Review Redmi 7 - The smartphone with the p @ lle
Redmi has become a brand on its own, detaching from Xiaomi even though it maintains its philosophy and software. He proposed the recent Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro on the market (the latter will never officially reach the Italian market), attracting the attention of various users in a positive way thanks to theexcellent value for money, but it is from poco also landed in Italy the Redmi 7, the entry level of the house, which some YouTubers immediately put aside, but we at XiaomiToday.it took the trouble to try it thoroughly, and so today we offer you our complete review, immediately spoiling that this device has character to sell.
Like any self-respecting review, let's start with the sales package that does not differ much from what we saw with the older brother, finding:
- Redmi 7;
- Smoked gray silicone cover;
- Power supply with 5V / 2A output and European socket;
- Fast guide;
- Cable for charging and micro USB data transfer;
- Pin for removing the SIM tray;
Psychologically we are used to thinking of a Redmi device with compact dimensions and instead this Redmi 7 is probably as big as Redmi Note 7. We find in fact dimensions equal to 158,73 x 75,58 x 8,47 millimeters for a weight of 180 grams although the general construction uses non-premium materials. The dimensions have an impact on usability for one hand that is not exactly the best but just one the plastic profile and the polycarbonate backcover deny any slipperiness of the device thus allowing you to move it to your liking in the palm of your hand.
Moreover the back cover enjoys a P2i nano water repellent treatment while the lines are broken by the company logo and certifications on the lower part, by the presence of the dual chamber (slightly protruding) and LED flash in the upper left corner which is also accompanied by one written with the indications of the photographic sector but above all it is hosted on fingerprint sensor, almost flush with the body.
If I have to make a first criticism I address it to the fact that the materials used really hold the fingerprints too far, but on the other hand the use of the supplied cover will eliminate this problem. In fact, I address a major criticism to the poor quality of plastic, as I found myself with many micro scratches along the back cover, despite my attention and care, in situations where I removed the protective case. Returning to the sensor for fingerprints, this has behaved in an excellent manner, unlocking the device quickly and reliably and we can also associate some functions such as blocking access to certain apps or taking pictures.
The curved lines of the glossy back cover come together with the opaque plastic profiles where we find as usual the power button and volume rocker on the left while on the right is placed the SIM tray able to accommodate two nano-format SIM plus the micro SD card for memory expansion without sacrificing Dual SIM Dual Standby functionality. The main microphone is located below mono speaker andmicro USB input with OTG support while in the upper part concentrated on the left edge we find with pleasure the mini jack entrance, the IR transmitter and the second microphone.
Design so far anonymous but overall modern thanks also to the front where we can appreciate a flat type display with teardrop notch and rather contained frames compared to the price range of the device. No function keys as they are inserted on the display, although they can be eliminated thanks to the adoption of gesture on the screen, while at the top of the panel we find the selfie camera, the brightness and proximity sensor and the ear capsule, which although generous in size does not allow the combo with the system speaker for a stereo sound.
And speaking of audio, the sound coming from the lower speaker of the Redmi 7 is powerful although it tends to favor mainly high and medium frequencies rather than low ones. All in all the final yield is more than sufficient, since I have never witnessed distortion phenomena at high volume and above all the power of the small case knows how to assert itself even in strongly noisy environments. The audio in ear capsule is crystal clear and we have not found problems even with the microphone during calls or recordings of voice messages. Finally, the presence of a small monochromatic notification LED inserted in the chin of the Redmi 7.
The dimensions poco contained, however, allow you to enjoy a really large display, in fact we are talking about a diagonal of 6,26 inch LCD type with resolution HD + (1520 x 720 pixel), 269 PPI, with aspect ratio a 19:9, contrast 1500: 1. Good maximum brightness (450 nits) that allows the enjoyment of the panel even in direct sunlight, but the backlight range is perhaps too wide since in the evening the integrated sensor tends to shoot the value to a minimum, making the content on screen, so it will be necessary to act manually. Note the slight step between the profiles and the display that although they may seem poco aesthetic, increases resistance in the event of impact and accidental falls.
Apart from that, despite the resolution stops at only HD + and theabsence of Widevine L1 certification (present L3), the head-up display of Redmi 7 comes out full marks. Rather loaded and defined colors that they will absolutely regret the absence of Full HD. Moreover, if you prefer a higher chromatic calibration related to temperatures and contrast, you can intervene from the special section of the settings where it will be possible to activate also the double touch for the awakening of the screen, adjust the size of the text but also activate the reading mode. Nothing about the notch drop that cannot be hidden (moreover it would make no sense to buy a device with notch and then hide it) and that brings with it all the discomfort related to failure to display notification icons permanently, but fortunately waiting for an official and definite solution from Xiaomi, you can overcome the problem thanks to this guide.
The time has come to talk about hardware, which on this Redmi 7 reserves some small surprises in terms of yield. The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632, octacore with Kryo 250 structure to 14 nm with maximum clock at 1.8 GHz which accompanies the GPU Adreno 506, 3 GB of RAM memory of type LPDDR3 @ 933MHz and 32 GB of internal memory eMMC 5.1 expandable via micro SD up to 512 GB (there are also variants 2 / 16 GB and 3 / 64 GB).
But if on paper all this seems to poco value, in everyday use, overall performance can surprise positively. It is true that we should not expect some kind of power, but on balance this Redmi 7 manages to perform in a more than excellent way all the operations requested without encountering any particular obstacle or lag. The opening of the app happens in satisfactory times and reliability is the theme that accompanies every action of this Redmi 7. Even at the gaming level we are able to bring home some satisfaction, without expecting maximum graphic details, but in any case, no hitch or lack of fluidity will invade your gaming session.
