Xiaomi has launched numerous groundbreaking smartphones over the years, from flagship killers to budget champions, making a significant impact in the smartphone industry. With its sub-brands Redmi and Poco, Xiaomi has delivered some of the most popular and game-changing devices, leading it to reign as the No.1 smartphone brand in India for 20 consecutive quarters (Q3 2017 – Q2 2022). Continue reading to discover the best Xiaomi smartphones of all time that left a lasting impact.

Redmi 2 Prime

The Redmi 1S, launched at Rs 6,999 in August 2014, was immensely popular in India. Following its success, Xiaomi introduced the Redmi 2, which also received a positive response. In August 2015, the brand released the Redmi 2 Prime, an upgraded version of the Redmi 2, which became an instant hit. Its 4G connectivity proved timely, as demand for faster mobile data was rapidly increasing. Moreover, the Redmi 2 Prime was Xiaomi’s first “Make in India” smartphone, tapping into nationalistic sentiment and further boosting interest. Its affordable price of Rs 6,999 also played a key role in driving sales.

Redmi Note 3

The Redmi Note 3 became a massive success due to its unmatched value for money. Priced at Rs 9,999, it disrupted the mid-range market by offering impressive specifications at an affordable price. A key factor was its Snapdragon 650 processor, which delivered strong mid-range performance and a smooth user experience. The device featured a 5.5-inch Full HD LCD display and a premium metal body, a significant upgrade at this price point that enhanced its perceived quality. Additionally, the fingerprint sensor, still uncommon in this segment at the time, added to its appeal. With a combination of powerful performance, solid build quality, and advanced features, the Redmi Note 3 became one of Xiaomi’s most successful smartphones.

Poco F1

The Poco F1, launched in 2018, marked the birth of Xiaomi’s sub-brand Poco and became an instant hit for offering a flagship Snapdragon 845 processor at an unprecedented starting price of Rs 20,999. In comparison, other Snapdragon 845-powered phones like the Asus Zenfone 5Z, OnePlus 6, LG G7+ ThinQ, and Google Pixel 3 were priced between Rs 30,000 and Rs 70,000. The Poco F1 delivered high-end performance, a liquid cooling system, and a 4,000mAh battery, making it ideal for gamers and power users. While its polycarbonate build was a cost-cutting measure, the phone’s speed, battery life, and affordability made it one of the best value-for-money smartphones of its time. Its aggressive pricing disrupted the market, earning Poco a dedicated fanbase.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, launched in 2021, gained popularity for its cutting-edge hardware and premium design. It stood out with its large rectangular camera module, giving it a distinct “camera phone” look. The module housed a massive 1/1.12-inch 50MP Samsung GN2 sensor, making it one of the best camera smartphones of its time. Another feature that set it apart from other flagship phones was the secondary display on the back. This small rear screen provided quick access to notifications, enabled easier selfies using the main cameras, and displayed other useful information.

Powered by the Snapdragon 888, the Mi 11 Ultra featured a 6.81-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a ceramic back, and the unique secondary display, making it a standout in the flagship segment. Despite its high price of Rs 69,999, its top-tier cameras, powerful performance, and innovative design attracted enthusiasts, solidifying its place as one of Xiaomi’s most ambitious smartphones.

Redmi Note 10 Pro

The Redmi Note 10 Pro surged in popularity due to its impressive features at a mid-range price. ¹ It popularized high-brightness OLED displays, offering vibrant visuals. ² The global version’s 108-megapixel quad-camera setup (64-megapixel in India) delivered exceptional photography. Furthermore, the return to a glass back provided a premium feel, setting it apart from competitors. Redmi’s strategy of offering flagship-level features like a stunning OLED display, a 108/64-megapixel camera, and an elegant design made it a highly sought-after device.

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Although Xiaomi sells expensive smartphones, the company’s cheaper handsets are popular worldwide. In fact, in India. Xiaomi is known as Redmi among commoners, thanks to value for money phones like Redmi A series, Redmi number series, and Redmi Note series. The latter series has now achieved a huge milestone, as per Xiaomi.

Yesterday, ahead of the Mi 11 global launch event, Xiaomi India announced a brag-worthy achievement on its various social media handles.

The Chinese smartphone maker revealed that it has shipped over 200 million units of Redmi Note series phones globally to date. This data is sourced from the firm’s own ‘Xiaomi Data Center’.

It is not surprising to learn that the global shipments of the Redmi Note series have exceeded 200 million units since its inception. This series has been the heart of Xiaomi’s product lineup ever since it was introduced.

Redmi Notes have been unbeatable in their price segment for a very long time. However, that began to change when realme entered the scene. But being an established product lineup, they are still as popular as they were before.

That said, Xiaomi is known for announcing its milestones ahead of releasing new devices. Hence, we think the Redmi Note 10 series is just around the corner. The upcoming series is reported to include two models, namely Redmi Note 10 and Redmi Note 10 Pro. As of now, we are only aware of the storage configurations and color variants of these handsets.

RELATED:

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• MIUI 12.5 Global is Official: Features and rollout details
• Xiaomi Mi TV Q1 75-inch launched: 4K, QLED, 360° Bluetooth remote, Google Assistant & more!

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 users in India can now rejoice since the company has released the stable MIUI 10 update. The Chinese manufacturer is yet to release an official statement on it. However, some of the Redmi Note 3 users have took to the Mi Forums to confirm that they have received the MIUI 10 update.

The MIUI 10.1.1.0.MHOMIFI over-the-air (OTA) update that has been released for Redmi Note 3 is based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow which has been the last major Android version update.  The MIUI 10 update also includes Android security month update for July. The update weighs 261 MB.

The MIUI 10.1 update is being made available in phases. Users can manually check for the arrival of the update by checking system updates in Settings. The update brings along revamped Settings menu along with enhancements for camera, updater and recorder.

