Kshitij Pujari Nov 22, 2018 14:00 PM IST
Xiaomi has announced the Redmi Note 6 Pro, which is the successor to its widely successful Redmi Note 5 Pro, at an event in Delhi. One of the biggest changes to the Redmi Note 6 Pro is the adoption of the notched display to give more screen real-estate on the phone. The device has been launched at a competitive price point of Rs 13,999 and will be available for sale on 23 November.
Redmi Note 6 Pro
Apart from the new display, Xiaomi has also made a few changes to the camera on the phone. There is now a primary sensor with a bigger aperture, presumably to allow more light in for night-time shots. The phone is also splash proof with something that Xiaomi is calling as "nano-coating", however, the company has not applied for any IP certification for the device.
(Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro Review: Camera and battery life are the only saving grace)
The nearest competitors to the Redmi Note 6 Pro are the Redmi Note 5 Pro, Honor 8X, Realme 2 Pro and the Nokia 6.1 Plus. So how does the latest budget killer from Xiaomi stack up against the competition? Let's take a look.
| Smartphone | Redmi Note 6 Pro | Redmi Note 5 Pro | Realme 2 Pro | Honor 8X | Nokia 6.1 Plus |
| Display Size (inch) | 6.26 | 6 | 6 | 6.5 | 5.8 |
| Resolution (pixels) | 1080 x 2280 | 1080 x 2160 | 1080 x 2220 | 1080 x 2340 | 1080 x 2280 |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 403 | 403 | 409 | 397 | 432 |
| Display Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Dimensions (mm) | 157.9 x 76.4 x 8.3 | 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.1 | 156.7 x 74 x 8.5 | 160.4 x 76.6 x 7.8 | 147.2 x 71 x 8 |
| Weight (g) | 182 | 181 | 174 | 175 | 151 |
| Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SIM Type | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Connectivity Types | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / WCDMA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 | HiSilicon Kirin 710 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 |
| CPU Cores | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| CPU Clock Speed (GHz) | 8x Kryo 260 @ 1.8 GHz | 8x Kryo 260 @ 1.8 GHz | 4x Kryo 260 @ 2.2 GHz & 4x Kryo 260 @ 1.8 GHz | 4x Cortex-A73 @ 2.2 GHz & 4x Cortex-A53 @ 1.7 GHz | 8x Kryo 260 @ 1.8 GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 509 | Adreno 509 | Adreno 512 | Mali-G51 MP4 | Adreno 509 |
| RAM | 3/4/6 GB | 4/6 GB | 4/6/8 GB | 4/6 GB | 4 GB |
| Ruggedness | Splash-proof | — | — | — | — |
| On-Board Memory | 32/64 GB | 64 GB | 32/64/128 GB | 32/64/128 GB | 64 GB |
| Expandable Memory | Yes, up to 256 GB | Yes, up to 256 GB | Yes, up to 512 GB | No | Yes, up to 256 GB |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass | Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass |
| Rear Camera | 12 MP, f/1.9; 5 MP, f/2.2 |
16 MP, f/2.0; 5 MP | 16 MP, f/1.7; 2 MP | 20 MP, f/1.8; 2 MP | 16 MP, f/2.0; 5 MP; f/2.4 |
| Optical Image Stabilization | No | No | No | No | No |
| Camera Array | Dual Camera | Dual Camera | Dual Camera | Dual Camera | Dual Camera |
| Autofocus System | Phase detection autofocus | Phase detection autofocus | Phase detection autofocus | Phase detection autofocus | Phase detection autofocus |
| Front Camera | 20 MP, f/2.0; 2 MP f/2.2 | 24 MP, f/2.0 | 16 MP, f/2.0 | 20 MP, f/2.2 | 16 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video Capture | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps | 2160p@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/60fps, 480fps | 720p @120 fps, 1080p @ 30 fps, 2160p @ 30 fps |
| Flash | Dual-LED | Dual-LED | LED | LED | Dual-LED |
| OS Version | Android Oreo 8.1 | Android Oreo 8.1 | Android 8.1 Oreo | Android Oreo 8.1 | Android Oreo 8.1 |
