Xiaomi Redmi 9C Hands-on, First Impressions

Xiaomi’s Redmi line-up this year is so expansive that almost every type of user has the right Redmi smartphone for them. Today we’re checking out the Redmi 9C, which is among the entry-level choices. It features a MediaTek Helio G35 chipset, triple rear cameras, a huge 5,000mAh battery, and a low starting price of just under PHP6,000USD 102INR 8,668EUR 97CNY 745.

The Redmi 9C is quite a big device thanks in part to its huge battery, but also its design. While the 6.53-inch HD+ IPS display spec doesn’t sound as big as other smartphones on the market, the bezels surrounding the screen are quite thick by today’s standards, resulting in an overall larger profile.

Still, it’s quite a good size for a modern smartphone and is still comfortable to hold thanks to the matte finish on the back panel and the curvature of the sides. The back has a design that sort of resembles a fingerprint, which is basically just a bunch of curved lines. It looks pretty cool, there’s a bit of texture to is, and you need not worry about smudges since it’s not glossy.

Here at the back you can find the square-shared rear camera module that contains three sensors, as well as the fingerprint scanner, and some Redmi branding. The cameras we have here at the back are a 13MP main, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor.

On the left side, we have the triple card tray with dedicated slots for two nano SIM cards and a microSD card. Meanwhile on the right, we have the volume rocker and power button.

The bottom contains the micro USB port, microphone, and loudspeaker. Up top, we get the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Powering the Redmi 9C is a MediaTek Helio G35 chipset with a PowerVR GE8320 GPU, along with 2GB/3GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of internal storage. For battery, it carries a huge 5,000mAh cell with support for up to 10W charging.

Running the software department is MIUI 12.0.1 Global on top of Android 10.

For pricing, the 2GB + 32GB variant of the Redmi 9C is priced at PHP5,290USD 90INR 7,642EUR 86CNY 656 while the 3GB + 64GB variant is priced at PHP5,990USD 102INR 8,653EUR 97CNY 743. Given the specs and general capabilities of the Redmi 9C, this is definitely a fair set of prices, although right off the bat we would recommend the 3GB + 64GB variant so that you get more mileage.

In the beginning, we mentioned the fact that the Redmi line-up this year is quite expansive. However, given the existence of the 9C with its specs and price, the position of the slighly cheaper, less powerful Redmi 9A. With that in mind, we also recommend the 9C over the 9A right off the bat. Anyway, for our full evaluation of the Redmi 9C, do stay tuned for our full review.