Content
- Positioning
- TECH SPECS
- Equipment
- Appearance
- Screen
- Communication capabilities
- Performance
- Камеры
- Battery life
- Shell MIUI 11
- Impressions
Positioning
In the “Positioning” section, let us give the floor to Xiaomi, let him justify why the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s smartphone is good. Well, I’ll tell you right away, if you forgot, then Redmi is a sub-brand of Xiaomi. More budget-friendly solutions targeting youth. Like Huawei’s Honor. Only Honor is already successful and even better perceived than Huawei. And people are not yet used to Redmi and out of habit calls any Redmi Xiaomi.
So, on the official website, we are told that Redmi Note 9S is the power to win and that the legend continues.
Key selling features:
- Powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G
- 48 MP. Four AI cameras – macro camera, portrait mode and you’re the star!
- Fingerprint scanner integrated in the power button
- 6.67 ″ FHD + DotDisplay (a dot display is in the sense of a hole)
- Battery with a capacity of 5020 mAh
- 18-watt fast charging
| TECH SPECS | |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G (8nm), Octa-core (2 × 2.3 GHz Kryo 465 Gold & 6 × 1.8 GHz Kryo 465 Silver), Adreno 618 graphics |
| Operating system | Android 10, shell MIUI 11 |
| Memory | 6GB / 128GB, UFC 2.1, separate microSD slot |
| Screen | 6,67 inches, IPS LCD, 1080 x 2400 pixels, aspect ratio 20: 9, dot density 395 ppi, brightness 450 nits, HDR10, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Battery | Li-Po 5020 mAh, fast charging 18W |
| Main camera | 48 MP, f / 1.8, 26mm (wide), 1 / 2.0 ″, 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f / 2.2, 119 ° (ultra wide angle), 1 / 4.0 ″, 1.12µm 5 MP, f / 2.4, (macro), 1 / 5.0 ″, 1.12µm, AF 2 MP, f / 2.4, (depth) Video recording: 2160p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30/60 / 120fps, 720p @ 960fps, gyro-EIS stabilization |
| Front camera | 16 MP, f / 2.5, (wide), 1.0μm |
| SIM card | 2 Nano-SIM |
| Network and data transmission | GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, NavIC, infrared port, USB 2.0 , Type-C 1.0 |
| SENSORS | fingerprint scanner (side), accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass |
| Other | there is an FM radio, there is a 3.5 mm jack, splash proof, no NFC |
| Materials | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and plastic frame |
| dimensions | 165.8 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm, weight 209 g |
Equipment
Standard set:
Appearance
- Front panel: 6,67-inch screen, 16 MP camera (cutout), speaker, factory film applied
- Back panel: 4 photomodules, flash
- Right side: volume rocker, power button combined with a fingerprint scanner
- Left-hand side: slot for 2 nano-SIM and microSD
- Upper butt: microphone, IrDa sensor
- Bottom end: 3.5 mm jack, USB Type-C with OTG function, microphone, speaker
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s is made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which is glued to a plastic frame. Only recently wrote that usually expensive glass does not cling to plastic frames. And already when I published it, I realized that I was mistaken. Xiaomi has been practicing this for a long time. The Redmi 8 Pro also came with a CGG5 and a plastic frame. A great way to give buyers premium materials while saving on chassis manufacturing. There are no complaints about plastic. It is a beautiful, durable and durable material.
The build of the smartphone is excellent. This is indirectly confirmed by the fact that the specifications indicate that the smartphone is splash-proof. This means that everything is assembled and glued conscientiously.
The design of Redmi Note 9s is, as they say, classic. Otherwise it can not be. No one will engage in design innovations in a smartphone under 20 thousand. Stable and well-proven solutions are used. The back panel is mirrored, but thanks to Xiaomi that it is not flashy, but a pleasant soft color. Creates a light 3D illusion, visually appears to be thick and bulging, but not.
The camera module protrudes slightly, but since it is located in the center, the smartphone lies flat on the table and does not swing. For example, in Xiaomi Mi Note 10, the camera module is on the right side, which is why the phone cannot lie flat.
The device comes with a silicone case with a protective plug for USB Type-C. I recommend not to neglect it. First, it fits well. Secondly, Type-C is the most vulnerable spot for liquid ingress.
The factory film is glued on the screen. Well pasted and pasted. Although because of her, at first I thought that the camera module was crooked. It turned out that everything is fine with the module, just the film is a millimeter to the left.
The smartphone fits perfectly in your hand (if your hands are large, and if your hands are small, then hold it with both hands). The large screen pleases, the frames are quite narrow. But before buying, I recommend holding the smartphone in your hands. Subjectively, it seems that the 6.67-inch diagonal is too much for smartphones, since the phone directly feels large. Although technically Redmi Note 9s is only 4 mm longer than my Galaxy Note 9. On the other hand, playing and watching movies on such a large screen is very enjoyable.
