Redmi A4 5G: But as 5G services start rolling out in India, brands like Xiaomi are redefining what’s affordable.
The launch is another pistol shot in favor of democratizing next-gen network technology, which will now become accessible even to the ones with the least fancy of smartphones.
Designed to provide core performance, fundamental 5G capability, and practical day-to-day operations, the Redmi A4 5G is an interesting option for the budget class.
The “A” series by Xiaomi has always been about ultra budget devices, and the A4 5G doesn’t change this strategy, adding support for 5G networks.
It’s not going to win over power users, but for first-time smartphone users and budget-conscious shoppers, it offers a good, reliable experience.
Design and Display: Keeps It Simple Enough and Still Works fine.
Design The design of the Redmi A4 5G is simplistic and utilitarian. With a plastic back panel and flat edges, it retains a tidy appearance with a decent feel in the hand.
With options in colours like charcoal grey, mint green and sky blue, the A4 forgoes showboating for practicality.
On the front, it has a 6.52-inch HD+ IPS LCD display, which is good for its price range. Its screen is fine for Web browsing, messaging and video watching in the Web browser.
It even boasts a 90Hz refresh rate, which is a surprising yet welcome feature in this price segment — and offers a snappier UI experience when it comes to scrolling and navigating apps.
It’s not AMOLED-level contrast or brightness, but it’s fine for ordinary indoor use and reasonable outdoor light.
Performance: Soft Enough For The Office
Inside, you have the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor, which is said to offer power efficiency alongside entry-level 5G performance.
It’s combined with 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, which can be increased using a microSD card.
Well, for normal users, those users who use WhatsApp, YouTube, Chrome, bit of gaming, this chip is sufficient.
Apps load for the most part quickly, though multitasking remains fluid as long as you’re not pushing things too far.
It’s not intended for hardcore gaming or professional-grade apps, but for a target audience, it provides solid performance.
The phone gets MIUI 14 based on Android 13 Go Edition, designed for entry-level hardware.
There is some bloatware but a good portion of it is uninstallable. The Go Edition will provide smooth experience of your basic apps by controlling unnecessary background processes to prevent lag.
Camera: Base but not bad
On its back, the Redmi A4 5G is equipped with a dual-camera solution that includes:
13MP primary sensor
2MP depth sensor
In bright light, the camera captures reasonable images with decent color balance and detail.
There’s not a whole lot of dynamic range (you’re also limited to JPEG), but for sharing on social media or snapping a few travel images, they are more than acceptable.
Portrait mode performs well in good lighting, but has issues with edge detection in busy scenes.
The 5MP selfie camera and video callings are fine. It’s not great in low light, but daylight shots are usable and natural.
Battery and Charging
The biggest highlight of the A4 5G, however, has to be its 5000mAh battery, that should last you an entire day and beyond with average use.
The phone still manages to provide steady endurance despite 5G consumption and streaming video.
It is backed by an 18W fast charger, but the box contains only a 10W charger. The charging speed is good, but not class leading. Still, the long battery life is a good tradeoff that demands less frequent top-up.
Pros
Cons Inexpensive 5G for budget buyers
Big, 90Hz refresh rate screen feels really good to use
Long-lasting 5000mAh battery
Expandable storage3.5mm headphone jack
Easy to use and lightweight
Smaller size but more powerful, optimised for Android GO Edition.
Cons
Fundamentals of camera including shooting in low-light conditions
No full HD display
Slow charging using the provided in-box charger
No good for intense gaming or multitasking
Less software support than other higher Redmi models
Redmi A4 5G: Conclusion
The Redmi A4 5G is a good all-rounder for a budget device, doing exactly what it was intended to: offering dependable 5G at an affordable price.
It doesn’t try to do too much, concentrating on battery life and fast, performant, performance for basic tasks, rather than adding gratuitous gimmicks.
Though it won’t be challenging mid-tier or flagship handsets on specs, there are enough positive features here to make it a good budget option for everyday users who want to join the 5G party for not much money at all.