Xiaomi Redmi Note 9

Price: £199 from fave.co/300YnY5

2020-07-24 -

Now joining Redmi Note 9S in Xiaomi’s 2020 budget phone range in the UK is this Redmi Note 9 and a higher-spec Note 9 Pro. For those on tight budgets the 9 is very slightly cheaper than the 9S, but sacrifices some screen estate, the Snapdragon 720G and a few additional features.

Promising the same high-capacity 5,020mAh battery that drove the 9S to the top of our phone battery charts and a very similar quad-lens rear camera, we consider whether the small saving is enough to sway you in favour of the younger sibling.

Design

The Redmi Note 9 is a fine-looking phone, especially in our review sample’s Midnight Grey colour scheme. It is also available in Forest Green and Polar White.

It should not surprise you to learn it has a very familiar design, both among modern Android phones in general and the Redmi Note 9 range specifically, but look closer and you’ll find there is a number of important differences between this and the more expensive models in the line.

Most immediately apparent is that this model lacks the high-gloss mirror shine of its siblings. It’s not a bad thing: the subtlety this creates is appealing, and the phone is much less prone to fingerprints. Redmi Note 9 is still glossy, just not aggressively so.

The reason for this lack of gloss is simple: Xiaomi has swapped out the 9S’s glass rear and metal frame for a plastic body in the Note 9. This sounds like a bigger deal than it is, and the newest Xiaomi phone does a pretty good job of retaining the line’s high-quality design.

It feels well-made and durable, not waterproof but P2i splashproof (as you would expect with most budget phones), with no creaky bits or harsh lines, and we’d wager that it’s less likely to shatter when dropped. Arguably, though, it also looks less premium.

It’s difficult to tell until you place the two back to back, but the Redmi Note 9 is 4mm shorter than the 9S. This, together with its plastic build, means it’s also about 10g lighter. The difference in screen size is minor, with the Note 9 measuring 6.53in against the 9S’s 6.67in, and the bezels are just a fraction wider.

The dimensions themselves make zero difference to how it feels in the hand, though the smoother, more rounded edges of Note 9 make it more comfortable to hold and operate. I found it much easier to stretch my thumb right across the display to the top corner, whereas achieving this with the Redmi Note 9S requires some form of finger aerobics.

Both phones use a punch-hole style selfie camera,maximizing the available screen space, but here it is moved over from the 9S’s central position to the top left. It feels strange simply because this positioning is new to Xiaomi, not especially bothering us in either location.

We were more put out by the omission of a charging LED nestled within the here shorter earpiece just above – it may be just a tiny dot on the 9S, but a dot it is.

Something else that has moved is the fingerprint sensor, not built into the side-mounted power button as it is on Redmi Note 9S and Note 9 Pro, instead appearing just below the camera assembly on the rear. In our tests it worked perfectly well, and typically fell naturally under our index finger as we cradled the phone – but on occasion that it did not, the sensor is a little too flush to the surface of the phone to quickly and accurately locate it.

The camera itself is the final important difference. In specification it is very similar to that found on the Redmi Note 9S, with a 48Mp wide + 8Mp ultra-wide + 2Mp macro + 2Mp depth set-up (the 9S has a 5MP macro lens but otherwise shares these specs, while Note 9 Pro headlines with a 64Mp lens).

In design, though, it is not the same, with the positioning of the lenses themselves swapped around,

the entire assembly not jutting out quite so far from the phone’s body, and the single LED flash appearing to the right rather than below the camera.

All three phones in the series feature increasingly rare extras such as an IR blaster, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 2 + 1 SIM tray that won’t force you to choose between dual-SIM functionality (dual-4G) and storage expansion (up to 512GB).

Each also has an IPS display, which are not as vibrant, punchy and rich in contrast as the AMOLED screens found in Xiaomi’s more expensive models, but they are good-quality screens that offer realistic colours and strong viewing angles. It’s rare to find AMOLED in the budget phone market, but thankfully we are now a long way from the TN panels of the past.

Performance

One of the big differences in Redmi Note 9 over 9S and 9 Pro is that it swaps out the Snapdragon 720G

chip from Qualcomm in favour of a Helio G85 processor from MediaTek. This is a 2GHz octa-core chip, integrated with the ARM Mali-G52 graphics processor, as opposed to the 720G’s Adreno 618.

It is paired with 3GB or 4GB of RAM (and 64GB or 128GB of storage), whereas the more expensive models in the Redmi Note 9 line benefit from 4GB or 6GB of memory.

This processor selection will have helped Xiaomi to cut down on costs, but in my opinion it was a poor decision. The Android Advisor team runs all phones through a selection of benchmarks to give a point of reference for performance comparisons, and it seems the Redmi Note 9 is at rather a significant disadvantage to its siblings in terms of overall processing power.

