Quick take:
Xiaomi redefined the entry-level segment in 2014 with the Redmi 1S. Two years later, the brand is at it once again with the Redmi 3S. The phone offers a metal chassis, Snapdragon 430, and a massive 4100mAh battery that will last at least two days on a full charge. Combine all of the above with a price that's nearly half of that of the budget Moto G4, and you get an inkling of what Xiaomi is trying to achieve with the Redmi 3S.
The good
- Excellent performance
- Class-leading battery life
- Metal chassis
- Great value for money
The bad
- Software niggles
- Camera strictly average
- Availability issues
Let's do this
Xiaomi Redmi 3S Full review
Since the launch of the Redmi 1S, competition has intensified in the entry-level category, with the likes of the Moto E, Android One handsets, and other Chinese companies joining in. Xiaomi was able to successfully hold off other manufacturers in this segment on the merits of its products, which at the time offered unmatched value for money. After a lackluster 2015, Xiaomi is back to its ways of old, offering stellar products at wallet-friendly prices. But the competition has similarly matured, and now we have Lenovo's Vibe K5 Plus and a smaller version of the Moto G4 Plus dubbed the Moto G4 Play available for under ₹10,000 ($150). Then there's Samsung, which was somehow able to convince over 13 million customers to buy its thoroughly underwhelming Galaxy J2 2016.
The stakes for Xiaomi are higher than ever before in India following a downturn in market share in its home market. This year, we've seen the company succeed in the budget segment with the ₹11,999 ($180) Redmi Note 3, which became one of the best-selling phones in the country. However, the Mi 5 lost out to the arguably better OnePlus 3 in the mid-tier segment. And the 6.44-inch Mi Max, which is aimed at customers interested in watching multimedia on the go, serves a niche category.
The Redmi 3S is being offered in two variants: a base model with 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage that retails for just ₹6,999 ($105), and a Prime version (which we're testing) that has 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage for ₹8,999 ($135). Let's find out if the phone has what it takes to cement Xiaomi's position in the budget segment.
All that you want
Xiaomi Redmi 3S Specs
Category | Features |
---|---|
Operating System | MIUI 7 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
Display | 5-inch 720p (1280x720) IPS LCD panel 294 ppi pixel density |
SoC | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Four Cortex A53 at 1.4GHz, four Cortex A53 at 1.2GHz 28nm |
GPU | Adreno 505 with Vulkan API clocked at 450MHz |
RAM | 3GB LPDDR3 RAM |
Storage | 32GB eMMC 5.1 flash storage microSD slot up to 128GB |
Rear camera | 13MP with f/2.0 lens PDAF, LED flash 1080p video recording |
Front shooter | 5MP with f/2.2 lens 1080p video recording |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 (A2DP), GPS, GLONASS, FM radio Micro-USB, 3.5mm audio jack, IR blaster |
Battery | 4100mAh battery Fast charging (5V/2A) |
Fingerprint | Rear fingerprint sensor |
Dimensions | 139.3 x 69.6 x 8.5 mm |
Weight | 144g |
Colors | Gold, Dark Grey, Silver |
About this review
I (Harish Jonnalagadda) am writing this review after using the Redmi 3S Prime for three weeks in Hyderabad, India. The phone was running MIUI 7 (stable build 7.5.9.0), and did not receive any updates over the course of the review. I tested the phone's VoLTE capabilities on Jio's network, but primarily used Airtel's 4G network.
Be together, and the same
Xiaomi Redmi 3S Design and screen
After varying its designs significantly over the last few years, Xiaomi has settled on a design aesthetic for its budget phones. The Redmi Note 3 introduced this new philosophy earlier this year, and the Mi Max and now the Redmi 3S have successfully built on that model. Placed next to each other, it's easy to see that all three phones share a similar design, with subtle changes in the sensor placement.
