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Smartphone, charging cable, 22-watt power supply, silicone case, and brief instructions – no surprises when unpacking the Redmi Note 9S before testing. As usual, headphones are not included with the subsidiary brand Xiaomi smartphone. Instead, you get a plastic box in the box. Although this does not make a high quality impression, it is a good protection for the first few days.
Redmi Note 9S in practice
However, the Redmi Note 9S itself offers exactly that. At first glance, nothing indicates that this smartphone costs only 200 euros. The three available colors Interstellar Gray (our test device), Aurora Blue and Glacier White look stylish and reflect differently depending on the light situation. The smartphone looks almost matte on the packaging, but it shines much brighter on my desk. In other situations, though, the smartphone actually looks almost matte, as you can see from the other photos in my test.
The matte frame of the smartphone is made of plastic. However, this is only noticeable in the slightly warmer temperature when you hold it in your hand. The keys also have a pleasantly firm pressure point and don’t wobble. Only the SIM holder is not completely flat on the frame and can be felt with your finger. For this, two SIM cards and a micro SD card can be accommodated to expand the memory.
Large screen
The 6.67-inch Full HD display immediately catches your eye when you set it up. This is “just” a simple LED panel, but the colors and viewing angles are correct. However, it could be a little brighter in sunlight. With a resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, the screen doesn’t break any registers, but it’s sharp enough at just under 400 dpi. The current iPhone 11 Pro also only offers significantly higher resolution. For additional protection against scratches, a protective film is attached to the Gorilla Glass 5 from the factory.
With the built-in front camera in the middle of the status bar, the smartphone is somewhat reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy A71 or Galaxy S20. In my opinion, the camera is the least annoying here, as the status and notification symbols aren’t altered on either side.
Redmi Note 9S brings new processor
The Redmi Note 9S contains Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 720G processor. Even if the name suggests otherwise, this mid-range processor offers slightly more performance than the popular Snapdragon 730G. The addition of G in the name means that the processor must also be suitable for mobile gaming.
The Redmi Note 9S was able to convince us of this in the test. Performance hungry games like Pubg or Modern Combat 5 can be played in the highest graphics settings. The 4 gigabytes of RAM in the basic version is easily enough to use multiple applications in parallel. If you plan to use the smartphone for more than two or three years and want to be prepared for the next updates, you should prefer the 6 gigabyte version.
Like many mid-range smartphones, the Redmi Note 9S also uses a fingerprint sensor on the smartphone’s power button. Thus, the smartphone can be automatically unlocked when activated and cumbersome palpation of the sensor on the back is removed. Unlocking while the smartphone is on the table is also easy. In the test there was nothing to complain about with the sensor. Fingers were always recognized in a split second and the smartphone unlocked.
The Redmi Note 9S hardware ratings in detail:
- Processing and Design: 4 out of 5 stars
- Screen: 4 out of 5 stars
- Equipment and performance: 3 out of 5 stars
- Camera: 3.5 out of 5 stars
- Software and multimedia: 4 out of 5 stars
- Battery: 4.5 out of 5 stars
| software |
Android 10 |
| Processor |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G |
| Display |
6.67 inches, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels |
| RAM |
6 GB, 4 GB |
| internal storage |
64 GB |
| Main camera |
8000×6000 (48.0 megapixels) |
| Drums |
5,020 mAh |
| inductive load | |
| USB port | |
| IP certification |
(Protection against splashing water (rain)) |
| Weight |
209 g |
| Colour |
white, turquoise, gray |
| Introductory price |
Redmi Note 9S (128GB): € 279, Redmi Note 9S (64GB): € 239 |
| Market launch |
April 2020 |
Latest installed software
Xiaomi shows its good side in terms of software. The Redmi Note 9S comes with the latest Android 10 and the latest security update for April 2020. Updates on Xiaomi don’t appear on a fixed schedule, but the manufacturer provided a good and fast supply for previous models.
Xiaomi’s MIUI custom ROM is placed on top of Android 10. The user interface is very different from normal Android, but it offers good animations and stands out with its many customization options.
However, the many pre-installed advertising applications are negative. However, all of this can be easily uninstalled and is therefore not a big hassle for a smartphone in this price range.
Quad camera without zoom
The Redmi Note 9S camera module consists of four sensors and lenses. But not everyone can take photos. A “camera” is just a sensor for depth information. This provides the camera software with information on where an image should be focused and where it should be out of focus. However, this function can also be taken over by other cameras if there are at least two. We would have preferred a zoom lens here. In the price range of around 200 euros, a missing zoom module is definitely bearable.
However, with the other cameras, the Redmi Note 9S shows its strengths. The 48 megapixel main camera inspires with very good image quality for this price range, realistic colors and lots of detail.
