Xiaomi Redmi 2 review: The new badshah of budget phones

One recurring problem with most budget
phones is that they also look and feel like
budget phones. This is where the newly
launched Xiaomi Redmi 2 stands out - the
device doesn't reflect its price tag (Rs
6,999).
The reason why Xiaomi might have been
able to afford this premium feel at a budget
price is because the company isn't keeping
an eye on an upward profit curve as its
competitors. The five-year-old Chinese
company that has taken the smartphone
world by storm reported a measly $56
million in profits against sales of $43 billion
for 2013.
Even though the new Moto E, which
launched in India only a couple of days
before Redmi 2, boasts of a noticeable
redesign, it still pales in comparison to the
Redmi 2. The new Xiaomi phone only
includes minor tweaks to its looks when
compared to its predecessor - the Redmi
1S.
I also like the fact that the Xiaomi logo (also
true for Motorola) doesn't scream for
attention. It gracefully sits on the back
cover.
But then looks often are superficial.
Another thing that impressed me (and also
my three-year-old son) was the appearance
of the new user interface. While I am not a
great fan of the custom UIs that
manufacturers add to Android devices, MIUI
6 (a major improvement over the MIUI 5) is
pleasant to the eye and at the same time,
its similarities to iOS are unmistakable.
Easy customisation is one of the highlights
that Xiaomi likes to show off and the
choices are many and it is actually easier to
change the look of your phone than to
change your clothes.
For a user who is used to the simplicity of
unaltered Android, I feel that the multitude
of settings that Xiaomi offers (which is also
a good thing) can be a little overwhelming.
Though, it also misses out on some
commonly available helpful features such as
setting notification modes while the phone is
locked.
But at the same time it surely does pack in
a lot more than what stock Android offers.
The good thing here is that many of the pre-
installed apps can be uninstalled.
For example the easy to use call recording
feature (absent in a number of Android
phones and even the apps available on the
Google Play are often no good) is something
journalists would love to have and use.
While a built-in FM is no achievement, but
the fact that it doesn't need headphones
plugged in to function is welcome. The radio
reception, in many areas, could however be
poor without the headphones doubling as an
antenna.
I also like the Lite mode, which simplifies
the interface with larger icons and less
clutter for people who are not very
comfortable with modern-day smartphones -
such as the elderly. Asus' ZenUI also has a
similar Easy Mode.
It would have been helpful if the red
capacitive buttons were backlit.
Image
The newly launched Redmi 2 is also not free
of one of the biggest issues of the Android
ecosystem - fragmented OS. The Redmi 2
still runs on an older version of the OS
(KitKat 4.4.4).
The absence of headphones in the box could
be a put-off for some buyers.
The 2200 mAh battery in the Redmi 2 is
good for a full day's work with the
necessary apps running and syncing. It also
comes with Qualcomm's Quick Charge
technology that boosts up battery charging
time.
The 64-bit Cortex-A53 processor along with
1 GB of RAM is able to pack in enough
power to make me forget that I was actually
using a budget phone.
The exceptionally vivid 1280x720 pixel
screen is easily the phone's biggest USP.
The display experience - both visual and
tactile - on the Redmi 2 is something you
would expect to find in phones priced much
higher. I was quite impressed watching
high-resolution videos on the 4.7-inch
screen. The audio levels the in-built
speakers produce exceed my satisfaction
levels.
The 4G dual-SIM means that the device is
ready (on both SIM slots) for the emerging
high-speed network that promises to
revolutionise mobile phone usage in the
country.
Xiaomi has built a reputation for itself for
the quality of images that the shooters on
its phones capture and it is heartening to
see the standards not being compromised
even in the products placed at the lowest
rungs of the price ladder.
The 2 megapixel front camera does what it
is supposed to do and does it well and the 8
megapixel primary camera keeps the Xiaomi
flag flying high. The phone captures 1080p
video against 720p by its very able
competitor - the Lenovo A6000.
Of the 8 GB internal memory, 5.75 GB is
user accessible with support for microSD
cards up to 32 GB. I would have preferred
support for higher storage, but then this
appears to be standard in the price
category.
For the style conscious, the Redmi 2
includes swappable backs in different colour
options (something that the competition also
boasts of).
On the specifications front the Redmi 2
easily trumps the new Moto E (2nd Gen)
and is neck-and-neck with the slightly
larger Lenovo A6000. One feature that could
sway a buying decision is the on-board USB
OTG support on the Redmi 2. A very handy
feature to have on any phone.
