Consumers just aren't buying as many entry-level smartphones as they used to. At least, that is what the IDC's most recent report about the Indian smartphone market dictates. It clearly states that the market witnessed a strong decline of 36 percent year on year with entry-level smartphones. While you will find plenty of entry-level smartphones on sale in the market, most first-time smartphone buyers seem to be reaching out for a budget smartphone (from Rs. 10,000 onwards). And that's mainly down to the fact that entry-level smartphones over the years have kind of ruined it for themselves. Given the paltry hardware that manufacturers are able to squeeze with such budget restrictions, the overall experience (despite ignoring camera performance) has also been lackluster at best.
The only prominent player, Xiaomi, seems to be doing something about this. It has now launched its all-new Redmi A4 5G. As its moniker aptly explains, the phone delivers 5G connectivity and is priced from Rs. 8,499 for the 4GB + 64GB option, while the top-end 4GB + 128GB variant is available at Rs. 9,499.
The Redmi A4 5G has a 3.5mm headphone jack
Our Sparkle Purple review unit, despite its polycarbonate frame and rear panel, appears polished and could easily be mistaken for a more expensive budget device. It has flat sides along with flat front and rear panels. The chunky camera module at the back appears to have four camera cutouts and feels out of place on an entry-level device.
The phone has a large footprint but does not feel too heavy at 212 grams. Its plastic design also has an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance, which is good to see in this segment.
The dated display notch at the top of its large 6.88-inch 120Hz, HD+ display is the only giveaway you are holding for an entry-level device. During my brief usage, I took it outside, and it appeared to tackle the outdoors quite well.
The phone has a slightly dated notch at the top of its 6.88-inch display, which has a taller aspect ratio.
Unlock the smartphone, and you will be greeted with Xiaomi's HyperOS software, based on Android 14. As with all entry-level devices, this one is no different. And I was greeted with a ton of preinstalled apps and games. However, my initial impressions are that it all seems well optimized (especially when scrolling), even if launching an app does take an extra second than it would on a budget smartphone.
Back to the cameras, there's just one rear-facing camera. Despite the four camera cutouts, there's a primary 50-megapixel camera (f/1.8 aperture) and a second camera for depth sensing (when using the Portrait mode) that users cannot access. So, you are indeed left with a very basic camera experience. The selfie camera is also a basic 5-megapixel unit.
Powering the above hardware and software experience is Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 SoC. Xiaomi has backed it up with LPDDR4X RAM but offers UFS 2.2 storage. The processor is manufactured using the 4nm fabrication process, so it will be able to deliver better performance with better efficiency compared to what's currently available in smartphones at this price point.
There's not much in the box, but you do get a 33W charger that charges the phone at 18W
Assisting the new chipset is a 5,160mAh battery. Given the smartphone's pricing, it is a bit surprising to find a 33W charger in the box. However, the Redmi A4 5G charges at 18W, so I am expecting faster charging speeds despite the slightly higher capacity over the Redmi A3.
The few hours I have spent with the Redmi A4 5G have been enough to convince me that Xiaomi is out to stir up this much-ignored market segment. The segment as such has not been entirely ignored (there are still plenty of choices to pick from) but seems to be deprived of any innovation or sensible hardware choices over the past couple of years. Xiaomi seems to have figured out a winning formula, and the 4nm Qualcomm chipset shows positive signs of delivering a smooth and stable software experience, at least. Can Xiaomi's Redmi A4 5G be as good as a budget smartphone? Stay tuned for our detailed review.