Through the Chinese edition of the official forum site, Xiaomi has confirmed that the upcoming MIUI 10.2 update will be the last major software update for Xiaomi Mi 5 and Redmi Note 3 Pro (same as Redmi Note 3 for India). However, there is no official confirmation on whether the company will be releasing the MIUI 10.2 update for Redmi Note 3 in India.

• Read More: Xiaomi Mi Play live shot and unboxing video leaked

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and Mi 5 were handsets were launched in 2016. Since the company is known for providing software updates for as long as four years, the sudden announcement of withdrawing software support has not been received well by Mi fans.

The Redmi Note 3 was a very well-received mid-range phone from the company. It featured 5.5-inch FHD+ display, Snapdragon 650 chipset, up to 3 GB RAM, 16-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera and 4,050mAh battery. The Xiaomi Mi 5 was a flagship phone powered by Snapdragon 820. The handset had encountered lukewarm response in India.

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Xiaomi had introduced the MIUI 9 proprietary Android skin in July last year. The company began the roll out of the MIUI 9 Global Stable ROM from November. Xiaomi’s Global VP and Managing Director for India confirmed on Twitter earlier this week on the list of Xiaomi phones that are eligible to receive the MIUI 9 update. The eligible devise list reveals that even four-year old phones such as Mi 3 and Redmi 1S will be treated with the MIUI 9 update.

Here is the list of 21 Xiaomi phones that are eligible to receive the MIUI 9 update:

Redmi series: Redmi 1S, Redmi 2, Redmi 2 Prime, Redmi 3, Redmi 3S Prime, Redmi 4, Redmi 4A, Redmi Y1, Redmi Y1 Lite

Redmi Note series: Redmi Note 4G, Redmi Note Prime, Redmi Note 3, Redmi Note 4

Mi series: Mi 3, Mi 4, Mi 4i, Mi 5, Mi Max, Mi Max Prime, Mi Max 2, Mi MIX 2

Read More: Xiaomi Redmi 5 Priced at Rs. 7,999 Has Arrived In India with Full Screen Design

Some of the aforementioned smartphones have already received the MIUI 9. Newer handsets such as the Redmi Note 4, Redmi Y1, Redmi Y1 Lite, Mi MIX 2, Mi Max 2 are receiving the Android Nougat flavored version of MIUI 9 update. However, some of the older phones such as Redmi Note 3 are receiving Android 6.0 Marshmallow flavored MIUI 9 update which lacks some of the features like split-screen mode.

The MIUI 9 Global Stable ROM should automatically arrive as OTA update on the above listed phones. Alternatively, users can manually check for the arrival of the MIUI 9 update by navigating to Settings > About Phone > System Update. It is recommended for users to perform the data backup for their device before installing the MIUI 9 Global Stable ROM.

(source)

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China celebrates 11^th of November as Singles’ Day. It is world’s biggest online shopping day. On this day, various tech brands offer their devices with attractive discounts. Xiaomi has confirmed on the special deals that will be available on AliExpress on the upcoming 11/11 shopping day.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 and Mi 6

During the 11/11 sale, Xiaomi will be selling 300 units of the Mi MIX 2 flagship phone with a price tag of $489.99. It means that the phablet will be available with an attractive discount of around $123 over its usual price of $612.49. The 64 GB Xiaomi Mi 6 will be available for $369 on Nov. 11. The company will be providing only 500 units of Mi 6 at discounted price.

Xiaomi Mi A1 and Mi Max 2

Xiaomi will be the slashing the price of Mi A1 from $243.74 to $194.99. Also, it will be selling 2,000 units of the Mi A1 on Nov. 11. Xiaomi will be offering 1,140 units of Xiaomi Mi Max 2 with a price tag of $217.99. Its usual pricing is $279.47.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A

The Redmi Note 5A with 16 GB storage will be available with an impressive pricing of $99. Xiaomi will be providing 1,250 units of the phablet at such a low price during the upcoming sale. Its 32 GB variant will be available for $136.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 and Redmi 4X

The Chinese manufacturer will be offering 4,000 units of Redmi Note 4 with a discounted price tag of $136.99. Its usual pricing is $171.24. The phablet will be available in 3 GB and 4 GB RAM options. The 32 GB Redmi 4X will be available for $116. Xiaomi will be selling 1,120 units of Redmi 4X on Nov. 11.

Xiaomi Notebook Air 13.3

Xiaomi Notebook Air 13.3 will be available for $799 after a discount of $200. The company will be providing only 1,000 units for $799 on 11/11.

Xiaomi Mi Band 2

The $9 discount on Mi Band 2 will allow users to purchase it for $20.99.  The Chinese firm will be giving away 5,400 units of Mi Band 2 at discounted price.

All the aforementioned smartphones are global version devices. The company is also offering attractive price cuts on Mi Box 3 and Mijia Mini Action Camera.

What do you think about the above discounts? Will purchase any of the above listed devices? Share us your thoughts by adding your comments below.

(source)

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Xiaomi Redmi 4A budget smartphone was made available for purchase in India on March 23. The Chinese manufacturer claims that it sold 2.5 lakhs units of Redmi 4A through Amazon.in and Mi.com in just 4 minutes. Also, Xiaomi had sold more than 1 million Redmi Note 4 units in India in just 45 days after its launch on January 23. Well-known industry expert Kevin Wang has claimed that Xiaomi is expected to achieve highly impressive sales record in India in 2017.

The Chinese tech company had confirmed in January that it crossed the $1 billion revenue mark in just first two years of operating in India. The present popularity of the Redmi Note 4 and Redmi 4A smartphones suggests that it will be achieving huge sales result this year. Wang has predicted that the sales of Xiaomi smartphones is going to exceed 18 million units as the company seems to be selling 1.5 million units per month.

He has added that the Indian market is going through a shift from feature phones to smartphones. The demand for smartphones are increasing in India and Xiaomi seems to have timed the release of its budget friendly smartphones quite well in the country.

Related: Real Image of Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus Surfaces Online, Shows Dual Cameras

On March 20, Xiaomi announced its second manufacturing plant in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, India. The first manufacturing unit was setup at the same location in August 2015. The new plant that is owned and operated by Xiaomi’s partner firm Foxconn will be only manufacturing Xiaomi smartphones. With this new plant, 95 percent of the phones sold in India would be manufactured in the country. The combined production of both manufacturing unit will let the company produce 1 phone per second in India.

Xiaomi has already started teasing the launch of Redmi 4 and Redmi Prime that be arriving as successor phones for Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime. The arrival of these phones are expected to generate more sales for the company. The Redmi 3S and Redmi Note 3 smartphones from last year are contributing considerably to the online smartphone sales with 50 percent market share among the leading 10 smartphones in India.

(source)

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The international variant of the Redmi Note 4 sports a Snapdragon 625 processor unlike the Chinese variant which has a Mediatek Helio X20 chip. According to an internal source, the Chinese market might be getting a Snapdragon version too.

The source says Xiaomi is planning to release a new Redmi Note 4 for the Chinese market that will feature a Snapdragon 625 SoC. That just sounds like the international variant will be available in China, right? Actually there is more to it than just the chip. Apart from the new processor, the phone will also be getting a new antenna design and will use a new manufacturing process which is less expensive.

The cheaper manufacturing process means the new Redmi Note 4 may be priced less, falling between the range of ¥900 – ¥1300 (~$131 – $189).

The news of a newer model isn’t much of a surprise. If you remember, when the Redmi Note 3 was released back in November of 2015, it launched with a Helio X10 chip. Fast forward to February 2016, Xiaomi released a Snapdragon 650 variant and later stopped production of the Mediatek model. Chances are that the Helio X20 Redmi Note 4 will face the same fate. The Snapdragon variant of the Redmi Note 3 not only came with a better processor but also featured SD card support and an upgraded camera.

READ MORE: Coral Blue Xiaomi Mi Note 2 Coming Soon?

If Xiaomi continues this tradition, some folks might decide to rather wait for a few months for the Snapdragon variant instead of rushing to buy the Mediatek model.

(Source)

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A new listing of Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 on GFXBench shows the smartphone running on Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS. Hence, it is likely that the phablet is likely to get the software update soon.

The Redmi Note 3 with 32 GB storage and 3 GB of RAM has appeared on GFXBench. The operating system of the handset is mentioned as Android 7.1.1. This indicates that the Chinese manufacturer is testing the smartphone with the latest Android version. There are no details available on the version of MIUI present on the device.

However, since some of the specs of the smartphone appears to be mentioned incorrectly, the news about Nougat update for Redmi Note 3 should be taken with a pinch of a salt. The GFXBench listing shows that the smartphone features a 5.7-inch full HD display, but it actually features a 5.5-inch screen. The processing speed of hexa-core processor is shown as 2.0 GHz, but in reality its processing speed is 1.8 GHz.

Related: Xiaomi Won’t Be Attending Mobile World Congress 2017

Xiaomi had released the Marshmallow update customized with MIUI 8 skin for Redmi Note 3 users in December 2016. Hence, it is unlikely to release the newer software so soon to Redmi Note 3 users. Moreover, Xiaomi has also released Redmi Note 4 to succeed Redmi Note 3. If the company released Android 7.1.1 Nougat for Redmi Note 3, it is likely that its successor would be also treated with the latest flavor of Android.

In the past, the Xiaomi Mi 4c was spotted on a benchmarking site Android 7.0 Nougat. Some of the other Xiaomi smartphones that are rumored to receive Nougat update soon include Xiaomi Mi 4c, 4i 4s, Mi Max, Mi Note, Mi Note 2, Mi 5, Mi 5s and Mi Mix. However, the Chinese company has not revealed any information on when will it be releasing Nougat update to its device.

(source)

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The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 was launched 3 weeks ago. The phone sports a 5.5” FHD display like the Note 3, it also comes in two RAM+ROM variants (2GB+16GB and 3GB+64GB).

Apart from the storage option doubled in the 3GB RAM version, the other major change in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is the Mediatek Helio X20 SoC.

Most people speculated that Xiaomi will launch another version with a Snapdragon 652 processor, just like they launched a snapdragon 650 version of the Redmi Note 3, which originally came with a Helio X10 chip. But analyst, Pan Jiutang says that will not be happening.

So for those of you who have been staving off the purchase of a Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 because you are expecting a snapdragon version, Mr Jiutang says your wish will not be fulfilled so you better pick up the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 now.

If Xiaomi truly doesn’t launch a snapdragon version of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, that doesn’t mean they won’t do so for the Xiaomi Redmi Pro, which in my opinion needs a snapdragon version more than the former.

READ MORE: LeEco Cool 1 Vs Redmi Pro

Don’t want to wait for Xiaomi? Then you can grab the LeEco and Coolpad collaboration, the Cool1, which has a Snapdragon 652 processor, dual rear cameras, 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, a 4060mAh battery, and runs Android 6.0 for about the same $200 price.

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Gearbest has a new top brand sale going on, which kicks off today, wherein products from trusted manufacturers like Xiaomi, ONDA, UMi and other brands are up for sale. The sale which starts today offers products ranging from smartphones, smart bands, earphones to motherboards and robot vacuum cleaners. Xiaomi, Teclast, ILIFE, SHCAM are some of the top known brands that are in the sale. To make things easy, you can select the brand from the hovering menu option on the side as seen on Gearbest’s dedicated sale page.

