At the beginning of 2019, the Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi introduced a completely new generation of Redmi Note 7 for our full review, which received many interesting features and worthy specifications. In this article, we take a detailed look at all the functions of a smartphone and compare it with previous predecessors.
As you can remember, Redmi Note 5 got very good popularity among the middle category of phones, although the next generation Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 did not get such an agiotage. As for the new generation, we will try to reveal all the advantages and disadvantages of Redmi Note 7.
Not surprisingly, Redmi Note 7 is able to take back the reputation up and try to do even better than Redmi Note 5 did.
Now the price of Redmi Note 7 is about $185 and faces such competitors as Honor 8X, Samsung Galaxy J6 (2018), as well as its predecessor Redmi Note 6 Pro, which costs about $190.
The main feature of the new Redmi Note 7 will be the 48-megapixel main camera. Is all of this true with the main camera sensor or is it a company’s advertising move to lure customers? There is also a large 6.3-inch screen with waterdrop notch, as for the processor, it is the same well-known Snapdragon 660.
Let’s begin our full review with the technical specs of Redmi Note 7.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Specifications
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: | Specs |
|---|---|
| Display: | 6.3 inches with 720 x 1560 pixels |
| CPU: | Snapdragon 660 Octa Core 2.2GHz |
| GPU: | Adreno 512 |
| RAM: | 3/4GB |
| Internal memory: | 32/64GB |
| Memory extension: | up to 256GB |
| Cameras: | 48.0MP + 5MP main and 13MP front camera |
| Connectivity: | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band,3G, 4G, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS |
| Battery: | 4000mAh (5V/2A) Quick Charge 4 |
| OS: | Android 9.0 (MIUI 10) |
| Connections: | Type-C USB and 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Weight: | 186 grams |
| Dimensions: | 159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1 mm |
| Price: | $201 |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Design and Appearance
External features between Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 6 are almost gone. Instead of a metal back cover now installed glass panel with the iridescent gradient.
In appearance, the back panel looks like the Honor 8X. But as you may know, glass is a very branded material, so fingerprints will be present. I also recommend buying an additional case for protection from scratches.
The slightly rounded edges of the Redmi Note 7 allow the smartphone to rest comfortably in your hands, but because of the large screen, it is difficult to use with one hand.
The screen occupies an important place with just over 81% of the ratio of the screen to the front of the phone, this is due to the presence of a waterdrop notch on the top of the panel.
On the sides of the screen, the frames remained small, but they could be smaller from the bottom and from the top, but this corresponds to its budget price.
In general, the design of the smartphone has seriously changed for the better, which will allow Redmi Note 7 to go to the next level.
As for the power and volume buttons, they are located on the right side and are easily accessible. Like the fingerprint scanner on the back.
Also pleased that Xiaomi installed USB Type-C port and forgot about micro USB as it was in the predecessors.
On top is a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones and a microphone.
According to Xiaomi, the new Redmi Note 7 is only the beginning in their line of smartphones, and further smartphones will receive premium materials even at budget prices as they were before.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Display
It would be surprising to see the AMOLED screen on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7. This technology is still used for high-end smartphones.
This does not mean that the 6.3-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 with an aspect ratio of 19.5: 9 in Note 7 is bad.
We measured a satisfactory contrast ratio for this technology (1430: 1). Brightness reaches 488 cd/m² maximum, which will allow Redmi Note 7 to remain legible in sunlight.
Xiaomi shows excellent results, providing a very good color reproduction. The best result is achieved when choosing the “Warm gamma” color temperature in the display settings. This temperature is 6426K, which is the norm (6500K).
As I mentioned in the design section, on top you can see a waterdrop notch for the front camera.
As for me, it looks much better than the big notch of the Redmi Note 6. Therefore, the screen to body ratio became larger than that of the predecessor due to the smaller notch.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Hardware and Performance
From a performance point of view, there is no real evolution between Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 6 Pro. But with the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 got a slightly improved Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC processor with 8 cores with a clock frequency of 2.2 GHz.
As for the memory, the changes with the predecessors did not change here, it’s all the same 3 or 4GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of internal memory with the possibility of increasing the microSD card to 256GB.
As the tests have already shown, there is not much difference between the Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 636. Therefore, the performance of Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 with its predecessors will be insignificant. Redmi Note 7 even now remains above most of its direct competitors.
When we used the phone Redmi Note 7 in tests with heavy games or applications, the outdoor temperature did not exceed more than 36°C on a small part of the front panel.