However, in normal photography, images are downgraded to 12 megapixel resolution by default. In this process, called pixel grouping, four pixels are combined into one, creating a more powerful photo with a better dynamic range. In this way, photos also work well in low light conditions.
The 200-euro smartphone just has to give up night photos. However, in this price range, no model does much better.
The Redmi Note 9S cameras at a glance:
- Main camera: 48 megapixels; 79 ° field of view; aperture f / 1.79
- Wide-angle camera: 8 megapixels; 119 ° field of view; aperture f / 2.2
- Macro camera: 5 megapixels; 2-10 cm distance; aperture f / 2.4
Wide angle and macro
Next, let’s take a look at the 8-megapixel wide-angle camera on the Redmi Note 9S. Compared to other mid-range smartphones, there is only a relatively small color difference between the main camera and wide-angle camera shots. The photos are very good in good light conditions.
Just up to the edge, depending on the subject, there are sometimes more and less visible blurs.
The macro camera is an interesting trick, which can be found in more and more smartphones. This camera is designed for close-up shooting and requires some practice. The subject can only be 2 to 10 centimeters from the lens when taking pictures.
After getting used to it a little, you can conjure up interesting motifs. Due to the fairly low resolution of 5 megapixels, these are only suitable for sharing on social media and not for printing in larger formats.
When evaluating the camera, you should keep an eye on the price of the smartphone, but the price-performance ratio is adequate for the Redmi Note 9S. With enough light and a little skill, beautiful photos can be taken with the affordable mid-range smartphone.
Redmi Note 9S in the test offers a giant battery
One of the main selling points of the Redmi Note 9S is the huge smartphone battery. With a capacity of 5,020 milliamps, it is even slightly larger than Samsung’s top model, the Galaxy S20 Ultra. However, the smartphone with its 8.8 millimeters thickness is pleasantly thin. Along with its less energy consuming processor and 60 Hertz display, the Redmi Note 9S has really excellent battery life.
Even with occasional games, two days of use were easily possible in the test. Only those who actually use their smartphones have to be connected every night. Despite the long battery life, Xiaomi provides the phone with a fast charging function with 18 watts. A suitable power supply is included. Still not a matter of course in this price range, a modern USB-C port is used when charging the Redmi Note 9S.
Weakness in connectivity
The Redmi Note 9S cuts a good figure in terms of interfaces. The smartphone not only offers a headphone jack, but also the option to use two SIM cards and a memory card of up to 512 gigabytes at the same time.
Bluetooth 5.0 is also up to date and only WiFi 5 (ac) and not WiFi 6 (ax) is easily bearable in view of the price. However, a real shame is that Xiaomi does not use NFC on the Redmi Note 9S. So take away smartphone buyers now and in the future to use Google Pay or other payment services.
Redmi Note 9S in the test: the conclusion
Pros of the Redmi Note 9S
- Superior battery life
- excellent camera in this price range
- modern USB-C connector
Cons of Redmi Note 9S
With a retail price of 229 euros, the Redmi Note 9S is priced at the lower end of the middle class. Of course, you can’t compare the smartphone to significantly more expensive premium models, but in the middle class it offers a very consistent overall package.
The maximum battery life, good performance and a usable camera make the Redmi Note 9S a good companion for “everyone”. Xiaomi does not take any risks with the new technology, but tries, as is usually the case in the Redmi series, to offer as many smartphones as possible at an affordable price. Only the lack of NFC could ruin the offer for some. If the price drops a bit in the coming months after market launch, the Redmi Note 9S could even make life difficult for many entry-level smartphones.
The Redmi Note 9S with 64 gigabytes of memory and 4 gigabytes of RAM costs 229 euros. For the dual memory variant with 6 gigabytes of RAM, Xiaomi is calling 269 euros. Both versions are available now.
Alternatives
A comparable priced alternative would be the Galaxy A30s. The smartphone offers a better AMOLED screen and NFC support, but it has a problem with the camera and the battery. If you prefer a more compact smartphone with pure Android, then the Nokia 7.2 with a comparable camera is also worth checking out. However, both alternatives are equipped with a much weaker processor. For comparable performance, you should dig deeper into your pocket, for example in the Xiaomi 9T or Galaxy A71. For this, these two models come with an AMOLED screen.
Initial discount campaign
At the launch of the smartphone in Germany on April 28, the official Xiaomi store will offer a discount of 30-40 euros in all levels and finish colors. The version with 4 + 64 gigabytes currently costs only 199 euros and the version with 6 + 128 gigabytes costs 229 euros. Offer is valid as of today and ends April 30 at 11:59 p.m. or when the quota has run out. You can find the offer directly from Xiaomi.
* The smartphone was provided to us by our trading partner TradingShenzhen for testing
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