In case the existing ingredients of the Redmi
2 appears to be missing something to suit
your taste, Xiaomi has already announced
plans of bringing a variant with 16 GB of
internal storage along with 2 GB of RAM to
India. We expect that phone to hit stores
sometime in May this year.
While the flagship smartphone battles have
become boring, the excitement is building up
fast in the budget war zone. From my
experience with the Redmi 2, it looks like we
have a winner - but I am not sure for how
long.
Rating: 4/5
Pros
Display
Camera
USB OTG
Premium look and feel
Easy mode
Cons
Older version of Android
No headphones in the box

Xiaomi on Sunday finally launched the
much-anticipated successor to the Redmi
1S, the Redmi 2. The new entry-level
smartphone will go on sale in China starting
January 9 and is priced at CNY 699 (roughly
Rs. 7,100). The Redmi 2's availability details
outside China remain undisclosed for now,
but it can be expected to be made available
in India and Indonesia shortly.
The dual-SIM dual-standby Xiaomi Redmi 2
sports a 4.7-inch IPS display with HD
(720x1280 ppi) resolution and 312ppi, same
as the predecessor Redmi 1S. The
smartphone will be layered with company's
own MIUI 6 skin over Android 4.4 KitKat.
( Also See: Xiaomi Redmi 2 vs Xiaomi Redmi
1S )
The Xiaomi Redmi 2 runs on a 64-bit
1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
processor (Cortex A53) coupled with 1GB of
RAM and Adreno 306 GPU. As for the
camera, the handset includes the same 8-
megapixel rear camera along with a 2-
megapxiel front-facing camera, which is a
slight bump from 1.6-megapixel seen on the
original Redmi 1S .
The Xiaomi Redmi 2 houses 8GB of inbuilt
storage, which can be expanded via microSD
card (up to 32GB). The budget smartphone
also features regular connectivity options
including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS besides
4G LTE (TDD/FDD) network support.
Available in five colour variants - Yellow,
Pink, Green, White, and Black, the Xiaomi
Redmi 2 is backed by a 2200mAh battery,
again a bump from Redmi 1S' 2000mAh
battery. The device weighs 133 grams and is
0.5mm thinner than its predecessor at
9.4mm.
SPECIFICATIONS
: Xiaomi Redmi 2
Dimensions
Weight 133g
Size 134 x 67.2 x 9.4 mm
Camera
8MP backside illuminated (BSI) camera
Omnivision image sensor
5-element lens
f/2.2 aperture
Face recognition
Exposure control and real-time filters
Up to 10 shots per second
1080p full HD video recording
2MP front camera
Beautify
720p HD video recording
Display
4.7" fully laminated IPS HD display
Sharp/AUO fully laminated display
1280x720 resolution
Colour-temperature adjustment
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
Adreno 306 GPU
Memory
1GB RAM
LPDDR3
8GB Flash
Up to 32GB expandable MicroSD memory
SIM and connectivity
Micro SIM slots
4G dual SIM
WIFI 802.11 b/g/n wireless
Battery
2200mAh battery
Sony/LG lithium-ion polymer battery
Typical capacity 2265mAh
Quick charge 1.0 Technology
OTG Support
Sensors and navigation
Electronic compass
Gravity sensor
Gyroscope
Proximity sensor
Light sensor
GPS
A-GPS
GPS+GLONASS
BeiDou
In the box
Redmi 2, battery, power adapter, USB 2.0
cable, warranty card, user guide
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Maybe this is the first site which
now have xiaomi redmi 2 in stock,
also the price seems very good -
only 154.99dollars . But
Unfortunately there only have
20items left and just have white
color.
http://www.234buy.com/media/
wysiwyg/...2/redmi2-1.jpg
http://www.234buy.com/media/
wysiwyg/...2/redmi2-9.jpg
Brand :xiaomi redmi 2
Operating System :MIUI V6
(Basics on Android V4.4)
CPU Type :Quad-core
CPU :Qualcomm MSM8916 Quad-
core 1.2GHz 64bit; GPU: Adreno
306
Product Type: Android Phone, 4G
Smartphone
Screen :Screen Size 4.7 Inch
Screen Resolution: 1280*720
Memory: RAM 1GB, ROM 8GB
Card Slot: Micro SD
Max Storage Expansion 32GB
Camera
Front Camera: 8 MP
Rear Camera: 13 MP
Bluetooth: BT4.0LE +BT3.0HS
Network Frequency: 2G: GSM:
900/1800MHz, 3G: WCDMA:
900/1900/2100MHz,4G:FDD LTE
B1/B3:1800/2100MHz
Support: Built-in Google Play
SIM Card: Dual SIM Dual Standby
Battery Capacity: 2200mAh