For games, the Adreno 512 graphics chip is used here. It provides good performance, even in heavy games such as PUBG Mobile or Asphalt 9, but with slightly higher average graphics settings.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Software
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 debuted with the latest version of Android 9.0 Pie with the proprietary interface MIUI 10 of the Chinese manufacturer.
At the time of writing this test on Redmi Note 7, an update has been installed since January 2019.
The Xiaomi interface has improved slightly over time but still remains relatively different from the standard version of Android.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 downloads several pre-installed applications. These include the classic Google package (Gmail, YouTube, Maps, and others), the Microsoft package (Word, Excel, Skype, and others), applications for Facebook or Xiaomi, such as a forum application.
Like previous phones, the new Redmi Note 7 uses navigation gestures, more and more common and reminiscent of the iPhone XS.
You can return to the main screen by swiping your finger along the bottom of the front panel, return from the edge of the screen, or access multitasking. The standard navigation system can be replaced by the usual keys in the phone settings.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Sound
The disappearance of the 3.5 mm audio jack has not yet reached the segment of smartphones at the low or midrange phones. This applies to Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 with the presence of a headphone jack.
As well as the audio connector, the speaker has good sound quality with very loud sound, but sometimes there is not enough bass, although this fully corresponds to its price.
If we talk about communication quality, then Redmi Note 7 has a similar connection as previous models. The interviewee hears us well and we did not find any interference or failures.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Cameras
The camera for any smartphone is an important factor when choosing a mobile device. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 was equipped with a 48-megapixel sensor, like Huawei with its Nova 4 model.
Although this is an advertising campaign for the company since it is a Sony IMX586 12-megapixel module, which was interpolated 4 times to increase the number of megapixels.
On the rear panel is a dual camera: the main module with a 48-megapixel sensor and an f/1.8 aperture and a second sensor with a 5-megapixel camera for blurring the background.
In daylight, the photo looks good for its price and also uses auxiliary AI processors to improve the quality.
In low light, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 is a little different from its predecessors with an f/1.8 aperture and the quality of photos is slightly better than its competitors. You can see a few examples below.
When filming you have the ability to record only in 1080p at 30, 60 or 120 frames per second. With such a large 48-megapixel sensor, this seems to be a low resolution, I would like to have a video at 4K. Like its predecessors, the phone is equipped with electronic stabilization.
The front camera on the Xiaomi is a 13-megapixel front sensor. If you compare it with Redmi Note 6 Pro, it has a dual front-facing camera with 20 and 2 megapixels. Since the last generation, Redmi Note has a small waterdrop notch, it is, therefore, difficult to do something better than in this case. As for the front camera, Redmi Note 7 has good photos with regard to its price.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Battery
The autonomy of the work was one of the strengths of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 or Note 6 Pro, and it is still present in Xiaomi Redmi Note 7.
The smartphone is equipped with a 4000 mAh battery capacity and shows very good battery life. When using the phone in our tests, we managed to achieve results in 9 hours of screen on time.
With average daily use, this means two full days of battery life or a little more than one day with more intensive use.
The main advantage compared to its predecessors is the presence of a Type-C port with Quick Charge 4 charging. This will charge the device from 10% to 65% in 30 minutes.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Conclusions and Reviews
In our review, a new generation of Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 received a big update compared to Redmi Note 5 or Redmi Note 6.
Nevertheless, this is not a flagship powerful smartphone, but Redmi Note 7 still has good performance even for heavy games or applications with medium graphics settings.
As for the screen, the Redmi Note 7 received a slight change, namely waterdrop notch on the front panel, and in fact, it looks a little better than its predecessors. The disadvantage is one sensor on the front panel, although the Redmi Note 6 Pro has a dual camera installed.
Another disadvantage is the promotional move of the company with a 48-megapixel sensor, although in reality, it is a 12-megapixel module. Although the quality of photos for its price is good and can compete with other manufacturers.
Very pleased with the battery life with a 4000 mAh battery, which is able to work for a very long time without recharging and the availability of fast charging through the Type-C port.
Of course, Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 is one of the best smartphones with a price-quality ratio in early 2019.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: Price and Where to buy cheaper?
As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, now you can buy a Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 smartphone at a very attractive price for only $185.75 with standard equipment, if you want additional accessories then you will need to pay extra.
The new generation of Redmi Note 7 has an ideal ratio of price and technical specs, the external elements of which have improved, and the performance and autonomy of the work remains as good as its predecessors.
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