Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 - a powerful PHABLET with Android 5

Xiaomi Company has introduced a long-awaited update to its popular budget version PHABLET Redmi Note. Taking into account characteristics and price of the new smartphone, it can be assumed that exactly with it the leader of the Chinese smartphone market is going to win the third place in the world standings.

Let's get closer with the new PHABLET from Xiaomi.

Redmi Note 2 – is the first device that comes preloaded with the new firmware MIUI OS 7 and Android Lollipop.

Let's start with unpacking. PHABLET is traditionally packed in a box made of eco-friendly paper, which once again reminds users about the contribution of the Chinese giant in electronics industry concern about the environment.
 

Box is comfortable, sturdy and could withstand the weight of an adult, as demonstrated recently by vice president Hugo Barra. So do not rush to throw it, clogging nature - it is useful for anything.

Inside the box is the one smart phone, USB cable and charger. If the seller did not put the package adapter for European outlets, they must think about it, because charger has Chinese connection system.

Externally Redmi Note 2 is not very different from its predecessor, and can be easily mixed up. The most notable difference is the speaker grille on the back cover. Perhaps this is the only difference.

But "under the hood" of the new smartphone everything is completely different. In Redmi Note 2 used a new flagship Mediatek - Processor MTK Helio X10 (MT6795). This eight-64-bit chip set based on A53 and works with a maximum frequency of 2GHz.

The processor is paired with video PowerVR G6200. Complementing the computing power of 2 GB of RAM. The internal memory has a capacity of 16/32 GB depending on the version. In contrast to more high-end smartphones, Redmi Note 2 has a slot for SD-cards, which is certainly a big advantage.

The smartphone works with two SIM-cards, each of which is in stand-by mode and allows you to hold the call.

Unlike Redmi Note, the new smartphone will not use SIM-card of normal size - needs card format of micro or nano.

The main part in Redmi Note 2 is the screen. Based on IPS matrix 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels shows excellent sharpness, bright colors but not intrusive. The viewing angles of the screen PHABLET aspires to the ideal due to the absence of the air layer between the sensor and protective glass. The screen has a large reserve of brightness, which is infinitely adjustable in settings.

In addition, the screen supports multi-touch, responsive and pleasant to use.

The front panel of PHABLET is also with touch-sensitive buttons, the lens of the front camera, the resolution of which is a 5 megapixel, light and proximity sensors.

On the back of the smartphone is the speaker grille and the main camera lens with a resolution of 13 megapixels produced by Samsung.

What is surprising in MIUI at the first time - is, of course, the design. The new firmware improved icons, backgrounds, and a choice of 5 for immediate pre-order: regular, pinkish, lilac, greenish and strict dark brown. Each has its own set of icons.

MIUI 7 firmware offers to user a lot of small, but very convenient features. For example, despite the fact that Redmi Note 2 is excellent in hand, it can be freely used with one hand, using the appropriate mode: just swipe your finger from the central Home button to the right or left to the Task button or Back button.

And the screen is reduced to 3-4.5 inch that will be fully accessible to the fingers of one hand.

Second handy feature of MIUI 7 - curtain settings. All basic control of smartphone is literally at one swipe, unlike the intricate classical Android settings menu.

There are surprises in MIUI. For example, a long press of the Home button in the locked screen switches a flashlight, and seven taps on the firmware version in the tab "About device" switches developer mode and root access.

If you switch the application Compass, lift vertically smartphone, it will display azimuth directly on the image of the surrounding reality.

Thats enough about the software. We are observing a smartphone.

Now look at the camera. The main 13 megapixel camera from Samsung, is equipped with autofocus and flash, making quite good pictures in daylight. They are comparable with the photos made with inexpensive camera.

Unfortunately, in the dark, the camera makes noisy pictures, as well as all, with rare exceptions, smartphone cameras.

PHABLET is capable for almost all the games, it does not slow down when running resource-intensive applications at the same time, especially that MIUI disables certain applications, which are not used for some period.

The hardware and the latest power components allows Redmi Note 2 to be relevant for a couple of years at the current pace of technological development.

Redmi Note 2 is equipped with a loud speaker. The sound in the headphones is also quite loud. In addition, in the Music application there are different sound profiles for different headphones of Xiaomi. They help to set up a pleasant sound and for other headphones. If the preset profiles do not fit, you can use the ten-band equalizer. In certain settings you can achieve a very decent sound from the built-in player.

Now look at the camera. The main 13 megapixel camera from Samsung, is equipped with autofocus and flash, making quite good pictures in daylight. They are comparable with the photos made with inexpensive camera.

Unfortunately, in the dark, the camera makes noisy pictures, as well as all, with rare exceptions, smartphone cameras.

The camera application offers to user a lot of creative modes, an editor for photo editing, the ability to shoot panoramas, HDR-photography. There is a mode time lapse, face detection and smiles, voice shooting control and many other convenient and useful modes.

The camera shoots video with a resolution FullHD, however, the video - not the strong point of this smartphone.

Front camera:

Mi Remote

Redmi Note 2 has feature that many seem unexpected. It has an infrared port. Strange, at first glance, option. But given that Xiaomi, apart from smartphones, produces a lot of "smart" household appliances, it becomes clear that the new company PHABLET considered as a universal remote control for TV, air conditioning, air and water purifiers and other devices of the "smart home» Xiaomi.

The "universal remote control" may not work with modern devices and other brands.

Finally, it should be noted that Redmi Note 2 is a unique combination of a smartphone in terms of capacity, functionality and price. In its price range it has virtually no competitors with at least similar characteristics.

Xiaomi’s traditional product quality is also a big plus. Redmi Note 2 is definitely recommended for purchase.