An unusual solution is a fingerprint scanner on the right side. Before that, I had a Sony smartphone with a fingerprint scanner on the side. And I came to the conclusion that the scanner is on the wrong side. I am right-handed, but usually I take the phone with my left hand, and I type with my right finger. Accordingly, it would be convenient for me if the scanner was on the left side. Then the thumb would naturally fall on him. Otherwise, I have to grasp the phone in order to touch the scanner with my index or middle finger. Or what do you think? Which hand do you usually hold your smartphone with?
Another drawback is that you accidentally touch the scanner when you carry the phone in your hand, and the phone will unlock.
Well, there are no complaints about the work of the scanner. He clearly recognizes fingers and works. You can add a dozen fingers.
2 SIM cards and separate microSD slot
Are there any differences between the Redmi Note 9s and the previous Redmi Note 8 Pro?
Small ones. Now, not a cutout, but a hole in the screen. The camera block has changed and the body colors have become softer.
Here is the Redmi Note 8 Pro:
Screen
6.67-inch IPS LCD screen, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20: 9 aspect ratio, 395 ppi pixel density with HDR10 support.
In the official specifications, the brightness is declared at 450 nits. Measurements datacolor Spyder4 showed a manual maximum brightness of 442 nits, and in automatic mode the smartphone “accelerates” to 593 nits. This is excellent brightness, allowing you to comfortably use your smartphone even on a sunny day. For this price segment, such brightness is an unexpected bonus.
Separately, I was pleased with the minimum brightness – only 3.67 nits. Taking into account the fact that the screen is not subject to PWM (that is, it does not flicker when the brightness decreases), this means that even in the dark the smartphone will be comfortable to use for reading.
Datacolor Spyder4 measures screen brightness
Standard sRGB color space. There are no revelations here. The settings are standard. Dark theme, warmer / colder color settings. Screenshots at the end. By the way, MIUI has cool drawings for Always on Display. Now I have Mi Note 10, and I am enjoying them directly. The Redmi Note 9s has an IPS LCD screen. It doesn’t flicker like the Note 10, but neither does Always on Display.
Compare Redmi Note 9s (blue wallpaper) vs Mi Note 10 Pro
The cutout in games does not interfere. In the settings, by the way, you can choose to play in full screen or crop so that the zone with the camera is non-game.
Screenshots of the screen settings are below.
Communication capabilities
Wi-Fi 5 (dual band), Bluetooth 5.0. Speech accuracy is good. The smartphone can work as an access point and distribute Wi-Fi at 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz. Since here the chipset is from Qualcomm, that is, support for AptX codecs. The speaker is loud and the location is good. There are no questions about the quality of speech transmission. There is an infrared remote control. Ideal when on the couch and getting up lazy.
Excellent GPS.
The main disadvantage is the lack of NFC. But due to this, the smartphone will be slightly cheaper than the Redmi 9 Pro. So decide if the presence of NFC is so critical for you. Now you can buy a smartphone for 16 rubles and get 990mAh Redmi Power Bank as a gift. By the way, during the pandemic, I again began to pay with a card, since it is easier to clean. And if I go out only to shop, I leave my phone at home.
Performance
The smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 720G chipset, which means that the graphics are 10 percent overclocked compared to the regular version.
I have no comments on the performance of the smartphone in general. Menu opens quickly, does not blunt. Roma Belykh would probably say that the shell jams, that is, not as smooth as on the iPhone or Huawei. Other reviewers also say the same about Xiaomi. Since I don’t notice, I recommend turning the phone over before buying, and at the end of the text there is a short video with an example of how the phone works. You can look and make an impression.
The Snapdragon 720G allows you to play any game on a high setting with a good frame rate. The heaviest game in terms of graphics (or optimization?) – Asphalt 9 – 30 fps.
PUBG is also 30 fps. At the same time, I also took 1st place! And they called me “destroyer”!
Memory speed – 20 MB / s and 000 MB / s reading and 517 MB / s writing. These are excellent indicators.
From an engineering point of view, everything is fine too. Performance under load does not sag.
The result of 250 thousand points in Antutu is more than decent. There is an increase in comparison with the previous generation. Redmi Note 8 Pro knocked out 225 thousand points.
Interesting in Geekbench. Redmi Note 9s scored 565 points in single-core and 1714 points in multi-core tests. And it’s better than the Snapdragon 1-powered Pocophone F845.
Other test results.
Камеры
Read about the camera interface in my shell review. And then let’s look at the quality of the photographs.
