Extending its Redmi Note series, Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Note 4 in India yesterday. Redmi Note 4 is Xiaomi’s first smartphone in 2017 and successor to the Redmi Note 3 launched last year. As we already know Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was the best budget smartphone of 2016 and so hopes were naturally high when Xiaomi called in for a media event for the launch of its next Redmi line-up.
Even with all the upgrades in many aspects, the manufacturer has made sure to keep the price of Redmi Note 4 comparatively down, making it a price worthy successor to the Redmi Note 3. The device comes in three variants : a 2GB RAM / 32GB ROM variant priced at Rs 9999, a 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM variant priced at Rs 10,999 and finally a 4GB RAM / 64 ROM variant that costs Rs 12,999.
Now the question is “If you bought the Redmi Note 3 a few months or weeks ago, do you really need this upgrade?”. Well, we hope to clear out all your confusions with this article.
Design
Though both the devices may look identical at the first look, the entire back of the Redmi Note 4 looks a lot more tidier than the Redmi Note 3. The Redmi Note 4 is beveled from the edges to reduce its thickness, while the Redmi Note 3 is straight bodied and thicker to hold.
It’s worth mentioning that the company has resolved the speaker misplacement issue of Note 3 in the new device, by shifting them to the bottom of the smartphone. Also, the antenna bands in the Redmi Note 4 are highlighted by an aluminum strip, adding to its beauty.
Display
There haven’t been many upgrades in this segment. Both the phones sport a 5.5 inch Full HD 1920×1080 display. The Redmi Note 4, however, comes with a 2.5D curved screen, giving it an edge of elegance over Note 3.
Processor and RAM
The Note 4 is powered by the Snapdragon 625 processor with FinFET technology. As compared to Redmi Note 3’s Snapdragon 650 processor, the Note 4 boasts 25 percent more battery life. The new 14nm transistors used in the Note 4 prevents current leakage within the chipset, due to the FinFET technology.
Talking about the RAM capacity, the Note 4 comes with 2/3/4GB RAM, while the Note 3 featured 2/3GB RAM.
Battery
Xiaomi has included a massive 4100 mAh battery in the mid-range smartphone. According to the company, the Redmi Note 4 offers 25 percent more battery life than the predecessor, thanks to the more efficient Snapdragon 625 processor. With 4050 mAh battery, the Note 3 provided longer battery life than most of its competitors last year.
Camera
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 features a 13MP rear camera that uses Sony CMOS sensor with 1.12-micron pixel size for better low light performance. Additionally, it supports PDAF, has an LED flash and f/2.0 aperture. It sports a 5MP front camera. On the other hand, the Note 3 had a 16MP rear camera with dual LED flash and a 5MP front camera.
Just as the pixels don’t count on the quality of the camera, the Redmi Note 4 boasts a better rear camera than the Note 3. The addition of CMOS sensor in the Note 4’s rear camera gives it a 25 percent larger pixel area than Note 3’s camera.
Verdict: Should You Upgrade?
The Redmi Note 4 is prepping up for sale in Flipkart and is expected to sell like hot cakes when it hits the market. The e-tailer site markets the phone as an all-rounder that comes at an affordable price, which we couldn’t agree more. But on comparing the specifications and features of the Note 3 and Note 4, one could say that the latter is not a big upgrade over the first. Be it processor, camera or the battery life, the Note 4’s improvements are not something we would call ‘remarkable.’ So, if you’ve purchased the Note 3 recently, you might just want to hold on it for some more, as the difference between the smartphones will only be marginal.
