Similar design to Redmi Note 9s, only the blue version is “stylized”
For some reason, out of the three colors sold in the market, including gray, blue, and white, only the blue version – the one that BiaReview evaluates in this article – is “stylized”. A bit of the back design compared to the Redmi Note 9s.
The two-tone design reminds us of Google’s Pixel phones, but Xiaomi does a little differently by using many small diagonal lines, slightly green when the light is diagonal. The back is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, a plus point in the segment when most manufacturers choose the fake glass plastic material, which is not slippery but has quite a lot of fingerprints.
The rear camera cluster of Redmi Note 9 Pro is also made more compact, there is no black strip covering the LED flash to create a “terraced” effect. The highlight of the camera cluster is nothing but the main camera upgraded to 64MP resolution, using Samsung’s ISOCELL GW01 sensor instead of a 48MP GM2 sensor like Redmi Note 9s. The rest includes 8MP wide-angle camera, 5MP macro camera, and 2MP depth-of-field camera, a popular setup in the segment in general, and Xiaomi in particular.
Redmi Note 9 Pro’s camera cluster is much convex, the machine channel when placed on a flat floor, and even though there is a metal rim protruding to avoid scratching, we still recommend using the included case.
On the front, the Redmi Note 9 Pro comes with a 6.67-inch perforated display, with a Full HD + resolution, and an IPS LCD panel. The main difference between the Redmi Note 9 Pro and the regular Redmi Note 9 is that the selfie camera is in the middle rather than in the left corner— it looks a lot more harmonious, and balanced overall. The selfie camera itself offers 32MP, with an f /2.3 aperture, which is a noticeable jump from the 16MP, f / 2.5 setup of the Redmi Note 9s. Also, the screen protector is Gorilla Glass 5.
Since it uses an IPS LCD panel, Redmi Note 9 Pro doesn’t get an under-screen fingerprint sensor. For this handset, Xiaomi still leaves the option to use the power button, with a built-in fingerprint sensor on the side, while the standard Redmi Note 9 places the fingerprint sensor at the back, below the camera cluster, in a more classic manner. In terms of recognition speed and accuracy, the sensor on Redmi Note 9 Pro has nothing to blame.
Instead, I have a little complaining about the placement of the volume up and down keys: They are set too high, plus the large screen size of 6.67 inches makes it difficult even for someone with big hands like me uncomfortable when used. Xiaomi should have placed them on the opposite side, which is very “empty”, and lowered a bit.
Redmi Note 9 Pro supports two nano sims and a separate memory card tray. As usual, the machine is not IP-rated for dust and water resistance.
The machine still has a full range of ports, including a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C, and “specialty” infrared port on top. However, for unknown reasons, the ports on the bottom edge and the speaker strip of Redmi Note 9 Pro are completely deviated downwards, less or less reducing the balance and aesthetics. Interestingly, the design philosophy of Xiaomi on the Redmi Note line is called “Aura Balance”, with balance as the focus, so this is indeed an unnecessary minus point.
Camera hardware upgrade slightly, more complete than “both front and back”
Since the Redmi Note 9 Pro has quite a bit of similarity with the Redmi Note 9s, I think it makes sense to start by mentioning the differences first, then sort of circle back later. Ok. The hardware upgrade happens both in the front, and the back area, mostly in terms of resolution: the main shooter moves up from 48MP to 64MP, and the selfie camera goes from 16MP to 32MP. Also the aperture shifts a little so depending on the lighting conditions the picture might feel slightly different, even if everything else stays pretty much the same.
The greatest benefit of higher resolution is when we take pictures in well-lit conditions. Redmi Note 9 Pro for photos rich in detail, good contrast, wide color gamut, AI mode with a color push but in most cases it is still natural. With the need to capture a “selfie”, you just need to shoot in default mode, which produces 16MP images, not 64MP, their quality is equivalent except 64MP photos that need longer photo retention.
However, when there is low light, things are not much improved on Redmi Note 9 Pro. Highlights still lack control, resulting in a loss of detail in the surroundings. Night Mode, on the other hand, works well, but the user has to hold his hand firmly, or better yet, use the tripod, which is not practical if you want to capture a moment.
The 5MP resolution, which supports autofocus with a minimum distance of 2cm, are the bright spots on the macro camera of Redmi Note 9 Pro. Rich in detail, colors are a bit flattering, but overall, the macro image of this smartphone is superior to its competitors in the price range with dedicated macro cameras from Samsung or Realme.
Taking on the role of wide-angle shooting of Redmi Note 9 Pro is still an 8MP camera, f / 2.2 aperture. In general, you should still only use this camera in bright enough conditions to preserve details. The inherent weakness of wide-angle cameras, in general, is still the low contrast range, and the Redmi Note 9 Pro is no exception.
The selfie camera of Redmi Note 9 Pro is doubled in resolution from 16MP to 32MP, a slightly larger f / 2.3 aperture promises to shoot in better low light conditions. The selfie image has improved in light tones, making the subject’s face stand out more, without a dull feeling like the Redmi Note 9s.
