not much. What one may miss in some camera details gets complemented in way of filters and portrait mode shots.
On the video front, things are okay. There is no stabilisation, so it’s not exactly a vlogger’s choice. But the audio recording is good while shooting at 1080p@30fps. On a brighter note, one can shoot videos using the macro camera.
Powering the device is a MediaTek G80 processor, which offers good performance during gaming. PUBG, Sniper 3D... things go pretty smoothly without the device heating up. Also, there are hardly any lags switching between apps.
Is it for you?
Packed with a 5,020mAh fast-charging battery, the phone remains up and running for at least a day and a half, which is great. Though there is support for up to 18W fast-charge, in the box is a 10W charger. The only big issue we have with the phone is the amount of bloatware. Crazy Juicer, Dust Settle, Bubble Story, Zili... Xiaomi should really look at this to make its devices standout. But that doesn’t mean, the company has cut too many corners to offer a good phone. Good specs, brisk performance and great pricing make the Redmi 9 Prime an enjoyable experience.
At a glance
Device: Redmi 9 Prime
- Display: 6.53-inch FHD+ IPS; 400 nit brightness
- Cameras: Rear — 13MP (wide-angle) + 8MP (ultra-wide angle) + 5MP macro + 2MP depth sensor; front — 8MP
- Processor: MediaTek Helio G80
- Security: Rear fingerprint sensor and AI face unlock
- Battery: 5,020mAh battery; supports 18W fast-charging
- OS: MIUI 11 based on Android 10
- Storage: 4GB + 64GB, 4GB + 128GB (expandable storage up to 512GB)
- Price: Upwards of Rs 9,999
