Xiaomi Redmi 2 Review

In what appears to be a strategic move, Xiaomi has introduced the (two-month-old) successor to the low-cost Redmi 1S two days after Motorola brought its new Moto E to India. Named the Redmi 2, the new phone looks more or less the same as its predecessor, but comes with enhancements enough to tag it as an upgrade. But can the improved specs help the Redmi 2 give the competition, including the new Moto E, a run for their money? We spent some time with it to ascertain what’s new in the phone and where it excels the competition and the areas in which it lags.

One of the key highlights of this dual-SIM phone is that both the SIM slots support 4G network as against the Redmi 1S that has one slot for 3G and the other for 2G. While both the Redmi 2 and the new Moto E carry the same price tag of Rs 6,999, the major difference here is that the Redmi 2 is a 4G phone, while Motorola is yet to launch the 4G variant of the Moto E. The price of the 4G variant of the new Moto E is likely to cross the Rs 7K mark.

Design-wise, there are barely any changes that would come to your immediate notice. On a closer look, you will find that the flash at the back has been repositioned, the micro USB connector at the bottom has been shifted to the right, and the bezel surrounding the display in the Redmi 2 is a tad narrower. Quite like the Redmi 1S, the Redmi 2 feels comfortable in hands and offers an easy grip.

Appearance is where the new Moto E trumps the Redmi 2. Motorola has refreshed the look of the new Moto E with its swappable band design — that not only enhances the look of the phone but also adds to the phone’s ergonomics. While the second-gen Moto E looks new even from outside, the same cannot be said for the Redmi 2.

The display size and the screen resolution on the Redmi 2 have been kept the same as its predecessor. In comparison to the new Moto E that has a slightly smaller screen with a screen resolution of 540x960 pixels, the Redmi 2’s 4.7-inch 720p display offers better viewing angles and produces relatively rich colours. Xiaomi’s VP Hugo Barra at the Redmi 2 launch event in Delhi demonstrated the scratch resistance of the display by rubbing it with a pair of scissors. The same test was later performed by some members of the press present.

Give the price at which it comes, the Redmi 2 has great cameras — both front and rear. The camera produces more than satisfactory results in both soft and bright light conditions. Unlike the new Moto E that produces a little washed out and grainy results in soft-light conditions, the Redmi 2’s rear camera captures accurate colours. Also the Redmi 2’s camera app offers far more options to customise settings than the Moto E.

Audio results that the Redmi 2 generate are not only loud but also clear. While the audio clarity on the Moto E is also good, but the Redmi 2’s speaker outstrips the new Moto E on the loudness front.

The Redmi 2 comes packed with a 2200mAh battery — 10 per cent more the Redmi 1S. According to the company, the Redmi 2 can charge 20 per cent faster than the predecessor. At its heart is a 64-bit Snapdragon 410 processor paired with 1GB of RAM. The battery life and performance of the phone can be evaluated only after putting it to extensive use.

Of the Redmi 2’s 8GB internal storage, only 4.5 GB is user accessible. The Moto E’s 8GB internal memory offers around 5GB of user accessible storage. Both phones let you expand memory up to 32GB using a microSD card. The company plans to launch a limited edition variant of the Redmi 2 with 16GB storage and 2GB RAM in a few weeks. We are yet to know its price.

Xiaomi’s new phone comes with OTG support to help you transfer files with a compatible flash drive.

Though the phone comes in five colours, it will initially be available in India in only two colours — white and grey. Coloured variants will come later, says the company.

Registrations for the phone begin on March 12 at 6 PM, and it will go on sale on Flipkart from March 24.