Introduction
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro and Redmi Note 9 Pro Max smartphones have been unveiled at an online launch event today. These are the latest Note series devices from the company, successors of the Redmi Note 8 series from last year. This is the first time Xiaomi has launched a Max version in its Note 9 series. The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max arrives with 64MP primary camera, 32MP front selfie camera, and 33W fast charging support. At the same time, its sibling Redmi Note 9 Pro features a 48MP primary camera, 16MP selfie shooter, and 18W fast charging support. Apart from this, both Redmi Note 9 Pro and Note 9 Pro Max have a punch-hole display design and quad rear cameras. In addition, the smartphones debuted with the new mid-range Snapdragon 720G chipset, a massive battery capacity, and MIUI 11 latest layer with Android 10 operating system. Xiaomi has also launched Aura Graphic design with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 both on the front and back of the Redmi Note 9 Pro series. No doubt the Note 9 Pro Max is the best Redmi phone from the company. The new Max phone is the spiritual successor of the Xiaomi Mi Max series that has mid-range phones with big displays and huge batteries. The impressively designed Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is built to provide maximum performance and topnotch photography experience in the mid-range price segment.
Price and availability
The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max price has been set at $202 (Rs. 14,999) for the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage variant, whereas its 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model is priced at $230 (Rs. 16,999) and the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage option carries a price tag of $255 (Rs. 18,999). On the other hand, the Redmi Note 9 Pro price is set at $175 (Rs. 12,999) for the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant, while its 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model carries a price tag of $215 (Rs. 15,999). The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Redmi Note 9 Pro both have Aurora Blue, Glacier White, and Interstellar Black color options. The sale date of the Redmi Note 9 Pro is set for March 17, while the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max will go on the first sale on March 25. The phones will be initially available for purchase through Amazon, Mi.com, Mi Home stores, and Mi Studio stores.
Design and display
Design-wise, both devices are looking similar with centered punch-hole and quad-camera setup. The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Note 9 Pro come with a radical design change over the Redmi Note 8 Pro and Redmi Note 8. There is now a square camera module on the back with four cameras but no rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Instead, Redmi is using one side-mounted sensor for biometric authentication. The hole-punch cutout on the front also gives a fresh new appeal to the new Redmi Note series. Unlike the POCO X2, there is a single camera, although the display is the same size. The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Note 9 Pro have an Aura Balance Design that features a 3D curved glass rear. The symmetrically built front and rear sides, including the quad cameras of the phones are protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The glass-bodied Redmi Note 9 Pro phone comes with a splash-resistant p2i nano-coating. Both handsets have a power button (which is doubled as a fingerprint sensor) as well as volume rockers on the right side. In terms of dimension, the Pro Max variant measures 165.5 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm while the Note 9 Pro has 165.8 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is equipped with a large 6.67-inch IPS LCD panel that features a top-center positioned punch-hole like the recently launched Galaxy S20 series. The display design of the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is dubbed as Dot Display. The full HD+ resolution supporting screen of the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max offers a 20:9 aspect ratio. On the other hand, the standard variant Redmi Note 9 Pro also has a 6.67-inch display that supports 1080 x 2400 pixels Full HD+ resolution at 395 PPI density and 20:9 aspect ratio. Redmi Note 9 Pro provides 84.5 percent screen-to-body ratio instead of 9 Pro Max’s 84.6 percent screen-to-body ratio. The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Note 9 Pro both devices feature a flagship-grade haptic response engine. The z-axis vibration motor is perpendicular to the surface of the display and has dedicated vibration profiles for a slew of user inputs. Additionally, the smartphones continue to be equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack and an IR blaster. LCD panels of two new Xiaomi’s phones deliver a 450 nits maximum brightness.
Front and rear cameras
The flagship-level quad cameras of the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max are fixed inside in a new square-shaped setup. The quad-camera setup brings a 64MP Samsung GW1 primary sensor with a 6P lens setup, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. The wide-angle camera supports 119-degree wide FOV but has a fixed focus. In contrast, the 5MP macro camera supports auto-focusing for greater detail.
For snapping selfies, the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max comes with an AI-powered 32-megapixel selfie shooter. The Pro Max supports multi-frame noise reduction, which combines eight 64-megapixel shots into one high-resolution image, RAW photography, 21:9 wide-angle video shooting, 4K video shooting, and 120fps 1080p slo-mo videos.
The primary camera of the handset has f/1.9 aperture, 1/1.72, 0.8µm pixels, and PDAF technology. While the Redmi Note 9 Pro’s quad-camera setup offers a 48MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM2 as the primary camera. The other cameras are the same lenses that are found on the Note 9 Pro Max. A 48MP primary camera of Note 9 Pro with f/1.8 aperture, 1/2.25, 0.8µm pixels, and PDAF technology also can record 4k videos at 30fps as well as Full HD videos at 30/60/120fps.
On the front panel, it has a 16MP sensor instead of a 32MP shooter. Like 32MP front sensor of the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, it also records Full HD videos at 30fps.
Battery, software, and processor
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Note 9 Pro are running MIUI 11 based on Android 10 operating system. The 8nm Octa-core Snapdragon 720G is present under the hood of the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max. It is coupled with up to 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. It comes with 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage. The 5,020mAh battery of the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max provides 20.5 days of standby time, 26 hours of video playback, and 11 hours of PUBG gaming. The retail package of the phone includes a 33W fast charger that fills half the battery capacity in just 30 minutes. In terms of connectivity, the Snapdragon 720G enables 2×2 MIMO for LTE and Wi-Fi. For navigation, the chipset supports dual-frequency GNSS in India and could also support India’s own location satellite – NavIC.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro also debuts with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC. There are 4GB and 6GB RAM variants and the fact that there is no 8GB RAM variant. The 4GB and 6GB LPDDR4X RAM variants are paired with 64GB and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage options. There is a dedicated microSD card slot that supports expansion cards with storage capacity up to 512GB. The Note 9 Pro also houses a 5,020mAh battery, but it only supports 18W fast charging as compared to the 33W charging of the Pro Max. In AnTuTu test Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Max gets a score of 280118 points while the Redmi Note 9 Pro receives a score of 274596 points.