Xiaomi unveiled the new Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime in India on Monday, 14 December, 2015 and the new device is the top-end version of the Redmi Note (1stGen) released last year.
The new phablet comes with few upgrades compared to its predecessor in terms of SoC (System on Chip), storage and Operating system.
To help provide better perspective on the Xiaomi Redmi Note siblings, we have briefly described the key feature differences in detail.
Display and Design:
In this aspect, there is no visible difference between the two Redmi Note models. They both measure 154.0 x 78.7 x 9.5 mm in dimension, but the new model weighs 185 g, 14g lesser than the 2014 variant.
They feature the same 5.5-inch HD display with pixel density of around 267 ppi (pixels per inch).
Processor, Storage and RAM capacity:
The 2014 Redmi Note comes in two processor variants -- a 3G model with MediaTek (MTK MT6592) Octa-core processor with 1.7GHz CPU speed and another 4G variant boasting 1.6GHz Snapdragon 400 series quad-core processor.
Due to Ericsson's patent infringement issue, Xiaomi was asked to stop selling the 3G model, but was allowed to sell the 4G variant as it did not violate any terms. It is widely believed that this is the very reason why Xiaomi deferred the launch of Redmi Note 2 and Note 3 and instead released the Redmi Note Prime in India.
The new Redmi Note Prime houses 64-bit class Qualcomm's Snapdragon 410 SoC (System on Chip). It is said to be 50% more powerful compared to the original Redmi Note model.
All three Redmi Note models come with 2GB RAM.
Also read: Redmi Note 2 Release in India Delayed Indefinitely; Xiaomi vs Ericsson Patent Issue to Blame?
Camera:
Like the smartphones' design language, there is hardly any difference in the camera hardware as well. They both house 13MP primary camera with LED flash on the back and 5MP snapper in the front.
Mobile Operating System:
The 2014 Redmi Note model comes with Android v4.3 Jelly Bean with custom MIUI out-of-the-box, but it was later upgraded to Android Lollipop 5.1 based MIUI 7.0 .
On the other hand, the new Redmi Note Prime runs on the Android 4.4 KitKat with MIUI 7.0 optimisation.
Battery:
There is no change in battery capacity and both the models feature 3100 mAh cell, which is capable for running the device for 775 hours under standby mode.
Key Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime and Redmi Note (2014):
| Models | Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime | Xiaomi Redmi Note |
| Display | 5.5-inch HD (1280x720p) IPS LCD screen
|
5.5-inch HD (1280x720p) IPS LCD screen
|
| OS | Android 4.4 KitKat optimized to MIUI 7.0 | Android v4.3 Jelly Bean with custom MIUI out-of-the-box (Android Lollipop 5.1 based MIUI 7.0 released) |
| Processor | 64-bit class 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core CPU with Adreno 306 GPU |
|
| RAM | 2GB | 2GB |
| Storage Capacity | 16GB, expandable up to 32GB | 8GB, expandable up to 32GB |
| Camera |
|
|
| Battery | 3100 mAh (Li-Ion Polymer);
|
3100 mAh (Li-Ion Polymer);
|
| Network | 4G-LTE | 2G/3G & 4G (optional model) |
| Add-ons | Dual-SIM slots (type: micro), , Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth, GPRS | Dual-SIM slots (WCDMA:3G & GSM: 2G), Bluetooth v4.0 (with LE, A2DP), micro-USB v2.0 (OTG), GPRS/EDGE, microSD card slot, |
| Dimensions | 154.0 x 78.7 x 9.45 mm | 154.0 x 78.7 x 9.5 mm |
| Weight | 185 g | 199 g |
| Price | Rs. 8,499 | Rs. 7,999 (discontinued) |
