A Quick Introduction – Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro
Xiaomi – the name itself is enough for all of us to get excited. The company was founded in 2010 and it has come far from where it started. This company can be credited to have brought out the competitiveness in the smartphone segment and all of us are glad that it has. The phones that they have been releasing are quite good in terms of specs. They blow our minds when it comes to the pricing of these phones. Coming to the latest phone that has been released, it is named the Redmi K20 Pro. It is otherwise known as the Mi 9T Pro. The company has promoted the same phones under different names in different regions. Let’s jump right into a detailed review of the phone before we can conclude.
Specs Overview
The phone is powered with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 chipset with a combination of 6GB RAM. Such configurations are only included in flagship phones. We can all pretty well conclude that this one is going to be one of those for the company. There are multiple options in terms of storage – 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. The phone comes packed with a 400mAh battery. It should be more than enough to take you through the day on average usage. It also includes a dual SIM slot. Now, you can use two SIMs at the same time. It is important to note that this is not a hybrid-SIM slot, thus ruling out the option of having an external memory card.
The Xiaomi RedMi K20 Pro is one of the phones that has not got any notch on the phone. It has proved to be an excellent design. However, there have been questions on how the sliding mechanism of the smartphone is going to perform over time. Though the phone features a glass back design, it misses out on the wireless charging feature. That would have been a great addition to the phone. Another cool feature is that the phone comes with a notification LED. You will see it on the top of the pop-up camera. You will also be able to find the 3.5 mm jack on the upper side of the phone. This too makes a great inclusion for all the music lovers out there, especially at a time when most companies are doing away with it.
Performance
Regarding the lack of a memory card option, it seems that most smartphone companies have done this strategically in order to ensure that the larger memory phones can also sell in the market. The best feature of the phone is the end-to-end display which anyone can boast about. Though this is a great feature, we miss out on the stereo speakers. The mono speaker located at the bottom of the phone is not that loud, especially when you are playing games in landscape orientation, thereby covering the speakers with your hands. Coming back to the screen, it has full HDR support, ensuring that any video you play is crisp and clear. They look bright and bring out all the colors, making the video even more vibrant and colorful.
As mentioned earlier, Xiaomi has not let go of the 3.5 mm jack. That is very good news for all media users in the market! The phone also packs in support for NFC for all your payment platforms or other uses. It comes embedded with support for Bluetooth 5.0 which also supports aptX HD audio. The fingerprint scanner is quick and responsive but could be made a bit faster in terms of recognition. You can always use the File Manager by Xiaomi to better manage your phone and its contents.
However, if you plan on using the face unlock feature, the phone unlocks in under a second which is pretty impressive. Xiaomi MI 9T Pro smartphone was released in early August 2019. The phone comes embedded with a 6.39-inch touch screen. It has a resolution of 1080 X 2340 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The screen is a full HD+ super AMOLED. The Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro works with a Snapdragon 855 chipset under the hood. This is currently one of the most powerful chipsets in the industry at the moment.
Design
Going deeper in terms of design, you will be able to notice that there is no camera in the front. This is because the front camera is a pop-up selfie camera. The Chinese smartphone maker claims that they have tested this camera’s pop-in and out mechanism more than 100,000 times. It does not affect the camera whatsoever. Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro’s design features a slight curve so that there is a premium and sleek feel to it. However, the phone is towards the thicker side as it measures close to 8.8 mm in terms of thickness.
On the back, you will be able to find three cameras that have been aligned vertically. The main camera stands alone whilst the other two seem to have an aesthetic connection. You must have noticed on the pictures of the phone that there is no visible fingerprint scanner either. This is because the fingerprint scanner is integrated into the screen. On the right-hand side, the power button is strategically placed so that the thumb can reach it easily. Just above the power button, you will be able to find the volume control buttons.
Build
All of these metal buttons work to offer the phone a premium feel. The phone’s back panel has a glass cover and there are Kevlar-like striated patterns with colors – something that is not found in many phones. It is a great ides to use this phone with a see-through cover if you are planning to buy one due to its classy back panel. The SIM tray which is usually found on the side of the phone has been placed at the bottom of the phone. This has been located on the left-hand side following which there is a USB C port in the middle, and a mic just right next to it. On the far right are the speakers on the phone. The camera bumps are very minimal when compared to its competitors.
Camera
Coming to the most-awaited aspect of the Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro phone, it features a triple rear camera. Most flagship phones have started including the third camera on the back to give users as great an experience as possible. The main camera has been loaded with a 48 MP Sony sensor, while the others are 13 MP ultra-wide-angle lens and 8 MP telephoto lens. The interface of the camera app is simple but for all the camera enthusiasts out there, they have included the pro-mode with which you can take full manual control of all your clicks. By default, the images are captured in 12 MP mode.
Image Quality
The outcome of the default mode is not bad. You can easily capture images in the highest quality and also set this is as a default option. The images that are captured with 48 MP settings are full of light and the details are very minute, thus ensuring that the quality of the images is excellent. You might notice that the Xiaomi watermark appears on every image that is taken. However, this is also customizable in the camera settings and you can always disable it. Low light photos are good. However, you will need to ensure that the night mode is switched on. The HDR option is disabled by default but it is a good idea to have this enabled to ensure that your images are of the best quality.
Coming to the pop-up front camera, it features a 20 MP Sony sensor. As soon as you turn to the selfie mode, the phone automatically pops out the front camera and is ready to capture within seconds. The quality of the images is not as good as the front camera but is respectable enough when compared to other phones in the same segment. In low-light, the front camera uses the screen as a flashlight.
Verdict – Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro
All we can say is that this phone is amazing, especially for the price range. It is tagged as a proper flagship phone. The camera and the screen tops beat most of the phones at this budget. The in-screen fingerprint is another added advantage. This phone is a great option for people who want to start with a budget flagship that has all the features included.
Though there are a few downsides to the phone such as the lack of wireless charging, no waterproofing or stereo sound. To be frank, these are just nice-to-have features and do not really fall under the must-have category. Apart from this, the phone is available in many attractive colors and the design suits its shape. This is a must-buy if it falls under your budget! If you are on the lookout for other budget phones, take a look at the LG W30 Mobile Review.
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