Xiaomi Redmi K20 hands-on review: First impressions

Xiaomi unveiled the new Redmi K20 along with top-end Redmi K20 Pro in New Delhi on July 17.

. The Redmi K20 Pro comes in two variants-- 6GB RAM +128GB and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage-- for Rs 27,999 and Rs 31,999, respectively. On the other hand, the generic Redmi K20 will be offered in -- 6GB RAM + 64GB storage and 6GB RAM + 128GB--for Rs 21,999 and Rs 23,999, respectively. I got the Redmi K20 Glacier Blue review unit and have been using it for a day and here's my first impression.

. Build quality, design, and display: Xiaomi's Redmi K20 is one of the best-looking phones in the sub-Rs 30,000 categories. It's not just pleasing to the eyes, even the materials used for the phone are premium; you can feel it when held in the hand. It is top-notch compared to rival brands.

. The Redmi K20 has Gorilla Glass 5 series shield on both the front and the backside. Xiaomi has done a great job with the Aura Prime design language. I love how the glass blends into the metal frame around the edges and the colorway is an eye turner. It also comes with matching accents such as crimson-hued power button and the primary camera module in the raven shade, which match perfectly well with the cool blue.

. It sports a 6.39-inch full HD+ (2340x1080p) AMOLED HDR display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio, DC dimming, and 91.9% screen-to-body ratio, which guarantees immersive viewing experience.

. Processor, RAM and storage: Xiaomi Redmi K20 houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 octa-core (2.2GHz core x 2 + 1.8GHz x 6) backed by Adreno 618 GPU, 6GB LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB/128GB storage.

. Having used the phone for a brief time, it has shown no sign of lag-ness. It is swift in responses such as app launching, loading camera and switching between multiple apps. As far as the interface is concerned, it comes with Android Pie-based MIUI 10. An interesting thing to know that there won't be any ads popping in the phone this time compared to other Xiaomi mobiles, the company confirmed.

. Camera:

. In this department, Xiaomi has done well for the Redmi K20 by equipping good camera hardware. It comes with a 48MP (with 1/2-inch Sony IMX586, F1.75 aperture) + 8MP telephoto lens (with 1/4-inch OV8856 sensor, F2.4 aperture)+ 13MP 124.8-degree ultra-wide angle lens (with 1/3-inch Samsung S5K3L6, F2.4 aperture), auto laser focus and LED flash.

. I took Xiaomi Redmi K20 outside the launch event venue and took some pictures. They were really good in both the bright sunny conditions and also even in the low-light environment.

. On the front, it comes with a 20MP pop-up camera and does a decent job in getting a selfie. This Xiaomi phone also comes with a wide array of beautification apps.

. Also, a notable aspect of the device, that makes Redmi K20 unique is that the sides of the pop-up snapper are lined with LEDs and offer flash support, which comes handy in taking pictures in the dimly lit areas.

. Battery: The Redmi K20 comes with 4,000mAh battery with 18W charger. It is more than sufficient to keep the phone running for a full day under mixed usage.

. Initial thoughts: Considering the price and specifications, the Redmi K20 is a cost-effective phone compared to other branded models in the sub-Rs 25,000.

. Also, there is a raging debate on social media channels about the cost of the Redmi K20. Some critics are claiming that the price is a bit high for a mid-range phone, but for me, it is actually fairly priced if not low, considering the fact that building material including the shell, AMOLED screen is of premium quality and the Snapdragon 730 is the latest chipset from Qualcomm, the camera is top-notch and also there is in-screen fingerprint sensor and a pop-up camera.

. There are several brands with same or under-powered phones, which costs double the price of the Redmi K20. All this hullabaloo on the Internet seems sinister in nature.

. Watch this space for a full review.

. Key specifications of Redmi K20:

. Display: 6.39-inch full HD+ (2340x1080p) AMOLED HDR display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, DC dimming, 91.9 screen-to-body ratio, 3D glass cover

. OS: Android Pie-based MIUI 10

. Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 octa-core (2.2GHz core x 2 + 1.8GHz x 6) with Adreno 618 GPU RAM (LPDDR4X)+ Storage (UFS 2.1): 6GB + 64GB/ 6GB RAM +128GB

. Primary camera: 48MP (with 1/2-inch Sony IMX586, F1.75 aperture,0.8um pixe size, 6P lens) + 8MP telephoto lens (with 1/4-inch OV8856 sensor, F2.4 aperture, 1.12um pixel size, 2 x lossless zoom)+ 13MP 124.8-degree ultra-wide angle lens (with 1/3-inch Samsung S5K3L6,F2.4 aperture, 1.12um pixel size), autolaser focus and LED flash

. Front camera: 20MP sensor with F2.2 aperture, 0.8um pixel size

. Battery: 4,000mAh with 18W fast charging capability

. Add-ons: dual-SIM (type: nano), dual 4G-LTE , in-display fingerprint sensor, face unlock, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GLONASS, NFC, USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio jack, Qualcomm Aqstic WCD9340 Hi-Fi audio

. Colours: Carbon Black/Flame Red/Glacier Blue

. Dimensions & Weight: 156.7 x 74.3 x 8.8 mm & 191g

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Xiaomi Redmi K20 hands-on review: First impressions

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