HomeXiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro Review – The Perfect Balance

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro Review – The Perfect Balance

Xiaomi has launched dozens of new phones this year in many markets. The company has brought more than we expected, from its new proposals with Android One to the famous Redmi, which stand out in the mid-range and in the low for its good quality/price.

Xiaomi began its prominence in the Chinese market with affordable smartphones, offering much more than its competitors in terms of functions, but it left something to be desired in some places, as in the cameras. However the time has passed, the company has evolved and it is time to review another device, so let’s review the Redmi Note 6 Pro, in its variant of 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory that costs $ 189.99. But the good thing is that you can now get the 4 Gb of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage at the same price because of the current discount offer on Gearbest.

For those who do not know, the hardware of Redmi Note 6 Pro is very similar to its predecessor, Redmi Note 5, because it has the Snapdragon 636 Octa-core 1.8 GHz allied to 3, 4 GB or 6 GB of RAM and 32 or 64 GB of storage.

Redmi Note 6 Pro First impression

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro comes in a red box almost identical to that of many other devices of the Chinese company. A characteristic stamp, without a doubt.

In one of the corners on the right side, we find the confirmation that we are facing the global version, in addition to the name of the model in the center.

Highlight on the back of the box, which is also quite peculiar, is the fact that the specifications of the processor have not been included. We can know the specs of the cameras, the screen, and the battery but not the chipset that feeds it.

Finally, inside the package, in addition to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, we have the following:

  • Micro USB cable;
  • Charging adapter;
  • User’s manual in English;
  • Protective silicone case.

WHERE TO BUY?

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro (3GB version)

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro (4GB version)

Features Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro

  • Processor  – Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 eight-core.
    • 8x Kryo 260 at 1.8 GHz
  • RAM memory: 3 GB.
  • Storage.
    • Internal- 32 GB.
  • Graphic– Adreno 509.
  • Screen.
    • Size- 6.26 inches.
    • Resolution- 2280 x 1080 pixels.
    • IPS LCD technology.
    • Aspect ratio- 19- 9.
  • Rear camera.
    • Resolution- 12 + 5 Mpx.
    • Others- LED Flash.
  • Front camera.
    • Resolution- 20 + 2 Mpx.
  • Ports:
    • Micro USB connector.
    • 3.5 mm jack
    • Fingerprint sensor in the rear area.
  • Others:  facial unlocking.
  • Connectivity:  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, GLONASS
  • Battery:  4000 mAh.
  • Dimensions:  157.9 x 76.3 x 8.2 mm
  • System:
    • Android version- Android One 8.1 Oreo with MIUI 9

REDMI NOTE 6 PRO REVIEW

Finishing & Design- the design sounds a lot to us

Currently, glass seems to be material par excellence to build mobiles. A metal frame and two layers of glass. In the high range we have seen this even in Xiaomi, but in the Redmi the company continues to maintain its aluminum chassis, a less delicate material that also catches much fewer fingerprints.

This is a mobile of 2018, not only for the notch but also for the contained frames, although the lower one is something larger than normal, similar to the A2 Lite.

The design of the back of the Xiaomi smartphone has a general resemblance to the 2018 models, but the Redmi Note 6 Pro has better lines than Note 5, where the separation of the plastic part from the top and metal was not so cool.

The front resembles the Redmi Note 5 Pro, except for the notch. In addition, the bevels on the screen have been reduced considerably. On the upper bezel are the double front camera and the headset.

Unsurprisingly, the Redmi Note 6 Pro has a design on the back inspired by the iPhone X, but it’s just a little resemblance.

It is a beautiful smartphone, but Xiaomi needs to innovate, many models with almost identical design… In relation to the construction, there was a small regression, since the sides are now in plastic, while Note 5 had almost all metal body.

On the right side, we have the dual SIM tray, one of whose slots we can use to insert a microSD. On the left are the volume and power buttons and on the bottom the micro USB charging port and speaker. In the upper area are the headphone jack and the infrared sensor.

In the hand, it is not too big, at least for current standards, perhaps because of the elongated ratio of the screen, of more than 6 inches. In spite of that, it is not about a small mobile phone.

The back is also similar to the Note 5 Pro but with a softer finish.

Both the 3.5mm audio port, the noise canceling microphone and the IR sensor are on the top.

For its part, the dual camera and the LED flash are present in the back next to the fingerprint scanner.

If we look at the bottom edge, we can see the micro USB port and the loudspeaker grilles on the sides. Also, here we will also find the microphone for calls.

As we can see, they have arranged a hybrid dual SIM slot on the left side.

While on the right side is the volume control and the on/off button.

As we already mentioned, there is a considerable change in the design of the corners between this new terminal and the Note 5 Pro.

