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| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
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Design and Display
Performance and Battery Life
Camera
Software
Should you buy the Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro
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Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro puts premium design, flagship specifications, fancy features like pop-up selfie camera and an in-display fingerprint sensor at the forefront. But is that enough to compete with Honor and OnePlus? Here is our review.
Xiaomi is marking its fifth year anniversary in India with the launch of Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro. The Redmi K20 Pro, in particular, tries to bring the best of technology in a price point that can be termed as affordable.
Wait, haven’t we seen that in the past as well? Xiaomi is clearly taking a page from OnePlus’ journey in the smartphone segment here.
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| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
OnePlus started its journey as a flagship killer but is now competing with real flagship brands. Xiaomi, on the other hand, wants to take that seat and become the new flagship killer brand. It has already garnered a lot of support with Poco F1 and now, the idea is getting Redmi-ed by the company.
The Redmi K20 Pro is unlike any other Redmi smartphone. It deals with state-of-the-art design with key level specifications. It does all this by keeping it in control. So, does it mean that Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro checks all the boxes of a great smartphone? Read our review to find yourself.
Design and Display
It was not that long ago when all Xiaomi smartphones looked identical. It was almost impossible to tell Redmi Note 6 Pro apart from Mi A2 by simply looking at the back panel.
With Redmi K20 Pro, Xiaomi is bringing a new design language, one that challenges premium flagship smartphones. For starters, Xiaomi is ditching plastic for a glass sandwich design. The glass has been curved gently to meet the edge of its metal chassis.
Xiaomi calls it Aura Prime design and it would go down as one of the best gradient implementations on a smartphone. The glass back is not as smooth as Google Pixel 3 XL‘s frosted structure, it still feels nice and ergonomic to hold in one hand. It comes in three finishes – Carbon Black, Flame Red, and Glacier Blue. While our review unit is blue, I personally found the red to be more eye-catching.
Xiaomi has not only been smart in terms of choice of material, but it has also used them intelligently. The texture of the back panel is capable of reflecting light and generates a pattern as well. The black model might be subdued but it is designed by Marc Newson.
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| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
Xiaomi calls it Aura Prime design and it would go down as one of the best gradient implementations on a smartphone. The glass back is not as smooth as Google Pixel 3 XL‘s frosted structure, it still feels nice and ergonomic to hold in one hand. It comes in three finishes – Carbon Black, Flame Red, and Glacier Blue. While our review unit is blue, I personally found the red to be more eye-catching.
Xiaomi has not only been smart in terms of choice of material, but it has also used them intelligently. The texture of the back panel is capable of reflecting light and generates a pattern as well. The black model might be subdued but it is designed by Marc Newson.
There is grooves-like pattern built on the metal surface that adds class to an oft-repeated color. If Redmi Note 7 Pro was the first salvo from Xiaomi to make a good looking smartphone then the Redmi K20 Pro is their design team’s home run.
The back of the device is also home to vertical triple-camera setup. It is with the dual-LED flash module. Downward, Xiaomi is redeemed by branding. On the right side, you get the volume rocker and the power button. The power button color of the three models is red.
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| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
The back of the device is also home to vertical triple-camera setup. It is with the dual-LED flash module. Downward, Xiaomi is redeemed by branding. On the right side, you get the volume rocker and the power button. The power button color of the three models is red.
I wish this was a texture, which made it even more attentive. On the left side, there is zero from any port, while the top is a pop-up selfie camera and 3.5mm headphone jack. The lower part has a USB Type-C port, dual-SIM card tray, and speaker. This textbook is a smartphone design that stands for keeping the audio jack.
At the front, you only have the display to look at. Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro features a 6.39-inch AMOLED panel with 2340×1080 pixel resolution. There is 1mm bezel on either side of the display and 2.1mm bezel on the top.
At the front, you only have the display to look at. Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro features a 6.39-inch AMOLED panel with 2340×1080 pixel resolution. There is 1mm bezel on either side of the display and 2.1mm bezel on the top.
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| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
The bottom bezel is bigger at 3.8mm, but that is now standard for this industry. The AMOLED panel is a marked improvement from LCD seen on the Poco F1. It definitely results in deeper blacks but you also get better contrast and color accuracy.
The Chinese smartphone maker claims a peak brightness of 600 nits but I did not find it to be that bright. As someone who has experienced OLED panels on smartphones like the iPhone XS, OnePlus 7 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S10, this falls short of matching them.
The display serves as a window for our digital world and the Redmi K20 Pro just gets the original right. I would not say that performance is poor. In fact, it is better than anything seen in Xiaomi device in India.
The display serves as a window for our digital world and the Redmi K20 Pro just gets the original right. I would not say that performance is poor. In fact, it is better than anything seen in Xiaomi device in India.
Since it covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut and has HDR support, games like PUBG Mobile and Asphalt 9 show visuals: Legends stunning. It is ready for activities like media consumption and most of us are doing on this smartphone.
Performance and Battery Life
Xiaomi is calling the Redmi K20 Pro as the fastest smartphone in the country. It houses a Snapdragon 855 mobile platform, the first 7nm based SoC from Qualcomm. The processor is also aided by Adreno 640 GPU and Hexagon 685 digital signal processor. |
| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
In my time using the smartphone, I did not have even a single issue with the Redmi K20 Pro. Our review unit comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage and is priced at Rs 30,999.
If your primary usage is that of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, video calling and clicking pictures, you will find it as fast as a cheetah. However, real power gets unleashed when you start playing games like PUBG Mobile or Asphalt 9: Legends.
In the very first screen of PUBG Mobile, the smartphone sets the game to the highest setting. You can easily play the game on the Redmi K20 Pro with graphics set to HDR and Frame Rate set to Ultra. It also supports the new Extreme frame rate option, but I need to spend some more time before judging how well Redmi K20 Pro performs in this setting.
Asphalt 9: The same is true with games like Legends. Cars that fly for life and kill another car with Adreno 640 GPU. Since each component is hidden inside a tight enclosure, so during the gaming the smartphones overheat.
Asphalt 9: The same is true with games like Legends. Cars that fly for life and kill another car with Adreno 640 GPU. Since each component is hidden inside a tight enclosure, so during the gaming the smartphones overheat.
Xiaomi is using 8-layers of graphite from Kaneka, which also supplies to Apple for cooling. Cooling is effective for the most part, but I noticed that it can be hot after a 45% continuous PUBG mobile session in the highest graphics setting.
In such a situation, you have to put the phone down for just a few minutes and start over again. Cooling seen in BlackShark 2 or Nubia Red Magic 3 is not as effective.
While Redmi K20 Pro is no doubt a powerful smartphone, it is hard to say how much more power it has compared to OnePlus 7 Pro. The latter also has an edge with its OLED panel supporting 90Hz refresh rate. Xiaomi has also added software feature like Game Turbo, which allows you to get more out of your gaming experience.
The best implementation is found with PUBG Mobile, where you can change the touch response and sensitivity to repeated taps. You can also tweak touch sensitivity area allowing you to reduce touch sensitivity near the edges.
While Redmi K20 Pro is no doubt a powerful smartphone, it is hard to say how much more power it has compared to OnePlus 7 Pro. The latter also has an edge with its OLED panel supporting 90Hz refresh rate. Xiaomi has also added software feature like Game Turbo, which allows you to get more out of your gaming experience.
The best implementation is found with PUBG Mobile, where you can change the touch response and sensitivity to repeated taps. You can also tweak touch sensitivity area allowing you to reduce touch sensitivity near the edges.
While you can tweak graphics in the game, there is a similar setting in Game Turbo as well. Xiaomi says it plans to add custom options for popular games like Asphalt 9 and upcoming Counter-Strike Mobile post-launch of the smartphone.
The Redmi K20 Pro packs a 4,000mAh battery, which may seem conservative in this age. However, it runs for one day without any issue, in the days I spent playing games, I gave the screen roughly four-and-a-half-hour time.
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| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
The Redmi K20 Pro packs a 4,000mAh battery, which may seem conservative in this age. However, it runs for one day without any issue, in the days I spent playing games, I gave the screen roughly four-and-a-half-hour time.
Without gaming, I could extend it for five and a half hours. Although this can not be great as an eight-hour screen-on-time offered by Huawei P30 Pro, it is still decent for a smartphone in this price segment.
Xiaomi gets it even without being too aggressive to kill background applications. Do I need more juice than my smartphone? Yes, I do but it will require a whole new technology.
Camera
The Redmi K20 Pro’s star feature is the pop-up selfie camera. The company has put a 20-megapixel shooter inside an enclosure that sits at the top of the body. The camera shoots very nice details in selfie mode and also retains shadows in the background. |
| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
The selfies are vibrant with a zeal that portrays the emotion really well. There is a bit of beautification happening that tends to smoothen the skin, but the result is largely acceptable. The selfie camera is flanked by a blue light on either side that forces people to take note of it.
I have used a number of pop-up selfie camera smartphones in the past year. While Oppo Reno 10x Zoom’s implementation is unique, the Redmi K20 Pro’s wins attention.