When it comes to the Redmi 3S, we're looking at a fingerprint sensor at the back (on the Prime version), an aluminum chassis with plastic antenna bands at the top and bottom, power and volume buttons to the right, and a loudspeaker at the back. The placement of the speaker grille isn't ideal, but otherwise the Redmi 3S is a well-designed and well-built handset for its price. The weight distribution of the phone is perfect, and the rounded edges at the back allow the phone to fit snugly in your palm. The massive 4100mAh battery helps to a large extent in this regard, as nearly half of the back portion of the phone is taken up by the battery.
The Redmi 3S has a chrome trim that encircles the front of the phone, albeit one that's more pronounced than the Redmi Note 3. The trim is designed to protect the screen in case of tumbles, but its paint is starting to chip off in less than three weeks' of usage. The power and volume buttons offer decent travel and feedback, and in a way are better than the ones on the Mi 5. The back, recent, and home navigation keys are labeled, but they're not backlit. Round the back, the fingerprint sensor is perfectly positioned for your index finger. There's a Micro-USB port at the bottom for charging the phone, and a 3.5mm jack at the top along with an IR blaster.
If you're in the market for a 5-inch phone that fits comfortably in your hand, look no further.
The dual SIM card slot has a metal base to hold the SIM cards securely in place, much like what we've seen on the HTC 10. The primary SIM takes a micro-SIM, which looks out of place in a nano-SIM world. If you're going to use the phone with a single SIM, you can use your nano-SIM in the secondary SIM slot without any issues, as both slots offer 4G. Note that the secondary SIM slot doubles as a microSD slot, so if you want to expand storage, you'll have to stick to the primary SIM slot.
When it comes to the overall design, Xiaomi has delivered a phone that feels much more upmarket when compared to other handsets in this segment.
The 720p panel on the 5-inch Redmi 3S isn't the most dense in this segment, but with a pixel density of 294 ppi, it is more than adequate. What the screen lacks in resolution it makes up for in brightness and color accuracy. Even though Xiaomi's hardware-based Sunlight Display mode isn't available, you're not going to have any issues with readability in bright conditions. As is the case with all Xiaomi phones, viewing angles are excellent, and colors look punchy without coming across as oversaturated. The colors gravitate to the cooler side, but the phone lets you tweak the color temperature and saturation to your tastes. There's also a Reading Mode that adds a warm filter to the screen, eliminating blue light and making it easier to read text in low-light.
Smooth AF
Xiaomi Redmi 3S Hardware and performance
Xiaomi scored several firsts in the Indian market: the company was the first to launch a phone with a Snapdragon 650 SoC in the Redmi Note 3, and the Mi 5 was the first to offer the Snapdragon 820 in the country. The Redmi 3S marks the debut of the Snapdragon 430, which brings a lot of new features previously limited to the mid-tier segment down to the budget category.
The Snapdragon 430 features an octa-core CPU made up of eight Cortex A53 cores (four cores clocked at 1.4GHz, and four clocked at 1.2GHz), and marks the debut of the Adreno 5xx series of GPUs in the entry-level segment. The SoC is built on the same 28nm node as its predecessor, but the introduction of the Adreno 505 makes a difference when it comes to playing games. The GPU includes support for OpenGL ES 3.1, OpenCL 2.0, Direct3D 11.2, and the Vulkan API. What it boils down to is that on the Redmi 3S, visually-intensive games like Modern Combat 5: Blackout, Asphalt 8, and N.O.V.A. 3 look better and run smoother. For several years now, the tradeoff with budget phones has been underwhelming performance, particularly when playing games, and the Snapdragon 430 addresses that deficiency. If you're looking for even more oomph, the Adreno 510 GPU on the Snapdragon 650 — which powers the Redmi Note 3 — is significantly better.
We've seen companies get away with not including basic sensors on their phones, but that isn't the case on the Redmi 3S. The phone has an ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, gyroscope, digital compass, accelerometer, and even an IR blaster that lets you control your TV, air conditioner, or AV unit (more on that later).
The Redmi 3S offers excellent hardware for its asking price.
