Xiaomi needs no introduction today. Starting from their first smartphone, the company has been keeping the buzz around them.
The last one we saw from the company was Redmi Note 3. But I think you need to look at the specs of its predecessor, Note 2 to know the difference between both.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Review
Note is the synonym of phablets. Samsung was the one who introduced this name to the phone industry. Then, several manufacturers brought that name for their own phones (not always phablets but 5.5 inch devices) and so does Xiaomi.
Anyways, let’s get started.
Build and Design
The first phone in Xiaomi’s Note series was a hit because it was the only 5.5 inch phone under $200 with above-the-price specs.
Xiaomi didn’t alter much of the predecessor to design Note 2. On the front, you will find a 5.5 inch display with three red coloured backlit capacitive buttons beneath it. The right edge sports both the power button and volume rockers which lack much of a tactile feedback.
On top, you can find the 3.5 inch headphone jack along with an IR blaster whereas the micro USB port can be found on the bottom.
Display
Unlike Redmi Note (720p), the second version has a 5.5 inch full HD IPS LCD screen with a pixel density of 400 PPI.
Though the display isn’t the best, the great viewing angles and sharpness don’t make it bad either. You may feel that the colous could have been more vivid.
And, the contrast levels are not convincing as well.
Performance
Redmi Note 2 is powered by a MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 chipset clocked at 2 GHz. And, if you go with the Prime version, you can grab a 2.2 GHz processor. Either of the versions has a 2 GB RAM and
PowerVR G6200 GPU.
In the casual usage scenario, you will not find any stutter or lag. But you will experience a drastic change when it comes to powerful tasks like graphic intensive gaming and tasks.
And, you may experience a heating issue based on how intensive and long your tasks are.
Software
Redmi Note 2 comes with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with MIUI 6 on top. But you will receive updates as soon as the device is connected to a network.
The MIUI is an entirely different experience from the stock Android where you lack an app drawer. But you will find a lot of advantages like extra customizability.
Storage
You will get two versions of Note 2 differing in storage. The base version has 16 GB internal storage whereas the second version has 32 GB.
You will get a dedicated SD card slot to expand the memory up to 32 GB.
Camera
The primary camera has a 13 MP lens with phase detection auto focus and different modes on the camera app and, the front sports a 5 MP cam.
We can’t say it’s the best for the price with obvious lack of details and sharpness.
Connectivity
The best part about Note 2 is it has got a dedicated SD card slot with dual SIM ports. And, the IR blaster is not something you can see on every phone. Barring these, you will all the common connectivity options.
Battery
Even with a 3060 battery, Redmi Note 2 is not up to the mark in the battery segment. The power drain is obvious and, you hardly get 4 hours of screen on time for casual usage.
Price
You will not have to spend more than $150 to get a hold of this decent mid range phone.
Pros
- Decent display
- IR blaster
- Good speaker quality
- Premium design
Cons
- No screen protection
- Average camera
- SD card support up to 32 GB only
- Subpar battery life
Final Verdict
I would have suggested this to you if you had asked me for a smartphone under $200 at least half a year ago. But now, I can’t. Better go for Note 3 or checkout our best smartphones under $300 for more options.