The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro and Redmi Note 9 Pro Max have been launched in India as the newest additions to the most popular smartphone series in the country.
As promised, the new Redmi Note 9 Pro series focuses on the camera and performance aspects, while staying true to the lineup’s commitment to big displays and batteries. There was no mention of a non-Pro Redmi Note 9 at the keynote. The differences between the two models are very few, and limited to the camera and charging department.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Max
The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is the new top-of-the-line phone in the lineup. It builds upon the family’s Aura Balance design language with a curved glass back that shimmers according to light. The back, display as well as the cameras are protected by Gorilla Glass 5. P2i splash-resistance is also present. A Z-axis vibration motor is said to improve the haptic experience.
The display spans 6.67-inches across and has a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 (20:9 aspect ratio). It’s an LCD panel with a pinch-hole for the selfie camera in the center. Notably, the refresh rate is only 60Hz. The power button doubles as the fingerprint scanner.
On the inside, the Note 9 Pro Max is powered by the new Snapdragon 720G chipset, moving to an 8nm fabrication from the predecessor’s 12nm architecture. That is paired with LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. This chipset also inherently brings NavIC capability for an improved navigation experience within the Indian subcontinent. The battery is rated at 5,020mAh and also supports 33W fast charging over USB Type-C, which will take the phone from 0 to 50% in under 30 minutes.
The other big change comes with the cameras, as the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max has a new quad-camera arrangement consisting of a 64MP f/1.89 primary camera, followed by an 8MP ultrawide shooter, a bigger 5MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor for portraits. The front camera uses a 32MP sensor. RAW image capture is also possible now. A new Pro Colour mode is also here which improves the colours of the image and makes them social media-ready. New shooting modes include a 21:9 movie frame and Super Stabilization.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is priced at Rs 14,999 in India, for the base variant with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The 128GB storage variant is priced at Rs 16,999 while the top model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage is priced at Rs 18,999. The first sale is slated for March 25 on Xiaomi’s sale partners as well as Amazon.in.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
The younger sibling doesn’t really lose out on much, as it retains the same design, processor and battery specifications. The first notable change comes with the cameras as it implements a 48MP sensor for the primary camera. The Redmi Note 9 Pro is the first smartphone to be equipped with the new Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM2 image sensor. The rest of the rear cameras are the same, but the front camera switches to a 16MP selfie shooter. A full manual mode for videos is also available, making this one of the cheapest phones to give that ability.
While the battery size remains the same, the Redmi Note 9 Pro supports only up to 18W fast charging. The charger is graciously included with the phone.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro will go on sale starting March 17, at a price of Rs 12,999 for the 64 + 4GB variant and Rs 15,999 for 128 + 6GB variant.
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