Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro review: Class apart, trend setter

Last month, Xiaomi unveiled the new Redmi Note 7 Pro, the company's first smartphone of the year in India and in fact, it was also a global debut. During the presentation, Xiaomi took its own sweet time to describe its camera, processor, design and other aspects of the Redmi Note 7 Pro and when the time came for the price announcement, I and many other fellow reporters and bloggers covering the event, we're betting the device would be priced in the upwards of Rs 20,000.

But, to everyone's surprise, Xiaomi revealed that the Redmi Note 7 Pro would start at Rs 13,999 (4GB RAM + 64GB storage) and the top-end with 6GB RAM and 128GB costs just Rs 17,999. It left many perplexed how Xiaomi would come with such a ridiculously low price-tag for the Redmi Note 7 series, which compared to rival brands with similar features, cost more than the double.

Does the Redmi Note 7 Pro really live up to the hype? Well, Xiaomi has provided a review unit to the International Business Times, India Edition to judge it and here's what I learnt about this new game changer of a phone.

Build quality, design and display:

The Redmi Note 6 Pro and its predecessor, Redmi Note 5 Pro already set a benchmark for build quality in the mid-range class of phones and now, with the Redmi Note 7 Pro, Xiaomi has taken it a notch up.

The glass-enclosed Redmi Note 7 Pro with a metallic frame around the edges exude premium feel, which I believe is unparallel in its class. Though its fingerprint magnet, many in my office were really impressed with the design and build quality of the Xiaomi phone and couldn't believe it costs less than Rs 14,000.

It also comes with P2i coating, meaning the Xiaomi phone can sustain accidental water splashes and rain shower. Furthermore, the company is offering a shell case in the retail package. This will help improve the durability of the Redmi Note 7 Pro.

It sports 6.3-inch full HD+ (2340x1080p) LCD with 2.5D glass screen and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 shield (even on the back too). The display is very bright and can be adjustable to control blue light for night time reading. Even under the bright sunny condition, I didn't have trouble reading the content on the screen.

I have small hands and had a bit trouble operating phone single handed on the Redmi Note 7 Pro, but thanks to MIUI, there is an option to minimise the screen layout to resolve my shortcoming. With the widescreen, I had a pleasant experience watching TV series, movies and trailers on YouTube.

Performance:

My review unit has 4GB RAM, 64GB storage (expandable up to 256GB storage) and packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 octa-core processor. It works buttery smooth and I'm pretty sure the top-end model with sumptuous 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, will perform even better.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro base variant showed not even slightest hint of lag-ness when loading apps, switching between apps, camera operation (snapping images & video recording), watching videos and even playing PUBG Mobile game.

In the AnTuTu benchmark tests, the Redmi Note 7 Pro scored a staggering 1,81,852 points and on the GeekBench, it got an impressive 6,193 and 2,398 points on multi-core and single-core tests, respectively.

Camera:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro houses dual primary camera-- a 48MP (with Sony IMX586 sensor, F1.79 aperture) and a 5MP (F2.4 aperture) with PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus), EIS (Electronic Image Stabilisation) and AI Portrait mode, dual-tone LED flash.

I want to stress the fact that unlike other rival brands, the Redmi Note 7 Pro has a true 48MP camera and takes stunning images in natural sunny and even low-light conditions. In the Night mode, the camera requires the user to stay steady, as it takes a few seconds to process the image. The resultant images are decent, but I have to say, it is by the best among any brands in its price range.

My tip to the Redmi Note 7 Pro owner is to use the night mode in situations such as controlled light conditions like monuments with street lights in the background and in pitch darkness, take the normal mode photo with LED flash on. In both the circumstances, you are assured of great pictures worth sharing on social media channels.

If you want to get the 48MP picture, you have to settings (sandwich icon) in the right top corner to select the same namesake and rest assured, you will really get a nice picture with great details of the scene, which even some upper mid-range phones ( Rs 35,000-price Plus) cannot match it.

Also, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) works like charm and is accurate in most of the time in identifying the locale type and optimising the camera to get the best shot possible.

On the front, the13MP snapper is impressive and the AI Portrait mode is best compared other branded phones in the market.

Battery:

This aspect is very subjective, as the device's battery life depends on how you use. Xiaomi's Redmi Note 7 Pro comes with 4,000mAh battery, same as the Redmi Note 6 Pro and its predecessor. But, with new Snapdragon 675, the Redmi Note 7 Pro will offer a full day's battery which most of us crave and if used more conservatively, it delivers more actually. As a non-gamer user, my review unit gave more than one and a half day of battery life. If you happen to watch a tad more videos and also play games in your free time, it will last more than 10 hours easily.

Final thoughts:

After using it for more than three weeks, I did not find any discerning shortcomings in the Redmi Note 7 Pro in terms of functionality and actually, it delivers more than the price it commands. Xiaomi phone ticks all five critical aspects in a phone, which the consumer, particularly young and salaried class people look for. It has uber cool design & high durable build quality, great camera (best in its class. Period), really long lasting battery, a powerful processor configuration and most importantly, the low-price, which plays a very crucial role in the minds of shrewd Indian consumers while making the purchase.

Right now, you won't find a better phone with such specifications-to-price-ratio in the Indian market that can match Redmi Note 7 Pro.

The only qualm I have with Xiaomi is that it is not making enough Redmi Note 7 Pro units to satiate demand in the market; despite having multiple mobiles assembling plans in India, the company is still hosting a flash sale and for me, this is just criminal.

Pros:

• Visually appealing design
• Premium build quality
• Powerful processor and good RAM+ storage configuration options
• Excellent camera hardware
• Long lasting battery
• The price tag is ridiculously low for such a feature-rich phone

Cons:

• Conducting flash sale in 2019 should be labelled as a cardinal sin. I am getting lots of requests from friends and colleagues for F-codes, but I'm helpless. I exhausted my two f-codes before the first flash sale and another two, which I requested the PR agency last week, is also gone.

Key Specifications Of Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: