Xiaomi’s Indian subsidiary has thrown out teasers like loose change, fueling a lot of anticipation and excitement in us for the Redmi Note 7 series. While we were all prepared just for the Redmi Note 7 (under the newly-made Redmi sub-brand), to our surprise, we got to see the launch of the Redmi Note 7 Pro as well, debuting globally in India.
Alongside that, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 7, the Mi 4A 32-inch TV, and the Mi Sports Bluetooth Earphones.
Coming with many highlights, the Redmi Note 7 Pro seems like an attractive option in the budget segment which has its arguable ruler in the form of Xiaomi.
I got to use the device for a while during the launch event and here are my first impressions for the same:
Design
The Redmi Note 7 Pro, which continues the legacy of the Redmi Note series, has qualities that a premium device possesses. Crafted with the Aura design (first for the Redmi Note series), the smartphone comes in two new color variants: Nebula Red and Neptune Blue, along with the Space Black one.
The smartphone was comfortable to hold and fit perfectly in my hands, making me dribble over the colors I was introduced to.
The Redmi Note 7 Pro has the power on/off button and the volume rocker on its right side and the SIM tray on the left side.
While the bottom end houses the speaker grille and the USB Type-C port (which is another first for the Redmi Note series), the top end sustains the 3.5mm audio jack and the IR blaster.
The front of the smartphone has a tear-drop, which the company calls the Dot notch, for thin bezels. However, the chin had enough bezels to be seen. At the back lies a vertically-aligned dual-camera setup with an LED flash at the top left corner. In the middle, there is a fingerprint scanner, followed by Redmi branding at the bottom.
The design department impressed me to bits, much like its predecessor Redmi Note 6 Pro did, and therefore got good marks in the segment.
Cameras
The Redmi Note 7 Pro has its USP lying in the cameras which are three in number: a 48MP primary snapper (Sony IMX586 sensor) and a 5MP secondary one at the back, along with a 13MP selfie shooter.
The cameras support AI-focused features, Portrait mode with various modes, and the Steady Handheld Night Photography mode for low-light photography. The Night mode competes with the likes of the Night Sight and the Nightscape modes, by Google and OnePlus, respectively.
Additionally, to avoid device storage issues, the rear camera works as a 12MP one by default, and the 48MP camera can be enabled in the Pro mode, letting users choose what suits them the best.
Speaking of the rear camera performance, I used both the Pro mode and the normal mode (using the Portrait mode) and the images produced came out beyond my expectations.
Quenching my love for natural colors, the smartphone took me by surprise and was able to produce natural colors, mostly without over-processing the images.
The cameras seem promising to me, and I feel the hype around the 48MP snapper could prove right. However, as we had a time constraint, a full review will soon be coming up, giving out a complete picture of the same.
Display
The Redmi Note 7 Pro spans 6.3-inch with a Full HD+ screen resolution and a Dot notch. The bezel-less display offers the right amount of brightness and color production is nice too. The app icons popped up well, and the viewing angles were pretty decent.
Among the various display features, there is a reading mode which allows users to have a book-like experience for ease of reading.
Furthermore, the display is layered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection, which is also present at the back.
Tech Specs
The Redmi Note 7 Pro is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor, becoming one of the world’s first devices to come with one, and comes in two RAM/ROM options: 4GB/64GB (Rs 13,999) and 6GB/128GB (Rs 16,999).
The device gets its fuel from a 4,000mAh battery and runs the MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 Pie.
Among other things, there is support for fingerprint scanning and facial recognition which still needs testing from my end.
Verdict
The Redmi Note 7 Pro, starting at Rs 13,999 has set another benchmark in the budget segment. With loads of features, the smartphone seems to have the capacity to become the most-shipped smartphone in India. However, it stands against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy M20 and the Realme 2 Pro.
As of now, 48 could be a lucky number for Xiaomi, on which various tech companies are banking high. However, to be able to declare it lucky and crown the Redmi Note 7 Pro the budget king, we need to spend some more time with it. Hence, stay tuned to this space for a full-fledged review.
