Redmi Note 9 Pro

Redmi Note 9 Pro

The Redmi Note 9 Pro has just been launched in India, and its starting price of Rs. 12,999 is surprisingly low because Xiaomi has made a few very interesting decisions in terms of positioning and features.

It isn't easy to stay ahead of the game, and the Redmi Note 9 Pro goes up against the formidable Realme 6 and Samsung M30s. Longtime fans of the series might be surprised at how Xiaomi has actually held back a little with this model, since expectations are always when a new generation of Redmi Note smartphones is announced.

The Redmi Note 9 Pro has a lower starting price than its predecessors, but also doesn't offer all the modern features that you might expect. It has a 6.67-inch LCD screen with a 60Hz refresh rate and hole-punch front camera at the top. The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G which is surprisingly powerful for this segment. You also get a 5020mAh battery and suppport for 18W fast charging. 

The Redmi Note 9 Pro is powerful and everyday work will go smoothly. The display is large and crisp, making games and movies look good. You have a choice between variants, one with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, and the other with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

The 48-megapixel primary camera was slightly disappointing overall, particularly in low light. There's also an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 5-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. On the front you get a 16-megapixel selfie camera. 

Redmi Note 9 Pro design

By any standard, the Redmi Note 9 Prois a bulky phone. At 8.8mm thick and 209g in weight, many people will find this device bulky and unwieldy. That's where Xiaomi's new ‘Aura Balance' design philosophy comes in the company says that weight is distributed perfectly evenly and the exterior design is symmetrical to make usage more comfortable. We found one-handed use difficult but not impossible.

In terms of looks, Xiaomi has gone with three relatively simple colours – Interstellar Black, Glacier White, and Aurora Blue. You won't find any graidents or patterns here, though the appearance is anything but subtle. Our Aurora Blue unit was bright and vibrant, with a very shiny, reflective rear panel. You'll see light play across the surface when using this phone, giving the feeling of depth. Thankfully the rear panel isn't too slippery, but it does pick up fingerprints as soon as you touch it.

Xiaomi has come up with a distinctive new camera bump design which plays into the theme of symmetry. Even the flash is centred below the four camera lenses. This is a nice design touch that will set the Redmi Note 9 series apart and make this phone and its siblings recognisable. The camera module does stick out quite a bit though.

The front and rear of the Redmi Note 9 Pro are both made using Gorilla Glass 5, while the frame is polycarbonate. The most distinctive feature on the front is of course the new embedded selfie camera, which is centred at the top of the screen. It is somewhat distracting, and the screen's backlighting is a little uneven around it. Interestingly, we noted that the picture of the Redmi Note 9 Pro on the cover of its box seems to show a smaller hole and narrow chin than the device actually has. That said, the phone still looks modern and definitely defies expectations for its price category.

The next interesting design touch is the side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is embedded into the power button. This sits in a slight recess on the right of the phone which lined up fairly well with the thumb of our right hand. You'll find this inconvenient if you're left-handed, and we'd suggest registering multiple fingers so you can unlock this phone whether it's in your hand or lying on a table.

Xiaomi says that this approach was chosen because it's quicker than an in-display sensor and more convenient than having one on the back, plus it doesn't disrupt the design of the rear panel. This is definitely a trend in the budget segment right now, though. We also have to note that the choice of an LCD screen rather than AMOLED plays into how an in-display sensor can be implemented.

The volume buttons are placed awkwardly above the sensor, and aren't easy to reach while on a call. On the left, there's a tray with slots for two Nano-SIMs and a microSD card. Xiaomi's trademark infrared emitter is on the top, and can be used to control several home appliances. There's the usual USB Type-C port, 3.5mm audio socket, and speaker on the bottom. Many people will be happy to note that there is in fact a notification and charging LED hidden in the earpiece.

Xiaomi has done well in terms of design, and the Redmi Note 9 Pro does feel fresh without actually changing too much for a phone in this segment. There's also a P2i coating for splash resistance, though of course no proper waterproofing.

Redmi Note 9 Pro specifications and software

Redmi Note series phones typically have impressive specifications, and Xiaomi has gone with a larger screen and battery than ever before. You get a 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1080x2400-pixel) screen which has a tall aspect ratio to accommodate the front camera. What might surprise many fans who follow current trends, because it is a standard 60Hz panel and doesn't have a 90Hz refresh rate like some other recently launched devices,,

Xiaomi claims that there aren't many apps that take advantage of a high refresh rate, people can't really tell the difference, it isn't worth the battery life tradeoff, and the Snapdragon 720G SoC isn't powerful enough. 

We don't necessarily agree with all these points, but we do have to remember that some compromises are to be expected at Rs. 12,999.

The 5020mAh battery is also interesting. Xiaomi claims 29 hours of VoLTE calling and 14 hours of gaming per charge. You get an 18W charger in the box – faster charging is reserved for the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max.

The Snapdragon 720G is a modern SoC with two high-performance 2.3GHz cores and six power-efficient 1.8GHz cores, all manufactured on an 8nm process which is said to result in greater power efficiency and lower heat dissipation. Buyers will note that the Redmi Note 8 Pro's support for Amazon's Alexa alongside Google Assistant has been dropped – Xiaomi tells us that this relied on specific capabilities of the MediaTek processor used for the previous model.

Xiaomi has noted that this is the first time we're seeing a 7xx-series Snapdragon processor in a Redmi Note series device at this price. It's a predictable move considering the arms race manufacturers are in, but calls into question Qualcomm's strategy of launching the 7xx-series as a premium tier to offset the downward migration of the 6xx-series.

You can get the Redmi Note 9 Pro with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for Rs. 12,999, or with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for Rs. 15,999. It's interesting to note that when the Redmi Note 8 Pro had launched six months ago, Xiaomi had highlighted how 6GB of RAM was the minimum amount on offer. The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max will give you 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage at Rs. 14,999, and is also the only option if you want to step up to 8GB. The fact that these two sibling models overlap might cause some confusion in the market.

Other highlights include NavIC support along with standard GPS, dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5, and all the standard sensors. Along with the 18W charger and USB Type-C cable, you get only a SIM eject tool and plastic case in the box along with this phone – the blue and white variants will ship with a clear case while the black one will get a smoky translucent one.

MIUI 11 runs on top of Android 10, and our review unit had the February Security patch. Sadly, bloatware and promotional content remain parts of Xiaomi's business strategy. The company does say that users can remove and/or disable some of these features but we did see lots of spammy notifications.

There's no app drawer, but you do get some level of UI customisation. Swiping up on the homescreen launches the MI browser which also lets you search for installed apps. This is somewhat convenient but we wish we could reassign this shortcut. There's a Dark Mode, downloadable UI themes, and Google's Digital Wellbeing settings. You can clone apps and store sensitive data in a Second Space for privacy, and type quick replies to messages from within the notification popups for some apps.