Watch: Unboxing and hands on with the Xiaomi Redmi 4A

I got to spend sometime with the device at the launch event and here are the first thoughts about the device. Watch the hands on video, followed by our first impressions of the device.

 

Design

It's a low-cost device, so do not expect any elements of metal. It is made of plastic. First thing we noticed was the large bezel, clearly stating that it is not a mid or high- end Xiaomi. Dipped in gold, rose gold and dark grey colour options, it does have a good finish and doesn't come across as cheap. 

 

The right edge comes with power button and volume rocker, and the left edge comes with hybrid slot. You can either use two SIMs or one SIM and expandable microSD card. At 131.5 grams, it is extremely lightweight. 

 

Display

 

The Redmi 4A sports a 5-inch HD display with 1280 X 720 pixels of resolution, and this brings the pixel density to roughly 294ppi. This should ensure a decent viewing experience. The display showed some punchy colours. We can't really comment on outdoor visibility or viewing angles, yet. Also, it doesn't get a fingerprint scanner.

 

OS and processor 

It runs the rather older Android Marshmallow along with a layer of the company's proprietary MIUI 8. The sub-Rs 15000 and highly popular Xiaomi Note 4 also runs the same UI. So yes, you can expect all those goodies like dual app capability and more. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 425, which is a respectable chipset at the price point. It will be coupled with 2GB RAM. 

 

Camera

 

 

The Redmi 4A comes with a 13MP rear shooter with led flash and f2.2 aperture . For selfie lovers, it has a 5MP front camera. We took a few shots indoors, which appeared snappy, but we won't be able to comment on the overall camera performance until we've taken it for a spin in our labs. 

 

Storage and RAM

The device gets 16GB onboard storage. This can be expanded further via a microSD card slot. However, just like most other devices these days, it is a hybrid slot that also serves as a dual sim slot. So either you get to use two sims or one sim and microSD card. You decide. 

 

Battery

 

 

The Redmi 4A packs in a 3020mAh battery. It promises 7 days of standby time. Again, we can comment on the battery only once we have taken it for a spin in our labs.