So, what are some of the top products up for sale?

If you are looking for Xiaomi products, then the Redmi 3 is available at $125, the Redmi Note 3 at $197.69, Original Xiaomi earphones at $16 and even the Chinese version of Mi Router 3 at $29.99. The Mi Band 2 smartband is also listed at $31.59.

Then there are tablets from Teclast with cheap options like the Teclast X80 listed at $80,the X98 2-in-1 listed at $159.99 and the Teclast Tbook 11 at $165.99.

There are robot vacuum cleaners from ILIFE as well, starting at $120. Sports Cameras lik SJCAM SJ4000 and M20 2160p models are listed at $69.99 and $104.69 respectively. Other products include TV Boxes from Beelink, Quadcopters from HUBSAN, IP cameras from Sricam etc.

You can check out the entire products up for sale from the dedicated sales page on Gearbest. Check out the link below for details.

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Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 4 launched last week and truth be told it is actually the Redmi Pro (Helio X20) without the dual cameras and OLED screen.

The Redmi Note 4 retains the same screen size and resolution as its older sibling but has a more refined build. The speaker is now positioned beside the charging port (which now sits in the middle). A change from it’s position in the back which sort of muffled the sound when placed on a flat surface. The Redmi Note 4 also has a silver frame that goes all around it.

The front facing camera and proximity sensor now flank the speaker at the top and are smaller in size now. The company has made no changes to the placement of the rear camera and fingerprint scanner.

RELATED: Xiaomi Mido Sporting SD 625 Seen on GeekBench

The Redmi Note 4 comes in two versions: 2GB + 16GB and 3GB + 64GB. It has a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front facing camera for selfies. Its Helio X20 SoC is clocked at 2.1 GHz and it uses a hybrid SIM slot which.The battery is still the same as that of the Note 3 but now supports 5V 2A fast charging. Price starts at 899 Yuan ($135) for the 2GB variant and 1199 Yuan ($180) for the 3GB version but expect to shell out more cash from online shops and re-sellers.

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Folks who own the Redmi Note 3 (Snapdragon and Mediatek) that have updated to MIUI 8 must have noticed that the android version is still stuck on Lollipop. It’s actually sad, knowing that one of the best selling Redmi phones is still running lollipop when Android 7.0 Nougat has already been released.

MIUI’s operations manager @RanGer posted on Weibo that Android 6.0 Marshmallow is being developed for the Snapdragon version of the Redmi Note 3. He mentioned that beta testing was supposed to begin yesterday but due to some problems that have not been ironed out, the beta program has been postponed. There is no news yet on the new date, so if you are eager to start testing, you might want to exercise a little bit of patience.

In the mean time, you can keep yourself busy by trying out the new features of MIUI 8.

Related: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Official

The post however makes no mention of the mediatek version. There are tens of thousands of people who own the Helio X10 version of the Redmi Note 3 (yours truly included) and it will be a great disservice if it doesn’t get updated to Marshmallow. It might even discourage people from picking up newer Xiaomi phones that have a mediatek processor such as the Redmi Pro, as there is a chance the company will release a version with a Qualcomm SoC that gets all the attention. Oh! We already covered a leak of a phone said to be the Redmi Pro Mini which has a Snapdragon 652 processor. You see what I’m saying?

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A report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) has revealed that the Redmi Note 3 launched by Xiaomi in India in March this year is the highest shipped smartphone for phone sold via the online channel in India. Now, the IDC report is not specific on a particular month but categorically gave the Redmi Note 3 the top position as the most shipped smartphone in the history of India’s online market in any given quarter.

Xiaomi has sold about 1.75 million units of the Redmi Note 3 in India in just five months of the smartphone’s release in the Indian market. The smartphone carried a budget price tag of Rs 9,999 in India boasting of mid-range specs such as 2GB RAM with 16GB of built-in storage, all-metal body, fingerprint sensors and a massive 4,050mAh battery. The Redmi Note 3 also became the first smartphone in India to feature Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 650 chipset.

According to the IDC report, Xiaomi clocked record-breaking shipments of 880,000 units of the Redmi Note 3 online in the second quarter of 2016 which is almost twice the volume of the second highest shipped smartphone in the online channel in India.

Xiaomi started selling its smartphones in India in July 2014 and since then, the Chinese innovative start-up has shown a steady growth rate of 72% year-on-year from July 2016 to July 2016, with the Redmi Note 4 putting up a stellar performance thereby contributing to the majority of Xiaomi’s total shipments in Q2 2016.

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Even though we haven’t stopped talking about the Redmi Note 3, new info has appeared for the Redmi Note 4. A weibo account which goes by the name Said Yang Feng Technology posted that the Redmi Note 4 should be arriving soon. He also mentioned that it is oversized which points towards a larger than 5.5” screen.

If the info above is true,we should be looking at a possible end of summer release for the Redmi Note 4.

Previously, someone also mentioned that the Redmi Note 4 will be powered by a Snapdragon 652 processor, with 3GB of RAM, 16GB of ROM, support for Qualcomm’s QC 3.0 fast charge technology, and support all networks. Even if this is true, we are very sure there’ll be other versions sporting a different processor, and RAM + ROM combo.

RELATED: Two New Xiaomi Models Spotted, New Redmis Coming ?

Analyst Kevin Wang of IHS Technology also posted that Xiaomi has powerful products lined up for the second half of the year and they plan to achieve a record sale of 20 million devices for the third quarter. To achieve this number, Xiaomi will definitely need to have more than 2 phones (Mi 5s and Mi Note 2) in their production pipeline.

