New article: Review of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro smartphone: when the little things matter

В Redmi Note 9S review I have already complained about the prohibitive complexity of the Xiaomi lineup, even within small sub-series. This year, three Redmi Notes were released at once, which sometimes differ in minor details.

Of the three, Redmi Note 9 stands out as a simpler and more inexpensive model: a 6,53-inch screen, a MediaTek Helio G85 platform, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner (that is, it can even be distinguished externally), a 13-megapixel front camera. But the difference between Redmi Note 9S and 9 Pro is really only in the details: the Pro version received a more advanced rear camera with a 64-megapixel main module, a slightly different design in a couple of color variations (not the one that we got for the test), faster charging and, perhaps most importantly, the NFC module. Well, the Pro does not have a version with 4 GB of RAM. The main features - whether it's the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G platform, a 6,67-inch LCD or a 16-megapixel front camera inscribed in the screen right in the center on top - remained unchanged. Oddly enough, even such small changes are enough to change the picture as a whole.

⇡#Technical specifications

⇡#Design, ergonomics and software

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro is almost identical in appearance to Note 9S. And this "almost" is based only on the green (Tropical Green) version, in which the back panel is painted in two different shades of green, and the flash is visually separated from the camera unit. The white or gray version, as in our case, is designed in exactly the same way as the Note 9S.

So it’s worth talking first of all about the differences from its predecessor, Notes redmi 8 Pro, - did the novelty gain from the redesign or lost? There is no single answer to this question. On the one hand, the visual "nobility" has become smaller - chrome edges and chiseled lines are gone. On the other hand, the new Redmi Note 9 has a fairly pronounced individuality. If it’s elementary to confuse 9S and 9 Pro, then you can’t confuse this entire series with smartphones from another manufacturer. For the era of ultimate unification, the achievement is very significant.

Separately, I note the pleasant color performance of the gray (Interstellar Gray) version - the glossy back shimmers, changing its color depending on the lighting; it is difficult to perceive this smartphone as gray - rather, it is blue or blue. However, everything is more or less the same in the case, and without a case, you should not use a glass gadget with curved edges, even if only at the back, on an ongoing basis. Fortunately, transparent silicone protection is included.

Of the important parts of the visual code of the current Redmi Note, I will highlight the side fingerprint scanner - an element that was not previously popular this year has come into fashion sharply (see photo). realme 6 pro, Huawei lite P40 и Honor View 30 Pro). And also an unusual block of cameras with a silver edging of two of them and a symmetrically inscribed flash, as well as a front camera in the center, and not in the corner.

Otherwise, the functional elements, as well as the case materials, are quite familiar: Gorilla Glass 5 glass on the front and back, plastic edges, a mini-jack on the bottom, a USB Type-C port. The gadget, as you can easily understand from the diagonal of the screen, is very large and heavy.

It is worth mentioning the rather caustic trolling against Huawei - on the box of Redmi Note 9 Pro there is an inscription: “with easy access to the Google apps you use most” (“with easy access to your favorite Google apps”). Well, a fact - which has remained so for all the years of Xiaomi's presence in the smartphone market. But now it's not a sin to emphasize it, really.

The fingerprint scanner built into the side key is based on a capacitive sensor and, despite the small surface area, works well - the response is fast, the failure rate is acceptable, although the larger and shaped fingerprint scanner on the back of the Redmi Note 8 Pro worked better . On the other hand, here the scanner behaves more adequately than in the vast majority of expensive smartphones with on-screen fingerprint sensors. There are some nice exceptions like Xiaomi Mi 10, but by default, even a small capacitive sensor is better than a large optical one. At least for now. In the settings, you can set exactly how the scanner should work - with a simple touch or with a full key press. This helps to overcome the problem of side scanners in that the smartphone can be locked immediately after unlocking with a careless flick of the finger. As an addition, there is the already mentioned method of user identification by face recognition. For this, the front camera is used without additional sensors.

Source: 3dnews.ru