Just a couple of months after introducing the Redmi Note 3, Xiaomi has announced an upgraded version of its Android phablet.
The new Redmi Note 3 is powered by a hexa-core Snapdragon 650 processor, whereas the original model has an octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 chipset. The Thanks to the Snapdragon 650, the new Redmi Note 3 includes faster 4G+ network speeds and Voice over LTE, and the SD650’s Adreno 510 GPU offers a better gaming experience.
This updated Redmi Note 3 also includes a 16-megapixel rear camera, up from the original version’s 13-megapixel shooter. Finally, the new Redmi Note 3 offers a slightly beefier battery that has a capacity of 4050mAh, compared to the 4000mAh battery found in the MediaTek model.
Xiaomi’s new Redmi Note 3 will launch soon in China at a starting price of 999 Yuan ($151 USD) for the 2GB RAM/16GB storage model. Xiaomi will also offer a version with 3GB RAM/32GB storage, but pricing for that version has yet to be announced. To compare, the MediaTek-powered Redmi Note 3 is priced at 899 Yuan ($136 USD) for the 2GB/16GB model and 1099 Yuan ($166 USD) for the 3GB/32GB version.
The updated Redmi Note 3 is currently only slated to launch in China, but Xiaomi is planning a Redmi Note 3 Explorer program that’ll let 100 Indian users try out the new phone. They’ll be given different “missions” to complete with their Redmi Note 3 and will get gifts for the missions that they complete.
With a Snapdragon 650 chipset and upgrades to its camera, battery, and networking capabilities, this new Redmi Note 3 looks like a solid upgrade to the original model, which was already a decent device with a full-metal body, fingerprint reader, and 5.5-inch 1080p screen. Unfortunately, like most of Xiaomi’s hardware, many of us will never get to try the Redmi Note 3 because it’ll only be sold in China and maybe one or two other countries. Xiaomi said in July 2015 that it was at least one year away from selling its phones in the US, so it’ll likely be a while before we see any Xiaomi phones make their way stateside.
