Pros
- MediaTek Dimensity 8100 Powerful SoC
- 144Hz Smooth Display
- 3.5mm Audio Jack
- 67W fast charging
Cons
- LCD Panel
- Plastic Build
- Side-Mounted Fingerprint
With the release of the Redmi K50i, the competition for India’s top smartphones under Rs. 25,000 has intensified. Nearly three years after the Redmi K20 series was, the company has marked the resurgence of the K-series in India with the launch of the Redmi K50i. The phone claims to give all of that without significantly draining customers’ wallets. The phone is aggressively priced at Rs. 25,999.
Like its competitors, can the Redmi K50i justify its performance? We’ve used the smartphone for a while to see whether it can outperform other mid-range smartphones, and here are the results for you.
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What’s Inside The Box?
- Redmi K50i handset (main unit)
- USB Type C Charging cable
- 67W Charging Brick
- SIM eject tool
- Quick start guide
- Warranty card
- Phone case
Design
The Redmi K50i is a decent-looking smartphone. With a somewhat textured back and a prominent rectangular camera housing on the back, it looks distinctive. We have the Quick Silver color option with us which brings sparkly silver color traces that change depending on the light. Its rear panel and frame are made of plastic which easily resists dust and smudges despite all the shimmers.
The top center at the front has a punch-hole cutout. The chin of the phone is reasonably thick, while the remaining bezels are thin. With Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and an IP53 rating which is only seen in a few smartphones at this price point, Xiaomi has made sure that the smartphone is adequately protected.
On the right side, there are buttons for power and the volume rocker. The power toggle has a fingerprint sensor built in. However, the majority of smartphones in this price range come with an in-display fingerprint reader. At the top, it also contains the IR blaster. There is also the headphone jack which many modern phones come sans with.
Overall, design preferences are purely subjective, so we’ll let you make the final decision. What you should know is that the phone feels solid in hand and provides a secure hold. Although the frame is flat, the back panel is somewhat curved which makes it easier to hold onto.
Display
The Redmi K50i has a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD screen. It has a 144Hz refresh rate. The smartphone also has adaptive refresh rate technology which automatically changes the screen’s refresh rate (from 30Hz to 144Hz) depending on the content the user is viewing.
The IPS LCD screen performs admirably in terms of color reproduction, clarity, and sharpness. The degrees of brightness is also good. Simply put, the viewing angles could have been more favorable. While tilting the phone to the side, we picked up on the slight color and brightness difference. The screen supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision which helps stream FHD videos and shows on Netflix.
Typically, there are 500 nits of brightness which is more than enough for everyday indoor use. Even with the brightness set to maximum, the display feels a bit dim when you are outside in the sun.
The Redmi doesn’t have an AMOLED screen which many will complain about. However, we must say that the display is incredibly smooth. When using the phone, there is no lag or stutter and everything feels quick.
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Processor
The Redmi K50i excels in terms of performance. It has a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset which effortlessly handles both multitasking and daily tasks. You can easily enjoy high-end games with no complaints. There are two variants of the Xiaomi Redmi K50i, i.e., 6GB / 128GB and 8GB / 256GB.
In its segment, the Redmi K50i is one of the fastest smartphones. When using your routine apps, you won’t experience any lag. The joy in this category is the lag-free, buttery-smooth scrolling.
Coming to the software side of things, the MIUI 13 based on the Android 12 software experience is just like the other Xiaomi phones. You can play with customization options, wallpapers, adding widgets, and a lot more. There are several pre-installed apps, some of which can be removed, while others remain resistant.
The phone also has dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support which bring out clear and well-tuned sound even at maximum volume levels. The Redmi K50i’s main speaker is located at the bottom edge and the other one is at the top.
The Redmi K50i still has a 3.5mm headphone jack in an age where most smartphones do not. Gamers will love this because they often prefer corded earphones or headphones to cordless ones when playing mobile games.
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Camera
The Redmi K50i has a single camera arrangement up front and a triple rear camera setup at the back. The 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor are all part of the rear configuration. A 16MP camera is located on the front for selfies.
Xiaomi has stuck using a 64MP sensor when the rest of the world is gradually moving toward the 50MP primary sensor and we are not complaining about it.
Shots from the primary camera are clear and have a nice dynamic range and color. Most of the time, the colors were enhanced but not overly saturated so that they appeared more pleasing to the eye.
The camera increases the exposure in low-light situations to provide brighter photographs while reducing noise and grain. When you begin looking for details, especially in the darker areas, photos appear a little hazy.
Images taken with the 8MP ultrawide camera have a slightly cooler color temperature, giving them a faint blue tint. Although the 2MP macro camera lacks autofocus, it performs well when it does.
A 16MP front-facing camera does a decent job capturing details. With regard to edge detection, portrait mode is quite good.
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Battery
Under the hood, the Redmi K50i packs a 5,080mAh battery. When we used the phone, the battery easily lasted a day with the refresh rate set to “Default” and the use case was fairly mediocre. When we say mediocre, we mean basic calling and messaging, scrolling on social media apps, watching a few YouTube videos or shows on Netflix, etc. The phone packs a 67W fast charger in the box which refills the battery and charges the phone quickly.
Final Verdict
Some crucial areas are where the Redmi K50i shines. This smartphone can play mobile games at high frame rates and simply doesn’t sacrifice performance. The primary sensor is trustworthy for taking images on a daily basis and the battery backup is good.
The K50i’s two drawbacks are that Xiaomi went with an LCD panel rather than an OLED and that the design is extremely bland and fails to differentiate itself from the competition. Overall, the Redmi K50i is a competent smartphone that makes a nice pick for anyone seeking a device with strong performance, battery life, and camera capabilities.
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