US-Iran war CJP protest in Delhi US-Saudi nuclear deal Commonwealth Games 2026 Wildfires in Europe

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has disappointed some fans by choosing efficiency over performance

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has a higher resolution camera, and a better SoC and GPU on paper.

Tech2 News Staff|Jan 19, 2017, 17:05:27 IST

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 was unveiled today, and Indian consumers finally got clarity on the specifications of the device that will be available from 28 January. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was one of the most successful phones of 2016, selling over 2.3 million units in the six months after its launch. The model went on to sell 3.6 million units in 2016. There were high expectations from the next version of such a well received device.https://twitter.com/AS1F_IQ/status/821985215627358208A portion of the specifications are disappointing, if only on paper. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has the more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 chipset, on paper. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has an efficient Adreno 506 GPU, whereas the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has the Adreno 510 GPU. Power users and gamers may still want to opt for the Xiaomi Note 3 instead of the new Xiaomi Note 4.https://twitter.com/Rohil_Shah/status/821775217445994497https://twitter.com/kpraveen904/status/822021279687421954https://twitter.com/The_Ryan_Watson/status/821985394015305728https://twitter.com/khairilbarker/status/813077515535192064Users were expecting the Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 chipset, with the Adreno 510 GPU, as an upgrade to the existing model of the phone. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is a more efficient handset, the battery is expected to last longer. Various reports claim the batter lasts between 35 per cent to 25 per cent longer than the current Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. The increased efficiency actually depends on the particular application. For example, music playback offers an additional 60 per cent of battery life, while recording videos in FHD resolution offers only a 6 per cent additional battery life. These are numbers as claimed by Xiaomi.https://twitter.com/tech2eets/status/821971367381712896The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has a 4,100 mAh battery which is only a slight upgrade to the 4,050 mAh battery on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. The main camera on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is 13 MP, but the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 sports a 16 MP main camera. The resolution of the camera is only a rough indicator of the capabilities of the camera, and it is possible for lower resolution cameras to produce better quality photos. However, for someone who is just scanning the specifications and making a comparison, it does look bad. The dual tone flash on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, should allow the device to take better photos in low light compared to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3.

While the specifications does not look like an upgrade on paper, in practice the actual user experience might actually be better on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4. Xiaomi has chosen efficiency over performance in this model, which will allow it to sustain demanding operations for longer. Some users have been reporting an overheating problem with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, where demanding applications would cause the phone to overheat and close the application. This problem in particular, seems to have been addressed with the efficiency oriented configuration in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4.We got our hands on the device and look forward to testing it in our labs. Readers can check out the first impressions of the device. Also, watch out for potential performance oriented variants.

Why AI notetakers are raising serious privacy and security concerns

AI notetakers promise effortless meeting summaries, but experts warn they could expose confidential conversations, corporate secrets and personal voiceprints. As businesses increasingly adopt AI-powered meeting assistants, questions over data storage, privacy, consent and legal risks are becoming impossible to ignore

5 min read

China's low-cost AI models are changing the global AI race. Here's why Silicon Valley is worried

As Chinese firms continue to improve performance while keeping prices low, the AI race is no longer just about building the smartest model—it is increasingly becoming a battle over who can deliver the best value

2 min read

China's Kimi K3 challenges US AI leaders with frontier-level performance at lower cost

Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot AI has unveiled its latest open-weight AI model, Kimi K3, with early results suggesting it could compete with some of the world's most advanced AI systems developed by leading US companies

2 min read

How did Instagram run ads promoting child abuse in India?

India has issued a notice to Meta after an investigation alleged that Instagram displayed paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material. MeitY ordered Meta to remove such Instagram ads and explain within seven days how they were approved

8 min read

Why has India halted WhatsApp’s username feature before launch?

India has halted WhatsApp’s planned username feature, citing concerns about cybercrime, impersonation, and law enforcement challenges. As Meta races to address security concerns, here’s why MeitY has paused the rollout, what the feature does, and how it could influence privacy and online safety in India

3 min read

Up Next