The Redmi 9 Prime appears to be identical to the global version of the Redmi 9 with a rebranded name. The Redmi 9 Prime has a 6.53-inch Full HD+ display with a notch at the top. The Full HD+ resolution display is a big plus for the Redmi 9 Prime, as most of the competition at this price point offers HD+ displays. The bezels around the panel are thick, but considering the price, it’s not a bad compromise. The screen has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection, which should protect the phone from minor scratches in daily use.
Xiaomi has placed all the buttons on the right side of the device and they are easy to reach. The SIM tray is on the left and houses two Nano-SIM slots and a dedicated microSD card slot. You also get an IR blaster on top. The Redmi 9 Prime has a USB Type-C port, a main microphone, a speaker, and a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom.
Xiaomi has given a 5,020 mAh battery in Redmi 9 Prime. This is the same capacity as Redmi Note 9 (Review) and Redmi Note 9 Pro (Review). We’ve reviewed the Note 9 series, so expect the Prime’s battery to provide decent backup, too. However, the downside is that the Redmi 9 Prime weighs 198 grams. You start to notice it after using the phone for a while. Xiaomi says the Redmi 9 Prime is capable of 18W fast charging, but the company gives you a 10W charger in the box. As for the included charger and battery capacity, we expect the Redmi 9 Prime to take a long time to charge.
The rear panel has the same textured finish as the Redmi 8. There is a circular patch around the camera module at the top rear, which has a smooth finish. The design largely matches that of the Poco X2, with a glossy finish around the camera module. Redmi 9 Prime is available in four colors: Matte Black, Mint Green, Space Blue, and Sunrise Flare. We have the variant in matte black.
The Redmi 9 Prime has a quad camera setup at the back. Below them is the capacitive fingerprint scanner. This configuration reminded us of the Redmi Note 8 Pro. In the configuration of this phone, Xiaomi has included a 13-megapixel primary camera with 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle, 5-megapixel macro, and 2-megapixel depth.
Xiaomi has chosen the MediaTek Helio G80 chipset to power the Redmi 9 Prime. It is an octa-core chipset with two Cortex-A75 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores. The smartphone is available in two variants: 4 GB RAM with 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM with 128 GB storage. Its price is 9,999 rupees and 11,999 rupees respectively. We have the high-end model.
Xiaomi has launched Redmi 9 Prime with MIUI 11. This custom skin is based on Android 10 and our unit was running the July 2020 Android security patch. A lot of bloatware comes pre-installed such as GetApps, which suggests installing multiple other applications during the initial setup process. However, even after dismissing the suggestions, we found Rummy King, Zili, Mi Pay, Mi Credit, Amazon Shopping, Facebook, WPS Office, and a few games pre-installed on the device. Although no app banned by the Government of India is on this list.
The interface is very similar to what we’ve used on other Xiaomi smartphones and you should have no problem using it if you’re upgrading from a Xiaomi phone. Until we test the Redmi 9 Prime in our in-depth benchmarks and tests, we’ll refrain from commenting on its camera and performance for now. You won’t have to wait long for the Redmi 9 Prime review. Until then you stick with Gadgets 360 and Gadgets 360 Hindi.