The Redmi Note 3 is still a good device if you are looking for something in the $200 range. It will be getting Xiaomi’s MIUI 8 update, although we don’t know if it will be also an update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

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Last night, Xiaomi sent out a new update for the Redmi Note 3 smartphone. Like tradition, users immediately started upgrading their phones hoping for better performance from their devices. For some, the update was installed automatically.

However, just after the update, users started complaining about frequent Wi-Fi disconnections and connection problems. Given that we practically cannot live without Wi-Fi nowadays, it became a big issue for the users who updated their devices. As a result, many of them resorted to the online forums to voice their problems. Also, some even complained that their phones were bricked after the automatic update. Imagine you are asleep and your phone updates automatically and you wake up to find out that your phone is bricked.

This is not the first time we are hearing about Redmi Note 3’s Wi-Fi issues. Earlier, we had found that many users were facing issues with connectivity with their MT6795 Helio X10 powered devices. So, some blamed the chipset for the problem. However, later Mediatek clarified that Helio X10’s Wi-Fi chip is fine and it is actually the software that’s the real culprit. While we expected the new update to improve the Wi-Fi connectivity, it seems to have worsened it.

So, if you have the Redmi Note 3, you better skip this one and wait for the next update.

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But, when it comes to the benchmark scores, the Snapdragon 650 clearly shows its superiority amongst its rivals. So, today, let’s take a close look at how the chip stands as compared to competitors i.e. Snapdragon 650 vs Helio X10 vs Snapdragon 808. In this comparison, we will take a look only at the AnTuTu scores, because that’s readily available at the moment. This is not an extensive comparison, rather it focuses on just the benchmark scores.

Firs of all, let’s take a look at the Snapdragon 650’s benchmark scores.

These scores are pretty good considering that the chip managed 78979 on AnTuTu! That used to be flagship level benchmark score on the app, which really shows how much power lies in the chip. The 2 x Cortex A72 cores + 4 x Cortex A53 cores make the chipset powerful as well as efficient. Moreover, Adreno 510 GPU makes sure that the chip’s graphics performance is going to be great.

Now comparing the Snapdragon 650 vs Helio X10 chipsets, we can see that Qualcomm has done a good job, making it much more powerful than Mediatek’s Helio X10.

Helio X10 used to be the star of the budget segment, ever since it was featured in the first Redmi Note 3 model. Xiaomi was the first to launch this chip in a 1000 Yuan smartphone and soon, others followed. The chip is actually pretty good for the budget segment and it manages to score about 48000 on AnTuTu.

But when compared to the Snapdragon 650, its no match. As you can see in the image above, Snapdragon 650 not only blows Helio X10 out of the park but its even better than the mid-range Snapdragon 808. Now, considering that hexa-core Snapdragon 808 powers many good smartphones like the LG G4 and the Xiaomi Mi 4C, it’s really great to see that the new generation Snapdragon 650 scores even higher than this chip.

That being said, now digest the fact that this chip powers the entry-level Redmi Note 3 (new generation) and you will understand what level budget smartphones have reached today!

Now, let’s take things to another level. Let’s bring in last year’s best smartphone chipset to the comparison, namely the Exynos 7420. The chip scores around 80K-85K on AnTuTu, which means this chip isn’t too far behind. So, performance wise, at least on AnTutu, it’s too close to 7420 for a budget chipset.

So, it looks like the Snapdragon 650 inside the new Redmi Note 3 is really quite powerful for a $100 smartphone.

While it’s great to see such a chip inside a budget mid-ranger, there is one section of the population that’s really going be disappointed to hear this news — EXISTING REDMI NOTE 3 OWNERS. There are a lot of fans who bought the old Redmi Note 3 in the past couple of months and they won’t be happy for sure.

So what do you think about the new Snapdragon 650 chipset? Do you think upgrading a phone with better specs every few months is really good for the industry?

The post Snapdragon 650 vs Helio X10 vs Snapdragon 808: AnTuTu Scores Compared! appeared first on Gizmochina.

It seems that it hasn’t been long since Xiaomi released the Redmi Note 2 and a lot of us thought that it will lead the Note lineup for quite some time. This is what we are used to and this is what the company usually follows. However, Xiaomi decided to pleasantly surprise us by releasing the 3rd generation “budget Note” – the Redmi Note 3. Find out more in our full review.

Thanks to Giztop for sending Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 for a review. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: VIDEO

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaVYx2Iah6k[/embedyt]

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: SPECS

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: UNBOXING

We see a slight change in terms of packaging. We have already got used to seeing the recycled paper boxes that come with Xiaomi phones but this time around the company made a better looking presentation.

The contents that come with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 include the charging brick, USB cable, documentation and a SIM ejector pin.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: DESIGN

It wouldn’t be a Note series if we had a small display. Well, it is not big either as 5.5″ panels have already become a standard. Still, you have to keep in mind that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is not the most compact phone.

I would say that the Redmi Note 3 has the most drastic design change in the series. It sports a great build quality and it uses all-metal unibody design, which I personally like. That means that gone are the days of a user-replacable battery and even the microSD card slot. It may be a deal breaker for some, especially for the power users.

On the bright side, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is the first Xiaomi’s phone ever to sport a fingerprint scanner, which is easy to setup, fast, accurate and works from a standby mode.

On the front we have a 5MP selfie snapper and a customisable LED light. On the bottom, there is a usual set of capacitive buttons, which also have a nice backlight.

When it comes to optics, we have a 13MP camera with dual tone dual LED flash and PDAF system.

The buttons, which are located on the right feel nice and they are made of metal too. On the left we have a dual micro SIM card slot.

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Besides the usual ports, it is really cool that Xiaomi adds the IR blaster in their budget phones lineup. The setup of it is pretty straightforward and I was able to control my old LG TV in a few minutes.

 Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 looks and feels like a premium handset. It is well constructed, it uses mainly metal in its body and no one would ever tell you this is a cheap phone. I have to say that I love the evolution of cheap devices and the current trend – premium look and feel for a low price.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3: DISPLAY

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The 5.5” 1080p panel is brilliant to look at. It is sharp, vivid, it has good viewing angles and you can adjust the colour temperature within the display settings menu.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: UI

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When it comes to the user interface, we have MIUI 7 out of the box, which is build on Android 5.0.2.

First of all, we are really happy to see a huge improvement over the MIUI 6 in terms of speed, performance, power and RAM management.

Everything is running smoothly with lots of apps running in the background, there are no major hiccups or lag. There have been a few times that apps loaded a bit longer but it hasn’t been much of an issue worth complaining about.

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If you are not yet familiar with the MIUI, it has tons of customisation options, which include a wide choice of themes, wallpapers, fonts and so on. Also, you can customise the LED light, assign different tasks to capacitive buttons and so on.

All in all, I have to say that Xiaomi finally got the it right and although the Redmi Note 3 is not yet perfect but the overall user experience is mostly positive.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: BENCHMARKS

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: HARDWARE and PERFORMANCE

As far as hardware, the lower end model of the Redmi Note 3, which is our review unit, has an octa-core Mediatek Helio X10 chip with the clock speeds of up to 2.0GHz, 2GB of RAM and only 16GB of non-expandable storage.

This combo of hardware is absolutely enough to run the most graphically demanding tasks like gaming. The graphics don’t look that stunning like on the flagship phones but they still look great. Also, there are no hiccups whatsoever and this is a top-notch performance for a budget phone.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: MULTIMEDIA

When it comes to multimedia consumption, Xiaomi implemented a pretty good loudspeaker with a decent amount of depth. The quality of sound via earphones is decent too.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: CAMERA

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkGFqdLt82k[/embedyt]

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has a 13MP camera with PDAF and dual-tone dual LED flash.

The camera app is fast and easy to use and there are a few shooting modes and settings to play with.

I have to say that I spend a lot of time testing this camera. First of all, I’ve tested it with the V. 7.0.7.0 software, which is still the only one available to download via the OTA update (I live in the EU). The results came out pretty terrible and I couldn’t believe what I saw.

That’s why, I went to the MIUI forums and flashed the newest version (V. 7.0.16.0) of software manually and re-tested the camera. Keep in mind that the latest update is still not available via OTA for some unknown reasons, at least in the EU region.

These were my initial thoughts with the V.7.0.7.0 software:

“The picture quality kind of shocked me. In short, it is terrible and it is obvious that this is a software related issue as an older Redmi Note 2 has a much better camera.

Most of the daylight images have a soft focus in some parts or in the whole picture despite the fact that I held my hands as steady as possible. Also, there is a lot of noise and the camera doesn’t capture a lot of details. The good point is that camera’s woes end when it comes to the macro shots as the images look pretty good. Finally, you may get some decent looking images on some rare occasions.

Low-light shots do not impress either. Well, they are not the worst we’ve seen in this budget phones category but the level of details and brightness could be higher, and amount of noise could be lower”.

Image quality conclusions after V.7.0.16.0 software update:

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The daylight images produced by the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 are pretty good and definitely one of the best in this price range of phones.

The images have a good amount of details, colours look natural most of the time and most of the shots will definitely look great.

However, the camera isn’t perfect since some of the images have softer focus on the corners or uneven focus within the image. Also, some of the shots are underexposed, especially if you are taking pictures during the cloudy day. A good thing is that the HDR mode does a pretty good job to solve this issue but you have turn this mode on manually. Finally, colours may look a bit oversaturated in some shots but I guess it’s okay since a lot of phones do that as the images look better for the majority of users.

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The indoor shots look a bit worse but they are still pretty good for a phone of this price category. There is a bit more noise, less details but the most of the images still look good overall.

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As far as the night shots, it would be unfair to expect much from a budget phone. The images turn out not bad at all. While the level of details is lower and the noise levels are higher than daylight pictures, the night photos shot by the Redmi Note 3 are definitely one of the best in class.

The embedded dual-tone dual LED flash is pretty powerful and it illuminates the scene with a natural looking light. Thus, you may get a pretty good image in low-light/pitch dark environment.

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The front facing camera will do the trick for social media as most of the times you will get a pretty good looking image. However, softer focus issue may kick in from time to time.

When it comes to the video recording, it is mediocre as on most of the budget phones. However, if we compare it with other cheap devices, the Redmi Note 3 does a pretty good job overall. See the video review or download the original video camera sample from the link below.

All in all, while being not perfect, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has one of the best camera in this price range of phones.

NOTE: camera was tested with the both MIUI V7.0.7.0.LHNCNCJ (MIUI7) and the MIUI V7.0.16.0.LHNCNCJ (MIUI7) (not yet available via OTA, the ROM was flashed manually). The results have proven that there is a significant change in picture quality between these two updates. 90% of the images taken using the old software had some major focus issues. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: CONNECTIVITY

All the connectivity options like Wifi, GPS and Bluetooth work absolutely fine. Also, the call quality and signal reception were great.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: BATTERY LIFE

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The Redmi Note 3 has a 4000mAh battery and I have to say that it performs very well. I could get almost 5 hours of screen on time (hereinafter – SOT) even though I used the phone quite intensively. If you are a light user and you mainly do basic tasks, you may even get over 6 hours of SOT.

Finally, a great battery performance was confirmed by Geekbench 3 battery test as the phone managed to achieve over 10 hours of SOT with dim screen feature off (I accidentally turned the benchmark test off at 26% which adds 2 hours and 36 minutes of SOT).

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review: CONCLUSIONS

So, there you have it, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. For the price of just around $180, this is a really great phone for a lot of reasons, yet it is not perfect.

