Xiaomi began this year with a successful presentation of the Redmi Note 2 smartphone. In the Chinese market, the novelty broke out with the power of a supernova. Instantly became a bestseller and the best state employee in its class.

Smartphone Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 combines exquisite forms, compactness, advanced ergonomics and an affordable price tag. Some call it a "flagship state employee" and this is quite justified, because the hardware stuffing of the gadget can only be envied.

Our store offers to buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 in Moscow. Powerful and elegant novelty will be able to emphasize your style and will become an indispensable assistant in everyday tasks.

Lightweight and ergonomic

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is made in a modern style. The gadget received rounded edges and corners. The case is made of high-quality plastic, and the ergonomics are off scale. The weight of the smartphone is only 144 grams, while the thickness of the case was 8.4 mm. The gadget fits perfectly in one hand.

Viewing angles up to 180 degrees with IPS technology

The manufacturer equipped the Redmi Note 2 phone with a high-quality Full-HD 5.5-inch matrix and IPS technology. From all angles, the picture looks very juicy and rich. The sensor responds very well and can take up to 10 touches. This is a revolutionary solution in the budget segment.

8-core chip from Mediatek

Become the owner of a smartphone with an advanced platform Mediatek Helio X10 and feel the full power of the 8-core processor. This chip is on par with the Snapdragon 810, with no issues with overheating. Play your favorite games, watch Full-HD videos and download music at maximum speed - all these are routine tasks for Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 phone.

Under the hood is a 2 GB RAM module, as well as an internal drive of 16/32 GB. Experience the difference with 4G. The device supports LTE networks. Now you can experience all the delights of high-speed Internet. All online services are already in your mobile phone. Feel the difference right now.

The best moments of life with a 13 MP camera

Hurry up to buy Redmi Note 2 in Moscow and become the proud owner of a 13 MP camera with a Samsung sensor. It uses 5-lens optics, autofocus and flash to achieve high quality photos in any conditions.

Maximum autonomy

Listen to your favorite music, surf the Internet and don't worry about battery life. Thanks to the 3060 mAh battery, the smartphone can last up to 14 hours in active mode.

Best price Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Moscow

We are a company store that offers to buy Redmi Note 2 at a bargain price. On the catalog page, you can choose the most attractive modification from the Redmi line.

Advantages:

  1. low price for Xiaomi Redmi Note 2;
  2. great experience and positive customer reviews;
  3. certified devices from the manufacturer;
  4. guarantee;
  5. delivery to the regions.

If you dream of a smartphone with excellent design and powerful hardware - buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 2. You can check the availability of smartphones and delivery terms with our consultants.

show in full

First of all, I would like to apologize to you, dear readers, for such a big delay in preparing this review. The fact is that initially the smartphone came to me back in mid-October, but the model turned out to be defective, it was not possible to go beyond the screen with the choice of language, the lower part of the display simply did not respond to pressing. As a result, the replacement arrived only after a month and a half, and by that time the third generation of the smartphone had already been released.

Characteristics

  • Class: past generation flagship
  • Form factor: monoblock
  • Body materials: matte plastic
  • Operating system: Android 5.0.2 and MIUI
  • Network: dual SIM, one radio, supports GSM/EDGE, WCDMA, LTE (microSIM)
  • Platform: MediaTek Helio X10
  • Processor: Octa-core 2/2.2 GHz
  • Video accelerator: PowerVR G6200
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Storage Memory: 16/32 GB, microSD card slot (supports cards up to 200 GB)
  • Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0 LE (A2DP, EDR), microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charge/sync, 3.5mm for headset,
  • Screen: 5.5'', capacitive, IPS-matrix, 1920x1080 pixels (FHD), automatic backlight level adjustment, oleophobic coating present
  • Camera: 13 MP, video recording in 1080p (1920x1080 pixels), LED flash
  • Front camera: 5 MP
  • Navigation: GPS/Glonass (A-GPS support)
  • Sensors: accelerometer, position sensor, gyroscope, ambient light sensor
  • Battery: removable, Li-Ion, 3020/3060 mAh
  • Dimensions: 152 x 76 x 8.3mm
  • Weight: 160 grams
  • Price: 12,000 rubles

Equipment

  • Smartphone
  • Charger
  • PC connection cable (also part of the charger)

Xiaomi phones traditionally come in simple cardboard boxes, they look simple but tasteful.


Appearance, materials, controls, assembly

What can you say about the appearance of this model? Nothing special, a typical candy bar with rounded edges. Partially, the situation is improved by various color variants of the device, although in most stores only models in gray or white are available. It is important to note that in addition to the color of the cover, its material is also different. The gray smartphone is smoother, while the white one is slightly rough to the touch.



On the front side, a front camera peephole, light and proximity sensors, as well as an LED notifying about new messages were installed.


Below you can see a panel of three touch buttons "Menu", "Home" and "Back". It is noteworthy that a short press on the "Menu" brings up the latest applications. In the settings, you can change the actions for the buttons. The backlighting of the keys is red, it is very hard to see, it would be better to use the on-screen buttons.


On the right are the volume rocker and the power button, on the bottom is a microUSB port, on the top is a 3.5 mm headphone jack.




Behind are the main camera and the mesh of the external speaker. The latter has a good margin in terms of volume and sound quality.


The back cover is removable, a removable battery, two slots for microSIM and a slot for a microSD memory card are hidden under it, cards up to 200 GB are supported.



The device is perfectly assembled, there are no backlashes and squeaks.

Dimensions



Despite the large screen size, Redmi Note 2 has quite good dimensions, for a phablet, of course. It is quite thin and light, but holding it with one hand is still uncomfortable.





Screen

I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by how good displays are installed in relatively inexpensive devices. Redmi Note 2 has an excellent screen with a wide range of brightness, excellent color reproduction, viewing angles close to the maximum and good behavior in the sun. Separately, I note a high-quality oleophobic coating.

If desired, the user can adjust the color reproduction in the settings.

The only drawback of the screen is the poor performance of the automatic brightness control, which tries to reduce the backlight to an uncomfortable level. In other respects, this is an excellent display, it can be safely called one of the main advantages of the device.

operating system

The device is running Android 5.0.2 and MIUI 6.x. We have already talked about this shell many times, so I see no reason to repeat myself.

However, there is one very unpleasant little thing that you should be aware of: the device has very limited support for the Russian language out of the box, half of the menus and settings are not translated, moreover, the Russian and English languages ​​have different fonts, which also does not look very nice. Of course, it will not be difficult for an experienced user to reflash the device, but if you are not, then keep this feature in mind before buying.

Performance

MIUI has had minor performance issues since Android 4.0. In all the devices that I tested, lags were noticeable when scrolling through the desktops and the settings menu. Fortunately, Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 does not have this drawback.

The device works perfectly both with conventional applications and with productive toys. But I didn’t really like the heating of the device, it often heats up even when scrolling through the twitter feed or checking mail.

Offline work


In everyday use, the smartphone guarantees only an hour and a half of the display on (we are talking about web services and using mobile Internet), the device is amazingly quickly discharged even when the screen is off. I had to regularly recharge my smartphone during the day. The battery graph indicated that the Android system had the most power consumption, and not any particular application.

Camera

The resolution of the main camera is 13 MP, there is an LED flash, tracking autofocus in video mode, as well as the ability to shoot TimeLapse and Slow-mo video. Of the pleasant features, I note the possibility of changing the exposure on the focus wheel.


Below is a comment by Roman Belykh on the quality of the camera:

Daytime shots on Redmi Note 2 are of good quality: a fairly accurate white balance, more or less normal detail, low noise, good sharpness on the sides of the frames.

In indoor conditions, the frames come out of average quality, since the matrix and F2.2 aperture can no longer cope. Monochrome noise appears, which is suppressed by “noise reduction”, and it is extremely bad: pixels are simply smeared. However, the picture is relatively sharp.

With insufficient lighting, for example, at night, the noise “crawls out” even more, even colored noise appears. The camera software is trying to “clean up” the picture, but, again, the matrix is ​​apparently small, so the photos are blurred, the focus is “naughty”.

There is practically nothing to say about the video: FullHD at 30 frames during the day and 15 frames at night. Low quality sound, stereo.

Wireless interfaces

In terms of interfaces, there is an almost complete gentleman's set, except for NFC. I didn’t like only the work of the GPS module - the smartphone quickly finds satellites, however, when using the same Yandex.Maps, your location constantly “jumps”.

Conclusion

This is one of the few devices in which the spoken speaker and microphone worked mediocre. Both I and my interlocutors could not hear each other well, while the tests were carried out in several different places. Perhaps these are problems exclusively with my device, but keep them in mind before buying.


In Chinese online stores, Redmi Note 2 is sold for $150, our sellers ask for about 12,000 rubles for it. For this money, you get a smartphone with a very good screen, a fast and functional shell, but partial support for the Russian language, with poor battery life and no official warranty.

In our comments, it is customary to praise Xiaomi for inexpensive but good smartphones, but in fact there are a lot of different “buts” that arise during live use. Commentators are usually unaware of them, which is why Xiaomi products often look like the perfect competitor for any smartphone.

Should I buy Redmi Note 2 now? Personally, I would save up and try the new flagship Redmi Note 3, which, by the way, is already in the hands of Artem Lutfullin.

UPD: Our YouTube subscribers noted that their European international versions of the smartphone had much better behavior, this also applied to battery life, background discharge.

When high technologies are available to everyone, when everyone can buy a high-tech product for an inexpensive price, only then can progress be considered accomplished! For what is the point of high technologies if no one uses them due to the high cost? Not so long ago, Xiaomi showed its vision of progress - the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 phablet.

What is what

Mobile processor Helio X10, although it was announced last year, but it remains top-end to this day. Many mobile flagships with big names use it as a central processor, and the price tag for them rarely drops below $ 300, which, during the raging dollar exchange rate and biting prices for flagship electronics, becomes simply an unbearable amount for many.

But the Chinese are the Chinese and with their small productions they quickly bend under the changing world and sometimes produce chic devices with a very attractive price tag. Very curious Meizu M1 and, as well as Lenovo K3 Note, built on the mid-range MT6752 processor and its younger brother MT6753, became such devices this year.

After their release, a serious war broke out in the domestic market of China. Each manufacturer considered it his duty to release a smartphone on these processors, producing virtually the same devices with different price tags. Everyone wanted to stand out in their own way until Xiaomi came along. The company did not follow in the footsteps of competitors and did not make a second Redmi Note on the MT6752 with a $200 price tag. Instead, Xiaomi went further. They stuck a Helio X10 dude inside it, put a $120 price tag on the Chinese version, and sold 800,000 phones on the first day.

The owner of the company delivered these smartphones personally on his Lamborgini to the door by the first to order.

Equipment and design

The smartphone came to me for a test in a classic branded packaging made from recycled cardboard. The package bundle of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 smartphone is quite ascetic. In the box, in addition to the device itself, you can find only a charger and a manual in Chinese.

Outwardly, it is an ordinary brick with bevelled corners. I liked the design. Pretty minimalistic, there is nothing superfluous. At the front, attention is not focused on anything other than the display, and the red-lit navigation buttons nicely complement the image, like a cherry on a cake.

The back cover is matte and feels like an old ZTE Nubia Z5s Mini. There is also the peephole of the main 13-megapixel camera with a hole for noise reduction, a corporate logo and an external speaker.

At the top of the screen there is a multi-colored LED for LED notifications, a speaker and a 5 MP front camera.

The power button and volume rocker are on the right, and the 3.5 jack with an infrared port on the top end is where these elements should be. At the bottom left is a micro-usb connector for charging and a hole for a conversational microphone.

Specifications

There are three versions of this smartphone:

  1. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 GSM - 16 GB ROM, 2 RAM, Helio X10 @ 2.0 GHz - GSM and TD-LTE only (3G/4G not supported in CIS networks)
  2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 FDD - 16 GB ROM, 2 RAM, Helio X10 @ 2.0 GHz - GSM, FDD-LTE, TD-LTE networks (GSM/3G/4G support in CIS networks)
  3. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Prime - 32 GB ROM, 2 GB RAM, Helio X10 @ 2.2 GHz - Work in CIS networks: GSM / 3G / 4G (GSM / 3G / 4G is supported in CIS networks)

I had the second version with 16 GB of ROM and FDD-LTE frequencies in my hands. Rest Specifications Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 look like this:

  • screen IPS LCD, diagonal 5.5", resolution 1920 × 1080 pixels, 401 ppi
  • Processor Mediatek Helio X10 (MT6795) octa-core, 2 GHz, Cortex-A53
  • graphics PowerVR G6200 550 MHz
  • RAM 2 GB
  • permanent memory 16 GB + slot for a memory card
  • main camera 13 MP with autofocus and flash, f / 2.2, 5 lenses, Samsung sensor, video recording in FullHD
  • front camera 5 MP, f/2.0, pixel size 1.4 microns
  • other fast charging function - 60% charge in half an hour (Quick Charge 2.0), infrared port, OTG support
  • battery 3060 mAh
  • body materials plastic, glass
  • OS Android 5.0, MIUI V7
  • dimensions 152 x 76 x 8.5 mm
  • weight 160 grams

Display

The 5.5-inch Full HD display is made using GFF technology, like the Oneplus Two. The screen does not have an air gap between the glass and the matrix, so the image seems to lie on the surface. Recognizes 10 touches. The display is covered with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and, if I have no complaints about color reproduction, then at extreme angles the image darkens a little, but this is typical of all displays based on IPS technology.

In general, it is not critical and in everyday life you simply do not notice it. The color scheme is configured in the screen settings and you can choose a shade warmer or colder. But compared to other screens, it still looks a little warmer. You quickly get used to it and in general I would characterize the screen quality as 8/10. 9/10 gets meizu m1 laptop, and 10/10 I will leave for a smartphone unknown to me. I doubt that there is such a thing in nature. Pixels are not visible, black colors do not roll into porridge, the minimum brightness is good, the maximum one wants a little more. But in general, the sun is clearly visible.

Hardware and benchmarks

You must be asking what is the point of the Helio X10 processor? The fact is that there are 8 Cortex A-53 cores capable of operating simultaneously at a frequency of 400 MHz to 1950 MHz. And in the Prime version, the CPU is overclocked to 2.2 GHz. A fundamentally new system for managing the operation of these cores called Core Pilot 2.0 was used. That is, the processor itself determines what task it performs: heavy or light. And depending on it, it already launches or extinguishes certain cores, or it can even force the video accelerator to perform one or another action. The graphics chip here is also not anyhow, but almost the flagship PowerVR G6200 today with a frequency of 550 MHz, and in the Prime version 700 MHz. In addition, a lot of other chips are implemented at the processor level. But I will tell you about them another time.

The smartphone has 2 GB of RAM, of which 900-800 megabytes are available to the user after the system boots. There is enough RAM for applications, the browser does not reload the page, but if you run several heavy games, the browser, some applications, it can unload something from memory on its own. Personally, I have enough RAM with my head.

Internal memory is expandable up to 32 GB, but 64 GB cards formatted in FAT32, Redmi Note 2 also eats.


The smartphone has 2 operating modes: productive and balanced. In the first case, he eats the battery and gives maximum performance wherever his conscience allows him. In balanced mode, it drops frequencies a bit and shows slightly worse performance results.


According to benchmarks, the smartphone performs very well in performance mode. 64-bit AnTuTu about 46,000 parrots, but more if desired. In other tests, a state employee with a price tag below $200 works out everything very worthy.

Connection

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 supports LTE in our frequencies. In Kazakhstan, Altel 4G works great.

  • network GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA, LTE
  • dual SIM support (micro SIM and nano SIM)
  • Wi-Fi interfaces (ac/a/b/g/n) dual-band
  • Bluetooth4.0LE
  • micro USB connector for charge/sync, 3.5 mm for headset
  • navigation GPS (support A-GPS), Glonass, Beidou

GPS satellites catch quickly. There are no complaints about any networks in the smartphone. About network support by various Redmi Note 2 models we have already discussed above.

Sensors

Of the sensors there is an accelerometer, a light sensor, a proximity sensor and a magnetic compass. Thanks to the latter on the maps, you can not only determine your location, but also find out the direction of movement. The sensors work properly, there are no complaints about their work.

cameras

But the situation is as follows for the cameras. The main camera is 13 MP with f2.2 aperture, autofocus and flash. The sensor from Samsung takes photos at a maximum resolution of 4208 by 2368 pixels. There are not many manual settings in the stock camera app: you can only adjust the ISO level and white balance. But you can do "time-lapses" and apply filters in real time.

The pictures are excellent, as for a budget employee. And if you turn on HDR, then even in the dark, shooting handheld, you can get a tolerable picture.

Of the additional camera settings, there are several modes: panorama, timer shot, scene, skin tone equalization, and even a gradiometer. If you fill up the horizon, it automatically aligns it. A useful feature, I saw this in a smartphone for the first time.

I can also call the main camera one of the best in its segment and the quality of the photo images pleasantly pleased me.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the video. It is possible to shoot slow and fast video in maximum Full HD quality. Sound writes so-so. You can consider a smartphone as a camera, or rather a replacement for a soap dish, if you do not write a video.

5MP front camera, f/2.0 aperture, 1.4µm pixel size. It takes adequate pictures at a maximum resolution of 1440 by 2560. There is also a shutter release timer and face beauty degree adjustment. Of the cool chips, there is a function for determining the age by the face. It does not work correctly and is built only to stupidly neigh in the company of friends.

In general, I am satisfied with the camera and the quality of the pictures can be put on a par with the Meizu M1 Note.

Energy consumption

Under the back cover is a 3060 mAh battery and it has to be charged 2 times a day with very active use. However, the battery cannot be called frankly weak. In the mode of calls and listening to music, Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 may well live for a couple of days. I did a battery stress test without a SIM card: maximum brightness, enabled Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, 100% screen brightness. I drove Epic Citadel in this mode at maximum and ultra-settings. In 2 hours and 4 minutes, the smartphone was discharged by 50%. That is, you can safely multiply the result by 2.

There is also a fast charging option. It is stated that in 30 minutes it is charged by 60%. Personally, I am satisfied with the battery, but if its volume was larger, then I would be more satisfied.

Throttling and heating

At the same time, if at the very beginning of the battery stress test the processor produced 56-59 fps at high settings and 30-35 fps at ultra settings, then after 2 hours, due to throttling, the high graphics settings dropped to 40-45 fps, and in ultra-mode up to 25-30. Throttling is quite acceptable.

But with temperature, everything is much more interesting. If you use a smartphone without LTE, then even in very heavy games like Gangstar Vegas it does not rise above 35-36 degrees. It is worth turning on LTE and the thermometer is creeping up. The maximum battery temperature that I recorded was 44 degrees. However, the smartphone cannot be called very hot. Meizu M1 Note, for example, warmed up much more, but also didn’t go into throttling much.

However, during normal use, the smartphone was consistently warm regardless of usage scenarios. Its constant temperature is around 34-35 degrees, even when you just sit on Vkontakte. If it lies on the charge, it is also always warm. This does not affect the work in any way, the phone does not start to slow down, everything still works. He's just always warm.

Perhaps the Chinese made the device with love and put warmth and care into each instance so that we would be warmer in the northern countries, but Xiaomi does not give official statements on this.

Other hardware features

Other hardware features include OTG support. Mice, keyboards and hard drives are perfectly connected to the smartphone.

And, of course, infrared. Unfortunately, there is no built-in application in the firmware, but Xiaomi has it. It's called Mi Remote. Very functional and you can pick up a remote control for absolutely any household appliances. You can also download any application from Google Play and switch channels with your smartphone, manage absolutely everything that has an infrared port.

Software part and interface

All in terms of hardware. If you know how to flash smartphones and know that Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is a wildly popular smartphone, and as a result, there will be a lot of custom firmware for it, then almost limitless functionality opens up for you. So far, there are not so many customizations for it, the smartphone is new, but I assure you, in a month you will have bare Android, and LEWA, and Flyme, and everything you can think of. After all, the main advantage of Xiaomi smartphones over other manufacturers is a huge variety of custom firmware. If Meizu, for example, has not yet opened the “bootloader” even for budget smartphones, then Xiaomi has full scope for customization. Programmatically, you can make whatever you want out of it. With straight arms, of course.

If we talk about what I have, then this is MIUI 7 from MIUI Pro - custom firmware based on the official one.

I remind you that there is no Russian language in the official firmware - only English and Chinese.

The device is stitched extremely simply. You can customize absolutely everything. From camera capabilities, gestures to function key actions and of course appearance.

If Lenovo and Meizu in proprietary firmware also add the ability to change themes, then Xiaomi is one step ahead here. Not only icons change, but also menus, dialers, the appearance of some branded applications, the lock screen, icons, wallpapers. Everything is configurable and customizable. Plus, the firmware can be updated over the air, and with each new update, there are fewer bugs, and more embellishments. And all this works so smoothly, everything is so intuitive, so beautiful that sometimes you can’t believe your own eyes.

Does the shell lag? No!

Let's go through the main features that I liked the most.

  • The notification curtain can be called from anywhere on the screen, it is not necessary to reach the very top.
  • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen brings up the search bar. Search both by device and on the Internet.
  • Swipe from the touch button "home" to the left or right turns on the control mode with one hand. The screen immediately becomes smaller so that each of its corners can be reached with your thumb. The size of the compressed interface is configurable.
  • In the notification curtain, you can find not only a flashlight, but also a player. For music lovers, this is the most: pulled out the curtain, clicked on "play" or switched the track. The curtain itself is again customizable.
  • A long press on the left touch button or a pinch on the screen brings up an additional menu that allows you to customize animation, set wallpaper, add widgets or sort desktops.
  • In the settings, you can assign this or that application to the system by default. In other words, the system player does not suit you - you can install the MX Player as the system player and make it the default.

And many many others. Again, everything is customizable. But I repeat that these are not all the chips of the firmware. It's almost impossible to list everything. It just needs to be felt.

However, there were some bugs here.

For example, some applications may suddenly crash at the start, and the proprietary Youtube application does not work at all. But these are all software problems of MIUI Pro custom firmware and they will disappear in subsequent updates. Already now there are more stable firmware from other developers.

Do not forget that the lifetime of Xiaomi smartphones in terms of software is quite long and support for updates from the manufacturer will be for a very long time.

Gaming Performance

If we talk about gaming performance, then everything is at the highest level. Runs everything on ultra settings. If you turn off LTE during the game, and it is better to switch the smartphone to flight mode, then after 2-3 hours of heavy gaming, the device may even remain cold.



Throttling does not affect games, but some casual games can lag even at low graphics settings due to poor optimization.

Advantages and disadvantages

If you summarize everything by listing the pros and cons, then the situation will look like this.

Pros:

  • Excellent value for money
  • Long-term manufacturer support, a wide selection of custom firmware
  • 4G Internet on both SIM cards, but in turn
  • High-quality screen with decent resolution
  • Productive iron, sufficient for any tasks
  • A good main camera that can record time-lapses and take good photos with HDR even in the dark
  • There are still a lot of pluses that are still of no interest to anyone

The shortcomings can be summarized as follows:

    • Questionable video quality. Hardware-wise, the smartphone can also write 4K video, perhaps this feature will be added in subsequent firmware. However, at the moment, although it takes good pictures, it writes videos mediocrely. Minus.
    • The lid after N-th number of openings and closings began to crackle. It does not affect the work, it is not critical, but a minus.
    • Poor set. I would like to see in the box at least a headset or headphones, or a case, or at least a film on the screen - the charger alone in the box really has no one to talk to.
    • Heat. There is, yes, it is present, but there are smartphones that heat up many times more.

Did I like my smartphone? Definitely yes. I am ready to forgive him for all his disadvantages for the price at which he is sold. I note that in the future the smartphone will not rise in price, but only become cheaper. It will not acquire new hardware or software glitches, and long-term support for firmware plus a huge scope for customization make the smartphone not only a pleasant, but also a very logical acquisition.

Outcome

To many manufacturers who say that you need to pay a lot of money for high technology, that you need to pay for progress for the sake of payback, Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 sends a big hello. If it cost $250-$300, it would still be a very interesting and desirable smartphone for many, but would it be worth the money? Yes, it is quite. Analogues are worth it!

However, in that case, it would not drive progress, it would just be another good device. Let OnePlus kill the flagships somewhere up there. Way above Samsung is making innovative smartphones with curved screens, and Apple is honing its optimized software. All this will not lead to such competition as the release of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2. Now, Chinese manufacturers will be forced to do even better, even cheaper and even more powerful. This is progress. Progress is evolution. Perhaps this smartphone is just a small step towards conquering the market, but it is a huge step towards cheap and affordable innovations for everyone.

You can buy a smartphone from our partners - Gearbest.com.

Release date: already on sale Price: from $120

Summer presentations of Chinese companies usually take place one after another, but this time Xiaomi decided to “let go” a little ahead of its main competitors, Meizu, Huawei, Lenovo, and held its event later. However, the presentation format and the presented product have been known for a long time - a new inexpensive smartphone with a large display (5.5 "") in the line of budget solutions "Redmi". Thus, Xiaomi already has an almost complete lineup: a flagship with a large screen (Mi Note), a budget smartphone with a large screen (Redmi Note 2), an inexpensive Redmi 2 smartphone with a display of less than 5 "", and, as expected, the final chord will be presentation of Xiaomi Mi5 this fall. In the meantime, let's talk about the new Redmi Note 2 - a very interesting device. as is usually the case with Xiaomi.

I'll start, as usual, with the characteristics.

Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2

  • Body materials: plastic, glass
  • Operating system: Android 5.0, MIUI V7
  • Network: GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA, LTE, microSIM, nanoSIM, dual SIM support
  • Screen: IPS LCD, diagonal 5.5", resolution 1920x1080 pixels, 401 ppi
  • Platform: Mediatek Helio X10 (MT6795)
  • Processor: Octa-core, 2GHz, Cortex-A53 (Redmi Note 2) / Octa-core, 2.2GHz, Cortex-A53 (Redmi Note 2 Prime)
  • Graphics: PowerVR G6200
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Flash storage: 16 GB (Redmi Note 2) / 32 GB (Redmi Note 2 Prime)
  • Memory card slot: yes
  • Interfaces: Wi-Fi (ac/a/b/g/n) dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, microUSB connector for charge/sync, 3.5 mm headset
  • Primary camera: 13 MP with autofocus and flash, f/2.2, 5 lenses, Samsung sensor, Full HD video recording
  • Front camera 5 MP, f/2.0, pixel size 1.4 microns
  • Navigation: GPS (support A-GPS), Glonass, Beidou
  • Extras: accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor, quick charge function: 60 percent charge in half an hour (Quick Charge 2.0)
  • Battery: 3060 mAh
  • Dimensions: 152 x 76 x 8.5mm
  • Weight: 144 grams

We will immediately deal with the supported frequencies and communication standards. There will be three versions of the smartphone, two with 16 GB of internal memory and one with 32 GB of memory (Prime version). 16 GB versions - basic, with support only for TDD-LTE, we are not interested in it, the second, "advanced", already supports a more pleasant set of frequencies and standards: TDD-LTE (B38/B39/B40/B41: 2555-2655MHz) and FDD-LTE (B1/B3/B7). The same set of frequencies is supported by the 32 GB version of the internal memory, Prime.


The Redmi line of devices, or Redrice (it is also known by this name) are Xiaomi's ultra-budget smartphones, mainly for the local Chinese market. In China, a very sharp struggle is now unfolding in the segment of cheap devices, and literally all more or less well-known manufacturers are already taking part in it, from large ones like Lenovo and Huawei to smaller ones, Xiaomi, Meizu, ZTE and so on. When I say “large”, I mean simply the scale of the companies themselves, in terms of sales, Xiaomi can no longer be classified as a small company.


Until recently, Xiaomi literally dominated the ultra-budget segment inside China, but last year Meizu (thanks to investments from Alibaba), Lenovo, Huawei began to introduce their budget smartphones one after another, and Xiaomi's latest announcement is rather a response to recent presentations of competitors. And the answer, it must be admitted, is very worthy.


The most important component of the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, which will be emphasized in the promotion, is the Mediatek Helio X10 platform. So that you understand what this means, I will voice two simple facts. The first fact is that the top-end Redmi Note 2 Prime will cost 1,000 yuan in China (about 10,000 rubles). The second fact is that the X10 platform on which it works is approximately on the same level with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 in terms of performance, while it does not heat up so much and works more stably. Accordingly, in terms of performance, the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 will be on a par with more expensive smartphones like Meizu MX5 and Huawei Honor 7, I think it makes no sense to list the flagships on the Snapdragon 810, you yourself know them: HTC One M9, Sony Xperia Z3+ and some other models.



The device has 2 GB of RAM and 16 or 32 GB of internal storage, depending on the version, as well as a slot for a memory card, according to the first pictures of the “live” device, although Xiaomi itself has information about microSD support in Redmi Note 2 on the website No.

In terms of design and materials, Redmi Note 2 does not offer anything new - this is a formula already tested by the company: high-quality, but inexpensive plastic, various bright body colors to choose from and maximum conciseness in design. Yes, it’s simple, yes, it looks cheap, but there’s nothing to complain about, and it’s just stupid to demand some kind of premium from a budget smartphone. About the colors, there will be five: white, black, pink, blue and pink.


In terms of size, the device turned out to be typical for a model with a 5.5 '' screen, comparable to Meizu M2 note and a little more compact than its predecessor, Redmi Note, judge for yourself:

  • meizu m2 note(5.5"") - 150.9 x 75.2 x 8.7 mm, 149 grams
  • (5.5"") - 152 x 76 x 8.3 mm, 144/160 grams (two versions)
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note(5.5"") - 154 x 78.7 x 9.5 mm, 199 grams

An important point, the new Redmi Note 2 is lighter than the first model, if you used the first Note, then you know that the device weighs like a “brick” (200 grams), and it is felt, the new smartphone has become about 50 grams lighter, for a compact device this is essential.



Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 has a 5.5" IPS screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. This is the second important difference from its predecessor (besides the platform), which also used an IPS-matrix with a similar diagonal, but with a lower resolution, 1280x720 pixels. I can’t talk about the quality of the screen, because I haven’t seen the smartphone “live” yet, but I can assume that everything will be at a good level, except that the oleophobic coating may turn out to be worse than that of expensive smartphones; Xiaomi usually uses Dragontrail glass from the Japanese company Asahi Glass in budget models.


A little about cameras. The main camera module with a resolution of 13 MP, f / 2.2, 5 lenses, a sensor from Samsung (model not specified), phase detection autofocus, video recording in resolutions up to 1080p. The front camera is 5 MP, with an increased pixel size (1.4 microns), f / 2.0, and also records video in 1080p. We'll talk about quality when I "get" a sample of a smartphone for review.


Sample photo from the front camera

The smartphone has two slots for microSIM cards, one radio module, I already talked about support for different LTE standards at the beginning of the material. Redmi Note 2 has an infrared port for using the device as a remote control for various household appliances, including other company products: TV, set-top box, and so on.

Together with the new smartphone, the company announced the imminent release of the next version of the proprietary MIUI shell, now based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. The update to MIUI V7 for various smartphones of the company will begin today, the international launch is scheduled for August 19, and the new Redmi Note 2 will receive this version out of the box. The updated MIUI has changed slightly in appearance, fresh themes have appeared, the font has been improved, the company also notes shell optimization and other improvements. We will talk about all this in detail in a separate article or inside the Redmi Note 2 review.


The release of the next new version of MIUI

Conclusion

The official prices for new smartphones are as follows:

  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 16 GB (TDD-LTE) – 800 yuan
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 16 GB (TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE) - 900 yuan (9,000 rubles)
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Prime 32 GB (TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE) - 1000 yuan (10,000 rubles).

If we compare last year's Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G with the new model, the difference is obvious, and Note 2 is literally better in everything, from dimensions, weight and MIUI shell version to platform, screen and other parameters. That is, in the case of Xiaomi, there is no such situation as with the budget Meizu models, where the devices of this and last years are also successful, but have their pros and cons against each other. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is definitely and in every way better than the first version, and if you decide to choose an inexpensive smartphone, you need to pay attention to Redmi Note 2 first of all.

Against the background of any competitors, including the Meizu M2 note, the smartphone has one important advantage - the top platform Helio X10 from Mediatek. If you choose between Redmi Note 2 and M2 note, you need to look at what you need from a smartphone in the first place. Accordingly, the device from Xiaomi (Note 2) is the highest performance and speed in games. The device from Meizu (M2 note) is a design, I'm talking about the gray version, it looks more expensive than it actually is, as well as a hardware key under the screen, for some this is an important argument. I consider comparison of MIUI and Flyme to be meaningless, today these shells have gone even further from each other than before, and everyone likes, as a rule, one thing.


The question remains regarding the cost, because, as you probably know, Xiaomi products are rarely available for purchase in the first months of sales at the advertised price. Considering how interesting the new Redmi Note 2 turned out to be, we should expect increased hype for this smartphone and, as a result, high prices at the start. It will be very difficult to buy the device officially in the first months of sales, for this you need to register an mi.com account, enter the details of a bank card of a Chinese payment system and a Chinese address, and then wait for the announcement of the next wave of sales and try to get into it (usually it is a matter of minutes, until the smartphone is available on the website for ordering). Therefore, for the majority, the option of buying from resellers remains, either through Chinese online stores, or already in Russia, also in online stores. In the second case, the price will be higher, but usually you can get the device immediately or literally within a couple of days. In the first case, the price is lower, but delivery takes from a week to a month, or (if you're not lucky) even longer.

In the first months after the start of sales, we should expect prices for the Prime version in the region of 14,000-16,000 rubles, in my opinion, but even for this money, the smartphone turns out to be excellent.

A high-quality Chinese phone - that's exactly what you can say about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 smartphone. It will appeal not only to gamers, but also to people who love fast mobile devices. The accelerator in tandem with the processor that this Note is equipped with shows good performance. Therefore, the happy owners of this model will not have to worry about trifles about the braking of the mobile device. According to many experts, this phone is the best option for consumers who choose performance as their main criterion.

Equipment

The smartphone is sold in a standard rectangular box made of unpainted thick cardboard. The lid has the logo of the manufacturer. On the reverse side there is a sticker with information and a hologram confirming the authenticity of the device.

Inside the package is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 phone itself, a proprietary USB cable, a device for charging a smartphone with a declared current of 2 amperes, a battery, a warranty card and documentation in Chinese.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Design Review

For the manufacture of the case, the manufacturers used polycarbonate, pleasant to the touch. Dimensions of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 – 152x76x8.3 mm, its weight is 16 grams. Laconic classic design attracts many users. The body is rectangular with slightly rounded corners. Some lack the zest that could make it stand out in this line of mobile devices. But this is just a matter of taste. The build quality is quite decent, there are no squeaks and backlashes.

The front panel is made of tempered glass. On the bottom there are red backlit touch buttons.

At the top there are sensors: proximity and lighting, a front camera, an event indicator and a speaker for conversations.

On the left, on the bottom end face, there is a USB connector and a small hole for a spoken microphone. On the top edge there is a hole for a noise suppressing microphone, an IR port window, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The main camera is located on the back of the case (top center), and below it is an LED flash. At the bottom are the speaker holes and the company logo. A small protrusion under the holes is specially made so that the sound coming from the speaker does not overlap.

The volume control and the button that turns the smartphone on and off are located in the usual place - on the right side of the case.

The back cover can be easily removed without much effort. Below it are:

  • battery;
  • micro-SIM card slots;
  • memory card slot - micro-SD.

For heat dissipation and rigidity, there is also a frame made of magnesium alloy. It is also used as a part to which the elements of this model of the device are securely attached.

Display

The screen size of the smartphone is 5.5 inches. Therefore, many users often call it a phablet. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 display has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. In its manufacture, manufacturers use IPS technology. The screen is protected by glass, but there is no air gap in this model. The screen features are as follows:

  • the use of technology that reduces glare and improves image quality when the sun hits the monitor;
  • in low light, the display is able to reduce brightness, thereby reducing power consumption and protecting the eyes;
    • the use of a special technology that reduces the spectrum of blue radiation.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is equipped with good viewing angles, the picture is clearly visible even in bright sunlight. The display has a decent contrast ratio and is equipped with a well-functioning automatic brightness control.

Performance

In this model, the main element responsible for the operation of all programs is the MediaTek helio X10 processor. This is an 8-core 64-bit device with a frequency of up to 2000 MHz. With this phone model, it performs light and complex tasks by itself thanks to the use of an advanced core management system. Depending on this, the processor can change the action, start or shut down one of the cores. Specialists have tested Note 2 many times in games. As the result showed, the laptop coped with the task perfectly and there were no problems. But with a heavy workload and using the maximum graphics settings, the laptop case at the top of the rear panel heats up quite a lot.

Software

The smartphone is running Android 5.0 (Lollipop). This version of android has a decent range of features: a responsive interface, correct response to calls, quick access to settings, a mode that allows you to manage notifications, etc. The PowerVR G6200 graphic editor in Redmi is responsible for the elements that are displayed on the smartphone display. This indicator is important for users who like to watch videos and play.

Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2

The specifications of the Redmi Note 2 are quite decent. The smartphone is designed to work with two micro SIM cards. For messages and calls, users can set ringtones according to their wishes, set the vibration mode on the phone, use Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, make video calls, communicate with friends on social networks, Skype, after downloading the version on Note.

For business people, the speakerphone, conference calls and speed dialing of the desired number will be useful. The second microphone installed in the laptop is responsible for noise suppression and improved communication quality.

Camera

The main 13 megapixel camera allows you to take photos of good quality with sufficient artificial and natural light. Pictures pleasantly delight users with a good white balance, fast focusing. If the weather conditions are not very good, the quality of the photos drops noticeably, so it is not recommended to use the laptop in the evening.

Traditionally, HDR mode works well for this smartphone model: natural color reproduction is preserved, and snapshots are taken quickly. True, the dark areas are slightly elongated. With the note you can shoot videos, and the 5-megapixel front camera allows you to take normal-quality selfies.

Battery and Charging

The battery of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is quite powerful, it successfully passed all the tests. In addition, the smartphone charges quite quickly. The phone only takes 2 hours to fully charge. With an average level of use, the device can work without charging a little more than a day.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 prices

Outcome

The smartphone is worthy of the attention of consumers. This is a good device, especially considering that it belongs to budget mobile devices.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of a smartphone are many. According to users, the following advantages can be attributed to them:

  • attractive, stylish, unobtrusive appearance;
  • big screen;
  • excellent visibility even on a sunny day;
  • high performance;
  • good volume and audibility.

If we talk about the minuses, users note that the case heats up during intensive use, the vibration is not very strong, and the camera makes noise when there is a lack of light.