For its asking price of ₹8,999, you get a lot of phone. The Redmi 3S Prime has 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 32GB eMMC 5.1 flash storage, a hybrid microSD slot, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, 13MP camera, 5MP front camera, and a massive 4100mAh battery. Wi-Fi connectivity is limited to 2.4GHz, and the Indian SKU only has the three LTE bands that are currently used by carriers in the country: band 3 (1800MHz), band 5 (850MHz), and band 40 (2300MHz). The three bands ensure that the phone works on all 4G providers in India, but you won't be able to use the phone in another region. The Redmi 3S has VoLTE as well, which works just fine on Jio.
Even though the Redmi 3S is a handset aimed at the budget segment, you won't face any lags or slowdowns in everyday usage. The phone is remarkably adept at switching between various apps, but that comes at a cost. The phone's memory management is very aggressive, and background apps are routinely killed to conserve battery life. Even in situations where you have more than 1GB of RAM available, services running in the background are often disabled.
The fingerprint sensor is quick to recognize your fingerprint, and it works even when there's moisture on the finger. Call quality is great, but the loudspeaker's location isn't ideal for carrying out hands-free calls. The speaker itself is loud, but place it on a surface and all incoming notifications and calls will be severely muffled. I missed several calls over the course of the month as a result.
Lasts long. Really long.
Xiaomi Redmi 3S Battery
The 4100mAh battery on the Redmi 3S is nothing short of incredulous. The combination of a 720p display, aggressive memory management, energy-efficient Snapdragon 430, and a massive battery has allowed Xiaomi to deliver a handset that offers two days of battery life without any hassles.
The Redmi 3S has an amazing battery life with 6 hours screen-on time on average.
The phone blows every other handset I've used out of the water when it comes to battery life. I regularly saw close to six hours of screen-on time spread over two days of heavy usage, and there were days where I got nine hours of screen on time. During the launch of the phone, Xiaomi global VP Hugo Barra talked about how testers from the Mi community were able to get 15 hours of screen-on time from the handset on a full charge. I was skeptical at first, but after using the phone for three weeks, I'm ready to change my stance. The Redmi 3S sets the benchmark for battery life in this segment.
The Snapdragon 430 supports Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0, but Xiaomi hasn't implemented it on the phone. You do get fast charging at 5V/2A through the supplied charger, which takes over two hours to fully charge the phone.
Quirky is the new stable
Xiaomi Redmi 3S Software
The Redmi 3S runs MIUI 7 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with the July security patch. The OS is much more stable than what I've encountered on the Mi 5 earlier this year, and the upcoming MIUI 8 update will bring a slew of much-needed features. I'm running the latest version of the OS on my Redmi Note 3, and cannot wait for the update to make its way to the Redmi 3S.
Until that time, however, you'll have to live with the niggles. When you set up the device for the first time, there is no option to restore apps from an earlier device, so your only resort is to proceed to the Play Store post initial setup and install apps individually. It isn't a big deal if you use a limited set of apps, but if you're like me and have 192 apps installed on your phone, it becomes a hassle.
Furthermore, there's no way to interact with notifications from the lock screen, and the notification shade itself hasn't undergone any major changes from the KitKat era. The icons are inconsistent, and overall the operating system lacks cohesion. You're also missing out on Google's Now on Tap, and the security permissions need to be reworked.
Until MIUI 8 comes along (which should be by the end of September), your best bet to managing the clunky UI is to install a third-party launcher like Nova (opens in new tab) and a custom icon pack (I like Dives (opens in new tab)).
The issues with the interface are skin-deep, and once you have a third-party launcher, things start to look much better. MIUI offers a ton of customization options, and you can easily spend an hour exploring all the settings. The OS is feature-rich as well, offering Child Mode, Guest Mode, and an App Lock service that lets you secure content behind a password. Don't want anyone prying into your images? Locking the gallery app will ensure that only you have access to it. If you don't want to key in a password all the time, you can also use the feature in conjunction with the fingerprint scanner. App Lock is accessible from the Security app (the shield icon at the top right corner).
