Nope, instead of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Prime, Xiaomi has introduced Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime under the shelter of, what can be called, invigorating #PrimeIsComing campaign. We can’t blame you if you feel shortchanged, as the handset is essentially the same Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G but with marginally upgraded Snapdragon 410 (vs Snapdragon 400) 64 bit chipset, Dual SIM support and double native storage, and will retail for 8,499 INR on Amazon.in.
Can’t Blame Xiaomi
Having said that, Xiaomi came forward and made it abundantly clear that what is coming isn’t Note 2 Prime, so yeah it would be wrong to accuse them of creating false hype. But perhaps the heat it will face for outdated Android version is justified. The MIUI7 software on the new prime is based on Android 4.4 Kitkat. At least Lollipop based ROM would have been better at this stage, though quotidian users will be hard pressed to find any differences, thanks to heavily customized MIUI layer on top.
Other Hardware And Design Is Same as Xiaomi Redmi 2
Besides the two aforementioned changes, Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime includes the same external design, 5.5 Inch HD display, 2GB LPDDR3 RAM, and 3100 mAh battery.
Qualcomm and Xiaomi recently signed a deal, which according to trade pundits, gives Xiaomi freedom to bring all its MediaTek powered portfolio to India (currently banned in India due to ongoing patent infringement law-suit from Eriksson). We hope all that materializes soon as its about time Xiaomi’s India portfolio could see a refresh. After all, we expect more from a company which wooed us all with quality hardware and experience at affordable prices.
“We are really happy to be able to deliver to our promise of continuously innovating and catering to the needs of our Mi Fans. With the launch of Redmi Note Prime, we are glad to provide our Mi Fans an opportunity to upgrade to an even more powerful smartphone with an expanded memory and dual-SIM capabilities. The 3100 mAh high-capacity battery, coupled with MIUI optimisations, has enabled Redmi Note Prime to achieve the most impressive battery performance yet. Local manufacturing shows Xiaomi’s commitment to being a part of fabric of India and we are truly excited to roll out our second ‘Made In India’ offering for our Mi fans,” said Manu Jain, India Head, Xiaomi.
Key Features and Specifications Of Xiaomi Note Prime
Model | Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime |
Display | 5.5-inch, 720p HD IPS LCD |
Processor | 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 Quad Core |
RAM | 2GB |
Internal Storage | 16GB, microSD up to 32GB |
Software | Android 4.4 KitKat based MIUI7 |
Primary Camera | 13MP, F/2.2 aperture lens, LED flash |
Secondary Camera | 5MP |
Dimensions and weight | 154×78.7×9.45mm and 185g |
Battery | 3100 mAh |
Others | Micro USB, Dual SIM, 4G LTE |
Price | 8,499 INR |