Other BrandsXiaomi Redmi 1S sold out in just 4.2 secs, read our review to see if it's really that awesome

Xiaomi Redmi 1S sold out in just 4.2 secs, read our review to see if it’s really that awesome

The Xiaomi Redmi 1S got sold out on Flipkart within 4.2 seconds flat today, and we’ve cobbled together a quick review of the phone’s pros as well as cons in case you’re planning to pick it up at the next flash sale. This way, you’ll know what you’re getting into and you’ll also be able to decide whether this handset is the right choice for you or not.

At a price of Rs 5999, the Xiaomi Redmi 1S is the cheapest mid-range smartphone available in the market right now. Other OEMs like Karbonn, Spice and Lava amongst others have alluring devices in the same category, but none even come close where cost and features are concerned. Now just because the handset is affordable, it doesn’t mean that it’s of low quality.

Xiaomi Redmi 1S

The Redmi 1S handset comes in a simple packaging made from recycled material. Along with the usual documentations and warranty info, the company has bundled the phone with a USB cable and a wall socket. Sadly, there are no earphones inside the box and you’ll have to supply your own. Being made from polycarbonate, the phone doesn’t look cheap and it has a very durable feel to it.

In fact, its curved edges deliver a comfortable grip, although a weight of 158 grams is a bit outside our comfort zone. And the handset isn’t the slimmest either as it measures 9.9mm thick. But these small drawbacks can be easily overlooked them moment you glance at that attractive price tag.

Quick look at the Xiaomi Redmi 1S specs:

– Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
– 4.7-inch 720p HD display
– 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 64GB expandable
– 1.6GHz quad core Snapdragon 400 processor
– 8MP rear camera, 1.6MP front snapper
– Dual SIM (3G + 2G) support, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity
– 2000mAh battery (removable)

Also see: Lava Iris X1 outed in India – Features and specification review

In the same price range, the Moto E from Motorola has been a hot seller. Well, Xiaomi’s cheapest smartphone is capable of delivering 2x performance, while selling for a little cheaper. The hardware found here is quite similar to the components you’d get on the Rs 11990 Moto G. The 4.7-inch display on the front looks great and visuals are crisp with great color reproduction and viewing angles.

Rear Panel And Battery

There’s plenty of eye candy delivered through the MIUI interface which is basically Android like you’ve (probably) never seen before. Compared to the standard UIs we’ve seen on most Google-powered smartphones, the Xiaomi phone is customizable to a great extent via downloadable themes which can modify everything from the lock screen style, to the notification bar, to the icons to the boot animation and more.

It’s a bit complicated to get your way around the UI in the start, but it didn’t take us long to start feeling at home. As far as performance is concerned, the Redmi 1S managed to run everything we threw at it. Games like Real Racing 3 and Asphalt 8 as well as the benchmarking title Epic Citadel , work flawlessly and the credit goes to the higher clocked 1.6GHz quad core Snapdragon 400 SOC.

Coming to the cameras, the 1.6MP lens on the front is a fixed-focus one and it can deliver decent selfies under good lighting. The 8MP sensor on the rear is also an average shooter and performs well in bright conditions. For low-light capturing, the LED flash works nicely, but can overexpose the image at times and leave you with an excessively bright picture.

Side View

You’ll also be able to record video in 1080p FHD which makes the device all the more desirable. Coming to battery life, Xiaomi has included a 2000mAh cell and our tests have shown that the phone can deliver over 5 hours of FHD video playback or around 7 hours of activity on moderate usage.

The Xiaomi Redmi 1S is certainly a bang for your every buck and we’d definitely recommend it not only to first-time smartphone buyers, but also customers looking for a great mid-range handset on a budget. To round things up from this review, you get a decent looking phone with a great display, brilliant performance and moderate battery life.

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