The Redmi Note 3 has a great design and all-metal build, and the phone definitely looks great. Also, the 5.5” display is nice to look at, the MIUI has been improved as the user interface performance is mostly fast and fluid.

Also, this budget phone can easily handle even the most graphically intensive games, all the connectivity options work great and the battery life is very good.

Furthermore, the camera is one of the better ones in this price range of phones.

However, you may get some images with softer focus if you do not hold your hands steady and the video quality could be slightly better.

All in all, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is definitely great and one of the best budget smartphones of the year for many reasons. Although it may may not be perfect but there is nothing significantly better on the market at the moment and this phone is one of your best bets in this price range.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 gallery:

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The post Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Review – The Best Budget Smartphone. Redefined appeared first on Gizmochina.

It seems that it hasn’t been long since Xiaomi released the Redmi Note 2 and a lot of us thought that it will lead the Redmi lineup for quite some time. This is what we are used to and this is what the company usually follows. However, Xiaomi decided to pleasantly surprise us by releasing the 3rd generation “budget Note” – the Redmi Note 3. Find out more in our unboxing and first impressions article.

Thanks to Giztop for sending Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 for a review. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3: Unboxing

We see a slight change in terms of packaging. We have already got used to seeing the recycled paper boxes that come with Xiaomi phones but this time around the company made a better looking presentation.

The contents that come with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 include the charging brick, USB cable, documentation and a SIM ejector pin.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3: Design

It wouldn’t be a Note series if we had a small display. Well, it is not big either as 5.5″ panels have already become a standard. Still, you have to keep in mind that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is not the most compact phone.

I would say that the Redmi Note 3 has the most drastic design change in the series. It sports a great build quality and it uses all-metal unibody design, which I personally like. That means that gone are the days of a user-replacable battery and even the microSD card slot. It may be a deal breaker for some, especially for the power users.

On the bright side, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is the first Xiaomi’s phone ever to sport a fingerprint scanner, which is easy to setup, fast, accurate and works from a standby mode.

On the front we have a 5MP selfie snapper and a customisable LED light. On the bottom, there is a usual set of capacitive buttons, which also have a nice backlight.

The buttons, which are located on the right feel nice and they are made of metal too. On the left we have a dual micro SIM card slot.

Besides the usual ports, it is really cool that Xiaomi adds the IR blaster in their budget phones lineup.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3: First Impressions

Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 looks and feels like a premium handset. It is well constructed, it uses mainly metal in its body and no one would ever tell you this is a cheap phone. I have to say that I love the evolution of cheap devices and the current trend – premium look and feel for a low price.

As far as UI, we have the MIUI 7 out of the box, which is built on top of Android 5.0. Hopefully, there will be an update to the 5.1 version very soon. So far the interface is nice and fast (we have a Chinese version for a review). However, the later tests will give a better conclusion.

So far the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has worked absolutely fine but I have to test every bit of it before writing (and making a video) a full review. Stay tuned to Gizmochina.

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 from Giztop

The post Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Unboxing and First Impressions appeared first on Gizmochina.

Xiaomi is back with a bang! The company has just unveiled the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 mid-range flagship and its brings tremendous value for your money. However, at this price range, this Redmi Note 3 isn’t the only device which offers bang for your buck. Both Meizu M1 Metal and the LeTV 1S can boast of all metal design with powerful specs. So, we decided to compare these three devices to see whether any one of these have an edge over others.

So, without wasting any more time, lets take a look at this comparison.

Redmi Note 3 vs Meizu M1 Metal vs LeTV 1S

DESIGN

Despite being smartphones from three different companies, they have taken the same approach for developing their mid-rangers. All the three phones feature metal build, which is something that’s quickly catching on. There was a time, when only a few flagships could boast of such premium build quality, but things have changed for the good in the past few months.

While Xiaomi has taken a similar route as Meizu for its Redmi Note 3, LeTV has continued with their own unique design philosophy for the Le series. Its really hard to say which one comes out as the best as all three feature quite impressive build quality.

As far as thickness goes, LeTV 1S is the thinnest of the lot, measuring just 7.5mm, as followed by 8.2mm on M1 Metal and 8.65mm on Redmi Note 3.

However, LeTV model is the heaviest, weighing 169 grams as compared to Note 2’s 164 grams and Meizu Metal’s 162 grams.

Meizu Metal has the maximum color options which includes, White, Blue, Gray, Golden, and Pink. The Redmi Note 3 has gold, silver and dark grey colors while the LeTV 1S comes in just two options, gold and silver.

SPECS

Unsurprisingly, these three models have very similar specifications. They are powered by the Helio X10 MT6795 octa-core chip. While the Meizu M1 Metal and Redmi Note 3 come with MT6795 clocked at 2.0GHz, the LeTV 1S features a 2.2GHz MT6795T (turbo) edition, which is slightly faster than the former variant.

As for RAM, the Meizu M1 Metal features 2GB, while the other two have 3GB RAMs (high-end variant of the Redmi Note 3). For storage, all three have 32GB editions, however, only M1 Metal comes with MicroSD card slot. So, in case of Note 3 and LeTV 1S, you are stuck with the internal storage that you get.

Display is similar, measuring 5.5-inches with FHD 1080p resolution. At the back, all three have 13MP camera sensors with PDAF. Meizu and Xiaomi have dual LED color temperature flash while LeTV model comes with single LED flash. Up front, you have a 5MP shooter on all the three models.

When it comes to the USB connector, only the LeTV 1S can boast of the new age reversible USB Type-C. Other two have standard connectors.

All three have fingerprint sensors, with Xiaomi and LeTV placing it at the back of their devices, and Meizu on its home button. Also, all three have dual SIM dual standby support with 4G LTE enabled.

