Xiaomi Redmi 7 Review – A Solid Value for Money Smartphone

Redmi 7 2

The entry-level segment is full of value for money smartphones, priced aggressively to win consumers. The competition has grown further since brands like Samsung and Realme have entered the segment. However, sustaining through the fierce competition, Xiaomi has now made a comeback with the newly launched Redmi 7.

Being a successor to the six-month-old Redmi 6-lineup, the Redmi 7 offers significant upgrades with regards to the design and internals. In fact, the phone has gone through a complete design overhaul, citing Xiaomi’s attention to detail. While the phone looks alluring on paper, let’s see if its really worth buying now in our in-depth Xiaomi Redmi 7 review.

Xiaomi Redmi 7 Specifications

Before we start with the Redmi 7 review, let’s go through the specifications, price and see what comes in the device’s retail box.

  • Display: 2.5D curved 6.26-inch IPS LCD display, HD+ (720×1520 pixels), 19:5:9 aspect ratio, 269ppi
  • Display Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5
  • CPU: 14nm-based Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 Octa-core processor (4×1.8 GHz Kryo 250 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 250 Silver)
  • GPU: Adreno 506
  • RAM: 2GB/3GB
  • Storage: 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 512GB
  • Software: Android 9 Pie, MIUI 10
  • Main Camera: 12MP (f/2.2, 1.25µm, PDAF) + 2MP Depth sensor
  • Selfie Camera: 8MP (f/2.0, 1.12µm)
  • Connectivity: micro USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and IR blaster
  • Cellular:  Dual SIM, Dual 4G VoLTE standby
  • Fingerprint Scanner: Yes, Capacitive
  • Battery: 4,000 mAh, Li-ion Polymer, non-removable

Price: Rs. 7,999 for 2/32GB | Rs. 8,999 for 3/32GB

Box Contents

A complete list of items you get inside the box:

    • Redmi 7
    • Sim Ejector Tool
    • 10W Charger
    • Micro USB Cable
    • Transparent Silicon Case
    • Warranty and User Guide

Redmi 7 Review

Design

Xiaomi has recently revamped its design philosophy for budget phones, and Redmi 7 is no different. Particularly, the device bears a beautiful glossy rear that looks like glass but in reality, is an all-plastic affair with a dual-gradient finish underneath.

However, it doesn’t look cheap by any means. The back changes its shade based upon the amount of light being reflected, making it quite appealing for a device priced Rs. 7,999. That said, it attracts a lot of fingerprints and tiny scratches; hence using a case is a must.

Moving to the front, Redmi 7 gets a dot notch design with an impressive screen to body ratio of 86.83%. Anyways, it still has noticeable bezels, running all around the corners followed by the bottom chin.

Note that the phone weighs 180g and maybe hefty for some. Altogether, it feels sturdy in hands and the addition of Gorilla Glass 5 further amps up the confidence. Overall, we loved the way Xiaomi has managed to present the phone without keeping any constraints like previous-gen smartphones.

Display

As mentioned, the Redmi 7 gets a 6.26-inch IPS LCD display with an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1520 pixels. The panel further bears a 19:5:9 aspect ratio and is covered with Gorilla Glass 5 on top.

We found the display to have satisfying colours, great viewing angles and even the contrast was spot on. In fact, the screen is easily among the best in this price bracket. And you won’t find any issues while enjoying movies and videos on this panel. Nonetheless, we wish if it got a bit more bright under harsh sunlight.

Moving further, the broad bottom chin seems to be a poor use of space and could’ve been used for capacitive keys instead. Also, the phone doesn’t offer Widevine L1 support, but anyway, that shouldn’t make a difference as the display itself is capped at HD+.

Performance & Software

The Redmi 7 packs Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC at its core, which is a significant upgrade over the Redmi 6’s MediaTek Helio P22, as well as Snapdragon 625 in the Redmi 6 Pro. Furthermore, the chipset is paired with up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.

In our usage, the phone performed seamlessly well in day to day tasks including clicking pictures, surfing social media, watching videos and more. There were no major lags or stutters, making it perfect for someone who wants a smartphone at a budget for running daily errands. Games like PUBG are playable but at low settings and you’d have to shell out more cash for better performance.

Like other latest Xiaomi smartphone, the Redmi 7 runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 Pie out of the box. While a lot of people love Xiaomi’s UI for the customizability and features it offers, people who love simplicity may find it intrusive.

As evident, the MIUI 10 doesn’t have an app drawer which is not appreciated much by users. Moreover, the UI has a lot of bloatware to offer including Xiaomi’s official apps, as well as some third-party apps like DailyHunt, ShareChat and Amazon. Thankfully, most of them can be uninstalled in the settings.

Having said that, ads are still a big problem in MIUI, ads in the lock screen, ads in the notification panel and ads whenever you install an app on your phone. Fortunately, you can get rid of them by turning off “Personalised Ad Recommendations” in the settings.

Above all, MIUI 10 also brings in gesture-based navigation akin to the iPhone X that works very well. While being heavily skinned, MIUI offers tons of options for customisations. Nonetheless, if you are a stock Android lover, you’ll have a tough time getting used to it.

Camera & Battery

For photography, the Redmi 7 gets a dual-camera setup at the back. The module comprises of a 12MP primary camera paired with a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, there’s an 8MP shooter upfront.

The cameras, as you’d expect, are average at its best (obviously you need to keep the price in mind). Shots taken in daylight have plenty of detail and are fairly good with accurate colours. Exposure handling is reasonably well, and HDR does a decent job in keeping the highlights from being blown out. The low-light shots, on the other hand, are average and have a lot of noise. Same is the case with selfies which look a bit soft indoors.

As for the battery, the built-in 4000mAh cell, paired with an HD+ display and a power-efficient chipset, endures quite well. The phone comfortably lasts a day and a half. And if you’re a light user, you can further manage two days on a single charge. The lack of fast charging, however, results in slow charging times, which might be a bummer for some.

Pros

  • One of the best looking phones in its segment
  • Fairly good display with Gorilla Glass 5 protection
  • Amazing battery life
  • Dedicated card slot
  • Dual 4G VoLTE

Cons

  • Mediocre performance
  • Ads and bloatware in MIUI
  • Average Selfie Camera

Redmi 7 Review Verdict- Should you go for it?

The Redmi 7 is an overall balanced phone that looks stunning for the price. It offers decent performance, amazing battery life and a good display for media experience. The cameras, however, are a mixed bag and are incapable of beating the ones on its counterparts including Asus Zenfone Max M2 and Realme 3.

Having said that, if you want a good looking phone that’ll last longer and be more than enough for surfing web, casual photos and multimedia, the Redmi 7 is definitely one of the worthy options for a price of Rs. 7,999. Anyways, if you find yourself demanding more, we’d recommend spending a few extra bucks and getting the Redmi Note 7s.

Buy Redmi 7 from Amazon.in

About the author

Ritik Singh

An avid media student who is highly passionate about technology since childhood. He has good experience in video production, gadget reviews and is ardent about writing on tech.