5G as a distinctive element

Mobile telephony is the fastest growing consumer technology sector for over a decade and has the greatest impact on our daily lives. Brands like Xiaomi have bet very lucky for this, although they continue to build an ecosystem of accessories around them.

Over the past twelve months, we have seen many mid-range models launched within the Redmi Note family. First there was the Redmi Note 9, then the Redmi Note 9 Pro, later the Redmi Note 9S and now it’s the turn of what we assume to be the last of them, the Redmi Note 9T which was leaked in November.

Features of Redmi Note 9T

• Performance:
  • Processor: Mediatek Dimensity 800U.
  • RAM:
    • 4 GB + 64 GB UFS 2.1.
    • 4 GB + 128 GB UFS 2.2.
  • Expansion by microSD cards up to 128 GB.
• Screen:
  • Diagonal: 6.53 inches.
  • Type: IPS LCD.
  • Resolution: FHD + (2340 x 1080).
• Cameras:
  • 48 Mpx main with 1/2 ”sensor, 1.6μm pixel, f / 1.79, AF…
  • 2 Mpx macro sensor with 1.75 μm pixel.
  • 2 Mpx depth sensor with 1.75 μm pixel, f / 1.79.
  • 13 Mpx front camera.
• Drums:
  • Capacity: 5000 mAh.
  • 18W fast charge (22.5W charger in the box).
• Connectivity: 5G, Dual SIM, Bluetooth, GPS, GLONASS….
• Other:
  • Headphone socket.
  • Infrared port.
  • NFC.
  • Side fingerprint sensor.
• Dimensions: 161.96 x 77.25 x 9.05 mm.
• Weight: 199 grams.
• Operating system: Android 10 MIUI 11.

Use plastic correctly

This terminal is one of the cheapest in the company, at least within the family, given that it has 5G. We comment on it because although there are models with metal frames and glass on the back, this time the finish is plastic.

However, Xiaomi opted for a matte finish with a rough texture that makes it very comfortable to hold in the hand, preventing it from slipping or trapping fingerprints.

We always say premium finishes are glass or metal, but plastic, when executed well, is a great option.

The front end has considerable frames for a 2021 mobile, although it is compressible given the category of the model. There is a perforation in the screen, but being LCD it has a slight dark halo, something that we have seen on occasion, but which never ceases to attract attention.

Let’s not forget that for some time Xiaomi has started to give more relevance to the sound and has implemented two speakers in this terminal. No, these are not two loudspeakers so powerful, and the sound is good but not spectacular, but we applaud the gesture. I wish all terminals already have dual speaker.

It should also be noted the presence of the charging port, the USB C of course, and the headphone jack. Oh, and the infrared emitter, something oddly undervalued this time around we used a lot as a remote control for one of the TVs we used in the week we had this terminal broken.

The rear part is distinguished by its rough finish, but also by the camera module, a module that I personally don’t like and which is reminiscent of the Poco X3. There are three cameras, the fourth element is the LED flash.

Finally, note the presence of a fingerprint sensor on the right side, useful if you use the mobile with this hand but not so much if you are left-handed.

Performance is too tight

It seems obvious that what Redmi wanted to do with this mobile is to make a 5G device as cheap as possible. For this, he opted for a Mediatek processor, the Dimensity 800U. This chipset offers 5G connectivity in addition to other options that have not been enabled here.

The problem is that this processor, with the 4 GB of RAM that all variants of the Redmi Note 9T have, is not the most suitable for gaming. We had problems with Genshin Impact to such an extent that we stopped use it. Other demanding titles like Honkai Impact Third do well, but even in some apps we’ve seen how the power isn’t the best.

Also, with 4GB of RAM, we were unable to switch between apps without closing the first one, which is usually possible with 6GB models.

sometimes we even had intermittent delays and connectivity issues with Wi-Fi networks.

It’s not a terminal designed to demand a lot of power and gaming, although to be fair it doesn’t seem like it was designed for that.

Slightly high reflections

The Redmi Note 9T screen is made up of a 6.53-inch diagonal panel and IPS LCD technology. The resolution is FHD +, specifically 2340 x 1080 px.

The positive part is the precise resolution and that is that many competitors go for HD panels which have less sharpness. The downside is that the glare in some circumstances is high, and we tried it in winter, not in the sun in summer.

Also, as we mentioned before, there is a slight excess in the hole in the camera, which with a white background looks bad.

Three cameras that become one

It seems that one of the bad trends of 2020 remains this year. The need for brands to boast that their phones come with triple cameras means they include unnecessary sensors. And here we have it in duplicate.

On the one hand, we have a 13 Mpx main sensor, with just enough quality to be able to be used but with a rather short dynamic range as you can see in the photo gallery of this analysis. Of course, the videos stabilize them well despite the absence of OIS.

The other two cameras are completely consumable, due to their resolution and function. The two sensors have 2 Mpx, one serving to take macro photography and the other to calculate the blur of the portraits.

No, we don’t have a wide angle, which we find shocking because it’s something that more and more people are enjoying. It would have been more logical to remove these two sensors and put a wide angle, even if it was of adjusted resolution, with 5 or 8 Mpx.

Good autonomy, but without fanfare

The 5000 mAh of this Note 9T that we thought would give us greater autonomy than that obtained. Make no mistake, the battery is okay and doesn’t leave us stranded, but it does make it seem like the system is either using too much power or the processor is not optimizing enough.

In the first battery test we played and used social apps over Wifi and 4G. We did 2 hours of connection sharing with an iPad. We have reached 6 hours of screen time with 30 hours of battery life.

In the second battery test We played and used social apps again, but exclusively on 4G. We went outside to take photos and a short video and used tethering with an iPad for over 4 hours. We have reached 4.5 hours of screen time with 24 hours of battery life.

In the third battery test We used the mobile a lot more indoors, with Wi-Fi, and outdoors to listen to music and podcasts. We have reached 6 hours of screen time with 36 hours of battery life.

The Redmi Note 9T comes with Android 10

There are still a few months until we start seeing mid-range phones with Android 11 and this Redmi Note 9T proves it.

We have MIUI 12 and Android 10 and although we haven’t seen any reboots, delays, shutdowns or anything similar, every time we have the feeling that MIUI is denser, heavier and just like that. weighs a bit on the performance of the terminal.

Aesthetically, we don’t have a lot of complaints, especially since we can customize the interface a lot. Also, features like Mi Share (near Xiaomi version) come in handy, and the implementation of face unlock eliminates the need to always use the fingerprint sensor.

Conclusion: the bet of the Redmi Note 9T is 5G

Xiaomi has such a large catalog of terminals that it is difficult not to compare each new launch with the previous options. In this case, the simplest choice: If we like 5G a lot, it’s the Redmi to chooseOtherwise, one of the other options makes more sense if you look at the price-performance ratio given that the Redmi Note 9T 4 + 64GB costs 249.9 dollars and the 4 + 128GB costs 269.9 dollars.