The launch of the Xiaomi Redmi 4A has put buyers of the older Redmi 3S in a dilemma. Whether to buy the tried-and-tested Redmi 3S for Rs 6,000 or opt for the Redmi 4A for Rs 1000 less. While the spec sheet is very similar, the new Redmi 4A offers a refreshing design and colour options.
However, the older Redmi 3S provides a slightly better hardware– 1.4Ghz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 and 4,100mAh battery. On the other hand, the cheaper Redmi 4A is powered by a 1.4 Ghz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor and 3,120mAh battery.
For those who can afford to spend Rs 1,000 more, the Redmi 3S becomes the obvious choice but the problem is that the device is unavailable and there is no word from Xiaomi as to when it will be available again. Also, the company has announced that there will be a Redmi 3S successor soon in India.
So, should you wait for the next sale of the older Redmi 3S or even wait for the Redmi 3S successor to launch? Or, simply go for the new Redmi 4A for Rs 5,999? Let’s find out with this review.
(Image: Siddharth Safaya/News18.com)
The Redmi 4A takes forward Xiaomi philosophy of providing uniform quality experience irrespective of the price. The Redmi 3S impressed buyers in the budget segment last year and to up the game this time, the Redmi 4A offers a new design in this segment while retaining the similar user experience. In other words, the Redmi 4A can be seen as an affordable Redmi 3S facelift.
The quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor does what is expected from and caters well to demands of average users. If you are looking for a robust smartphone within a tight budget of under Rs 6,000 then the Xiaomi Redmi 4A is great choice.
The Android Marshmallow-based MIUI 8 offers a comfortable overall experience with nifty features, however, you will still have to wait for Google Assistant to arrive. The IR blaster is retained in the Redmi 4A and it surely adds more value.
The Redmi 4A supports dual social media accounts. This means you can have two WhatsApp accounts installed on the same phone on two different phone numbers. MIUI 8 supports up to 13 Indian languages and offers all the software goodies including the smart SMS app.
As far as heating issues are concerned, the phone does a decent job in keeping itself cool in general. Expect the device to get warm while gaming but this doesn’t mar the experience.
The Redmi 4A offers a 13MP f/2.2 rear camera with LED Flash along with a 5MP front camera. The image quality of both the cameras are decent enough for social media usage.
If you are planning to get this phone for elders or first time smartphone user then note that MIUI offers a unique Lite mode which makes it very easy for them.
The smartphone supports VoLTE making it Reliance Jio compatible for both calls and data. It comes with a hybrid card slot. You can either use two SIM cards or one SIM card and one microSD card (up to 128GB). However, it would be difficult to use this phone with two SIM cards as you will ultimately need to use a microSD card. This is because the Redmi 4A offers just 8GB of usable internal storage. It would have been great if Xiaomi had offered separate SIM and microSD card slots.
While the 3,120mA battery does a good job, the battery life is less when compared to mammoth 4,100mAh battery of the older Redmi 3S. With the Redmi 4A, power users can expect of slightly over 24 hours. Mixed usage battery time for average users is around 30 hours.
The Redmi 4A offers 2GB of RAM but users can get up to a maximum of 1GB of free RAM. This is because MIUI 8 is memory intensive. Sometimes during multitasking (switching between video, calls, WhatsApp and games) there is a noticeable lag. However, the overall prowess of the Redmi 4A will make you ignore this given the price of Rs 5,999.
For the price of Rs 5,999, the Xiaomi Redmi 4A offers great value for money. This is a complete phone with all you need right out-of-the-box, except for earphones. If your budget is strictly under Rs 6,000 then the Redmi 4A is highly recommended. Now, the question– whether to buy the Redmi 4A or wait for the older Redmi 3S to be available? Well, if you want something asap then the Redmi 4A is a no-brainer but if you wish to wait then wait for the successor of Redmi 3S in a new design and not the older variant.
