Can Xiaomi’s Redmi 3 fulfill its promise of serving as a flagship contender in a crowded low-end market? We dive in deep in our full review!
Justin Timberlake decided he’d bring sexy back in 2006. Whatever your feelings towards the pop star, I feel that we’re in for a uniquely techy 2016 anniversary of the hit song with the Xiaomi Redmi 3.
Most smartphone manufacturers offer budget, mid-range, and high-end devices. It’s a unique case with Xiaomi that we happen to get our hands on the budget flagship (doesn’t that sound paradoxical?) Redmi 3; a device intended to be the best Xiaomi can offer at an affordable price point.
Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Review: Blast from the past
That’s a tough sell; not just because the low-end market is increasingly being flooded by smartphones attempting to appeal to feature phone migrators, but because Xiaomi itself offers a plethora of good yet affordable smartphones. In a sense, the Redmi 3 has to work harder than any other budget smartphone of its calibre to stand out.
Does it really, though? There’s an odd proposition here – one that’s just as much of a throwback as it is a “vision next”. Can the Redmi 3 inspire the future while honoring the past?
Let’s get to it and find out!
Specifications
Xiaomi’s Redmi 3 comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 Soc, which is complemented by 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable internal storage, a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 5-megapixel selfie shooter. A 4,100mAh battery completes the setup, which powers a 5″ 720p display.
Design
I’ve been relishing the opportunity to speak about the Redmi 3’s design, for the simple reason that I feel it exemplifies a few great design decisions.
When it comes to design, all things are subjective; yet there’s something quite alluring about holding the device in hand. Weighing in at roughly 144g, there’s a special “in-the-middle” economy the Redmi 3 strikes at the heart; this is a device which simultaneously isn’t so heavy as to weigh down your pocket, nor is light to the point that you’ll forget its there.
There’s a refreshing heft and berth to the device, as well. Where I felt the flagship Mi 5 was too slender for its own good, the Redmi 3 is pleasantly curvy and eschews slimness for sexiness. If you admired the design era of the iPhone 4 to the 5s, you’ll feel quite at home on the Redmi 3.
Rounded chamfers give way to a svelte and streamline back panel, which isn’t as worryingly barren as the Mi 5; on the rear you’ll find a circular fingerprint scanner that’s just the right size; there’s none of the nonsense that has defined Xiaomi’s penchant to copy Samsung’s home button and make it ludicrously thin; Quick and reliable, is both well placed and well sized.
Of course, that comes with the caveat of eliminating a tactile home button; touch-sensitive buttons can be found on the Redmi 3’s home panel. While that’s not a disappointment, I often felt I needed a physical metaphor to locate the buttons, especially at night.
Altogether, I grew to love the Redmi 3’s design, despite its niggles. There’s something remarkable about a phone that doesn’t care how thin or sexy it is, and just gets down and does the job – and that’s precisely where Xiaomi have aimed its budget-end flagship.
User interface
Before we move on to speak entirely about software, there’s something we need to address; and that’s how greatly the size and shape of a Xiaomi device can influence one’s opinion of MIUI.
For the uninitiated, MIUI is Xiaomi’s Android skin which sits atop Android 5.1 Lollipop in this case. While it’s an attractive skin – rolling together a theme engine with an iOS-inspired design – I’ve previously opined that Xiaomi’s skin isn’t well spaced or sized for the Western market.
As the Redmi 3 is sized a bit shorter than other Xiaomi offerings, it’s remarkable to note that MIUI shines on smaller devices rather than the elongated Redmi Note 2 and Mi 5 which we recently reviewed. Text is compacted in menus, and altogether wasted space is eliminated. Thanks to its size alone, the Redmi 3 does a fantastic job of adding spit and polish to MIUI.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t extend into the system level; MIUI retains its oddities. While a theme engine is present – and the skin performs well across the board – you might well find yourself hankering for a ‘pure’ Android device; Xiaomi’s software skin often clashes with material design and has the reverse effect of stripping its phones of identity instead of empowering them.
One does, however, have to be thankful for the fact that Xiaomi update their Android skin independently of system updates, leaving bugs to be quashed as quickly as they appear. It’s a unique offering in the Android world, and despite its oddities, MIUI shouldn’t be a detrimental factor when considering a Xiaomi phone. Thankfully, this is no exception.
