Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review: Big, cheap and comfortable

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 review: Big, cheap and comfortable

I've always been a big fan of Xiaomi's phones and the Redmi Note 3 is no exception, but also may now be my new favourite. That's partly because of the phone's classy metal body (upgraded from plastic on previous models) and partly because of its low price (around $220, £150 and AU$290, respectively). But it's mostly because Xiaomi has turned out a quality product that fits well into my lifestyle. However, if you're outside of Asia, you'll have to work some online magic to get the phone, and it may not work as swiftly with your carrier if it doesn't support your network's bands, so you'll need to check.

Budget phones usually skimp on storage space, but not the comfortable, 5.5-inch Redmi Note 3. This guy comes with 32GB, and if you need more, you can use one of the phone's dual-SIM slots as a microSD card slot for up to an additional 32GB of storage. Gaming performance was great; I loved the smooth framerates on Asphalt 8 and when switching between apps and sending emails, I rarely experienced any noticeable delay. The Note 3's non-removable battery lasted nearly-14 hours in our video looping battery test; a respectable number for the vast majority of phones.

Software wise, Xiaomi's usual MIUI skin runs over the Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system. Since all the app icons spread out across multiple home screens, it looks like a mix of Android and iOS. But other cool features, such as the ability to quickly move all the apps on one screen to the next, and weekly security updates, help make up for the atypical layout. While it isn't standard Android, MIUI does a great job making the phone easy to use, especially with a "Lite mode" which simplifies the interface for not so tech-savvy types.

The phone still uses physical keys instead of onscreen menu buttons.

Aloysius Low/CNET

Now, if there's one thing that I downright didn't like, it's the Redmi Note 3's lackluster camera. It's slow and lacks Auto HDR (high dynamic range), which meant I had to manually turn this mode on. It also had some exposure troubles, which resulted in slightly darker images unless you adjusted the exposure setting yourself before shooting. Neither is a deal-breaker, but they did knock down my experience a few pegs.

While it's a bit heavier than your typical flagship phones, the Redmi Note 3 is still comfortable to hold, and after switching back to my daily phone, I missed having the Note 3's rear-mounter fingerprint sensor. Truly, for the price, it's an excellent budget phone at any size. If you can find it, get it.

Performance benchmarks

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 18,002 1,532 3,651 ZTE ZMax 2 4,369 479 1,378 Huawei Honor 5X 7,719 702 3,130

3DMark Ice Storm (unlimited)
Geekbench 3 (single-core)
Geekbench 3 (multi-core)

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 vs ZTE ZMax 2 vs Huawei Honor 5X

	Xiaomi Redmi Note 3	Huawei Honor 5X	ZTE ZMax 2
Display size, resolution	5.5-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels	5.5-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels	5.5-inch; 1,280x720 pixels
Pixel density	401ppi	401ppi	267ppi
Dimensions (Inches)	5.91x2.99x0.34 in	6x3x0.32 in	6.06x2.99x0.37 in
Dimensions (Millimeters)	150x76x8.7 mm	151x76x8.2 mm	N/A (US-only)
Weight (Ounces, Grams)	5.78 oz; 164g	5.6 oz; 158 g	6 oz; N/A (US-only)
Mobile software	Android 5,1 Lollipop	Android 5.1 Lollipop	Android 5.1 Lollipop
Camera	16-megapixel	13-megapixel	8-megapixel
Front-facing camera	5-megapixel	5-megapixel	2-megapixel
Video capture	1080 HD	1080p HD	1080 HD
Processor	Quad-core 1.4GHz, dual-core 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 650	1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615	1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400
Storage	32GB	16GB	16GB
RAM	3GB	3GB	2GB
Expandable storage	32GB	Up to 128GB	Up to 32GB
Battery	4,000mAh battery	3,000mAh (nonremovable)	3,000mAh (removable)
Fingerprint sensor	Back cover	Back cover	None
Connector	Micro-USB	Micro-USB	Micro-USB
Special features	Dual-SIM card slots	Dual-SIM card slots	N/A
Price off-contract (USD)	$220	$200	$100
Price (GBP)	Converts to £150	Converts to £135	N/A (US-only)
Price (AUD)	Converts to AU$290	Converts to AU$275	N/A (US-only)

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Xiaomi Redmi 3 review: Xiaomi's Redmi 3 is pretty and cheap, but hard to get

Xiaomi's Redmi 3 is a budget phone with a pretty looking metal body.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi's latest budget-friendly phone drops plastic for beautiful metal and doesn't compromise too much on its specs. It comes packing a huge 4,100mAh battery, which Xiaomi claims improves upon the Redmi 2's talk time by 80 percent.

Like most Xiaomi handsets, the Redmi 3 will come with dual-SIM capabilities. Based on our experiences with the company's previous phones, we expect that it'll support 4G networks everywhere except the US. That means that if you're an American thinking of getting one, you'll be limited to mostly 3G connectivity.

The phone was released in China today for the bargain price of 699 yuan, which converts to around $105, £75 and AU$155. Unfortunately, China is where the phone is currently officially limited to, though we expect to eventually see it being sold throughout the rest of Asia and in emerging markets like Brazil, where Xiaomi currently has presence.

For those particularly keen on getting the Redmi 3, my advice would be to hold off until Xiaomi launches it for the English speaking market. This will ensure that the phone comes with Google services installed, as most Android phones in China do not come with Google apps such as Gmail and Maps.

So it's cheap, what else is there?

Xiaomi is known for making quality products at affordable prices, and the Redmi 3 looks to live up to this reputation. Unlike its predecessor, it has a full metal body, a nice touch we're starting to see on lower-end phones from China.

Besides the cosmetic improvement, the Redmi 3 also has fast charging, and you'll need it given the phone's battery (as mentioned) is a lot larger now. While it only has 16GB of onboard storage, you can use the second SIM card slot as a microSD card, and the phone supports up to 128GB of storage. You'll never have to worry about running out of space, I wager.

Impressive guts

Xiaomi's Redmi 3 packs some impressive specs, especially considering its low price. Of note are the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor and the 13-megapixel rear camera with phase detection autofocus, which lets you lock onto your subject in a mere 0.1 seconds.

Here are the rest of the specs.

5-inch, HD 1,280x720-pixel resolution screen
Eight-core Snapdragon 616 processor
2GB of RAM
16GB of internal storage
128GB microSD card slot for external storage
4,100mAh battery
13-megapixel camera
5-megapixel front-facing cameras
Dual-SIM
MIUI 7
5.48 by 2.74 by 0.33 inches (139.3 by 69.6 by 8.5mm)
5.07 ounces (144 grams)

Source

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro