Overview Xiaomi Redmi 3s: the perfect smartphone for their $ 125

That budget line Redmi Xiaomi has become a pass to the world market. Cheap and high-quality smartphones, starting with the first model, became a niche product of the Chinese company. One of them - Redmi 3s.

Now you can buy two versions of Xiaomi Redmi 3s. The base has 2 GB and 16 GB internal memory, Prime-improved version - 3 and 32 GB respectively. Each is available in three colors: white, gray with black front face and gold - a good choice for low-end device. Previously, all sales were in Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime in a gold case - that it today and will be testing.

Characteristics

Appearance and ease of use

Included Redmi 3s there is nothing superfluous: a small unobtrusive box, smart phone, cable, and charger. Previously, it was one of the saving methods, and now, rather a tribute to tradition.

Box no longer interested in as soon as the device fits in your hand. Smartphone perfectly fits in any hand. When using the device there is no need to shift or use the second hand: all controls with direct access. The cold metal casing creates a sense of quality, which does not spoil even the presence of plastic inserts on top and bottom for better wireless reception.

Yes, design Redmi 3s straight from 2014, but it becomes unimportant live within five minutes. Usability compare with him a few.

Practicality - the main advantage of the new smartphone Xiaomi. The company's engineers refused to use a fashionable safety glass with rounded edges 2,5D. Instead, the smartphone was a metal frame around the front surface. With this gadget you can put a glass on the table without fear of scratching the display. Major competitors (including junior Meizu) such treatment does not forgive.

Speaker grille is a small hole on the lower plastic insert and prevents dirt.

Ports also on-site. The main - microUSB - is exactly in the middle below. Therefore, a smartphone can be used at any dock or attaching (e.g., for the car windshield). Headphone jack - on the top, and it's really convenient. Microphone openings are minimal to work and do not become clogged during use. You heard right: two holes top and bottom, as in the smartphone realized excellent noise reduction!

Another plus: the main camera is located behind the hull lines and protected rim. We can assume that at all does not act.

However, there are in a barrel of honey and a little tar. The device is devoid of the physical system keys. Controlled by touch buttons "Settings", "Home", "Back", which have no lights. In part it replaces unusually located under the center button multicolored LED.

Important differences Redmi 3s from other series of devices has been the emergence of the infrared port and a fingerprint scanner.

The first transforms the device into a remote control all home appliances from the TV to the unit.

The fingerprint reader is located on the metal part of the back cover, exactly under the index finger. When used in the hands of it's convenient. But in order to unlock the device lies on the table, it is necessary to disturb or use another method of unlocking. Interestingly, after rebooting the operating system, first make a password - only after that start working sensor.

The question arises: why do we need a fingerprint reader in the budget smartphone that has proven graphical keys and passwords? Xiaomi engineers offered not the most trivial variations. The scanner can be used to block the exit from the children's mode disabled (blocked payment, certain content and applications) or for access to a particular program. It is not necessary to use a fingerprint to unlock the device.

Screen

In a display device is already familiar to many 5-inch IPS-panel with a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels. Toughened glass protects it from scratches and oleophobic coating - from grease stains and fingerprints. There are anti-glare filter, which allows you to comfortably use the gadget in bright sunlight.

Color reproduction is good, the corners of sufficient review. Automatic brightness adjustment works instantly, so that the transition from indoors to outdoors is almost imperceptible.

Performance

Now 3 Redmi lineup already includes four apparatus: the basic model of the same name, 3X, Pro and 3S. The first two are not so relevant, but the choice between the Pro and the new device delivered to a standstill Runet. Xiaomi developers received ambiguously by releasing in the same price range are quite different, at first glance, smartphones.

The fact that the Xiaomi Redmi Pro 3 has a processor Snapdragon 616 with Adreno 405 graphics. In Redmi 3s set cheaper Snapdragon 430. But last wins when displaying graphics, because it is responsible for more powerful accelerator Adreno 505.

In addition, the new product is installed permanent memory of new types. In the normal version on 2/16 GB - eMMC 5.0, an advanced 3/32 GB - even faster eMMC 5.1. Therefore Redmi 3s exhibits excellent performance for a budget device.

Synthetic test results did not beat the record, showing the expected figures for the budget segment.

The interface works smoothly without any slowdown, and deadlocks. In various games Jr. Xiaomi even able to please gamers. World Of Tanks, Asphalt 8, and even Epic Citadel - all of them work on a smartphone with enough to play the number of frames per second (FPS). In this case, even in the most intense moments of the heating body hardly felt. It affects efficiency and low heat generation processor (or rather, the entire SoC "processor - video accelerator").