The smartphone has a main unit of 4 cameras:
- 48 MP, f / 1.79, 26mm (wide), 1 / 2.0 ″, 0.8µm, PDAF
- 8 MP, f / 2.2, 119 ° (ultra wide angle), 1 / 4.0 ″, 1.12µm
- 5 MP, f / 2.4, (macro), 1 / 5.0 ″, 1.12µm, AF 2 to 10 cm
- 2 MP, f / 2.4, (depth)
One of the interesting solutions is a 5 MP macro camera with a pixel size of 1,12 microns and autofocus. Usually autofocus is not found in such cameras. Even in Mi Note 10, the macro camera was 2 MP and without autofocus. 2MP is pampering: low quality, lots of noise. 5 MP is more interesting. The camera can focus from a distance of 2 cm from the subject. Autofocus helps a lot. The photos are great! Especially tree moss was a success.
The main camera is 48 MP. By default, photos are saved at 12MP resolution. There is an 8 MP camera for wide angle shots. But you shouldn’t be fooled by the offer of 2x zoom in the camera menu. This is digital zoom. Some of the photos were taken in 48 MP resolution. They are labeled. I shot it in the rain, so the pictures were gloomy.
A couple of examples of wide angle photography.
The night mode can be noted separately. Its trick is not in the quality of the details, but in the general elaboration of the photograph. Looks bright. A wide-angle lens is not very suitable for night shots, so keep in mind.
The 16 MP front camera and the 48 MP main camera can take portraits – both simple and blurred. The blur algorithms of the Redmi Note 9S are interesting. The degree of background blur can be set. Along the way, note that although all the “enhancements” have been disabled, the blurred photos are still “slick”. Below are three photos – no blur, strong blur and minimal blur. Photos on the main camera.
An example of a selfie on the front camera.
As a result, we get an interesting camera for daytime and macro photography, the portrait function is well implemented. Lovers of “enhancers” will appreciate the algorithms.
Battery life
Battery life is a strong point of the Redmi Note series. That the previous model worked for a long time, that this one. But the numbers, by the way, have practically not changed. In Redmi Note 9s, the battery has increased by 500 mAh, this gave an increase in battery life of 30-60 minutes.
So:
- in video mode at maximum brightness and volume, in airplane mode – 16 hours
- in video mode via Wi-Fi ac 5.0 GHz at maximum brightness and volume, in airplane mode – 12 hours
- in Wi-Fi ac 5.0 GHz mode, Chrome browser, maximum brightness – 16 hours
- in game mode – 8,5 hours
- maximum load (calculated indicator running CPU Throttle for 100 threads for 1 hour with maximum screen brightness) – almost 4,5 hours (4 hours 35 minutes).
The smartphone supports 18W fast charging. Includes 22,5W charging. With a margin. When using fast charging, this is reflected in the signature.
Shell MIUI 11
A full overview of the shell can be read here. Xiaomi has promised that the smartphone will receive an update to MIUI 12.
Impressions
Whichever side you look at, you can’t dig into the phone:
- Correct Snapdragon 720G chipset delivers stable 30 fps in all challenging games
- good work of engineers, the smartphone does not heat up and the performance does not sag
- good camera, interesting macro camera
- high-quality screen with powerful auto brightness of 600 nits
- 2 nano-SIM + microSD slot
- Excellent battery life (5mAh large battery) + fast charging
- Includes case and factory film
- There is an infrared remote control to steer the TV
- Price 16 rubles for the promotion
There are downsides. They are obvious:
- No NFC
- Night photography is good only for brightness
- Advertising in standard applications
From unexpected impressions: the smartphone has a Russia-China application. We also need this, but about Putin and on every smartphone, so as not to delete.
Perhaps, after reading the “selling” chips in the positioning section and having mastered the review, you want to ask, where is the story about the “linear vibration motor” that promises “a completely new tactile response.” This point is extremely subjective. I have tried many vibration motors in my life, so Redmi Note 9s could not give me a “completely new tactile response”. Vibrates and vibrates. Surely the owners of the device will come to the comments. Do not be shy! Write your feelings.
It’s nice to review such a smartphone. It can be safely recommended for purchase, since there are no hidden problems or lags.
The main competitor, for me, is realme 6. Features: 90 Hz screen, 64 MP cameras, NFC, realme UI shell with the ability to record calls and no advertising integrations. Helio G90T Chipset. This is the chipset that powers the previous generation Redmi Note 8 Pro. It is 10% weaker than the Snapdragon 720G. But in general, quite good.
Back to content >>>
Related Links
Share:
we are in social networks:
Anything to add ?! Write … eldar@mobile-review.com
