A review of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X
Ever wondered if you can get a smartphone that packs a decent processor like SD625, for around $200? Well, there is one. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X is the cheapest smartphone on the market that packs Snapdragon 625 and 4GB RAM onboard. It looks like the Chinese manufacturer is raising the bar on midrange smartphone segment with the Redmi Note 4X that boasts the specifications of a flagship device. Now, let’s move on to the in-depth review of this smartphone.
Redmi Note 4X: Design & Build Quality
Coming to the looks of the Redmi Note 4X, the front panel resembles the Redmi Note 4, a lot. The company has retained the same 5.5-inch Full HD display with a scratch resistant glass that curves towards the edge. You’ll find a 5MP camera and an LED notification light at the top, while the touch capacitive buttons take up the bottom of the front panel.
Although the Redmi Note 4X looks and feels a lot like the Redmi Note 4, there are differences too. Unlike the later that comes with chamfered edges, the former features rounded edges that ensure better grip in hands. Also, the metal unibody on the Note 4 has been replaced with a softer metal plate on the Note 4X.
On the right side of the device, you’ll find the power/lock button and volume rocker, while on left is the hybrid card slot. Moving on to the top side of the device, it has got a 3.5mm headphone jack, an IR blaster, and a noise-cancelling microphone. The bottom edge consists of a microUSB port and symmetrically drilled holes that embed the mono loudspeaker.
The rear side houses a 13MP shooter along with dual-tone LED flash and a rounded fingerprint scanner. It is to be noted that the rear side of the device is not all metal, the upper and lower parts of the back panel are made out of plastic.
Redmi Note 4X: Display
The Redmi Note 4X features a 5.5-inch IPS display with a Full HD resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. The display is sharp and the colors produced are quite vivid. Xiaomi has also used a scratch-resistant glass over the display, of course, to protect it against scratches.
The display is very bright and easily viewable even in direct sunlight with the maximum brightness of around 450 nits. But personally, I found it to be too reflective, making it difficult to be seen in strong sunlight.
Redmi Note 4X: Performance
Under the hood, the Redmi Note 4X packs 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor along with Adreno 506 GPU. The handset comes with two storage options – 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 3GB RAM/32GB storage. The device comes with a microSD slot to expand storage up to 128GB, so you don’t have to worry about any memory woes. One of the best features of this CPU is its excellent power efficiency, so you will not have to worry about any battery life issues.
We’ve tried out a few 3D games including Temple Run 2, Despicable Me and Cut the Rope 2 on the smartphone, and it unsurprisingly worked smoothly without any issues. However, heavy games like Asphalt 8: Airborne and Riptide 2 did show some lags here and there.
Talking about video-editing applications, we have tried running Adobe Premiere Clip and Funimate on the device, and they worked perfectly on the device.
Redmi Note 4X: Battery
The Redmi Note 4X is backed by a massive 4100 mAh battery. The battery is good enough to support 13-15 hours of gaming, 162 hours music playing, 18 hours video playing, 22 hours of e-books reading and 11 days standby. These results are exceptionally great that it even beats the iPhone 7 by a large margin.
Redmi Note 4X: Camera
Talking about the camera department, the device sports a 13MP rear camera that uses a 5-axis lens, f/2.0 aperture. The rear camera is accompanied by a dual-tone LED flash to click bright pictures in dark surroundings. Although the camera takes amazing shots in well-lit conditions, it does have some trouble with low-light shots. So, the camera is a bit of a let-down.
The selfie camera is a 5MP sensor that is pretty decent for video calling and capturing some good selfies.
Redmi Note 4X: Recap of the Specs
- Display: 5.5-inch Full HD display
- Battery: 4100 mAh
- Processor: 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625
- Storage: 4GB RAM/32 internal storage (or) 3GB RAM/64GB internal storage
- Camera: 13MP (rear), 5MP (front)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth v4.2, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n, 3G, 4G, LTE, GPS, GSM
- Ports: microUSB port, 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 x Micro SIM Card Slot, 1 x Nano SIM Card Slot
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Gravity Sensor, Gyroscope, Infrared, Proximity Sensor, Fingerprint Sensor
- Price: $239.94. Use coupon code “RNote4X” and the price reduces to $169.99. (GearBest Exclusive)
Pros
- Great design and build quality
- Decent performance
- Outstanding battery life
- Incredibly affordable
- Value for money
Cons
- Rear camera performs poorly in low-light conditions
- Not good for graphic-intensive games
Why Should You Buy Redmi Note 4X?
There are many reasons to own this device. Be it gaming, video editing or using as a daily driver, the Redmi Note 4X is an excellent smartphone that is capable of doing almost any kind of tasks with ease. If you’re looking for a smartphone priced around $200, then the Redmi Note 4X will be a great buy.
Moreover, the popular online e-tailer GearBest is now selling the device for a highly discounted price of $239.34 (after 17% discount). Wait, the offer ain’t over. You can actually grab the phone for less than the aforementioned price. The trick is pretty easy; all you have to do is use the coupon code “RNote4X” at the checkout and the handset is all yours for just $169.99. So, make sure you don’t miss this sweet deal.