Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 7 in China, the most affordable 48MP camera smartphone

Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 7 in China, the most affordable 48MP camera smartphone
HIGHLIGHTS

The Redmi Note 7 underwent a radical redesign and sports a 48MP camera on the back. It is priced just 999 Yuan (roughly Rs 10,341).

Highlights:

  • Xiaomi has announced the Redmi Note 7 that sports a waterdrop notch with thin bezels on the sides and a new design.
  • At the event, the company also confirmed Redmi will be an independent brand from now on.
  • Redmi Note 7 is notable because of a 48MP camera on the back and an affordable price tag.

 

Xiaomi has announced the Redmi Note 7 at an event in Beijing, China. It is the first Redmi  phone to come with a 48MP camera and a waterdrop-style notch. At the event, the company also officially announced the Redmi is now an independent brand, just like Poco. The Redmi Note 7 is a radical upgrade over its predecessor. While the previous Redmi Note 6 Pro (review) stuck to more or less the same design as the Redmi Note 5 Pro, the Note 7 is here to shake things up a little.

Thanks to the tiny notch on top of the display, the Redmi Note 7 packs a 6.3-inch LCD panel with 2340×1080 pixels. The company claimed the Note 7 has just 0.8mm thick bezels with a brightness of 450 nits, same as the Redmi Note 6 Pro. The phone itself is housed in a 2.5D curved glass chassis and has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Apart from that, the rear panel setup is similar to other Xiaomi phones like the Mi 8. The camera unit is aligned vertically in the top corner with a single LED flash unit below the camera. Based on the photos Xiaomi released, the camera seems to be housed in a big, protruding module.

While a design refresh was certainly a long time coming, it’s the rear camera module that is the highlight of the phone. This is the first Redmi phone with a 48MP sensor combined with a 5MP secondary sensor for portrait shots. Redmi claims the 48MP sensor helps take better shots in low-light. Sony had revealed the sensor size of the 48MP cameras will be 1/2-inch which is pretty big for smartphones. Thanks to ultra-small 0.8um pixels, the camera was able to cram 48 megapixels in the sensor. According to Xiaomi, the Redmi Note 7 can take poster like HD photos.

Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC. The phone will be offered in 3GB, 4GB or 6GB RAM variants while the storage variants are 32GB or 64GB. There is a 4,000mAh battery inside as well, same as the phone’s predecessor. The company claims the Redmi Note 7 can run for one and a half days in a single charge. On the bottom is a USB Type-C port, replacing the legacy microUSB port most OEMs use for mid-rangers. It also supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0.

On the front is a 13MP camera featuring AI algorithms for face beautification and portrait mode. Xiaomi claimed the smartphone is quite durable and the glass apparently won’t break if you step on it. That seems quite unrealistic and requires closer inspection for a definitive verdict. The company in fact is offering an 18-month warranty to buyers in China.

It’s clear that the Redmi Note 7 is a pretty impressive device with high-end hardware like a 48MP camera. But the price remains just as affordable as it has been. The Redmi Note 7 will start from 999 Yuan which roughly converts to Rs 10,381 for the 3GB+32GB variant while the 4GB+64GB variant is priced 1199 Yuan (roughly Rs 12,455) and the 6GB+64GB variant will retail for 1399 Yuan (roughly Rs 14,532). It remains to be seen whether the phones will launched in similar prices when they come to India.

Related Links:

Xiaomi CEO confirms Redmi will be a separate brand

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 spotted on Geekbench featuring Snapdragon 660 SoC

Xiaomi may launch a Redmi device with 48MP camera on January 10

Digit NewsDesk

Digit NewsDesk

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