Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Review – A Notch Alternative to Redmi Note 5 Pro

Xiaomi recently brought in its Redmi 6-series in India which currently includes three phones – Redmi 6, Redmi 6A, and Redmi 6 Pro – and cover a wide price span ranging from Rs. 5,999 to Rs. 12,999 INR. (Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Review हिंदी में पढ़े)

‘Specs don’t equal experience’ is a very common adage used in tech circles, but when we are talking of ultra-affordable, entry-grade phones like Redmi 6 and 6A, competitive specs for the aggressive price do tell a near-complete story.

However, with higher priced phones, like Redmi 6 Pro, flaws aren’t as forgivable and the overall appeal can be a deal maker or breaker. To know more, read on our Redmi 6 Pro review where we objectively analyze and evaluate the phone based on our first-hand experience.

Page Contents:

• Specification and Price of Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro
• Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Review: Design and Build Quality
• Review: Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Display
• Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Review: Performance, Software, and Battery
• Xioami Redmi 6 Pro Camera Review
• Verdict: Xioami Redmi 6 Pro Review with Pros & Cons

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Specifications

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro/ Mi A2 Lite Review: Design and Build

The Redmi 6 Pro is a compact phone with ergonomic curves to facilitate easy handling, and it has a decent heft to it. But that’s the precious little there is to cherish about the design.

The phone has a standard plastic body with a hideous triple-layer back panel (seriously, we were convinced Redmi Y2 had put an end to this hackneyed back philosophy for good). There is a deep notch on the forehead that for an instant reminded me of Pixel 3 XL leaks and the phone still retains substantial bezels at the top, bottom, and on the sides – completely defeating the purpose of a notch.

At the bottom, you will find a regular micro USB port flanked by speaker grill holes on either side (one of these houses the mono speaker). The fingerprint reader on the rear is fast and accessible. Hardware buttons are made of plastic and don’t seem very durable. Other than that, the phone feels solid in hands. Oh, and yes, Xiaomi also bundles a protective case in the box.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi A2 Review – The New Cruiserweight Champion?

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro/ Mi A2 Lite Review: Display

The Redmi 6 Pro has a 5.84-inch (19:9) display with Full HD+ resolution. The screen is noticeably sharper than what you’d get on Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A and that’s only fair considering the price bump and what competition offers in the same budget.

Quality-wise, the screen is similar to what we usually see on affordable Xiaomi phones. The white point leans towards colder tones but MIUI has provision to tweak white balance and hue, to an extent.

From the consumer perspective, Xiaomi should win some brownie points for including a fancy notch. But if you feel otherwise, you can turn it off. Hiding the notch, however, won’t give you any extra space for your status bar icons.

The display has a 2.5D glass layered on top but the spec sheet doesn’t mention Gorilla Glass. Xiaomi is most probably using some ion-strengthened glass, though.

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Review: Performance, Battery and Software

On the Redmi 6 Pro, Xiaomi once again uses Snapdragon 625 SoC from last year. SD 625 is a decent chip for affordable phones (theoretically a little better than SD 450), even when it is more than a year old as of now.

The dated nature does entail some drawbacks, one of them being the lack of Dual 4G VoLTE support – a feature that’s present on the lower end Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 as well.

Consumers looking to buy 4GB RAM and 64GB storage options might be tempted to go for the Snapdragon 636 powered Redmi Note 5 Pro that costs a little more.

The Snapdragon 625 is reliable SoC for moderate users but it’s certainly showing signs of aging. Gameplay for heavy games like PUBG and Asphalt 9 is choppy even when not running at highest settings.

Like all other affordable and not-so-affordable Xiaomi phones, this one too is missing DRM L1 certificate for HD streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

The 4000mAh battery on the phone can easily last for a day of moderate to heavy usage. There is no fast charging, though.

The fingerprint sensor is fast and efficient. Audio quality via loudspeakers and headphones is average at best.

The Redmi 6 Pro runs Android 8.1 Oreo-based MIUI 9.6. We really expected the new lot to run MIUI 10 out of the box, but I guess we will have to wait some more. I guess most of us must have had some experience with MIUI and are familiar with ethos at play.

But lately, the amount of bloatware on Xiaomi phones has increased substantially (probably Xiaomi is trying to compensate for slim margins on hardware). This is the same problem we noticed on Poco F1.

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Camera Review

The biggest attraction of the Redmi 6 Pro is its camera. Xiaomi revealed that it’s using the same rear camera as on the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The primary 12MP shooter on the back also benefits from electronic image stabilization for videos.

The front 5MP selfie camera also has software powered AI portrait mode, but the overall quality isn’t much to write home about.

The rear camera can lock focus quickly and shoots decent images in ample outdoor lighting. The camera does a fine job for its price but isn’t better than rivals like Honor 9N by a wide margin.

Shots clicked indoors have high contrast and are a bit oversharpened. It’s quite clear that the camera struggles under low light and shots clicked indoors can’t match the quality standards of Redmi Note 5 Pro or the Mi A2. The same goes for portrait shots.

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Also Read: Realme 2 Quick Review – A missed opportunity

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Review Verdict – Should you buy it?

The Redmi 6 Pro strikes as a compact and trimmed down version of Redmi Note 5 Pro. The primary difference between the two is the chipset used. And, of course, the notch.

The Xiaomi isn’t undercutting its rivals this time nor is it offering a cutting-edge chipset before the competition does. Like all other affordable Xiaomi Redmi phones, the Redmi 6 Pro feels reliable and simplistic.

We would have liked a better design this time, but Xiaomi’s success story is evidence enough that a majority of consumers would rather prefer Xiaomi spend more on better specs and features. Still, we can’t shake the feeling that the Redmi 6 Pro is more of the same old thing and nothing new or exciting.

Xiaomi’s refusal to revamp the look and feel of its phone is working in favor of manufacturers like Realme who prioritize design trends.

Unlike the prices of Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 that are subjected to hike, the price of Redmi 6 Pro should remain the same in the coming months.

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Pros and Cons