Screen- a big screen with too much notch

The screen is large with 6.26 “, but the footprint of the Redmi Note 6 Pro is pleasant, thanks to the slight curvature on the sides. The resolution is Full HD + 1080 x 2280 with 403 ppi. It fits well in the hands with its dimensions of 15.7 x 76 x 0.83 cm. Even those who have small hands will not have a hard time using the phone.

The aspect ratio of the screen was also changed from 18- 9 to 19- 9 this time, basically to meet the new demands of reproducible movies on Smartphones. The screen of this model is quite long, with a 19- 9 ratio, caused both by the design of the mobile and the notch, which is the culprit that we do not see notifications in this area. At least MIUI is ready to show notification details in the icons of the apps.

Thanks to the customization of MIUI we can modify aspects such as the contrast or the color temperature, we can activate the reading mode that also means the blue light and we can activate the lighting of the screen with double touch.

Display

Its display has a resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels representing an adequate compromise between sharpness and energy expenditure. This, however, is seen as more in-depth in the battery section.

Now speaking in the quality of the display, it has a bluer tone and the colors are not as vibrant, as I have already seen in Note 5, but you can manually adjust and improve a bit. However, the viewing angle is very good, which is expected for an IPS screen.

The brightness is more than enough to use in any environment, with automatic adjustment. I was not satisfied with the display, although an AMOLED would be perfect in my estimation.

Cameras- a quadruple camera that we loved

The Redmi Note 6 Pro has the same main sensor as the predecessor, 12 megapixels Samsung S5K2L7 with aperture f / 1.9 and 1.4μm, dual pixel, however, there is no optical image stabilization, something normal in this price range. However the second camera has lower specs, they are 5 megapixels Samsung S5K5E8, but with aperture f / 2.2 and 1.12μm against f / 2.0 and 1.25μm of Note 5 AI.

A great highlight of the Xiaomi smartphone to make great photos is artificial intelligence and that is where it deserves attention. When turned on, the feature makes all the difference to make the images much better and with less noise.

We recommend you always leave the AI turned on because by default it is disabled and the photos do not look so cool. As a smartphone intermediary input, the quality of the photos are excellent, offering a good level of detail, low noise, and great dynamic range thanks to artificial intelligence.

For those who like selfies, the Redmi Note 6 Pro also comes with two sensors at the front, the main one being 20 megapixels Samsung S5K3T1 with aperture f / 2.0 and 0.9 μm, with the second one being Omnivision OV02A10 of 2 MP f / 2.2 and 1.75 μm.

The quality was quite satisfactory, however, it tends to leave skin tone softer and there are so many details, getting a kind of beautifying, even deactivating Beautiful mode. For social networks, there is more than enough and the portrait mode is the best option.

Turning the cameras in the rear, the portrait mode is excellent, it does the blur very well, however, sometimes it gives an extreme softening in the skin, this on account of AI. But the Redmi Note 6 Pro suffers even at night, where granulation increases, although still within the expected for a device in this price range.

In a general overview analyzing selfies and photos, the Redmi Note 6 Pro masterfully grabs social media users, capturing cool images, and is only spared by the delay in rendering portrait images in the rear camera.

  • Performance of the camera

The camera takes very good pictures in daylight and in low light areas, being quite similar to the Redmi Note 5 Pro in terms of performance. The manual mode of the camera has improved a lot compared to the Redmi Note 5 Pro since it has control over the shutter speed and ISO. The Zoom and Wide Angle lens can not be used manually. That is the limitation that was seen on this phone. Watermarks are also present in this camera. Finally, on taking videos, you can only capture up to FHD 1080, the UHD is not present in this mid-range terminal. In order for you to have an idea, we will leave you the samples below:

Performance- an adequate performance, as expected

Already gone is the time when Android only ran well on flagships… now intermediate devices already deliver an experience of day-to-day use very close to the top of the lines. Redmi Note 6 Pro features the new Snapdragon 636 which features 8 Kryo 260 cores running at up to 1.8 GHz, Adreno 509 GPUs and the tested version has 4 GB of RAM.

In the day to day the Redmi Note 6 Pro responds very well and putting side by side with other top-notch devices, we perceive that it opens very fast the applications, being a blink of eyes behind. This to open apps like- dialer, Instagram, Facebook, messaging, settings, Gmail, Youtube and Play Store. You can only notice a big difference in opening heavy games when Redmi Note takes a few seconds longer.

The 4 GB of RAM is enough to deliver good multitasking, but Xiaomi needs to improve because I only got 12 apps opened at the same time, after opening others, I noticed that some were closed in the background. In Zenfone 5 that I am curently testing with the same 4 GB it has been up to 25 apps, so this is a question of system optimization.

However, the score in Antutu for this specific unit (while still on the MiUi 9) was 112,780 points. Almost similar to the score previously obtained with the Redmi Note 5.

If you like games Redmi Note 6 Pro will suit well, even running heavy titles, this is due to the good chipset, however, the graphics quality is minimal in heavy games such as PUGB, Hitman, etc., but does not compromise the gameplay.