When removing fonts, both the front and rear cameras on the Redmi Note 9 Pro tend to smooth the skin even without the beauty feature turned on. The background is smooth, natural, and there is no smudge, and the user can edit the degree of background blur before and after the shot.
Get the 5020 mAh battery fully up and running much faster !
Still, with a 5020 mAh battery on board, what makes Redmi Note 9s owners feel a little jealous is basically the charging speed . For the Redmi Note 9 Pro, it supports up to 30W charging instead of the 18W you get on the 9s. And inside the box Xiaomi actually drops in a 33W charger too , so to refill the Redmi Note 9 Pro battery from 0% all the way back, it only needs about 1 hour , 20 minutes.
In the usual battery tests by BiaReview, it is not that surprising that the Redmi Note 9 Pro lands on results that are almost the same as the Redmi Note 9s. This is because both phones have similarly sized screens , they run the same software, and they even use the same Snapdragon 720G chip.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 128GB + 6GB RAM, 6.67″ FHD+ DotDisplay, 64MP AI Quad Camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G LTE Factory Unlocked Smartphone – International Version (Tropical Green): Buy it now
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro (64GB, 6GB) 6.67″ FHD+ Display, 5020mAh Battery, Snapdragon 720G, Dual SIM GSM Unlocked Global 4G LTE (T-Mobile, AT&T, Metro, Straight Talk) International Model: Buy it now
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro (128GB, 6GB) 6.67″ FHD+ Display, Snapdragon 720G, Dual SIM GSM Unlocked Global 4G LTE (T-Mobile, AT&T, Metro, Straight Talk) International Model (128GB SD Bundle, Grey): Buy it now
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro (128GB, 6GB) 6.67″ FHD+ Display, Snapdragon 720G, Dual SIM GSM Unlocked Global 4G LTE (T-Mobile, AT&T, Metro, Straight Talk) International Model (128GB SD Bundle, White): Buy it now
The display has fixed HDR display error
But the real standout is that the Redmi Note 9 Pro actually fixed the HDR playback display error I ran into on the Redmi Note 9s. The wider contrast range now shows up much more clearly and the colors look more vivid ,almost kind of soulful, not like theyre washed-out, and not like something is weird, like it is stuck or frozen in place.
Unfortunately, the Redmi Note 9 Pro still only has a 60Hz refresh rate instead of 90Hz. According to Xiaomi, there are not too many applications that can exploit the high frequency of the scan, users will not be able to notice the difference and it is not worth the price of the battery. With the experience of Realme 6 Pro, I consider Xiaomi’s point of view is not entirely correct: The difference in use is yes, the true battery life is reduced but not too significant, and anyway. Xiaomi has also equipped the Redmi Note 9 Pro with faster charging.
Performance stays pretty good with Snapdragon 720G, and MIUI just sort of remains the same
The “soul” of the Redmi Note 9 Pro is still that Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G on the 8nm process, plus in the BiaReview test unit there is 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage
At first, when I was testing the Redmi Note 9s, I figured the Snapdragon 720G might be a bit too new so maybe the games are not really optimized for smoothness yet. But with the Redmi Note 9 Pro, the graphic settings in well known titles have basically not shifted, while at the same time the average fps stays high and the frame stability is also pretty solid.
With three familiar PUBG Mobile, Dead Trigger 2, and Arena of valor mobile titles, Redmi Note 9 Pro cannot fully enable the graphics settings. PUBG Mobile is locked at 30fps with HD resolution, cannot choose HDR; Arena of valor Mobile has hidden cloud effects, cannot choose the highest graphics setting; Dead Trigger 2 is only playable at High 60fps graphics instead of Ultra.
With 6GB of RAM, the phenomenon of background apps having to reload was significantly reduced compared to the Redmi Note 9s with only 4GB of RAM. Snapdragon 720G chip for agile performance, fully meeting daily tasks.
In terms of software, Redmi Note 9 Pro comes pre-installed with Android 10, MIUI 11.0.1 interface right out of the box. MIUI is still known for its powerful customization capabilities, a lot of settings for users to change to their liking, but switching to a Xiaomi phone for the first time can be overwhelming.
To maintain competitive pricing, Xiaomi pre-installs quite a few apps and you will see ads in system apps from time to time. To me, that is not a big deal, but for sure there will be users with different thoughts, in the end, it is still something we have to accept the trade-off.
Summary
Whether accidentally or intentionally, Xiaomi has also released a more complete version of the Redmi Note 9s. That is good for consumers, but perhaps those who bought the Redmi Note 9s will feel a bit sad. Whether that strategy of Xiaomi is right or wrong, time will give us the answer.
The camera upgrades or charging time don’t come for free, but overall, the Redmi Note 9 Pro has proven its worth. A few very small minus points such as the screen still only having a 60Hz refresh rate or bloatware, the advertising in the system does not deny that the Redmi Note 9 Pro is still one of the most worth buying smartphones in the segment under $ 300.
Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.