For regular photography, the Redmi K20 Pro is equipped with a total of three cameras on its back. A major 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 image shooter with 8-megapixel telephoto and 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera.
For regular photography, the Redmi K20 Pro is equipped with a total of three cameras on its back. A major 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 image shooter with 8-megapixel telephoto and 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera.
On the focal length of 12 mm, the ultra-wide-angle camera is broader than this offered by rivals in this section. It also produces a better dynamic range than the standard camera. A great image is usually about vibrancy and it feels that otherwise it can not be found. Redmi K20 Pro does ultra-wide camera easily.
The primary 48-megapixel camera with Sony IMX586 sensor is no slouch here. It captures standard pictures at 12-megapixel but you get a 48-megapixel option as well. The camera is quick to shoot and focuses rather fast with its laser autofocus support.
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| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
However, I found the laser autofocus not to be as fast as dual-pixel autofocus. The images captured here have good color accuracy but they are not anywhere close to Google’s Pixel lineup in terms of color science.
The most important thing to note here is that the camera is fast and has better stability than rival devices. We will soon compare Redmi K20 Pro with OnePlus 7 Pro so that we can better understand how they got stacked against each other.
Zoom camera supports real 2x optical zoom and does not deploy any software trickery. Xiaomi has added many features to the camera app to make it captivating. At BGR India, we were shocked to see Poko F1's camera and Radmi's 20 Pro is definitely one step ahead from there.
Software
One of the first things that I noticed is that MIUI has matured significantly. The Redmi K20 Pro runs MIUI version 10.3.1.0 with Poco Launcher. The overall user interface has been streamlined from previous versions of MIUI. The software responds much faster than it did before and the gesture interface is easy to understand. |
| Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Review |
Swiping down from the bottom to enter the multitasking and swiping to enter the home screen is more fluid than seeing on Google's own Pixel smartphone. The multitasking interface has been changed into a pile of cards.
This makes it easy to choose your favorite app and swiping them off the app. To enter the split view, you have to press one of the applications for a long time. This, I think, should be replaced with a split-view option on the top panel. There is also a system-wide dark theme which I liked after one week.
MIUI 10 is based on Android 9 pie and the real deal is how soon Xiaomi can release Android Q update. In the past, the company has not been the fastest to release the update and instead has brought key features in its own user interface.
MIUI 10 is based on Android 9 pie and the real deal is how soon Xiaomi can release Android Q update. In the past, the company has not been the fastest to release the update and instead has brought key features in its own user interface.
Our review unit is also running a security patch, which is old when other equipment has started getting the July security patches. While Mi Mi likes it, what is its purpose by integrating features like Mi Pay, of course, there is scope for improvement. One of the first things Xiaomi has to leave is to leave all duplicate applications.
For example, there is a browser that lives next to the Google Chrome browser. We all know that most people use chrome and this second browser becomes a nuisance after a point. Every time when a link is opened in the Mi browser instead of Chrome, then I really feel like scratching my head.
For example, there is a browser that lives next to the Google Chrome browser. We all know that most people use chrome and this second browser becomes a nuisance after a point. Every time when a link is opened in the Mi browser instead of Chrome, then I really feel like scratching my head.
The Android OEM should pay attention to making their own apps, but these existing issues should be fixed. They should not become the cause of any issue.
There is a dispute about advertising pop-up in MIUI, but I have hardly noticed this. I would say that MIUI introduces Bluetooth in the process of simplifying the user experience.
Should you buy the Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro?
I have been using the Redmi K20 Pro for well over a week now. If there is one thing that I have learned during the process then it’s that Redmi K20 Pro is Manu Jain’s precious. I would say it is Anuj Sharma and Redmi team’s precious as well.
They are not Gollum per se but their passion for this device comes through without much effort. That alone should be considered a win for Xiaomi.
The Redmi K20 Pro has an industrial design that makes people ask you which phone it is. It has the performance to back up that design. It also has a camera that can take good pictures in most situations.
The Redmi K20 Pro has an industrial design that makes people ask you which phone it is. It has the performance to back up that design. It also has a camera that can take good pictures in most situations.
Xiaomi’s own software aims to bring out the best experience out of the device. It has an in-display fingerprint sensor that is reliable. The calling function is great and the bottom-firing single speaker is loud.
In a nutshell, Xiaomi seems to have delivered a smartphone that checks a lot of boxes. It does not do everything exceptionally well but it does a lot of things right within the budget. If your budget is Rs 30,000 then it hard to look past this smartphone.
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