The experience of using performance with the smartphone is very good and at no time did I face lockups during the many days that it was my main device.

Operating System

Redmi Note 6 Pro already has the MIUI 10 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. And the design has changed a lot, becoming more modern, improving the notifications. But a problem continues, the lags when using gesture navigation and I really do not understand, because while using virtual buttons the lags disappear. MIUI 10 also continues with another problem, lack of multitasking optimization! Redmi Note 6 Pro has 4 GB of RAM, but with just over 10 apps open it starts to restart!

But the system has its strengths, being possible to use two Facebook account, two WhatsApp, for example. Also worth mentioning the excellent battery management, but the battery life will leave to speak later. Gesture navigation lets you hide Android buttons, gain more space, and do more, which looks better.

And lastly, I can not forget the possibility of the dual-SIM 4G in the two chips, a feature that is available in few handsets in this price range. So for those who use two chips and have data packet, will always be able to use the 4G.

In addition, it is Android 8.1 that counts with multi languages, Play Store and all updates via WiFi in the own Redmi Note 6 Pro, that already runs the security patch of June.

Battery- a good battery, but we expected it better

Xiaomi is still committed to implementing huge batteries in their low-end phones, the Redmi, and although this look at the mid-range maintains this feature. It is 4000 mAh that has its battery but we did not like to keep the microUSB connector instead of USB Type C.

To our delight, the battery continues with the same 4000 mAh, which guarantees a distinct battery life to other Redmi. While smartphones currently suffer to spend a single day away from the power outlet, Xiaomi device does it with mastery and if you not play, will certainly spend two days without reloading it. A good rating was achieved for this unit since it is powered by a Snapdragon processor (Qualcomm is known for its battery efficiency). Also, the PC Mark Battery Stress Test test rated it at 14 hours 37 minutes SOT, which is almost similar to the consumption in the Redmi Note 5 AI.

In summary, if you like a smartphone that has a long battery life, do not hesitate, the Redmi Note 6 Pro is among the best, only missing the fast charger in the kit.

Audio and video

Supported formats- MP4, M4V, MKV, XVID, WAV, AAC, MP3, AMR, FLAC, PCM, AAC / AAC + / eAAC +, MP3, AMR-NB and WB, among others.

It also has support for H.265 / HEVC (main profile), H.264 (baseline / main / high profile), MPEG4 (simple profile / ASP), VC-1 (simple profile / main / advanced).

Pros

  • New Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor.
  • Excellent dual rear and front cameras.
  • High-quality FHD + screen.

Cons

  • There is no real innovation worth the leap from the Redmi Note 5 Pro to this new terminal.
  • Big Notch on screen.
  • There is no USB type C port.

Conclusion- perfect for certain users

Xiaomi has many phones among the most recommended. This Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is a very specific device that we will focus on that person who wants a large mobile, price adjusted and has a front camera better than average.

It is possible that this draws a teenager or young and is that it is possible that this is the user profile that Xiaomi looks with this model since he has also been concerned that the colors are flashy and has a good battery.

If we need more power, we will have to look at the Xiaomi Mi A2, which on the other hand, is also somewhat more expensive.

Availability and price

We hope you have aroused your interest in the  Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro and that this has only served as an appetizer for everything that this great terminal offers. So, if you are thinking, what is the price of this product and where can I buy it? We invite you to the Gearbest online store where you will find it available for a  price of $229.99 in its 4GB + 64GB version and $189.99 in its 3GB + 32GB version.

This model has been given to us by Gearbest. You can buy it using the link provided below:

WHERE TO BUY?

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro (3GB version)

Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro (4GB version)


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

  • Does it take too long to arrive?

Orders usually arrive much faster at this time of year (between March and October). While OnePlus 6 took about 21 calendar days, Redmi Note 6 Pro took 27 calendar days from the date of posting until it is available for pickup at the post office.

  • Do you pay tax?

Any product imported from a store can be taxed. On average, the rates are in the range of $ 230 to $ 250 for almost all states, except MG, RRS, SC and the capital of Paraíba, where they charge ICMS, with a rate of $ 450. In the case of Redmi Note 6 Pro, I paid just over $ 232 reais

  • Is it safe to buy at GearBest?

Yes, 100% sure! The store is already our longtime partner, so you can shop with ease. You can learn to buy correctly in the store by following our tutorial HERE.

  • Is the product guaranteed?

Yes, the store offers a 1-year warranty from the date of purchase. To learn more about the warranty, see terms on the store’s website.

If you have any questions about Redmi Note 6 Pro or how to import yours, please join our WhatsApp groups already:

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About Author

Samuel Afolabi is a lazy tech-savvy that loves writing almost all tech-related kinds of stuff. He is the Editor-in-Chief of TechVaz. You can connect with him socially :)

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