Xiaomi’s Redmi series has been quite popular in the affordable segment, primarily because Redmi phones traditionally offer excellent specs for their respective prices. The recently launched Redmi 7 is the successor to the Redmi 6 and is mainly targeted at consumers who aren’t willing to spend more than 8,000 INR. (Xiaomi Redmi 7 हिंदी में पढ़िए)
While considering phones in the entry-grade segment, compromises are most definitely involved, but flaws are more forgivable and consumers are often willing to trade off some of the premium-ness for more dependability.
Does the Redmi 7 cover essentials like lag-free performance and long-lasting battery? Is it a phone that will sustain in the long run? Let’s talk about everything that works and everything that doesn’t in our Redmi 7 Review.
Page Contents:
- Xiaomi Redmi 7 Review: Specifications
- Xiaomi Redmi 7 Review: Box Contents
- Redmi 7 Review: Design and Build
- Xiaomi Redmi 7 Review: Display
- Redmi 7 Review: Performance and Software
- Xiaomi Redmi 7 Review: Camera
- Redmi 7 Review: Battery and Audio
- Xiaomi Redmi 7 Review: Verdict with Pros and Cons
Xiaomi Redmi 7 Price and Specs
| Model | Redmi 7 |
| Display | 6.26 inches, 1520×720 resolution, Dot Notch IPS LCD, 19:9 aspect ratio, Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Processor | 14nm 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, Adreno 506 |
| RAM | 2GB/ 3GB |
| Internal Storage | 32GB, Dedicated MicroSD card slot |
| Software | MIUI 10 (Android Pie) |
| Rear Camera | 12MP + 2MP |
| Front Camera | 8MP |
| Battery | 4000mAh, 10W charger |
| Indian Price |
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Redmi 7 Unboxing: What’s in the box?
Redmi 7 Box content includes:
- Handset
- 10W Charging adaptor
- USB charging cable
- Basic TPU Case
- SIM ejector and documentation
Redmi 7 Review: Design and Build
Save for differences in gradient colors, the Redmi 7 is exactly identical to the Redmi Y3. There’s a fashionable glass-finish back that curves towards the edges, and the expected mostly-display fascia with a tiny dot notch.
Even while being bulky, the phone is comfortable to handle. The fingerprint sensor is easily accessible, fast and consistent. Audio jack and IR blaster are positioned at the top, and there’s a regular micro USB charging port at the bottom.
The build quality isn’t impressive, though. The polycarbonate back cover and the touch glass are soft and very prone to scratches and smudges. Xiaomi bundles a basic TPU case in the box, which is something we appreciate across all price points.
Also Read: OnePlus 7 Pro Review With Pros and Cons
Redmi 7 Review: Display
Xiaomi uses the same display as on the Redmi Y3. The 19:9 aspect ratio screen measures 6.26-inches in size and has 720 x 1520 pixel (HD+) resolution. Quality-wise, the display feels perfectly apt for the price. The good thing is that MIUI 10 software offers enough flexibility for anyone to tune the screen to their personal preferences.
The reading mode is an added bonus that we recommend you use as often as possible. As for outdoor visibility, it’s about average.
Redmi 7 Review: Performance and Software
In terms of performance, the Snapdragon 632 that powered Redmi 7 can be viewed as an iterative upgrade to Snapdragon 625 or Snapdragon 450. It’s not powerful enough to blow your socks off, but it’s still the best Qualcomm chipset that you can buy in this segment.
We are testing the 2GB RAM and 32GB storage model. There is a higher 3GB RAM option that you can get for extra 1000 bucks. Both variants come with a dedicated card slot.
A week into the review, cracks in performance have already begun to show but we’d say the Redmi 7 is holding better than what we’d expected. This is subjective to change in the long term, of course. Our usage is moderately heavy, and we expect light users (who are becoming increasingly rare) should be able to make ends meet.
Casual games work fine, but games like PUBG don’t. The call quality isn’t the best but it’s workable. The handset supports Dual 4G VoLTE but doesn’t support dual-band Wi-Fi.
The software is the familiar MIUI, and we are sure you must have had some experience with it by now. The handset runs the latest version backed by Android 9 Pie. Another plus point is that most pre-installed apps can be deleted. The default keyboard is Facemoji for Xiaomi, but you can replace it with more secure Google Gboard from device settings.
Ads and recommendations are still a problem, even when there are ways you may turn these off. They serve as an unpleasant reminder that there is indeed a catch involved.
Redmi 7 Review: Camera
The Redmi 7 has the rear camera(s) as the Redmi Note 7 or the Redmi Y3. Shots are workable if shoot in well lit outdoor ambiance. Indoors and in low light, the camera quality is dismal. Details are poor and the camera has shutter lag.
On the front, there is an 8 MP selfie camera, but the performance is again mediocre at best.
Overall, this is not a great camera phone, but again, that’s perfectly ok for the price. This is an area where affordable phones expectedly flounder.
Redmi 7 Camera Samples
Redmi 7 Review: Battery and Audio
Like all other Xiaomi phones launched this year (except Redmi Go), the Redmi 7 also has a 4000mAh battery and bundles a 10W charger. The battery lasts really long and charges really slow. Not that slow, actually. Anyway, battery counts as an advantage and we don’t have anything to complain about in this regard.
The audio output via speakers and via headphones is mediocre, and that’s also true for all other phones retailing in this price segment.
Redmi 7 Review: Verdict
By and large, the Redmi 7 experience wasn’t very different than what we had anticipated going in this review. The 2GB RAM variant is strictly meant only for basic users who need to dabble with light apps.
If you can’t go beyond the budget of Rs. 8000 and if you are a light user, you may go ahead with the Redmi 7. Otherwise, we’d recommend you extend your budget and choose from phones like Redmi Note 7 or Realme 3.
Pros
- Dedicated card slot
- Dual 4G VoLTE
- Android Pie based software
- Battery backup
Cons
- Mediocre performance
- Ads in UI
