Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 3: Metal body, fingerprint scanner, good camera [PHOTOS]

Xiaomi is taking charge of its dominance in the smartphone space again. In an event in China on Tuesday, the smartphone-maker unveiled the much-awaited Redmi Note 3, complete with major upgrades and improvements from its predecessors.

The new handset comes with a full metal body and is also the first in the Xiaomi lineup to feature an integrated fingerprint scanner. That's just part of the upgraded portfolio of new specs seen onboard the phone.

With the Redmi Note 3, Xiaomi has kept the design in line with its other devices. The full metal body is certainly a notable upgrade compared to the plastic-build models. The handset boasts the same curved edges and a plain soft back. It is 8.65 mm thick and weighs 164 grams despite packing a mammoth battery.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 sports a fingerprint scanner on the rear side, just below the camera module, and the speaker grille is placed at the bottom. The sealed unibody features the volume and power/lock buttons on the right and a SIM card tray ejects from the left side of the handset. According to Xiaomi, the integrated fingerprint scanner is fast and unlocks the device in just 0.3 seconds.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 features a 5.5-inch Full HD sunlight/night display and it supports reading mode. It is powered by MediaTek's Helio X10 chipset, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB storage and a 4,000mAh battery. Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 also comes in a 32GB variant that packs 3GB RAM. The handset runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop-based MIUI 7 OS.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 also comes with a great camera. The primary camera in the handset features a 13-megapixel sensor with PDAR 0.1s ultra-fast focus and dual-tone flash. On the front side of the device, there's a 5MP sensor with 36 smart beauty profiles.

Available in gold, silver and dark grey, Redmi Note 3 has a launch price of RMB 899 for the 16GB model and RMB 1099 for the 32GB variant.

Take a look at the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 photos below: (via MIUI)