Xiaomi just officially announced the Xiaomi Redmi 3 budget smartphone earlier today and it’s more than what we could expect from a 699 Yuan ($106) smartphone. The phone comes with mid-range specs, which are quite impressive for its segment along with a killer metal body (well, some may disagree) that puts other budget phones to shame.

So, now that the cat’s out of the bag, we can expect third-party retailers to stock up the device as the demand is definitely going to be strong. Like tradition, even Giztop has listed the Redmi 3 handset for pre-order and it’s available for a price tag of $149 at the moment. It’s a bit on the high side but then the retailer promises free shipping, and No Custom / VAT charges for most countries. Not a bad deal, considering the value that you get for this price.

In case you missed our previous article on the Xiaomi Redmi 3, here are the official specs of the device. The phone comes with the mid-range Snapdragon 616 processor with an updated X5 LTE modem. There will 2GB of RAM on board which will ensure smooth multi-tasking along with 16GB of internal storage, further expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD. The screen will be of 5-inches with 720p HD resolution.

At the back, you will find a 13MP rear camera with PDAF focusing in just 0.1 seconds. Up front, you get a 5MP front facing shooter. One of the major highlights of the device is the battery onboard. Inside the thin 8.5mm body, the Xiaomi Redmi 3 features a large 4100mAh high-density battery, which is really impressive. The company CEO says that you should easily get around 2 days of usage with this battery.

Overall body is made out of metal, which will be sturdy as well as looks good. Also, if you are a fan of the plaid design, you would be happy to know that the phone features such a pattern at the back. And for those who hate the back design (and I see that there are many), you can always go for a back cover for the device. The phone is available in three colors, silver, gray and gold.

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Xiaomi’s Redmi lineup is due for an update next year and looks like we have already got a glimpse of the upcoming Redmi 3 smartphone. The phone just passed through TENAA recently with the model number 2015815, revealing most of its specifications as well as the design.

The TENAA listing reveals that the Redmi 3 will feature a similar design as the Remi Note 3. The device seems to come with an all metal body, much like its elder sibling. So, it looks like Xiaomi is going to start a trend of releasing metal clad Redmi smartphones in the coming months. It’s not the thinnest of smartphones in the market, measuring 8.5mm, but it’s pretty decent for its size. Moreover, like the Redmi Note 3, we may see a large battery inside the device, which will justify its thickness.

As for the specs, the Redmi 3 handset will feature a 5-inch 720p display with an octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. It could either be the Snapdragon 616 chip or the new Helio P10 MT6755 chip. There will be 2GB of RAM on board along with 16GB of storage. The phone will support dual SIM dual Standby with 4G LTE support. As for the software, the listing reveals the phone will run on Android 5.1.1, which should be based on the company’s MIUI 7 OS. Unfortunately, the listing reveals nothing about the phone’s battery capacity.

Overall, the Redmi 3 turns out to be a good handset in the budget category. According to the latest rumors, the phone should be priced at around 699 Yuan which comes to just $108. Not at all a bad deal, considering the phone’s looks and specs.

As for the release date, we can expect to meet the device sometime next year. The best guess would be a launch alongside the Xiaomi Mi 5 flagship in January. But as of now, nothing is confirmed.

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