Xiaomi Redmi 2 Review by Digitalspidey.com
We got hold of the Redmi 2 the succesor to the second smartphone from Xiaomi who made it to the Philippine market as of today.
As you know, only Xiaomi Mi 3 and Redmi 1S made it to the Philippines via Lazada. The latest one is the Redmi 2.
If you enjoyed using the Redmi 1S, you will love the Redmi 2 even more. The latest smartphone is now thinner and lighter versus the first model, and it has dual-LTE which delivers high speed Internet.
The camera have remained at 8MP but the front has been upgraded to 2MP. They take good photos by the way! The rear camera produces colorful photos which are very good for your social media network photo udpates.
Redmi 2, like the older brother, has a removable battery with 2,00mAH battery. It has dual-micro SIM and micro SD for storage expansion.
1G of RAM is the one that complement the Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 processor. Same as the Redmi 1S, it has capacitive touch screens that don’t light up in the evening. But the home button light up when a notification is available.
Design and build
Still based on plastic casing, Redmi 2 has matte finish plastic back cover. It looks smaller and thinner when you compare it to Redmi 1S which is better when you hold it in your hands.
The power button and volume rocker are located on the right side. At the bottom is the micro-USB port for charging and file transfer purposes and the mic. On top, slightly on the right side is the 3.5-mm audio port. Very simple looking phone. It looks like a baby Redmi Note.
Display, camera and multimedia
Realistic and vivid colors are what you will expect and see with Redmi 2. Credit that to the Sharp 4.7-inch screen with 1280×720 resolution.
Playing your favorite Spotify playlist is pleasing to ears. The same experience with Youtube playbacks. The only issue I had is the little hiccups during app switching.
The camera takes real good photos. Here are few of the samples I took over the week during my review of the device.
The front camera is good for selfie. But make sure you have a steady hand, or you will end up having a blurred photo.
Outdoor shots are well and good with colors that are really clear.
Even on subject that is against the light, Redmi 2 performs well.
On dim lights, Redmi 2 shows the real color of the subject.
Indoor shot looks good too.
Close up shot will pass for your Instagram posts too!
Performance
The Redmi 2 would have been the best in its class with the LTE on both SIM, however, only Globe users will be happy. Smart users won’t be able to use it. The LTE frequency of of Redmi 2 are not compatible with what Smart has. I am truly happy with the camera performance and the audio playback. The size is far better than the Redmi 1s. It’s cute. However, the frequent hiccups will bother you. Switching from one app to the other will take a little longer and if you want to snap a photo quickly, you will be disappointed.
Battey life
You have to bring a powerbank. That’s the best tip I can give, otherwise bring your wall charger with you and be ready to re-charge at around 2PM when you turn on your data from 8AM.
Conculsion
Redmi 2 is better than the first model Redmi 1S. The upgrade to LTE is a welcome development (well, for Globe users only), the camera is something that you will be happy. The price however, should be revisited by Xiaomi. Redmi2 has lots of competing
Xiaomi Redmi 2 specs:
– 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 Sharp / AUO IPS display, 312ppi
– AGC Dragontrail Glass
– 1.2GHz 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core CPU
– 1GB LPDDR3 RAM
– 8GB internal storage, up to 32GB via microSD
– 8MP BSI rear camera, Omnivision sensor, F2.2 aperture, 2MP front camera
– Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby, Dual-LTE
– 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+
– WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, USB OTG
– GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
– Android 4.4.4 KitKat w/ MIUI 6
– 2,200mAh battery
– 133g
Xiaomi Redmi 2 pricing and availability:
Now avaiable at Lazada with the official price tag of P5,999.