The Redmi 3S is a compact device, but should you have difficulty reaching the length of the screen, MIUI's excellent one-handed mode is intact. The feature shrinks the screen size down to 4.0 inches or 3.5 inches, making the phone more manageable. All you need to do to enable one-handed mode is swipe left to right across the navigation buttons.
Xiaomi has put in a lot of effort to offer localize MIUI services, and that is evident with the Mi Remote app. The app works with the infrared sensor to control your AC, A/V unit, TV, and so much more. The feature in itself isn't noteworthy, but the number of devices the app is compatible with is staggering. To give you an idea of just how many brands are listed, it takes about six seconds to continually scroll through the list of TV manufacturers the app supports.
Hit and miss
Xiaomi Redmi 3S Camera
The Redmi 3S offers a rear 13MP camera with f/2.0 lens and PDAF. The camera produces decent images in bright conditions, although dynamic range is very limited. That's easily fixed by enabling HDR, but doing so leads to lengthy shooting and processing times. It takes a few seconds for a photo to save to the phone's gallery, and more often than not I found that the autofocus was too slow to dial in on a subject.
In low-light conditions, you'll find yourself shooting a series of photos in the hope that one of them turns out semi-decent. Lack of OIS and dual-tone LED flash means that you're better off shooting images during the day. After wasting an infuriating amount of time trying to get good images in low-light conditions, the best advice I can give is to not bother with the phone's camera at all when it's dark. Live in the moment, or something to that effect. These are the eight non-blurry photos I managed to take over the course of the review.
The front 5MP camera is also average, and the fixed-focus sensor lets you take wide-angle shots. It also "guesses" your age as soon as you line up your face in front of the camera. According to Xiaomi, I'm either 24 or 47 years old. The camera app offers a slew of features, including 36 beautify effects, ability to shoot in manual mode (don't bother with that one), and 12 filters with live previews.
Taking the crown
Xiaomi Redmi 3S Bottom line
With the Redmi 3S, you're getting a wonderful handset, and one of the very few budget phones that delivers on its promises. Featuring an excellent display, metal chassis, powerful hardware, and class-leading battery life, the Redmi 3S stands above all others in the entry-level segment, which is quite a feat considering the sub-₹10,000 category fields excellent products.
The camera isn't as good when compared to the rest of the handset, and you'll have to wait a while to get the much-improved MIUI 8 update. But those are minor niggles in what is an otherwise stellar product. Xiaomi produced a hit in the Redmi Note 3, and the Redmi 3S is a continuation of that success story.
Shut up and take my money
Should you buy it? Definitely
The standard Redmi 3S at ₹6,999 is great in and of itself, but if you're looking for added storage, the convenience and added security of a fingerprint scanner as well as 3GB of RAM, the Redmi 3S Prime at ₹8,999 is an excellent proposition.
That said, the main competitor for the Redmi 3S is the Redmi Note 3, which is priced just ₹1,000 more at ₹9,999 for the model with 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage. The Redmi Note 3 has a 5.5-inch Full HD display, a beefier Snapdragon 650 SoC, a 16MP camera, and a 4000mAh battery. The variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage costs ₹11,999.
Availability is also a factor, as the Redmi 3S is sold via weekly flash sales. Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 3 is available on general sale (opens in new tab) on Amazon and Flipkart. In the end, it comes down to what you want from a phone. If you're on a tight budget or are looking for a compact handset, the Redmi 3S is a better fit for you. Just know that you'll have to go through the rigmarole of flash sales to get your hands on one (at least for now). If you need a phone right now and don't mind spending an additional ₹3,000, then the Redmi Note 3 is highly recommended.
See at Flipkart (opens in new tab)
Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia at Android Central. He leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, contributing to reviews, features, and buying guides. He also writes about storage servers, audio products, and the semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.
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6 Hours of SOT with 4100mah battery and a 720p 5 inch screen sounds terrible. The s7 with a 5.1 inch 1440p display and a 3000mah gets 4 and a half to 5 hours.
