Redmi Note 3 Review: Budget Smartphone with Impressive Features

The Redmi Note 3 is a budget smartphone that packs a punch with its impressive features. It's a great option for those who want a powerful device without breaking the bank.

The phone's design is sleek and sturdy, with a metal frame that gives it a premium look and feel. It's available in three color options: graphite, silver, and gold.

One of the standout features of the Redmi Note 3 is its large 5.5-inch display, which provides an immersive viewing experience. The display is also Full HD, making it perfect for watching videos and browsing the web.

With its octa-core processor and 2GB/3GB of RAM, the Redmi Note 3 can handle demanding tasks with ease. You can expect smooth performance even when multitasking or playing games.

The Redmi Note 3 is a beast of a phone when it comes to performance. It's powered by a high-performance Snapdragon 650 processor, which uses ARM's flagship Cortex-A72 cores.

Here's an interesting read: Sony Xperia X Performance

This processor is a hexa-core powerhouse that delivers up to 1.8GHz clock speed. The Adreno 510 graphics processor ensures a smooth gaming experience.

Here are the key specs of the Redmi Note 3:

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has a range of powerful processors to choose from, depending on the variant you opt for. The MediaTek variant is powered by the MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 system-on-chip.

The Snapdragon variants, on the other hand, are powered by the Snapdragon 650 system-on-chip, which offers a hexa-core CPU with a high performance cluster and a high efficiency cluster.

The phone's display is a 5.5 in (140 mm) 1080p display with 1080x1920 pixels resolution and 403 ppi pixel density. This makes for a crisp and clear viewing experience.

One notable feature of the Snapdragon variants is their "Sunlight Display" technology, which adjusts pixel levels to improve legibility under sunlight. This is especially useful for outdoor use.

The phone also features a fingerprint sensor at the back, which can be used for taking photos via the front-facing or rear-facing camera. This adds an extra layer of convenience to the phone's camera functionality.

All variants of the phone come with 2 GB or 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB or 32 GB of eMMC 5.0 internal flash storage. This provides a smooth and responsive user experience.

The Redmi Note 3 had various software options, but the Snapdragon variant (kenzo) was the most popular, running on MIUI 7 OS that was later updated to MIUI 10.

You could also install custom Android ROMs, like MIUI 9 based on Android 7.0, CyanogenMod 13 and 14, or Lineage OS 13, 14, and 15.

The Redmi Note 3 Special Edition (kate) came with a different ROM, MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0, which could be updated to MIUI 10.

However, be careful not to install the wrong firmware, as it may brick your device.

You might enjoy: Comparison of Android Go Products

The MediaTek variant (hennessey) ran on MIUI 7, but it only received a MIUI 9 update and didn't get a MIUI 10 update.

In December 2018, Xiaomi announced that they would no longer provide software support for the Redmi Note 3.

The phone received its final MIUI update in January 2019.

The Redmi Note 3 is a powerhouse when it comes to performance. It can handle demanding tasks with ease.

One of the key performance benchmarks for this phone is 3DMark Ice Storm, where it performs exceptionally well in the unlimited test. The Geekbench 3 single-core test also shows impressive results, demonstrating the phone's ability to handle complex tasks.

In the Geekbench 3 multi-core test, the Redmi Note 3 delivers strong performance, showcasing its capacity to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

Here are some specific performance benchmarks for the Redmi Note 3:

The Redmi Note 3 has a 13.9cm (5.5) 1080p HD display that's designed to provide a great viewing experience.

This display is smarter than your average screen, adjusting its contrast and brightness according to the environment you're in. It's like having a personal display assistant that knows just what to do to make the screen look its best.

Sunlight Display is the feature that makes this happen, ensuring that the screen is never too bright or too dim. And with Night Mode and Reading Mode, you can even protect your eyes from excessive brightness and harmful blue light rays.

Here are some of the benefits of the Redmi Note 3's display:

The Redmi Note 3's design is a standout feature. It packs premium metal for a budget price, making it an excellent value.

The phone's metal body looks beautiful and feels sturdy, with a natural and seamless assembly process. This level of craftsmanship is impressive.

The anodized, sandblasted metal texture is authentic and unadorned, with no additional treatments or paint used. This gives the phone a premium feel.

Discover more: Acer Liquid Metal

Holding the Redmi Note 3 in your hand, you can appreciate the care that went into its design. It's a pleasure to hold.

The phone's weight is a bit heavier than typical flagship phones, but it's still comfortable to hold. The rear-mounter fingerprint sensor is a nice touch.

The MIUI skin on the phone's interface may look a bit unconventional, but it's easy to use and navigate, especially with the "Lite mode" feature.

The Redmi Note 3 is a solid choice in the budget smartphone market, especially when compared to other devices in its class. It has a more powerful processor than the Redmi 3, which makes it a better option for gaming and multitasking.

One key area where the Redmi Note 3 stands out is its battery life, which can last up to two days on a single charge. This is a significant advantage over other smartphones in its price range.

In terms of storage, the Redmi Note 3 offers more options than the Redmi 3, with a 32GB version available in addition to the 16GB model. This makes it a better choice for users who need more storage space for their apps and files.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is a benchmark for budget-friendly devices, delivering impressive performance and features at a price that's hard to beat.

Its price tag is a major factor in its popularity, making it an attractive option for those who want a lot without breaking the bank.

This device has been a game-changer in the budget smartphone market, offering a feature set that's often found in more expensive devices.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has been a top choice for many users, and for good reason - it's a powerhouse that packs a punch.

Its performance is impressive, making it a great option for those who want a device that can handle demanding tasks.

The device's popularity is a testament to its value, and it's no wonder it's been a benchmark for budget-friendly devices for a while now.

Additional reading: List of Google Play Edition Devices

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, ZTE ZMax 2, and Huawei Honor 5X are all mid-range smartphones that offer impressive features at affordable prices.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has a 5.5-inch display with a high resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 401ppi.

The ZTE ZMax 2, on the other hand, has a slightly lower resolution of 1,280x720 pixels, but still offers a respectable pixel density of 267ppi.

All three devices have a 5.5-inch display size, making them similar in terms of screen real estate.

Here's a comparison of the key specs of these devices:

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has a more powerful processor, with a quad-core 1.4GHz and dual-core 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, compared to the Huawei Honor 5X's 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615.

The ZTE ZMax 2 has a removable 3,000mAh battery, which is a great feature for users who want to replace their battery over time.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and Huawei Honor 5X both have non-removable batteries, with capacities of 4,000mAh and 3,000mAh respectively.

The ZTE ZMax 2 is the most affordable option, priced at just $100 off-contract, making it a great value for budget-conscious buyers.

The Redmi Note 3 is a thoughtfully targeted device with a premium metal build, flagship-grade specs, and an iconic MIUI launcher.

Its design has been upgraded from the previous model, making it a significant improvement.

The device boasts a premium metal build that gives it a high-end feel, making it a great choice for those who want a quality phone without breaking the bank.

Its flagship-grade specs ensure that it can handle demanding tasks with ease, making it a great option for gamers and heavy users.

For your interest: Pixel 9a Specs

The Redmi Note 3's camera is a standout feature, with a 16MP sensor that can capture stunning images.

This is thanks to Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), a technique usually found in DSLR cameras, which allows for ultra-fast focusing in just 0.1 seconds.

Dual ISP processing also plays a key role in achieving exceptional image quality, resulting in photos with visibly less noise and enhanced dynamic range.

Pressing your finger gently on the sensor unlocks your phone in just 0.3 seconds.

This is a whole lot faster than using patterns or passcodes.

Chip-level security encrypts and stores your fingerprint profiles securely so no one can access them—not even you.

The Redmi Note 3 is a budget phone that packs a punch, with a 5.5-inch screen and 32GB of storage. This is a rare find in budget phones, which often skimp on storage space.

One of the standout features of the Redmi Note 3 is its gaming performance, which was great in my experience. Smooth framerates on Asphalt 8 and fast app switching made it a joy to use.

The phone's non-removable battery lasted nearly 14 hours in our video looping battery test, a respectable number for most phones. This means you can use your phone all day without needing to recharge.

However, the Redmi Note 3's camera is a letdown. It's slow and lacks Auto HDR, which meant I had to manually turn this mode on.