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Chandrakant 'CK' Isi
08th Oct 2014In our country, China's Xiaomi Redmi 1S is selling like hot-cakes. It's currently the most powerful handset in the entry-level smartphone market. No doubt, it looks impressive on the paper, but does it live-up to the hype in reality? While we haven't fully tested the device, it has left us positive impressions on us so far.
Design And Build
Unlike its elder sibling Mi 3, the Redmi 1S is a compact phone that fits perfectly in hand. At 10 mm (1 cm), it's not quite slim, but ergonomically, that's actually good. The front is dominated by a scratch-resistant Dragontrail glass. There are three capacitive keys - Home, Back, and Options. There's also an LED light to display notifications.The back-panel sports a semi-matte finish. Yes, it does feel matte, but reflect some light. Most people will be pleased to know that the battery is user replaceable. The rear camera lens has a slight protrusion around it. Considering the phone's price tag, the Redmi 1S is quite sturdy. Xiaomi has also done a good job in terms of attention to detail.
If you want to see the handset in action, we have embedded the Vine video right here:
Display
The Redmi 1S features a 4.7-inch screen that packs in 720x1280 pixels. This is one of the sharpest screen you get for around Rs 7000. Since it's an IPS panel, you get good colour reproduction and wide viewing angles. As mentioned already, the screen also features a scratch-resistant glass. We aren't pleased with the panel's brightness though.Software
The Redmi 1S ships with Android 4.3(Jelly Bean). Fused with Xiaomi's MIUI, the interface looks nothing like Google's version. It borrows heavily from Apple's iOS. Xiaomi has done away with App menu, which means all your apps show up on the homescreens. Since there's no dedicated button for multitasking, you have to press and hold the Options key to bring-up the list of background apps. A few native apps feature a quick pop-up view when you swipe-down on certain app icons such as Music or Note.Gamers will be happy know that the Redmi 1S can not only handle casual games, but also top-end titles such as Real Racing 3. So far, the experience has been way better than any entry-level Android smartphone we have reviewed so far. Those interested in numbers will be impressed by the benchmark results.
AnTuTu: 20,668
Quadrant: 10,734
Preview: Xiaomi Redmi 1S | TechTree.com
Preview: Xiaomi Redmi 1S
The Redmi 1S leaves a very good impression with its features and performance.
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