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Look at it another way: a $100 budget phone gets more SOT than a $700 flagship phone. Why is that terrible?
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It has a smaller screen, 4 times lower resolution and about a 35 percent bigger battery but only 1 more hour of SOT.
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My use case is different. Also, the six hours SOT was over two days of usage. Maximum I got out of the S7 was a day, and about three and a half hours of SOT.
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SD Version? With the Exynos one i can hit 6h SoT pretty easy.
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SD variant. The best Samsung phone I've used in terms of battery life was the Galaxy A7, but I ended up breaking it.
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i'm with Harish on the S7's battery.. i use a S7E.. and am very disappointed with its battery life.. sure i'm a power user.. But being down to 30% in bout 8 hours wasnt what i'd want after payin premium.. And i'm coming from a L930 which itself wasnt known for its battery.. but performed way better... Coming to the 3S.. @Harish - is the Note3s camera any better? (i've found it sub par.. but havent used much competition in the segment.. so maybe its class leading (within its segment) ??
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Why you would even compare this to the s7 is beyond me. Its a brilliant phone at a cheap price.
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Exactly. Not too bright, ain't he? Nabbed this phone for my mom a couple of months back - bloody amazing at just over a $100! Thing goes for days on a single charge for her, I ******* love it ... almost as much as my Note 4.
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I had a cheap phone before(120$) with 5 inch 720p screen and 4000mah battery and I got around 8-9hours of SOT that last me 3 days regularly but that was back with KK where battery life is phenomenal. With LL and beyond with any phone with big battery just can't compare to that. right now I have a 3800 mah phone and barely scratching 6.5 hrs of SoT.
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... and he completely misses the point people.
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You have to consider overall uptime and usage pattern too. SOT isn't the only way to gauge battery life
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How can you compare screen time b/w different phones used by different user!
Screen On time depends on what you do when the screen is on.
If it's gaming the screen on time will decrease or if its general use SOT will increase!
So SOT is really subjective! -
He said he uses LTE.. And 6hrs SOT on LTE is awesome..
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What a bunch of idiots here. Why would you compare a budget to a flagship? Anyways, for $135 2gb version and $150 for the 3gb version you get plenty of phone coupled with the snapdragon 430. Battery in this phone is great. I do not own the s7 but my brother does and the battery life is just average while this budget phone's battery life is just great. I would definitely recommend the Redmi 3s.
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I get 3-4 SOT on my s7 edge... I hate Touchwiz
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It's still only a $100 bucks. This is great for dollar to performance.
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This phone is so damn cheap! My goodness ! 105 usd ! For those specs ? You even get a finger print scanner in an entry level device. The guys commenting above are power users , this isn't catering for that. This is for a guy who doesn't want to spend money on a phone but still needs it to do what ever it is it does. I honestly can't see why anybody would even complain about this device. If you want a high end device look at paying more . Simple.
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You can get 14/15 SOT hours when not diluted in two days. I own it and reach every day at least 13 hours as I use intensively my phone. It cannot be compared to S7 and I think why have you folk to compare everything to Galaxy S series? When you're going to buy a washer machine you think about a Samsung smartphone?
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You get 13h SoT everyday? What the hell are you doing the whole Day?
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Chinese crap again, with crappie software. Crap.
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Make sure your diaper is on tight, you're spewing crap.
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*ba dum tissss* Excellent reply, by the way. Posted via the Android Central App
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Seems like every new sub-$200 phone reviewed is "the best budget phone" ever... And side-note: when is Xiaomi going to set up fully in the USA? Most of their interesting devices are still "Coming Soon" on the US site while they are already available on the Chinese one...
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Not really. The Moto G4 isn't as good for what it costs, and the Vibe K5 Plus is in the same boat.
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And what about Moto G Play ?
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Worse than the G4. Only the G4 Plus is good because of its cameras.