Geekbench 5 (multi-core)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: 1,244 Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 1,770 Moto G8 Power: 1,255 Honor 9X: 1,315 Nokia 6.2: 1,252

Geekbench 4 (battery life)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: 495 Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 903 Moto G8 Power: 709 Honor 9X: 412

In Geekbench 5 performance tests we found the Redmi Note 9 very much on par with the Moto G8 Power, an only slightly more expensive phone that

also goes big on the battery, albeit somewhat more successfully. Other smartphones that scored similar results in this test include the Honor 9X and Nokia 6.2.

In an age in which battery life is everything, the 5,020mAh spec of Redmi Note 9’s battery would lead you to believe runtime is going to excel. Redmi Note 9S, which has the same 5,020mAh cell, delivered a class-leading battery life of 15 hours 3 minutes under the Geekbench 4 battery test; Redmi Note 9 managed just 8 hours 15 minutes under the same conditions.

This is not a poor battery score for a budget phone, but it is a poor battery score for a phone that too many consumers will rush out and buy based entirely on that excellent on-paper battery spec, without reading reviews such as this to find out what it’s really good for.

It is true to say that synthetic benchmarks are not always representative of real life, and we would expect that most users would nevertheless manage to get a full day’s usage without needing to reach for the charger. Some users will even get two days, since how long the battery lasts depends on for what you use it.

There is no support for wireless charging, though the Redmi Note 9 does support 18-watt wired charging, with a 22-watt adapter supplied in the box. We found from empty it could get to around 35 per cent in 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, the Note 9 refused to run GFXBench, our graphics benchmark, though we would expect more of the same – a device that can handle casual games and online video, but nothing too intensive.

Cameras

With Redmi Note 9 it feels a bit like Xiaomi has jumped on the quad-lens camera bandwagon, without due care or attention. Neither its macro nor depth sensors are really pulling much weight here. But a quad-camera certainly sounds great on paper, especially when headlining with a 48Mp lens.

Although it might appear to be a similar camera to what you find on Redmi Note 9S, it’s probably closer to that of the previous-generation Redmi Note 8T, albeit in a square rather than portrait assembly. It’s also combining 48Mp wide (f/1.79, 0.8μm), 8Mp ultra-wide (f/2.2, 1.12μm), 2Mp macro (f/2.4, 1.75μm) and 2Mp depth (f/2.4, 1.75μm) sensors for general photography, along with a 13Mp camera for selfies. It has a 2x digital zoom, but no optical offering.

Xiaomi is using its usual trick of pixel-binning, whereby information is captured at 48Mp but then reduced to higher-quality 12Mp images by nudging four individual pixels into a single ‘super’ pixel, in the process increasing its size from 0.8μm to 1.6μm. It also uses AI to intelligently select a scene mode and associated presets, meaning you simply point and shoot (there is a manual mode if you prefer).

In test shots I found myself more impressed than I expected to be with low-light performance. The images of the wooded areas (see page 77) were shot in really rather dull conditions, though this is not apparent from the pictures. Generally speaking, given good lighting, the Redmi Note 9 does a quite acceptable job – and let’s be honest, that’s probably all you’re looking for at this price point.

But it is far from infallible and the lack of detail in shots is notable – particularly when captured over a longer distance. Even in portrait mode we found the camera could struggle to focus on the intended subject.

And though these images were not shot on the brightest or sunniest of days (such as is the issue with UK weather), they may well be realistic but are verging on dull.

Software

Our review sample is running the global version of MIUI 11, a custom version of Android. As we found on Redmi Note 9S, it is missing some of the features you’ll find in the best Xiaomi phones, such as the Always-on Display.

In this version Xiaomi has unlocked the system-wide Dark Mode, and you’ll also benefit from superb features that are exclusive to Xiaomi, such as Dual Apps and Second Space. These are incredibly useful if you’re making use of the dual-SIM functionality, or want to wall off some content to a protected area.

This is also the first time we’ve actually seen the option to add an app drawer to MIUI, which is turned off by default. (This has been reported to be present in all Xiaomi phones running MIUI 11’s global ROM, but in our experience this is untrue.) Switch on this feature and the Redmi Note 9 acts a lot more like a regular Android phone.

Full Google services are installed out of the box, so you have none of the concerns here that you might have when buying a Huawei phone. Our review sample also has NFC for making mobile payments, though this is reportedly not available in all territories.

You will notice some extra Xiaomi apps, which you are under no obligation to use. There is also a handful of apps (games, Netflix and so on) that annoyingly are pre-installed, but can be easily uninstalled.

Verdict

If you’re on a tight budget, the Redmi Note 9 is a fantastic smartphone below £200. It ticks a great many boxes and, though it isn’t flawless, you’ll be hard-pushed to find better value.

Though it’s plastic it is well designed, and it comes with impressive-sounding features such as a quad-lens camera that performed mostly well in our tests, save for lacking some finer detail.

