Xiaomi just announced a Redmi A4 (5G) phone that will put many other Midrange phones to shame. The Redmi A4 (5G), by the naming scheme, is a entry level phone but it is packing mid-range specs. This is a very interesting situation.
When we get mad at Xiaomi, Redmi Nigeria to be more specific, we’re not faffing around. Between 2019 to 2021, Redmi phones were at least 3 years ahead of any other Midrange phone produced by any brand not just in Nigeria but in Africa and most of Asia. We know that they’re very capable of delivering quality. I personally enjoyed their quality phones between 2019 to 2023.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro which I bought in 2020 for what seems like a measly 112,000 Naira today is still better than most of the Helio G99 Midrange phones that are being sold in 2024. I digress.
The Redmi A4 (5G) is technically supposed to be an entry level phone if we follow the naming scheme but by the time we’re done with the review, you’ll probably be as surprised as I am.
Redmi A4 (5G) Specs
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Body | Plastic frame and back, Dual SIM tray, micro SD card slot, 3.5mm jack |
| SoC | Snapdragon 4S Gen 2 |
| GPU | Adreno |
| Software | Android 14, HyperOS |
| Benchmarks | AnTuTu 10: 383,000 |
| RAM | LPDDR4X, 4GB, 8GB |
| Storage | UFS 2.2 (128GB/256GB) |
| Display | 6.7″ 1080p IPS-LCD, 90Hz |
| Camera (Rear) | 108MP main + 0.08MP depth, 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie | 8MP |
| Battery | 5,000mAh, 18W |
| Connectivity | 4G, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C (2.0) port, 3.5mm audio in/out, side mounted Fingerprint reader |
Body
It is expected that this phone would be built on a plastic frame with a plastic back. There’s going to be IP52 splash and dust protection. The regular SIM and micro SD tray should be on the left or bottom and the volume rocker and power buttons should be on the right.
Display
Unlike other budget phones with 720p displays, this one is shipping with a 1080 full high definition display. The panel of course is a 6.7″ IPS LCD panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. It’s a rather large phone but it’s not as large as the Redmi 14C.
Performance
The Redmi A4 is going to be one of the very first devices to ship with the Snapdragon 4S Gen 2. The Snapdragon 4S Gen 2 is designed to be Qualcomm’s most affordable 5G processor. It’s designed to compete with MediaTek’s Dimensity 6000 series.
This SoC comes packed with 2 Cortex A78 CPUs (2.2GHz), 6 Cortex A55 CPUs (2.0GHz) and an unnamed Adreno GPU (most likely the Adreno 613). This SoC scores around 380k on AnTuTu and is a very capable performer.
Software
HyperOS based on Android 14 is finally coming down to the Redmi A series. This is because this series finally has a processor that is capable of handling it.
Cameras
There are only two cameras here and I love it! These OEMs should stop using useless auxiliary cameras that serve no function. This isn’t the late 2010s anymore. There’s one 50MP main camera on the back and what seems to be an 8MP selfie at the front. This setup records 1080p video at 30fps.
Battery
As usual, there’s a 5000mAh battery here and up to 18W of fast charge support.
Connectivity
This is a 5G phone which supports WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1. It also sports a USB C port which supports USB OTG.
Miscellaneous
There is support for dual nano sims, a micro SD card slot and 3.5mm jack. There’s also a single firing loudspeaker and a side mounted fingerprint sensor for security.
Price
Wait till you hear the price. This device costs €10 less than the HMD Pulse+ which we reviewed yesterday. Yes ladies and mostly gentlemen, this phone costs €110 for the base variant.
Redmi A4 5G Summary and Verdict
This smartphone which is supposed to be weaker with a lower mid-range processor, decent display and 5G compatibility is far better than the many T606 and Helio G80 variant phone we have floating around. The pricing is also impressive.
However, that’s where most of the good news ends. Just like with other Redmi phones, the recent one being the Redmi 13 5G, this phone probably won’t make its way here.
What they usually do is that they’re going to repackage the Redmi A3X or something and sell it as the Redmi A4 4G.
This is usually what happens in many select markets, not just ours but around the world. It is my hope that this incredible smartphone not just makes its way here, but is fairly priced in a way that puts companies like Oppo and HMD to shame.
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