Now coming to the most distinguishing feature of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. If you were finding it difficult to decide which one suits you better, the Xiaomi’s battery capacity is where the balance is lost. Xiaomi has outdid itself by incorporating a large 4000mAh capacity battery inside the new Redmi Note 3. In comparison, both the LeTV 1S and Meizu M1 Metal feature only 3000mAh and 3140mAh respectively. There’s no way that these two can compete with the Xiaomi device in this segment. Moreover, all three feature fast charge as well, making sure that your phone is charged in just an hour or more.

Both LeTV 1S and Redmi Note 3 feature IR Blasters on top. But the Meizu M1 Metal doesn’t.

Finally, coming to the software, these models feature Android 5.1, with Meizu Metal, Redmi Note 3 and LeTV 1S running Flyme 5.1, MIUI 7 and EUI OS respectively.

PRICING 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was just launched today for an amazing price tag of 899 Yuan ($140). To be fair, we had considered the 3GB RAM variant in this comparison, which is priced 1099 Yuan ($172). But that’s exactly the same price that both Meizu M1 Metal and LeTV 1S retails in China.

CONCLUSION

To be honest, all the three devices are great. But if we had to make conclusions based on the specs on paper, the Redmi Note 3 comes out on top with such a large battery. Xiaomi has definitely released a winner, at least on paper and there’s no doubt about it. Its one of the biggest reasons why most customers will choose Redmi Note 3. Lack of MicroSD is probably its biggest drawback, but then you get 32GB of storage on the 3GB variant, which usually is enough.

So, what do you think? Which one would you pick among these three?

The post Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 vs Meizu M1 Metal vs LeTV 1S: A Detailed Comparison appeared first on Gizmochina.

In the past few weeks, there have been so many leaks and rumors about the Redmi Note 3, that its hard to keep track of everything. So, as promised, in this article, I will summarize what we know about the device till now. Given that the launch is tomorrow, I don’t expect much to change after posting this article. So, this is pretty much everything we know about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 DESIGN

If you have been following Xiaomi for the past few months, you would know that almost every model from the company comes with the same basic design as the rest, featuring plastic. Design wise, I personally liked the Xiaomi Mi Note series, but it still featured a plastic body disappointing some metal lovers.

However, the company aims to redesign its lineup with the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and its following generations. This particular smartphone will be of great importance to the company given that it will be Xiaomi’s first all metal device. Also, it will be the first smartphone from the company to feature a fingerprint sensor, which is something that’s found in most flagship and even mid-range smartphones these days.

Redmi Note 3 TENAA images

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So, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 will feature all metal body as well a fingerprint sensor at the back, something that has been repeatedly confirmed via leaked images as well as TENAA certification.

To be honest, it looks like Xiaomi may have taken some inspiration from Meizu’s recent releases like the Meizu Metal.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 SPECS

Despite the fact that the new model will be called as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, there won’t be much difference in terms of specs between this model and the Redmi Note 2.

The Redmi Note 3 is expected to feature the fast Helio X10 MT6795 octa-core chip clocked at 2.0GHz. There will be two versions of the device, as confirmed by an updated TENAA listing. One with 2GB RAM and 16GB of storage and the other with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The display will be the same as Note 2, 5.5-inch with FHD 1080p resolution. At the back, you will most probably find a 13MP camera with PDAF with dual LED flash and a 5MP shooter up front. Although initially we expected the battery to be 3060mAh, recent reports have said that the Redmi Note 3’s battery will be much larger, around 4000mAh. If true, this would be a great achievement given that the body measures just 8.75mm in thickness. TENAA confirms this thickness and further adds that the phone will weigh 165 grams. As for the OS, we are quite sure that the new device will feature MIUI 7 OS based on Android 5.0.1 version. 

As mentioned in the design, the phone will also come with a fingerprint sensor at the back.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 PRICE 

Xiaomi is known for its aggressive pricing, something that we have witnessed in the past few months, especially with the Redmi Note 2 which costs just 799 Yuan ($124). So, we are expecting the new Redmi Note 3 to be priced around the same lines, only slightly costlier. Although we don’t know the official pricing yet, our best guess would be 999 Yuan ($155) for the 2GB + 16GB version. The 3GB + 32GB version could be priced at 1099 Yuan ($172). 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 RELEASE

Xiaomi has officially confirmed that it will release the Redmi Note 3 at tomorrow’s Grand Finale event. So, we just have to wait for a few hours more to meet the device officially.

If this pricing and specs turn out to be real, competitors like Meizu Metal will be in real trouble. The Metal starts at 1099 yuan ($172) for the 2GB version. So, on paper, at least for now, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 looks like a winner.

I think, I covered everything that we know about the Redmi Note 3 till now. If you have any more questions feel free to ask them via the comments section below. I ll try my best to answer them.

Meanwhile, you can check out my earlier post on what to expect from tomorrow’s Grand Finale event from here.

The post Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Specs, Price, Features and Release appeared first on Gizmochina.

The past few weeks have been eventful for Xiaomi fans given that we have seen a lot of leaks, rumors and well as teasers directly from the company. We are expecting to see atleast two product launches at the company’s Grand Finale Event on November 24. All this while, we expected the new Xiaomi smartphone with fingerprint sensor to be called as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro. However, the company has officially revealed via a new teaser that the phone is going to be called as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3.

Looks like the company is considering the fingerprint sensor upgrade and all metal build to be worthy enough for a new generation version. So, despite the Redmi Note 2 being launched just a few months back, we will see a new version day after tomorrow.

As a result, coming Tuesday, we will meet the Redmi Note 3 as well as the recently teased Xiaomi Mi Tab 2. No wonder, the company is calling it the Grand Finale event as both the devices are going to be new generation versions.

You can read more about the Redmi Note 3 specs from our previous coverage.

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