There’s enough power for casual users, though we had hoped for better performance from the huge-capacity 5,020mAh battery.

However, if your budget will stretch only a little higher we would highly recommend that you look to the Redmi Note 9S instead. This phone has a premium design and enhanced performance, particularly in terms of battery life. Marie Black

Specifications

• 6.53in (2,340x1,080; 395ppi) IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen

• Android 10, MIUI 11

• MediaTek Helio G85 (12nm) processor

• Octa-core (2x 2GHz Cortex-A75, 6x 1.8GHz Cortex-A55) CPU

• Mali-G52 MC2 GPU

• 3GB/4GB RAM

• 64GB/128GB storage

• Four rear-facing cameras: 48Mp, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0in, 0.8μm, PDAF; 8Mp, f/2.2, 118-degree (ultra wide), 1/4.0in, 1.12μm; 2Mp, f/2.4, (macro), AF; 2Mp, f/2.4, (depth)

• Selfie camera: 13Mp, f/2.3, 29mm (standard), 1/3.1in, 1.12μm

• 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi dual-band

• Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE

• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS

• NFC

• USB 2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector

• Fingerprint scanner (rear mounted)

• Non-removable 5,020mAh lithium-polymer battery

• 162.3x77.2x8.9mm

• 199g

Sony’s smartphone division has fallen behind the likes of Apple, Samsung and OnePlus in recent years, forcing it to adapt. The release of the Xperia 1 in 2019 marked a shift in strategy for the Japanese company, introducing a 21:9 aspect ratio for the first time. Now, it’s bringing this tall, thin chassis to budget phones, starting with the Xperia L4. Can this standout feature make the phone a true budget contender, or are there too many compromises in other areas? Read on to find out.

Design

The first thing I noticed about the L4’s design is the shift to a 21:9 aspect ratio. It’s the most obvious difference over last year’s L3, and the first time Sony has brought this tall, narrow form factor to its budget line.

Its effect on the user experience remains largely the same as 2019’s Xperia 1 and Xperia 5. Despite only having a 720p display, many films look stunning displayed in their native format, free from any letterboxing. However, it’s punctured by a rather unsightly teardrop notch, something that isn’t present on the more expensive Sony phones. That houses a single 8Mp front-facing camera, without support for face unlock.

With a sizeable chin, the phone lacks symmetry to the point that it becomes annoying at times. The 79.5 per cent screen-to-body ratio is by no means a dealbreaker, but even budget phones regularly exceed 85 per cent in this regard.

The unusual aspect ratio also makes the 6.2in phone almost impossible to use one-handed. That’s typical of many handsets over 6in, but its effects are magnified on such a tall display.

With so many budget phones looking similar these days, the 21:9 display is a sure-fire way for the L4 to stand out from the crowd, but its implementation does cause a few complications.

The other key design choice is a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. Like with the Xperia 5, a patent issue means it couldn’t be integrated into the power

button, and the latter is therefore placed awkwardly low on the side of the device.

The sensor itself is easy to enrol and had an extremely high success rate in my testing, even when my finger was wet.

Another notable inclusion is a 3.5mm headphone jack. Although Sony has brought this back to its flagship Xperia 1 II for 2020, it’s been an ever-present on the company’s budget line. Combined with a very decent pair of downward-firing speakers, the Xperia L4 offers some excellent audio options.

Flipping the phone over reveals triple rear cameras, with the main 13Mp lens joined by 5Mp ultra-wide and 2Mp depth sensors. The latter means the L4 is capable of portrait mode shots, although we’ll have more on that later.

The back of the phone is where the plastic build is most apparent, although it definitely doesn’t have the same cheap feeling as its predecessor. That’s particularly apparent on the black model I tested, although it’s also available in a more eye-catching blue variant.

I felt comfortable enough testing the phone casefree, and the Corning Gorilla Glass screen means I’d be confident of it surviving the drops you might expect in everyday usage.

Hardware

The Xperia L4 sounds pretty unspectacular on paper. Powered by a MT6762 Helio P22 processor, the only configuration offers 3GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The latter is expandable via the microSD card

slot, although it would have been nice to have more flexibility here.

Indeed, the below benchmarks would appear to tell a similarly mediocre story. The L4 performs only marginally better than 2019’s Xperia L3, and lags well behind the best budget phones on the market.

Geekbench 5 (multi-core) Sony Xperia L4: 869 Xiaomi Realme 6i: 1,339 Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 1,770 Oppo A9 2020: 1,384

GFXBench Manhattan (fps)

Sony Xperia L4: 17 Sony Xperia L3: 17 Xiaomi Realme 6i: 43 Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 38 Oppo A9 2020: 33

GFXBench T-Rex (fps)

Sony Xperia L4: 27 Sony Xperia L3: 27 Xiaomi Realme 6i: 55 Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S: 59 Oppo A9 2020: 50

However, this is a classic case of benchmarks not necessarily being representative of real-world usage. I really enjoyed using the Xperia L4 as my everyday phone, to the extent that I was reluctant to take my SIM out of the phone once I’d finished testing.

