Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 review: Six months later

six months after its release, the Redmi Note 4 is still one of the best phones in the budget segment in India. There are plenty of options in this category — the Moto G5 Plus is Motorola's best effort yet, and the Honor 6X is similarly great. Then we have the likes of Smartron, with its sophomore effort considerably better than its first phone, and Lenovo's Z2 Plus has aged very well.

I used the Redmi Note 4 for a month back when it launched in January and rotated it as a secondary device on and off for the last five months. One of the main advantages of the Redmi Note 4 is the 4100mAh battery, which gives it excellent standby time and at least a day's worth of use on a full charge. Read on to find out how the device has fared six months after its release.

Great hardware in a new color variant

I initially used the gold color option of the Redmi Note 4, but I switched to the matte black variant in March. Of the two, I'm partial to the black color option, mainly because the black variant comes with a black front panel. The gold variant certainly gave the device a premium feel, but the black option with the silver antenna lines and camera accents looks much better.

Irrespective of whatever model you end up with, the Redmi Note 4 is a well-built device. The all-metal chassis gives it just the right amount of heft, and the subtle curves at the back make it comfortable to hold and use one-handed. The build quality is similarly top-notch.

The Redmi Note 4 has aged remarkably well, considering it took its fair share of tumbles. There aren't a lot of scratches on the screen, and aside from a few nicks on the bottom edge, the phone is relatively unharmed. The Redmi Note 4 certainly held up to everyday use much better than the Mi 6, which picked up a litany of microscratches at the front and back in just under three weeks.

The Redmi Note 4 holds up well very to everyday use.

The Snapdragon 625 chipset on the Redmi Note 4 was initially thought to be a downgrade from the Snapdragon 650 used in the Redmi Note 3, but that perception soon changed once people actually started using the device. The phone continues to be dependable when it comes to everyday performance even after 6 months of use.

One of the best features from a hardware point of view on Xiaomi phones is the presence of the IR blaster. The IR sensor allows you to use the Redmi Note 4 as a remote control for the TV, air conditioner, DTH box, and much more. I've been testing out the Sensy Smart Remoteover the last month, and if you're using the Redmi Note 4, you don't need to buy the ₹1,199 puck-sized device — you can directly use Sensy's app to control your TV through your phone.