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If you've saved up some money to get a budget phone, don't buy the Redmi 3s, it's a Pile of Poo. Instead, find a used LG G2--- you'll be happy instead of sad.
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I have a G2 in a drawer. I intend to leave it there.
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Sell it to me. :p
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Heh. Sending it from India would just not be worth the bother.
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Savage :)
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if you leave it idle for hours and tried to unlock the phone with the finger print sensor, will it work most of the time? I have a redmi note 3 pro qualcomm version and the finger print wouldn't work most of the time after leaving it idle for hours. it'll fail to unlock at 100% rate, until I unlocked it by entering pin/pattern then the fingerprint scanner will work normally...
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It's not an active sensor, so you'll have to hit the power button and then use it.
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I guess it depends of your settings. When I wake up in the morning, i use fingerprint sensor to wake the phone. As a matter of fact, I always use the finger sensor and it works well like 99% of the times.
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$100 for a decent and capable device.... I must be dreaming
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You're not dreaming about the Redmi 3S because: 1. It's not a dream phone, it's a Pile of Poo
2. It's not $100 it's $150 -
Why is it a "pile of poo"? It seems pretty good to me for less than $200.
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One of the reasons it's a Pile of Poo is because of the camera. The camera on my $49 Wal-Mart special, Kyocera, is better than the Redmi 3S.
2nd reason is because the body of the Redmi 3S scratches with just the slightest touch. There are several other reasons that I can offer as well. -
Lol anybody that ever bought a 100 dollar phone planning to use the camera is the only one dreaming. Even if this body scratches so well,im sure there's a case somewhere online.
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Huh. I've used it as my daily driver for nearly a month, and other than a few scratches on the chrome trim, it has fared very well.
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Chrome trims are the worst. Even older Samsung phones (Grand series) have scratches all over them
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how old are you sir?
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Nice to see affordable budget phones now have 16gb/2ram as the norm. I was able to make do, just, with an 8gb Moto G, so these have a lot more room for apps and keeping them open.
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Wow I seriously want one. With all the features I turn off and the crazy ways I find to save battery I'm sure I could get 10hrs SOT on this. My Nexus 6 is the best phone I've ever had,but good god 3 and a half hours is pitiful. It DOES last my all day everyday,but there's just something extremely satisfying about now grabbing your charger for days. You just feel so much more free when you know you don't have to adjust usage in any way shape or form to get that last hour before bedtime. I don't wanna pay hundreds and hundreds for a 3400mah batter or etc,my number one concern even before display quality is battery life. I'm not worried about all day,I want an ALL WEEK phone haha.
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This phone looks mighty impressive, sure. But the camera performance sure is disappointing. My three year old Galaxy Note 3 and two ish year old Xperia Z2 would probably shoot significantly better photos than the Xiaomi. You could say "For the price it's to be expected," but frankly it's inexcusable at this point. I mean, they stuffed a fingerprint sensor to this but saddled with a bad camera? That's ridiculous imo. Again, amazing phone for the value, shame about the camera.
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I don't think it's a bad deal for 100. The fingerprint sensor makes it more future proof overall. There's a million phones out there with bad cameras that cost more and don't have a scanner,decent build or even average battery life.
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Yeah, you could say that. Battery life is beyond impressive, sure and that's a big deal for me, though the camera is an even bigger deal. Oh well,...
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Think of it this way. People balk and clammer for the biggest, baddest camera possible on a phone. They discount entire devices based on cameras and wage keyboard hero war over them. And for what? All for a single facet of their device that frankly most people use less than a handful of times a week... Tl dr; typical people don't spend all day taking awesome photographs with their big bad camera phone. But they DO probably unlock their phone to use it for literally any other reason, hundreds of times a day. So you tell me why a finger print scanner is over kill in a 100 dollar device...