Moving through the UI was smooth and seamless, with Sony’s stripped-back interpretation of Android undoubtedly contributing to that.

It’s definitely not suited to power users, and graphic-intensive gaming didn’t quite hit the mark, but for everything else it was a joy to use.

Software

The Xperia L4 comes running Android 9 Pie out of the box, and unfortunately there’s no indication whether it’ll get the update to Android 10.

That means you won’t get the improved notification and permission controls or new fonts, although that wasn’t a big issue for me.

Interestingly, Sony has released a patch that means you will get the option for a system-wide dark mode, so that’s something. The company’s phones had also

already embraced gesture-based navigation, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on that.

Subtle differences in Sony’s gestures mean there’s a slight learning curve, but once I became accustomed to them I definitely wouldn’t go back to the traditional on-screen buttons. As always, you can bring the traditional nav buttons back by heading into settings.

As I alluded to in the previous section, this is a thoughtful interpretation of Google’s software that focuses on the basics.

The main point in its favour is that there’s very little bloatware. In fact, a basic music player was the only app I could see that you might not find on Pixel phones. Snaps from the camera even go straight into Google Photos, instead of the Gallery app we so often see from third-party manufacturers.

This makes it excellent if you’re heavily invested in the Google ecosystem, although the flexibility of

Android means it’s easy to install third-party alternatives and transform the look and feel of your device. Potential lack of updates aside, the software on the Xperia L4 is a joy to use.

Cameras

The Xperia L4 comes with an impressive-looking triple rear camera set-up, although that’s par for the course when it comes to modern budget phones. The main 13Mp sensor is joined by 5Mp ultra-wide and 2Mp depth sensors. Unfortunately, despite sounding good on paper, the L4’s cameras are a bit hit-and-miss.

As you’ll see from the samples below, it regularly has issues with exposure. In many of the shots I took, either the background was overexposed or darker elements in the foreground underexposed.

As you can see above, you can get some nice shots in optimal lighting conditions, but it feels very erratic. It’s easy to say that you’re not buying a £169 for its photographic prowess, but Sony has specifically drawn attention to the Xperia L4’s triple cameras and so their performance is slightly underwhelming.

On the video side, the phone is capable of 1080p video at 30fps, while there’s also the option to take advantage of the 21:9 aspect ratio for recordings. Footage is fine if you plan on keeping movement to a minimum, but will quickly become juddery with anything more due to a lack of optical image stabilization.

Battery life

The Xperia L4 comes with a 3580mAh, up from 3,300mAh on the L3. Despite having a similar resolution screen, its performance on Geekbench 4’s battery test was significantly down on its predecessor.

Eight hours and 48 minutes is around average when you compare all our smartphones, but I was expecting it to be closer to the 11 hours and 6 minutes from the L3. It’ will get you through a full day without a problem, but it’s far from being a contender for our best battery life phone.

One area it did perform well was standby time; I was able to leave the phone with less than 5 per cent battery for a number of hours without it running out of juice. This is an area that some Android phones struggle with, so it’s even more impressive here.

The phone does support 18-watt fast charging, although it’s a separate accessory which is ‘available

soon’ at the time of writing. I was able to get 22 per cent of battery in 30 minutes from off via the adapter in the box, so you’re looking at around two hours for a full charge.

Verdict

The Xperia L4 is one of only a handful of budget phones to have a unique selling point. The 21:9 aspect ratio might not have mainstream appeal, but bringing the tall, thin chassis to Sony’s budget line-up was a major statement of intent. Despite only being 720p, the display is a pleasant surprise, and being able to watch films in their native format is very impressive.

Other highlights include a premium design and excellent software, even if it is Android 9 and not 10.

However, the biggest disappointment on the Xperia L4 is the cameras. You can get some decent shots in good lighting, but it regularly struggles with exposure

and video is often unusable. Considering the focus Sony placed on the L4’s photographic abilities, this is a big let down.

Throw in some average internals and a very unnecessary notch, and there are just one too many compromises for most people to pick this phone over the competition. Anyron Copeman

Specifications

• 6.2in (1,680x720; 295ppi) IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen

• Android 9.0

• Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 (12nm) processor

• Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU

• PowerVR GE8320 GPU

• 3GB RAM

• 64GB storage

• Three rear-facing cameras: 13Mp, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.0in, PDAF; 5Mp, f/2.2, 17mm (ultra wide), 1/5.0in, 1.12μm; 2Mp, f/2.4, (depth)

• Selfie camera: 8Mp, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/4”, 1.12μm

• 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi dual-band

• Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE