Xiaomi Launches $150 Phone With a 48-megapixel Camera

Xiaomi’s Redmi brand is launching a new flagship device: the Redmi Note 7. This is one of the first devices Redmi is launching independently after it separated from the main Xiaomi brand.

The company’s new Redmi Note 7 is a low-end Android phone focused on markets like India and China. But the device itself comes with a killer feature: a 48-megapixel camera on the back.

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That sounds like a pretty amazing camera, and Redmi says the device can make use of all these pixels to take rich pictures, especially at night. The camera can, for example, combine four pixels into one for higher-quality shots at low light. The idea is that the pictures will have 4x the more pixels than the mainstream 12MP cameras.

Xiaomi is promising a lot with the new Redmi Note 7 camera, especially with the smart features on the 13MP front camera that lets you unlock the device with your face, and comes with things like portrait mode/bokeh effect. But still, none of this means the pictures that come out of the camera are actually going to be impressive. As we have seen in the past, software plays a big part, and I highly doubt the camera on a $150 phone can beat top players like the Google Pixel and Apple iPhone. Still, the 48MP camera should be welcome considering the low price of the handset.

In terms of the other specs, the Redmi Note 7 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, up to 6GB of RAM, up to 64GB of storage, a 4000mAh battery with Quick Charge 4 support, and more. It will be available in China on January 15, starting at around $150 for the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant. Redmi plans to make the device available in other markets like India later on.

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Conversation 9 comments

  • obarthelemy

    10 January, 2019 - 7:06 am

    <p>Xiaomi has been my default OEM for a couple of years, and their Redmi Note line has been my default phone recommendation. the Redmi Note 5 is an iPhone 6S level device, at $150, with a bit slower CPU, and much better screen, pictures, battery. So is the 6, and Xiaomi has proved trustworthy over the years so I expect the 7 to build up on that.</p><p><br></p><p>They're delightful devices. First, because cheap phones do come with a fair bit of history, lets make very clear that Redmis have no fatal flaw. They look good, are reasonably solid, the software is as bug-free as anything. But not only that: the component quality is fine (screen, TouchID, sound, the mic is a bit picky when Skyping/making vids, the camera is great in full light ). And they have nice extras that are often missing from flagships: a comfy battery, audio jack, FM radio, SD slot, IR blaster+remote app, and years of OS updates (my 3yo Mi Max 1 is still getting his). They're quite DIY-able (my 12yo nephew and 15yo niece love to break screens) &lt;$20 per screen assembly.</p><p><br></p><p>They're obviously not flagships: no AMOLED, a 6xx Snapdragon, bad low-light pics, mic is iffy and sound is passable, no AR/VR and up to this one no Fortnite (PUBG is fine though). No NFC and no 700MHz band which is used by one carrier in France.</p><p><br></p><p>I've been recommending those like crazy, sold 10+ since September:</p><p>1- I use it myself (well, its giant Mi Max sibling, it's the same but bigger)</p><p>2- Everyone has been happy up to now. Even iPhoners that weren't willing to sell a kidney get a new iPhone.</p><p>3- You've got to pay a lot more to get a little more, or you can get a lot less by paying a little less. They're the very sweet spot right now. I'm still recommending other phones, mostly flagships to dedicated photographers or rugged phones to the outdoorsy, but really not so much. The Redmis have sucked up all the low- and mid-range sales.</p><p><br></p><p>Worst drawbacks are low-light pics, sound capture, and MIUI which is not bad but quite different from stock Android for no good reason.</p><p>Best qualities are overall quality and reliability, and value for money. I used to say that Apple's 2 pillars are: easy + sexy. Those phones are that in spades, at 1/5th-1/10th the price.</p>

    • MikeGalos

      10 January, 2019 - 7:38 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#393374">In reply to obarthelemy:</a></em></blockquote><p>But does it come in "Space Gray"? Apparently that matters – no idea why.</p>

    • maethorechannen

      Premium Member
      10 January, 2019 - 8:50 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#393374">In reply to obarthelemy:</a></em></blockquote><p><em>MIUI which is not bad but quite different from stock Android for no good reason.</em></p><p><br></p><p>They also sell Android One versions of some of thier phones. I think all the official UK ones are Android One phones.</p><p><br></p><p>I've got a Mi A2 Lite that runs Android One. An excellent phone for the price.</p>

  • Daekar

    10 January, 2019 - 9:37 am

    <p>Good gravy, how many megabytes is that per photo?</p>

  • KPRROK

    10 January, 2019 - 10:18 am

    <p>Why can't we get phones like this in the States? I would love this for my daughter.</p>

  • skane2600

    10 January, 2019 - 1:56 pm

    <p>I wonder how much software would really matter. The camera hardware sets the maximum fidelity a camera can achieve. </p>

    • obarthelemy

      10 January, 2019 - 3:12 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#393559">In reply to skane2600:</a></em></blockquote><p>Xiaomi's camera software isn't bad, they usually have a phone in DxOMark's top 5 – obviously not a Redmi though.</p><p><br></p><p>www.dxomark.com/category/mobile-reviews/</p>

  • thesmartestonearth

    25 April, 2019 - 4:22 am

    <p><span style="color: rgb(42, 46, 46);">Phone are available in every low and high range.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(42, 46, 46);">But, i found something that might shock you: </span><a href="https://bestgadgetbestbudget.com&quot; target="_blank" style="color: rgb(42, 46, 46);">Visit Here</a></p>

  • masudjubayer

    24 November, 2019 - 12:35 pm

    <p>On other 48MP Xiaomi camera phone <a href="https://toptech.rangochango.com/2019/11/xiaomi-mi-9t-specification-exposed.html&quot; target="_blank">Click here for more info</a></p>

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