Following the success of its Redmi Note 9 series, Xiaomi is re-introducing the value lineup in China with 5G. The new Redmi Note 9 series features two 5G phones, the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G and Redmi Note 9 5G. And a new 4GB phone, Redmi Note 9 4G (not to be confused with the Redmi Note 9 Global Variant).
Redmi Note 9 4G
If you don’t keep track of Xiaomi’s ever-confusing catalog, the Redmi Note 9 4G succeeds the Redmi Note 9 (which came out earlier this year with a budget MediaTek chip).
The Redmi 9 4G has Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 at its heart that runs on a 6000 mAh battery (upped from 5020 mAh). You can recharge this model with 18W fast charging too. Xiaomi promises two days of battery life. Other than the new chipset and battery, the Redmi 9 4G is essentially the same phone.
The 48MP + 8MP ultrawide + 2MP depth camera array remains unchanged. As does the 6.53” 1080P LCD screen. But, the look has been slightly altered. Instead of a hole-punch and a geometric camera layout, the Redmi 9 4G has a notch and a recycled boxy bump.
Redmi 9 4G comes in 4GB/128GB and 6GB/128GB editions, and is priced around CNY 1,000 (~ Rs. 24,000). Xiaomi hasn’t announced the global launch timeline for these phones yet.
Redmi Note 9 5G
The base variant features MediaTek silicon. The dimensity 800U chipset, combined with a 5000 mAh battery and 18W fast charging, powers the Note 9 5G. The 5G modem inside it is also augmented with seven antennas. And you get support for dual stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Redmi Note 9 5G shares its design language with the ‘Pro’ edition — the same camera and centered hole-punch aesthetic — but it’s made of plastic and available in charcoal, cyan, and violet colors.
The primary sensor is trimmed down from 108MP to 48MP. Next to it, we have an 8MP wide-angle camera and a 2MP ‘macro’ lens. Flip the Note 9 5G over to find a generic 6.53” IPS LCD display with a Full HD+ resolution.
Redmi 9 5G comes in 6GB/8GB memory and 128GB/256GB storage options, starting from CNY 1,300 (~Rs. 31,000).
Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G
The Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G brings a newer chipset in tow. Instead of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G process that powers the Note 9 Pro, the 5G edition runs on the faster Snapdragon 750G.
5G is more of a future-proofing gimmick than a feature for most consumers. But, Xiaomi has put some thought into making the 5G modem robust. It works with 11 antennas spread across the device for better cell reception.
Its 4820 mAh battery charges over 33W. Redmi 9 Pro 5G fully charges in under an hour. Plus, The 128GB/256GB of storage uses the faster UFS 2.2 standard. It comes in 6GB and 8GB options.
Redmi 9 Pro 5G’s IPS LCD screen has roughly the same dimensions and resolutions as the 4G-only version — 6.67” across with a full HD+ resolution — but Xiaomi has souped-up the screen refresh rate to 120Hz.
The glass back has been redesigned with a donut-style camera in the center. It is home to a Samsung-manufactured 108MP primary sensor, an 8MP 120° wide-angle camera, and two extra cameras for portraits and close-ups. Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G can produce up to 3x lossless optical zooming. Selfies are taken with a 16MP front camera, embedded in a centered hole-punch on the front.
We also find a 3.5mm headphone jack (an increasingly rare feature) and dual stereo speakers. Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G starts from CNY 1,600 (~ Rs. 38,000).