Performance
When dealing with a budget smartphone, ‘sexy’ usually goes out the airlock; one wades through a sea of ill-mannered Android phones that stutter and stammer before landing upon a gem.
The Redmi 3 is a great proponent of a smooth-talking, fast moving playboy; the visual metaphors MIUI employs in smoothly gracing the screen of whatever Xiaomi device you’re using are well placed here. Thanks to an enormous 4,100mAh battery, the Redmi 3 just keeps going.
The Redmi 3 might not employ a high-end Snapdragon Soc, it’s true; but one will hardly notice that in their day-to-day. Apps and multitasking proceed fluidly, and perhaps the most rewarding vindication of all is that the device doesn’t overheat like we found the Mi 4 and Mi 5 have been prone to do.
There aren’t many great shakes here, mind – this isn’t the smartphone that you’ll want to chase the likes of the Galaxy Note 7 (or rather, 5, if you don’t prefer explosions) with. Games – at times – slow down while more intensive tasks will drain the Redmi 3’s battery more readily than standard apps might. For the everyman on the go, the Redmi 3 offers a compelling experience that offers little pretention. This might be the perfect phone to travel with.
Battery
There’s a certain magical feeling one gets when placing a smartphone through a battery of tests and finding it still can last a day on top of that, and that’s the promise the Redmi 3 arrives with. For on-the-go duty, one will become quite comfortable with the Redmi 3 in hand; we found the device regularly lasted two days in strenuous use and lasted for little more than a week when left to its own devices. The Redmi 3’s large 4,100mAh battery – combined with its middle-of-the-range Snapdragon 616 SoC – equals a proposition that just keeps on going.
Camera
If I had to put the Redmi 3’s camera into a word, I’d pick mediocre. That’s a disappointing statement for something up until now that was blossoming with promise.
Thing is, a 13-megapixel primary sensor can’t save the Redmi 3 from drudgery. While shots are perfectly acceptable, this doesn’t live up to the promise of the Redmi Note 2.
While the device retains Xiaomi’s standard fine tune detail – your macro shots will be well accommodated – exposure management is finicky and often you’ll end up with blow-outs. Shadows aren’t processed as well, either, and often leave behind a muddy darkness.
Selfies face a similar prospect and often blow out at the slightest hint of white light. That’s a huge shame, as together a great camera offering could have propelled the Redmi 3 to be something truly special.
Does it suffice for budget purposes? Yes. Is this a phone you’re going to use to capture all your wedding photos? Please, don’t. Unfortunately, Xiaomi has ultimately bested itself in camera technology and other entries in the Redmi and Mi lineup have proven to offer better value.
Overall
I grew to love the Redmi 3 for one reason; for a ‘flagship’ budget device, this is most sexy.
To be clear, it has its faults. Its camera isn’t great, and you might find the odd niggle here and there when attempting to do high-level tasks such as gaming or content editing.
Yet, for everything else, Xiaomi have crafted a convincing budget flagship that ticks many major boxes. A great experience, intuitive form factor, and a knock-out battery make this a great proposition for everyone who wants a smartphone that sits down and does the job. If you’re not captured by the likes of Samsung, LG, or Sony, Xiaomi might well be your budget range tonic.
For R3000 ZAR, the Redmi 3 sits underneath the likes of the LG G4 Beat by +-R800, and pips the Samsung Galaxy A3 by approximately R100.
Both of those smartphones offer a compelling experience – especially in regards to photography at their price point. However, the Redmi 3 reigns supreme for its long battery life, fingerprint sensor, and general performance.
Conclusion
With the Redmi 3, Xiaomi has crafted a well-positioned flagship for its budget smartphones that sails far ahead of its competition. Let down by an iffy camera and some high-performance niggles, this is a smartphone that doesn’t fly quite as high as the heavyweights in the Android world, but does get by with a good deal of sultry swag. If you’re looking for a sexy everyday phone, this is a great buy.
Read: Xiaomi‘s Mi 5s is reportedly pictured in an early leak
Score: 8/10
What are your thoughts on our Xiaomi Redmi 3 review? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
