Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, otherwise known as Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Global, remains to be one of the best budget phones of 2018. It was launched early last year and towards the end of the year, it was succeeded by the Redmi Note 6 Pro, a phone that has now been succeeded by the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro.
Like its immediate predecessors, the Redmi Note 7 and Note 7 Pro bank their success on the premium design they ship in, powerful midrange specs under the hood, a huge battery that has finally received a USB-C charging port, a great camera, and most of all, the price.
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For the uninitiated, the Redmi Note 7 and Note 7 Pro are the first under the new Redmi sub-brand. Undoubtedly, the major highlight is the 48MP camera paring on the back, but being Xiaomi devices, there is plenty to be excited about this device.
One thing worth noting, though, is that there are some differences between the Chinese and global variant of the Redmi Note 7 and well highlight them in this post. Also, for those who want to know more about the Redmi Note 7 Pro, we have a dedicated page linked below, so feel free to check it out.
Related: Redmi Note 7 Pro: All you need to know
Let’s check out the specs.
Redmi Note 7 specs
- 6.3-inch 19.5:9 LCD FHD+ (2340 x 1080) display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor
- 3GB or 4GB RAM
- 32GB or 64GB expandable storage, up to 256GB
- Dual 12MP + 2MP main camera
- 13MP front camera
- 4000mAh battery
- Android 9.0 Pie with MIUI 10
- Extras: Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, Quick Charge 4, 3.5mm audio jack, Fingerprint (rear-mounted), IR Blaster, AI face unlock, etc.
The Redmi Note 7 was introduced less than two months after the launch of the Redmi Note 6 Pro in India, although the latter initially went live in September 2018. Unlike the Note 6 Pro vs. Note 5 Pro, the Redmi Note 7 isn’t your typical incremental upgrade over its predecessor.
For starters, you are getting a revamped design language on the front akin to another budget phone that is making waves this year – the Huawei Honor 8X. The waterdrop-style notch is the in-thing and it can’t be denied that it looks much better than any other notch.
You’ll also notice the Redmi Note 7 gets a new paint job that mimics the gradient designs we’ve seen on a good number of Huawei phones. The build material is glass on both sides joined by a plastic frame. Both the glass back and the 6.3-inch LCD panel have Gorilla Glass 5 protection against accidental drops and scratches.
Under the hood, you get a much powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor mated with up to 4GB RAM (up to 6GB RAM in China) and 64GB expandable storage. Typically, Redmi phones have always been big on matters battery life and the Redmi Note 7 is no different, shipping with a massive 4000mAh unit that can be fast charged using Qualcomm Quick Charge 4, although the bundled charger only supports 5V/2A charging. This means that to take advantage of the fast charging tech, you need to buy supported accessories as well.
The fact that the Note 7 ships with a much smaller notch than its immediate predecessor also means that you don’t get a dual-lens selfie shooter. Also, although not necessarily for the worst, the front camera’s main lens has changed from 20MP used on the Note 5 Pro and Note 6 Pro to a 13MP lens, same as the Redmi Note 5 Global.
And then, of course, the main camera. This was to be the phone’s selling point all thanks to a massive 48MP Samsung ISOCELL lens on the back paired with a 5MP depth sensing lens. The Note 7 camera setup includes support for Super Night Mode that debuted with the Mi MIX 3. Since a 48MP lens will produce photos with very large file sizes, Xiaomi says the phone uses a Quad Bayer filter and other super-resolution techniques to output 12MP resolution photos in low-light conditions.
Unfortunately, only the Chinese variant of the Redmi Note 7 gets this massive 48MP lens. As for the global edition, the device swaps the 48MP lens for a 12MP unit and the second 5MP lens for a 2MP unit. Of course, you still get most of the software-based camera capabilities found on the Chinese variant.
On the front, you get a 13MP shooter with no company, meaning the depth sensing capabilities of the Note 6 Pro are available only in software form. Speaking of which, the Redmi Note 7 runs Android 9 Pie with MIUI 10 out of the box, which is pretty cool if you ask us.
Related: The best Xiaomi phones
Redmi Note 7 pricing and availability
Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Note 7 in China on January 10, 2019, and started selling five days later. In India, the Redmi Note 7 started selling on March 06, 2019.
In China, the base model of 3/32GB goes for CNY 999, approximately $150. The 4/64GB and 6/64GB variants cost CNY 1,199 and CNY 1,399, figures that translate to about $180 and $205, respectively. In India, you can have the base model of 3/32GB at INR 9,999 while the premium variant goes for INR 11,999.
The phone is available in amazing gradients of Onyx Black, Ruby Red, and Sapphire Blue. Undoubtedly, the Redmi Note 7 is shaping up to be the budget phone to beat this 2019.