| AI (Smart Assistant) | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot |
| Bluetooth | v5.0, A2DP, LE | v5.0, A2DP, LE | v5.0, A2DP, LE | v5.0, A2DP, LE | v5, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Infrared | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Fingerprint Scanner | Yes, Rear button | Yes, Rear button | Yes, Rear button | Yes, Rear button | Yes, Rear button |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | microUSB | microUSB | microUSB | microUSB | microUSB |
| USB Standard | USB v2.0 | USB v2.0 | USB v2.0 | USB v2.0 | USB v2.0 |
| Battery (mAh) | 4,000 | 4,000 | 3,500 | 3,750 | 3,500 |
| Fast charging | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Colors | Black, Blue, Rose Gold, Red | Black, Champagne Gold, Rose Gold, Lake Blue | Black, Deep Blue, Light Blue | Black, Blue, Red, Pink | Black, Deep Blue, Light Blue |
| Prices in India | Rs 13,999 | Rs 13,999 | Rs 13,990 | Rs 14,999 | Rs 14,999 |
Looking at the specs above, we can infer the following:
Performance: Honor 8X
In terms of raw strength, it looks like the Realme 2 Pro and Honor 8X will be taking the cake here with their Snapdragon 660 and Kirin 710 chipsets respectively. While the Snapdragon 636, found in the other three smartphones, is a capable chipset, the better GPU on the Snapdragon 660 gives it an edge in gaming and other intensive tasks. The 12 nm manufacturing process on the Kirin 710 as compared to 14 nm on the Snapdragon 636 means that the Honor 8X could run slightly cooler and more efficiently. When reviewing the phone, we found that the Redmi Note 6 Pro struggled with games like PUBG, but day-to-day usage was fine. The Realme 2 Pro and Honor 8X both handily beat the Note 6 Pro in gaming tests, making either of these phones a more viable option for gamers. All things considered, the Honor 8X takes the performance crown.
Design: Honor 8X
Here again, we see that the Redmi Note 6 Pro has not really changed much in the way of design. The only thing new is that notched display. The Redmi Note 5 Pro was not much of looker, and by extension, neither is the Note 6 Pro. The Realme 2 Pro is a dull block of a device since Realme ditched the diamond design we saw in other phones in the series. The Honor 8X, however, with its dual-tone colour shift, and the Nokia 6.1 Plus, with its glossy back, are far more appealing. The Honor 8X does edge out the Nokia 6.1 Plus in the design department.
Camera: Redmi Note 6 Pro
From our testing, we can say for sure that the Redmi Note 6 Pro does indeed have a great camera which can take some excellent low-light photos along with amazing day-time shots. The likes of Honor 8X and Nokia 6.1 Plus look to be distant seconds while the Realme 2 Pro doesn't even feature in the list. On paper, the only difference Redmi Note 6 Pro has over the Note 5 Pro is the wider aperture on its lenses, and it seems that it has made a significant improvement in the photo taking capabilities of the smartphone.
Battery: Redmi Note 6 Pro
In terms of battery life, the Redmi Note 6 Pro does have a slight edge over the Honor 8X, Realme 2 Pro and Nokia 6.1 Plus. In our review, we have found that the Note 6 Pro easily lasted about two days on light to moderate usage and up to one full day on heavy usage. Our review of the Honor 8X and Realme 2 Pro revealed that both smartphones lacked slightly behind in the battery department and hence the winner is the Note 6 Pro.
Conclusion
The Redmi Note 6 Pro is a great device in this price range and is perfect for those looking for great battery life and camera. Gaming performance is lacking, and if you're a gamer, the Honor 8X is certainly a better option. The bigger question, however, is whether the Redmi Note 6 Pro is a worthy upgrade over the Redmi Note 5 Pro. And to be honest, we don't believe it is.