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If you're in the US and someone sues you and your phone is an important bit of evidence as the court demands, the Court can LEGALLY FORCE YOU TO UNLOCK said device with a fingerprint scanner and YOU CANNOT STOP THEM, because it's not protected under the Fifth Amendment. But your PATTERNS, PINS, AND PASSWORDS can't be taken without a court order. http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/05/iphone-fingerprint... So that's one. And again, I'd like to point out, if they were able to shoehorn a fingerprint sensor onto the device, why not an actually GOOD camera sensor? Surely that isn't as significant an expense as folks would be inclined to think.
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That whole bit about the government is pointless.... Encrypt phone, require pin upon boot Up, turn off phone if your suddenly sequestered by feds. Next issue. Camera bit is still ridiculous to compare to finger print scanner to an awesome camera in a hundred phone there are going to be concessions.
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I've had this mobile for around a week now and considering what I paid for it I am over the moon. I think too much is being made of the camera here, it can take a good photo in daytime lighting, I've not tried it in the evening, I'm sure it will produce below average quality snaps based on not just this review but all the other reviews for it but I think most mobiles in this price range (lacking OIS), would also product below average quality snaps. It has a good range of sensors and the software that came with it, MIUI 8 Beta, really isn't that bad, I've installed Nova (Prime) and it'll fix most of the MIUI issues most people have. The screen is at least what I would expect in this price range if not better, I'm more than happy with it's brightness, viewing angles and sunlight readability. On top of what I have already said it also has fantastic battery life and build quality (for the money). Really happy with mine anyway :-)
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Great. These would make good replacements if you're low on cash and need something to hold you over until your next phone upgrade.
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Iam using for this for more than five weeks now. The performance is great for the price, only issue is camera and buggy miui 7. By the way, did u buy this just for reviewing? if no, is this your primary device?
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This is a review unit. Used it as my primary for about three weeks. My daily driver now is a Mi Max, which is just massive. I'll be reviewing that for next week.
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Amazing what Xiaomi are achieving in the budget segment. I live in Europe, so I have to import them from China, but I bought a Redmi Note 2, a Note 3 (as gifts), and a Mi Max as a secondary device, and I've been really happy with the value for money. The 3s looks like another winner. Thanks for reviewing it
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Glad you liked it!
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Why don't these smartphones have all the LTE bands available, so people from other countries can buy them and fully take advantage of their capabilities? I don't understand.
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I think it's to lower the cost. Making a phone with all the LTE bands costs money, so it's cheaper to just include the bands for the countries you're planning to sell in. Xiaomi mostly target China & India for now. But yeah it's a shame
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Have you ever heard of the T1 plus from vkworld? It has almost the same price range with this xiaomi redmi 3s, but it seems to have better specifications.
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Best budget device indeed. Great review, Harish. Hopefully, Xiaomi will start putting some decent cameras next year.
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moved my comment to the main thred
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how can any body complain about this phone, it's soooo ridiculously cheap.
i live in the west, and this makes most friend's phones look crap.
other people ask me what it is, because it looks great. i tell them the brand and of course they look blank, nobody's heard of xiaomi.
but i love that i can go a couple of days without plugging it in, or never worry about carrying a charger.
sure it's not perfect when compared to other phones, but it's freaking amazing when compared to similarly priced phones, even more expensive phones. -
Great phone beats all competition
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This is a great phone it beats all the competition I know of. I was telling a friend about a year ago this company redmi what's going to be taking over and he thought I was crazy but now he thinks I'm cool
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from first day onward facing volte issue on jio sim contacted customer support on e mail no solutions so far...and no response on toll free number given on site..highly regreting so far not able to use volte services on phone and there is sereous service network problems..in Jammu and Kashmir atleast..beware of tht
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All business is better to have a company with a smartphone and Uhans Uhans H5000 - all questions relating to the service are solved very solid
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Xiaomi Redmi 3S on compared with UHANS H5000, which only costs $109.99 has less memory and less battery capacity
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Hi
XIAOMI Redmi 3S ( 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM ) Price on geekbuying 180$ + Free Xiaomi Mi Band 1S Pulse Smart Band with free shipping.
if you know better offer please share with me.
Advance thanks
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