Camera

Budget smartphone wait-quality images are usually not necessary. But Xiaomi and did not skimp here. Sensor with hybrid phase autofocus closed five-lens. Aperture - f / 2.0, focal length - 30 mm. Of course, this is not Le Max 2 and especially not OnePlus 3. But when there is sufficient light the pictures are very good.

The camera system has a simplified version of the manual mode, with which you can adjust the white balance and ISO. Using HDR gives a very strange result: detail drops. At dusk, when shooting with this function, it turns unexpectedly bad photos. Probably the improvement is expected in the next firmware.

The front camera works fine. Selfie out sufficient quality, and if necessary they can be improved directly in the native application "Camera" by using the "beautiful face". The program tries to determine the sex and age of the person. Sometimes it's very funny.

Sound

Despite the low cost, Redmi 3s sound much better than many peers. The external speaker does not wheeze, even if the play through his music. Reading a little lost in the volume, but the sound clearly, legibly. Volume reserve enough to watch YouTube videos in the company.

All smartphone charm is revealed when playing audio through headphones. In the setting of the system is hidden a huge section for debugging sound. You can use the equalizer or select presets for many popular models of headphones. With them, the music starts to sound pretty good - at least a head taller than the other cheap devices.

Firmware

Like other line of smartphones, Xiaomi Redmi 3s running proprietary operating system MIUI. In the near future is expected to yield MIUI version 8, it should be the main part of the gulf problems. In the meantime, we have to settle for MIUI 7.5, based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. On the other hand, it is already present correct Russian translation for all elements, icons and functions.

MIUI is different from the usual AOSP-assemblies (standard versions of Android, used in low-end phones) completely unrealistic possibilities of customization. In it tuned everything, without exception. A listing of all firmware features are drawn to a separate article, so we will not stop. It should just look at the screenshots.

Communication interfaces and network

For the sake of modern trends in the smart phone has a combined slot. In this case, you can set the microSIM and something to choose from: a second SIM-card (the Nano format) or the microSD-card (reads up to 128 GB).

Radio is one, so in fact the network is only one card. However, as in most smartphones. Powered Redmi 3s almost all 2G / 3G frequencies Russian. The network of the fourth generation (4G / LTE) will be available in Russian, as supported by work in the bands B1, B3, B7, B38, B39, B40 and B41.

Voice communication is excellent, the problem may be only on the operator's side. Acceptance of the Internet in a stable 4G networks. Wi-Fi flawlessly. Working wireless interface only in the 2.4 GHz band.

Pleasantly surprised by the GPS-receiver. Cold start (search for satellites in a new place without the data from cellular towers) in less than 30 seconds. Accuracy is excellent: in central Russia all are satellites navigation systems (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou). One of the installed sensor has a digital compass, so Redmi 3s can be used as a navigator.

Battery

Let the non-removable battery, but its capacity is as much as 4,100 mAh. Besides filling Redmi 3s economical screen - low resolution. Therefore, it works amazingly long time for the phone in 2016: on the average brightness in an airplane mode, you can watch a movie 17 hours surfing via Wi-Fi - 16 hours playing of 3D-shooter or racing - 8.5 hours, and in the navigation mode enabled 4G - 8 hours.

The smartphone will be able to work 2-3 days in active use. Charge it would have no dinner every night - every two days!

Included with Redmi 3s is supplied to the power supply 5 V and 2 A. With him charging the battery takes three hours.

What is the result?

Xiaomi Redmi 3s claims to be the best budget smartphone in 2016 year. It may be mentioned as a primary competitor Meizu M3s. But these are different machines, each with its own purpose, target audience and features.

The youngest of Meizu is beautiful and very comfortable. It has a better camera, a little brighter display and a physical button with built-in fingerprint scanner (so much easier to unlock the smartphone on the table).

Fresh Redmi made easier, but more practical in everyday use. The camera and screen are better protected. Processor from Qualcomm adds advantages, showing better performance than the one used in the Meizu platform MTK. Thanks to him, it sounds better smartphone than the M3s - both speakers and headphones. Runtime budget Xiaomi greater than that of a competitor. The pros also write the IR port, the latest operating system and frequent updates.

The cost of smartphones is on the same level. The younger version of Xiaomi Redmi 3s with 2/16 GB of memory now costs from $ 125 (On AliExpress) to $ 129 (On GearBest). Elder with 3/32 GB is more profitable option as on AliExpress its open spaces can be found outside $ 150And on GearBest - just $ 140. Should I pay? I think so: for some time it will be possible to forget about the need for a memory card.

UPD. On GearBest can get a younger model with a discount for 123 dollar.