Even the rest of the hardware components of Redmi 7 is quite complete although it could have been better. In fact we have a 802.11 WiFi module b / g / na 2.4 GHz and a form Bluetooth 4.2, which in spite of good reliability could in some circumstances create some uncertainty such as with the coupling of TWS headsets. Fortunately, there is the FM radio and an excellent one GPS (coupling also of the Galileo satellites) that manages to perform not only in car navigation but also on foot navigation by hooking up notable satellites quickly and precisely. Furthermore the IR transmitter it is a gem not to be underestimated: imagine the convenience of changing the TV channel comfortably seated on your sofa when you have forgotten to take the remote control and maybe even control the air conditioner with a single device.
That said, Redmi 7 behaves wonderfully even in the main function it is born with, that is to call. Thanks to the presence of connectivity Dual 4G on both SIM slots and the presence of the 20 band, there are no uncertainties about the reception of the telephone signal, always hooking up the best available frequency. Personally I never got the 4G +, but I think it's more of a software problem that doesn't show the symbol, at least comparing some tests performed on equal terms.
Every aspect of Redmi 7 seems to be managed in an excellent way, thanks also to the software, the MIUI 10.2 Global Stable which in this house runs on OS Android 9 Pie and security patch of February 2019. Difficult to add more than what has already been seen with other Xiaomi models and in a certain sense for those who still do not know it I do not want to spoil anything, because MIUI should be appreciated by discovering it poco at a time up to the countless customizations and unique functions of their kind. The perfect optimization also allows you to make the most of the autonomy of the large battery from 4000 mAh.
Needless to say, Redmi 7 will give great satisfaction, allowing for pass even the 7 hours of active display, but above all to arrive with a normal use also a 2 days full of autonomy. In any case, whether you are stressed or not, the day is always guaranteed with a good residual charge. The Redmi 7 takes around 1 hours and 45 minutes to be fully charged through the supplied power adapter.
And as dessert of the review we just have to talk about the photographic and video sector of this Redmi 7. But how, you say, do I get excited about the photographic qualities of an entry level? Well yes. Redmi 7 has a dual rear camera composed of a lens from 12 megapixel, pixel dimensions from 1.25 µm, aperture f/2.2supported by a second 2 megapixel camera which will only perform the function of collecting data on the depth of field for the blurred. Respect the elder brother, Redmi 7 takes a significant step backwards also with regards to the focus that becomes of type PDAF and LED flash which is single tone. Furthermore the sensors related to these optics are from OmniVision and specifically the OV12A10 and OV02A10 models respectively.
So on paper I wouldn't have given a penny to this Redmi 7 and instead the photos surprised me since the smartphone returns with standard lighting good shots marked by a good color range, sufficiently defined details, natural bokeh worthy of note. Unfortunately, the focus sometimes does not perform well by going into confusion with small or macro objects that are too close together. How to expect, at night the general quality drops slightly but in my opinion Redmi 7 offers shots that are decidedly above the average of other models belonging to the same price range.
At the video level we can push ourselves to record up to the resolution Full HD 1080p to 60 fps andaudio capture is qualitatively superior to what I expected. It is a pity that any form of stabilization, digital and / or optical, is absent, but on the whole general colors seem to be best managed. Finally, at the software level there are noteworthy features, such as theAutomatic HDR and the AI that allows you to recognize up to 27 scenes, optimizing the shooting parameters in the most common situations.
Frontally, positioned inside the drip notch, we find the camera selfie from 8 megapixel, pixel size from 1.12µm, aperture f/2.0. Also in this case we find the possibility to take advantage of the automatic HDR and record videos with Full HD resolution 1080p, but this time to 30 fps. The yield of this room is satisfactory but the management of the lights is often staggered, returning selfies with a burnt background and above all with chromatic colors of the skin poco realistic. The possibility of take selfies simply by showing your palm but above all that of unlock the smartphone through facial recognition, reliable 10 times on 10 in good lighting conditions while in the dark you will have to rely on the fingerprint sensor. However always better than 1000 euro devices that are unlocked with a photo.
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Fortunately on Redmi 7 we have the CAM2APIs unlocked by default and then simply install an APK to get a miracle. We will succeed in transform a smartphone from poco more than 100 euros in a camera phone thanks to the GCam, which will improve all the imperfections of the stock chamber, such as definition, lighting management and color range. The fuzzy is decidedly softer and more precise and on the whole Redmi 7 with the help of the GCam could beat it with devices with the cost even of 400 euro.
Conclusions
Many think it is not worth the purchase of this Redmi 7 because with 30 / 40 in addition we take home the Redmi Note 7 model, but if we continue with this thought then it is not even worth spending those extra 30 / 40 because adding 100 euro you take home a Mi 9 SE and adding another 3 Mi Mix etc ... Redmi 7 in the variant from 3 / 32 GB you can also find it at a price of poco higher than the 100 euro, more than convenient for what this smartphone offers, or rather for its reliability.
I challenge you to find a smartphone at this price that can do better. Good construction, excellent performance in everyday life, record autonomy and mind-boggling photos with the help of the GCam. in conclusion Redmi 7 manages to satisfy the 360 user experience by performing positively in every situation, making us advise this device not only for those looking for a second reliable and moderately powerful smartphone but also as a first terminal to give to their parent / grandfather, to the child who begins to approach the technology and to all those people who do not look for design and power in a smartphone but above all concreteness.
