Redmi 9i

Redmi 9i Design

Xiaomi has often crowded the mid-range and the budget segment. The Redmi 9i is an example of a budget smartphone under Rs. 10K. The phone features a 6.53-inch Dot Drop LCD panel with a screen resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. There’s a tiny waterdrop notch that houses the selfie camera, giving users plenty of screen real estate to explore. Like most devices in this segment, the Redmi 9i also packs a bulky chin at the bottom.

Redmi 9i Hardware Performance

Under the hood, the Redmi 9i packs the octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53, MediaTek Helio G25 processor paired with IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU. The phone ships with 4GB RAM and 64GB default memory capacity, with an option for further expansion up to 512GB via a dedicated microSD card slot. The dual-SIM phone is capable of handling your routine smartphone tasks like social media, messaging, and so on. The efficient processor and the RAM capacity can also handle a couple of games, including battle royale ones like Free Fire.

Redmi 9i Camera Performance

For optics, the Redmi 9i packs a single 13MP camera at the rear and a 5MP selfie camera, housed in the waterdrop notch. The camera includes features like 1080p@30fps, HDR, Portrait, Panorama, AI Camera, Bokeh Mode, capable of clicking some good images, especially in daylight and good lighting. However, the camera setup on the Redmi 9i is a major let down. There are plenty of devices like the Realme C12 and the Samsung Galaxy M01 that feature triple- and dual-camera setup for a similar price tag.

Redmi 9i Important Features/Highlights

There are a few features on the Redmi 9i that are its selling points. The large 5,000 mAh battery with 10W charging support. Despite lacking fast charging technology and USB Type-C ports, the Redmi 9i can easily last a day on a single charge. The phone runs Android 10 OS with the MIUI custom skin on top, which could contain ads. Another important highlight here is that the Redmi 9i skips the fingerprint sensor and includes only the Face Unlock option. This could be an enhancement in security, but those looking for a fingerprint sensor won’t be too happy.

Redmi 9i Price-To-Specs Ratio

The Redmi 9i falls under the Rs. 10,000 category – retailing for Rs. 8,299 and is available on all major offline stores. For the asking price, the Redmi 9i is a bit of a disappointment, especially in the camera and the display categories. The Realme C12 and the Samsung Galaxy M01 are similarly priced and pack better cameras, and an even larger battery (as seen on the Realme C12).

Redmi 9i Verdict

Despite its shortcomings, the Redmi 9i has a few good factors to consider. If you’re looking for a budget smartphone under Rs. 10,000 – there are plenty of other options in the market offering more features. The Redmi 9i is specifically for Redmi fans looking for a budget phone. In that case, if buyers can extend their budget, Redmi Note 9 is a better option.